I usually start my training season in January after taking few months to do easy running with no plan in mind.

This year is a bit different, since as I write this it is 2021 and Spring marathons are still very much on the “iffy” side. UPDATE- Most of the races I was watching have declared themselves virtual again this year.

I do so much better when I have something to train for, though. So I’ve decided to train for a half-marathon on May 15th that doesn’t exist.

It will be my personal virtual race, which I have been hesitant to do, just because I’m weird that way. I want to stay “raceable”, so putting in the training seems like the best way to do that.

Half-Marathon Training Plan from Garmin

My daughter and son-in-law gave me a Garmin Forerunner 245 Music for Mother’s Day last year. I was thinking of getting a dedicated running watch, instead of continuing to use my Apple Watch. So great job picking out a gift, Heather and Cameel!

I’ve been really happy with it for the most part…I complain a bit when it gives me an “unproductive” or “over-reaching” status, but I do understand what goes into why it does and am ok with it.

I decided instead of writing my own plan this time around, I would try out the Garmin Coach feature built into the watch and see what it was like.

You have your choice between 3 different “coaches” (not quote/unquoting because I don’t consider the choices coaches, just signaling that I realize they aren’t actually coaching ME): Jeff Galloway, Greg McMillan and Amy Parkerson-Miller. Amy is the only one I hadn’t heard of, but she is the one I chose.

The watch (or actually, the Garmin Connect Phone App) will ask you about your running habits (average distance per week, average easy pace, etc.) and at least in Coach Amy’s training you start with a time trial.

I had to walk or jog for 2 minutes, run hard for 5 and walk or jog for 2. Apparently based on the answers to the questions and the time trial the “coach” (app) chooses your running workouts for the first week and the paces you should hit.

After that, the app fills in about a weeks worth of workouts. You start your run with the watch the same as if you were going out without a plan, and the watch will ask if you want to start the workout.

My plan has me walk or jog for 2 minutes, run for the specified amount of mileage and then cool down with a 2 minute walk.

So far the runs have been labelled as easy, and the first week my long run was 8 miles. This week the long run is 6. I can look into next week, and I will have a mile time trial on Monday.

The watch will ask you at the end of the run whether you thought it was very easy, easy, moderate, hard or very hard.

I’m only on week 2, but here are some observations so far (I’ll be doing a post once a month for the duration of the training on my thoughts as we go along, and then a longer review after my “race”).

Garmin GPS is Weird

Ever since I started training, my GPS is acting very strangely. It seems like when I’m done walking for the 2 minutes and the watch prompts me to start the “run” part, the GPS registers that I have run a mile.

I am literally just past my own driveway at that point, so…no…I have not run a mile!

The workout/coach section of the watch will show the right mileage at the end of the run, but the map shows the first mile marker pretty close to my house and it’s about a mile more than what I’ve run for the workout.

It doesn’t seem to make much of a difference actually since everything else is right, but it is annoying to get “beeped” and be told I’m done with mile 2 around the time I’m finishing mile 1.

What’s shown on the watch face that tells me how much I have to go is correct.

Weird!

Mileage Seems Really Low

I told the app I run about 30 miles a week (I can’t remember if I said 25+ or 30-35…and I can’t access it to see what I answered).

My first week I had runs of 1 mile (the time trial), 4 miles, 8 miles and 4 miles.

Week 2 had me a 2 miles, 3 miles, 3 miles, 6 miles and 3 miles.

This seems really low to me. I know I set it up for 4 months of training, so it has a long time to build up the long runs and mileage. But I’m wondering if it just assumes whatever race you are having coached is your first.

I would think telling it I usually run 30 miles on average would have had me running the non-long run days with more mileage. I’m interested to see how it adapts. I’ve basically been telling it the runs have been “very easy” and then I add another 2 or 3 miles just using the “normal” part of the watch to add to the distance.

Pacer

I love the feature that tells you whether you are running too fast or too slow.

I am a TERRIBLE pacer. I need those dings to let me know if I’m pushing too hard.

The range is 30 seconds, so there is lots of room to either ease back or push a bit depending on which side of the range you are on.

My assumption is my pace range will adapt and change based on how I do with the current pacing.

The only thing I wish it would do to get a better snapshot of my runs, is ask if there are extenuating circumstances if I’m running too slowly. On the first real run we had a bout of Buffalo winter and were basically running on ice and unshoveled snow (it was 6am, so most people had not shoveled yet…and there are of course, those who won’t shovel anyway).

I would have loved to explain that running a little slower that day was necessary to not be on my butt, lol. That may just be my competetive self wanting to justify to my watch why I wasn’t keeping up. Because, yes, I know Coach Amy isn’t REALLY coaching me and it’s basically an algorithym of some sort.

Questions

I have a few questions about this training, that I’m not sure will be answered by the end.

Does it take runs I do on my own that aren’t prescribed in the plan in consideration as it adapts your training?

How much is fixed and how much is personal? I had googled a question about the low mileage, and the first thing that popped up was someone who was describing the exact same training as me…same mileage, same pace range. They were wondering about the low mileage and included all the training specs.

I don’t know the person, so I won’t be able to compare stats…and I get that to begin, a lot of people will start at the same place.

I’m just hoping it really does take ME into consideration as I train.

This is a pretty cool element of the Garmin and with the Couch to 5K/Couch to 10K coaching plan included also, could be really helpful to new runners who aren’t interested in having an online or in-person coach.

So far I am enjoying having a different kind of training to do. It is definitely keeping me motivated on cold mornings to get up and out there.

If you have any running questions (either about the Garmin Coach or other topic), you can email me at sherry@wrinkledrunner.com. I’m actively helping several runners and would be happy to help you too!