Right now’s GPS watches supply slightly extra than simply tempo and distance monitoring, as most come outfitted with computer-generated digital teaching that creates customized plans based mostly in your coaching historical past, each day routine and sleep knowledge. However how efficient are they? Do you have to belief your watch to information your coaching, or is it higher to hunt teaching elsewhere?
In case you’ve by no means used your watch’s coaching plan, one of many greatest perks is that it’s free and fairly straightforward to arrange. On apps like Garmin or Coros, all it’s essential to do is enter your race distance, objective time and occasion date, and the watch generates a structured plan tailor-made that will help you attain your goal. The comfort issue is tough to beat—you can begin any time, and the watches even present last-minute ideas for races simply a few weeks away (for all you crammers).
One other benefit is the plans’ adaptability. These applications analyze your coaching load and restoration metrics, making changes based mostly in your health developments. For instance, should you’ve had a tough evening with solely three or 4 hours of sleep, your watch may counsel prioritizing relaxation as an alternative of pushing by a tough 10K run. Equally, should you battle with a velocity exercise or two, this system will recalibrate, after which modify upcoming periods.
In relation to understanding the nuances of coaching, regardless of having (what they name) a smartwatch in your wrist, most GPS watches nonetheless have limitations. One main downside is their incapacity to assess relative effort, which analyzes how arduous a exercise feels, fairly than how briskly or lengthy it truly is. Coaching for a race is about extra than simply hitting numbers; it’s about listening to your physique and assessing and speaking how you feel–and that’s one thing a pc can’t do in addition to a coach.
One other limitation is that, whereas these watch plans could seem customized, they’re nonetheless pretty generic. The outcomes present that they work properly for runners tackling their first 5K or half-marathon, particularly those that are hesitant to spend a whole lot of {dollars} on a private coach after already spending the same quantity on a GPS watch, race entries and trainers. In case you’re aiming for a aggressive time or an elite bib at your native half-marathon, a extra tailor-made method from a coach will be the higher choice.
Whether or not you employ your watch’s digital teaching plan or not, one factor stays sure: race day success will depend on consistency and holding your self accountable. Though your watch or coach can information you, the drive and energy have to come back from inside.