More Running Advice Than Ever - But What Do You Actually Need?

Training Apps/AI Training vs Real 1:1 Run Coaching - we get a comparison and analysis from Chris Lucas in this 2 part series (this is part 1). Chris Lucas is the NZ Nomad Runner Podcast Host and Head Run Coach at CMF Running, where he and his team of endurance coaching specialists coach runners and athletes who want to level up.

There has never been a time when runners have had more options available to them when it comes to getting help with their training. You can download an app, ask ChatGPT to write you a training programme in about 30 seconds, buy a ready-to-go plan, join a group programme, or engage a real-life 1:1 Run Coach. The lines between these different options are becoming increasingly blurred though, especially with many products now using words like coaching, personalised and AI-powered. As a runner it can be difficult to understand exactly what you are getting and, more importantly, what level of help is going to be best for you and where you are currently at in your running journey.

I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about this over the past few years, especially as a Run Coach and business owner watching AI and running apps grow rapidly in popularity. What I've come to realise is that I don't think this needs to be an Apps vs Coaches, or AI vs Humans argument at all. All of these options have their place, and if something is helping a runner get out the door, train consistently and achieve their goals then I think that is brilliant.

The more important question for me is: What do you actually need? Someone training for their first 10km or half marathon and simply wanting some structure might need something completely different from the athlete chasing a sub-three-hour marathon, trying to complete their first 100-miler, or the runner who keeps finding themselves injured every time they build their training. In this article I want to look at the real differences between following a running app, AI or a ready-to-go training plan, and working with a 1:1 Run Coach - and help you work out which one is the best fit for your running right now.

So what are we talking about when we say Training Apps & 1:1 Run Coaching?

For context, it's worth outlining what I mean when I use terms like training apps, AI-prescribed training and 1:1 Run Coaching. Running apps include products such as Runna, Garmin Coach, Coopah and TrainAsONE. I would also include static ready-to-go plans, AI or ChatGPT-prescribed training, and other low-cost versions of "coaching" that are little more than a training plan with an "ask in the Facebook group" or "email me if you get stuck" level of support. These options absolutely have their place - I'm not here to run them down.

One thing I do think is problematic is when runners are led to believe through clever marketing that they are receiving coaching from a coach for $15-30 per week, when all that's really happening is that the athlete is following a systemised, broad-brush ready-to-go plan. In most cases these plans fit the athlete to the event or distance, regardless of where they are currently at, whereas coaching aligns the training to the athlete's physiology, experience and circumstances to provide the right stimulus and maximise adaptation. They are very different offerings, so I think they deserve to be clearly separated from any comparison with real 1:1 Run Coaching.

1:1 Run Coaching is when a Coach works one-on-one, either in person or remotely, with an individual who wants to improve all aspects of their running. Today we use tools such as TrainingPeaks and Final Surge for training prescription, which sync seamlessly with devices like Garmin and COROS watches. This means your coach can see your completed runs and, together with regular athlete contact and feedback, continually adjust your training so you receive the right amount of stimulus for your current situation. The goal is simple - maximise training adaptation while reducing unnecessary setbacks.

Outside of training prescription, the role of a coach is to guide the athlete through the training as everyday life inevitably presents different challenges. Interventions outside of running itself may be suggested to help the athlete complete the training more effectively. That might include strength work for a recurring niggle, nutrition and fuelling advice to improve performance and recovery, or strategies to improve sleep. The coach is either helping the athlete meet the training prescription more effectively and raise their ceiling, or, when life doesn't go to plan, adjusting or deloading training before small issues become bigger ones.

Bespoke training prescription, strong two-way feedback loops, and journeying together to continually improve running outcomes and performance. This is 1:1 Run Coaching.

Ready to level up your running?
Book a free coach call with Chris and the CMF Running team. You'll complete a short training questionnaire and we'll match you with the CMF coach who best suits your personality, ability and running goals. 

Email: chris@cmfrunning.nz