CAN YOUR GARMIN WATCH REPLACE A COACH?

Artificial Intelligence continues to rapidly creep into seemingly every facet of our daily lives. While no amount of computer learning will ever be able to do the actual running for you, there are aspects, like coaching, where AI could have a meaningful impact. In every debate about Al, the conversation almost always includes this question: Is it better than what humans can accomplish? In the case of running, would Coach AI be better than, say, Ed Eyestone, a two-time Olympian and coach of Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, the top two men at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February?

- JEFF DENGATE

We may be many years away from knowing that answer, as there is so much more that goes into the development and performance of the country's and world's best athletes. But, for the rest of us, there are already computer-based programs that promise to revolutionize the way we train. One such tool is Garmin's Race Adaptive Training, an algorithm-based plan that's available on the newest Forerunner and Fenix smartwatches. How well does it actually work? And could a Garmin really replace a coach? I wanted to find out, so I followed an individualized training plan for the Osaka Marathon this past February.

1 WHAT IS GARMIN RACE ADAPTIVE TRAINING?

The training program is a neat feature accessible via the Race Widget on your Garmin watch. If you've noticed your Garmin suggest a workout as it searches for a satellite lock, then you already have an idea of how it works. But, instead of suggesting a mix of runs to keep you generally fit, the Race Widget shows you workouts to help you progress in a safe manner to reach a specific race goal. Once you tell it about your upcoming race, it offers daily recommendations for your workouts based on factors like training load, recovery time, and sleep quality. With nearly 20 weeks of training before my marathon, my training plan was structured with four phases: Base Phase slowly increased mileage; Build Phase ramped up intensity to increase aerobic capacity; Peak Phase threw even more work at me, like longer tempo runs; and a two-week taper was included so I could recover for race day.