The Nick Bare Podcast

110: How to Train for Your First Marathon With Jeff Cunningham

Mar 3, 2025

Join Jeff Cunningham, an experienced running coach, as he shares invaluable insights on training for your first marathon. He emphasizes the importance of easy miles, weekly speed workouts, and the 80/20 rule to maximize performance without fatigue. Jeff also discusses how proper nutrition and hydration can enhance recovery and overall performance. With personal experiences and motivation for both novices and seasoned runners, this conversation is packed with practical advice to inspire your marathon journey.

01:44:49

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Episode guests

Jeff Cunningham

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Quick takeaways

To successfully train for a marathon, understanding the balance of easy miles and structured workouts is essential for endurance and performance.

Nutrition plays a crucial role in marathon training, as proper fueling before, during, and after workouts can significantly enhance recovery and performance.

Embracing the discomfort of challenging training days reinforces commitment, ultimately leading to a sense of accomplishment and personal growth upon completing the marathon.

Deep dives

Embracing the Journey of Marathon Training

The process of preparing for a marathon is not about feeling motivated every day, especially as training intensity and mileage increase. It’s common to experience fatigue and question the purpose behind the effort. Yet, enduring these challenging moments ultimately contributes to the sense of accomplishment upon crossing the finish line. The valuable lessons learned during difficult training days pave the way for greatness, as true investment in any endeavor requires commitment through discomfort.

Intro

2min

Essential Guidance for First-Time Runners

3min

A Runner's Return: Joy and Challenges of Getting Back into the Sport

2min

Transformative Insights on Training and Recovery for Runners

4min

Elevating Marathon Performance

10min

Preparing for Your First Marathon

13min

Embracing the Journey: First Marathon Insights

24min

Fueling Commitment and Endurance

6min

The 80-20 Rule in Running

11min

10.

Mastering Marathon Training

15min

11.

Fueling Your Marathon: The Essential Role of Nutrition

5min

12.

Fueling for Marathon Success

10min

In this episode, I'm bringing back a crowd favorite, Jeff Cunningham, to discuss essential strategies for training for your first marathon. We cover the importance of easy miles, weekly speed workouts, and structured long runs. Jeff shares his philosophy on the 80/20 rule for easy versus hard runs to maximize adaptations and avoid fatigue. The discussion also covers the significant role of nutrition and hydration in performance and recovery.

Jeff and I emphasize the importance of fueling properly before, during, and after workouts, and relay personal experiences to illustrate the benefits of structured training and proper nutrition. This is not for first timers only, this conversation is filled with practical advice and inspiration for both novice and seasoned runners.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 The Reality of Marathon Training

01:44 How to Train for Your First Marathon

06:31 The Importance of Easy Days and Recovery

15:10 The Austin Marathon Experience

22:29 Making the Commitment to Run a Marathon

48:41 Building Fitness and Loving Running

50:56 The Reality of Marathon Prep

01:01:07 The Importance of Easy Miles

01:16:48 Incorporating Speed Workouts

01:27:48 The Role of Nutrition in Training

01:31:31 Fueling for Performance