Inspired Soles

Carolyn Coffin

Inspired Soles is a podcast that fuels your passion for running and helps you achieve peak performance with every stride. Host Carolyn Coffin talks with industry experts, coaches, Olympians and everyday runners to educate and inspire you to take your running to the next level. 

  1. 278. Jeff Cunningham | Beyond Training Plans: Confidence, Comparison & Caring for the Whole Runner

    3 HR AGO

    278. Jeff Cunningham | Beyond Training Plans: Confidence, Comparison & Caring for the Whole Runner

    Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Jeff Cunningham returns for a deeper conversation about the parts of coaching that go far beyond workouts and race plans. We explore what happens when the real obstacle isn’t fitness, but confidence. When athletes are running 90+ miles per week but not fueling enough. When self-worth gets tangled up in race results. When comparison — amplified by social media — chips away at belief. Jeff shares how he navigates these challenges as a coach, especially when the issue isn’t physical but emotional — or when it falls outside of his own expertise. We talk about the danger of the success-or-failure mindset, what it really means to “stay on the path,” and how to rebuild trust in yourself after a disappointing performance. This episode is about caring for the whole runner — not just the one chasing a PR. If you’ve ever felt like your biggest hurdle wasn’t the training plan but your own self-doubt, this conversation is for you. Connect with Jeff: Instagram: @jdcunningham97Bat City Track ClubCunningham Running Jeff's Past Episodes on Inspired Soles: Episode 256 on Marathon Pacing Episode 217 with Polly (Jeff’s Canadian sub-elite athlete)Connect with Carolyn: Instagram: @inspiredsolescast or @carolyn.c.coffinYou can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com.

    1h 5m
  2. 276. Brant Stachel | Fast and Free Author on Mindset Training for Endurance Athletes

    3 FEB

    276. Brant Stachel | Fast and Free Author on Mindset Training for Endurance Athletes

    Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text I’m joined by high-performance running coach, mental performance coach, endurance athlete, and author Brant Stachel. Brant’s new book, Fast and Free: Mindset Training for Endurance Athletes, explores what it really means to train your mind with the same intention and structure as your body — without losing the joy that brought you to the sport in the first place. We talk about managing nerves and pressure, building confidence over time, and navigating those inevitable moments in training and racing when things start to feel hard or uncertain. Brant shares practical tools, real-world examples, and insights from his work with endurance athletes across all levels, offering a grounded, sustainable approach to mental performance. Whether you’re chasing a personal best, working through setbacks, or simply looking to show up more calmly and confidently in your running, this conversation will give you plenty to reflect on — and apply. Visit levermovement.com and use Inspired20 for 20% off OR use this link: https://levermovement.com/discount/Inspired20 Connect with Brant: Instagram: @fastandfreecoaching @brant_stachelYouTube: @FastandFreeCoachingPodcast: The Fast and Free PodcastWebsite: runfastandfree.comConnect with Carolyn: Instagram: @inspiredsolescast or @carolyn.c.coffinYou can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com.

    1h 11m
  3. 275. Natasha Wodak | Rethinking Start Line Safety in a Growing Sport

    26 JAN

    275. Natasha Wodak | Rethinking Start Line Safety in a Growing Sport

    Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text I’m joined once again by Canadian marathon record holder Natasha Wodak for a timely and important conversation. We begin by recapping Natasha’s 2025 season and wrap up by looking ahead to what’s lighting her up in 2026, but the heart of this episode focuses on start line safety in a rapidly growing sport. Just days before this recording, Natasha was taken down at the start of a local 8K race after being barged through by another runner. Although she got up and finished strongly, the injuries she sustained ultimately disrupted her training and prevented her from racing again days later. Together, we reflect on her experience and use it as a starting point to explore how crowded, chaotic start lines affect runners of all abilities—and how we can collectively do better. This is a thoughtful, solutions-oriented discussion about shared responsibility, race design, and the small changes that could make a big difference in keeping all runners safe. Visit levermovement.com and use Inspired20 for 20% off OR use this link: https://levermovement.com/discount/Inspired20 Resources we discussed in the episode: iRun Magazine article Connect with Natasha: Instagram: @tashawodakPrevious episodes on Inspired SolesEp 209: All Set to Race the Toronto Waterfront MarathonEp 190: On Missing the Olympic Marathon StandardEp 124: Canadian Marathon Record HolderConnect with Carolyn: Instagram: @inspiredsolescast or @carolyn.c.coffinYou can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com.

    58 min
  4. 274. Connor Winter | From 16th to 10th: A 2:11 Breakthrough at The Marathon Project

    19 JAN

    274. Connor Winter | From 16th to 10th: A 2:11 Breakthrough at The Marathon Project

    Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text Connor Winter is a professional marathoner with Tinman Elite who delivered a breakthrough performance at The Marathon Project, running 2:11:43 for 10th place after starting the race in 16th at halfway. In this episode, Connor walks us through the calm, patient decision-making that defined his race—choosing to back off an early pace that felt too hot, trusting the process, and steadily reeling competitors in over the second half. We talk about the mental game of the marathon, what it’s like to finish a race feeling both proud and hungry for more, and the very real load marathon training places not just on the athlete, but on the entire family—especially as Connor navigates life as a new dad. Connor also shares how he used Lever Movement during his marathon build to safely increase mileage, manage fatigue, and stay healthy through heavy training, along with practical ways runners of all levels can incorporate it into their own routines. A thoughtful conversation about patience, longevity, and showing up—day after day.  Connect with Connor & Lever: Website: levermovement.com Use code Inspired20 for 20% off OR https://levermovement.com/discount/Inspired20Instagram: @levermovement, @tinmanelite & @connorwinter1Connect with Carolyn: Instagram: @inspiredsolescast or @carolyn.c.coffinYou can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com.

    1h 3m
  5. 271. Johnny & Carolyn Coffin | The Marathon Project: PBs, DNFs & Perspective

    28/12/2025

    271. Johnny & Carolyn Coffin | The Marathon Project: PBs, DNFs & Perspective

    Got feedback about this episode? Send Carolyn a text In this episode, Johnny and Carolyn Coffin recap their unforgettable weekend at The Marathon Project, from chaotic winter-storm travel and behind-the-scenes access at the expo, to a race weekend filled with both breakthrough highs and gut-punch lows. Johnny runs a massive personal best, Carolyn faces a DNF, and together they reflect on what the experience revealed about preparation, pressure, perspective, and why this race was about so much more than the results. A candid, emotional, and honest look at chasing big goals and learning from whatever the marathon gives you. Visit levermovement.com and use Inspired20 for 20% off OR use this link: https://levermovement.com/discount/Inspired20 Connect with Johnny: Previous Inspired Soles episodes:EP 266: Chasing Big Goals at The Marathon ProjectEP 240: Sub-35 10K & Ottawa Race Weekend RecapEP 230: Ask Carolyn Anything + Colour Commentary from JohnnyEP224: Do You Control Strava, or Does It Control You?EP 211: Coffin's Chicago Marathon Recap: The Bodily Fluids EpisodeEP 202: Paris Olympic Track & Marathon Recap EP 55: Road to the 2021 Boston MarathonEP 12: Slow the BLEEP DownInstagram: @bestjohnnyeverConnect with Carolyn: Instagram: @inspiredsolescast or @carolyn.c.coffinYou can help spread the running love! The best way to SUPPORT Inspired Soles is to share your favourite episode(s) with friends, subscribe, or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Connect on Instagram @inspiredsolescast or email guest ideas to inspiredsolescast@gmail.com.

    1h 36m

About

Inspired Soles is a podcast that fuels your passion for running and helps you achieve peak performance with every stride. Host Carolyn Coffin talks with industry experts, coaches, Olympians and everyday runners to educate and inspire you to take your running to the next level. 

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