Would you prefer an online coach, ChatGPT, or running apps to prepare for your upcoming marathon? Or do you find a combination of both works best for you?
I first heard about runners using ChatGPT to train for their marathons while riding with a friend across parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and the green landscapes of Vermont. We were on our way to run the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington. The newfound friend told me that, because of their different workplace commitments, he and his friend stopped training together and that his friend had resorted to ChatGPT to coach him. At first, I didn’t take it seriously and treated it as a joke.
However, it wasn’t long before I started hearing more stories of runners using ChatGPT for training. The stories sounded fictional until suddenly an email showed up: One runner was interested in my online coaching but asking if he could continue using ChatGPT alongside my plans and get my advice where ChatGPT fell short. This was a new experience—even for me as a long-time coach.
I agreed to work with the runner for a win-win situation: I get to learn more about AI coaching compared to the real-life experience I have had over time.
So, for the first time this week, I visited ChatGPT to see how it works. According to its claims, it can help with planning, analyzing workouts, solving problems during a training cycle, and staying accountable. Some runners even combine it with data from devices like Garmin, Coros, Polar, Apple Watch, or Strava to get more detailed feedback.
After investigating, I found that ChatGPT’s advice is entirely driven by what the runner asks. For example, a runner might type, “I have a marathon in 10 weeks, my longest long run now is 25 km, I need a weekly program that includes one tempo run and a long run.” ChatGPT generates a plan based on this input—which means runners must know how to set meaningful goals and ask the right questions to get useful advice. Without this, the guidance can be generic or miss crucial details like injury history, life stress, or training background.
Beyond that, relying solely on artificial intelligence for training introduces significant downsides: inaccurate or misleading suggestions (so-called “hallucinations”), data privacy risks, perpetuating old biases, reduced critical thinking from over-reliance, and a lack of human empathy or nuanced understanding.
Today, countless running apps have emerged, each promising to help runners prepare for their goal races with personalized plans and smart features. But can any of these digital tools fully replace the expertise, intuition, and support of an online running coach?
Some apps are designed to work seamlessly with GPS running watches, such as Garmin Connect, Coros, Apple Watch, and Suunto. These platforms automatically sync your workouts, provide pace and heart rate analysis, and sometimes offer basic training suggestions based strictly on your data.
Then there are third-party apps like Strava, Runkeeper, MapMyRun, and Nike Run Club. These apps add social features like sharing, leaderboards, and community challenges alongside tracking your runs. Some even offer generic training plans or AI-generated feedback, but these are usually one-size-fits-all and lack true personalization.
While I applaud advancements in technology and value the feedback these gadgets provide, I believe their data is most powerful in the hands of an expert. An experienced coach can interpret, contextualize, and turn numbers into actionable advice tailored to your unique needs.
To me, using running apps and ChatGPT to build training plans isn’t as risky as self-prescribing medication based on a blood pressure monitor reading. Still, it’s a bit like treating symptoms without a doctor’s diagnosis. The best results come when expertise guides the technology—not the other way around.
Why an online Running Coach is better than Running Apps
Understanding life’s challenges
A coach knows when you are dealing with a bad work week, lack of sleep, or family pressure, and will tone down your workout. For example, if you mention a sick child or a stressful deadline, your coach might swap a hard interval session for an easy run or even a rest day. Apps, on the other hand, only see your pace and heart rate data, and will keep pushing you through the same schedule, no matter your personal circumstances.
Expert modifications and adjustments
If you miss sessions or feel sick, an app usually shoves the schedule forward. A real coach can safely restructure your entire training block. For instance, if you catch a cold or have to travel unexpectedly, your coach can adjust your plan to prevent overtraining or injury. At the same time, an app might reschedule workouts without context, risking burnout.
Human feeling
Apps cannot feel your body. A coach listens to your description of an ache and tells you whether to rest or see a doctor before it turns into a major injury. For example, if you mention recurring knee pain, your coach might recommend cross-training or adjusting your running form, while an app would keep generating workouts regardless of your discomfort.
Form analysis
A coach watches you run live and corrects your posture or stride, such as noticing a dropped shoulder or overstriding and giving real-time cues to fix it. An app only looks at the finish time on your watch, missing these nuances entirely.
Mental support
A human offers empathy during a performance plateau, helps calm race-day nerves, and celebrates your wins. For example, if you have a disappointing race, a coach can talk you through what went wrong, help you regain confidence, and remind you of your progress. If you’re doubting yourself before a big race, your coach can send motivational messages or hop on a call to boost your morale. When things go well, your coach will celebrate every milestone, from a new personal best to running your longest distance ever—something no app can truly share with you.
Accountability
It is easy to ignore a notification from an app, but harder to let down a person who cares about your progress. Knowing your coach will follow up after a missed workout can push you to get out the door, even when you’re tempted to skip. If you’re struggling with motivation, a coach may check in, offer encouragement, or help you set new goals. This real relationship helps you build better habits and keeps you accountable in a way that an app’s automated reminder never can. Apps lack this personal connection, making it easier to skip workouts without consequence.
Advantages of Running Apps
Timeliness and Convenience
Running apps are always at your fingertips when you need immediate advice or feedback. Whether you want to know the distance for a tempo run, check your recovery status, or get a workout suggestion, you can simply open the app and receive instant feedback. For example, if you finish a run late at night and want to analyze your performance right away, the app provides results instantly—whereas a coach might be unavailable due to time zones, work, or personal life.
Lower Costs
Most running apps are free once you purchase their associated hardware, and even premium plans typically cost less than hiring a human coach. For runners on a budget, this allows access to structured training, data analysis, and workout libraries without the financial commitment of personalized coaching. Some popular apps also offer discounts for annual subscriptions or bundle services with wearable devices.
Instant Charts and Graphs
Apps like Garmin Connect, Strava, and Coros generate instant graphs that display your pace distribution, cadence, heart rate, elevation, power, stamina, and many other metrics. These visualizations are automatically stored in your profile, often for years, so you can track progress over time, compare races, or identify trends in your training. For example, you can quickly see improvements in your 5K pace from last year to this year or spot patterns in your heart rate during interval sessions.
It would be overwhelming for a coach to manually generate and archive such detailed analytics for every runner, especially when managing a large roster of athletes.
Flexibility
Running apps offer the freedom to adjust your schedule on the fly. If you wake up feeling tired or want to swap a speed workout for an easy run, you can make the change with a few taps—no need to consult or wait for a response from anyone. This flexibility suits runners with unpredictable schedules or those who travel frequently.
However, too much freedom can lead to skipping important workouts or overtraining without expert guidance.
Community and Motivation
Many running apps include built-in social features—leaderboards, virtual races, achievement badges, and the ability to follow friends or join running clubs. This sense of community can motivate you to stay consistent, celebrate milestones, or even make new running friends from around the world. For example, you might join a monthly distance challenge with runners in different cities, pushing each other to hit new goals.
Conclusion
In the end, both running apps and online coaches have distinct strengths. Apps provide instant access, affordability, and detailed analytics, making them a convenient and motivating option for many runners. However, they lack the deep personalization, empathy, and real-time adaptation that only a human coach can deliver. An experienced coach sees the bigger picture—your life, your mindset, your unique challenges—and tailors guidance to help you progress safely and effectively.
For most runners, the ideal approach is to use running apps as supplementary tools alongside a coach’s expertise. By combining the structure and data from technology with the wisdom and support of a real person, you can unlock your best performance and enjoy a more rewarding running journey.