‘From a chore to something I could actually stick with’ — how Gemini and Garmin made me love running for the first time

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I’ve by no means notably loved working, particularly when coaching solo, but it surely takes the least effort for me to arrange for within the morning in comparison with my most popular actions — biking or badminton — and it is also a pleasant cross-training choice.

After studying about my colleagues using AI to build training plans, I believed it may very well be a possibility for me to vary how I really feel about working, so I turned to Google Gemini and requested it to construct a coaching plan to arrange for a serious working occasion right here in Australia, the Sydney City2Surf.

My purpose was to check out a plan that might simply adapt after a setback, like an harm or sickness, whereas balancing run coaching with my common badminton periods and bike rides inside every week.

I additionally wished to see if I might keep on with working for longer in comparison with my earlier makes an attempt, which concerned both winging it — working for so long as I might till I ran out of breath — or following a inflexible on-line plan.

Setup

My preliminary immediate was “How sensible is it for a newbie runner to coach for City2Surf beginning subsequent week?” It was in late December 2025, so Gemini replied that I had loads of time, because the occasion was on August 9 this yr.

City2Surf has a 14km route that begins from Sydney CBD and finishes at Bondi Seashore, which explains the identify. It is an infamously hilly route, headlined by a 2km part halfway by way of the course with a mean gradient of about 3 to 4%, or 75 to 80m in elevation.

“Most beginner-friendly coaching plans solely require 12–16 weeks,” the response learn. “Beginning now places you in a wonderful place to not simply survive the race, however truly take pleasure in it and run nearly all of the course.”

This is the overall overview from Gemini:

To ensure I caught to the plan, I requested Gemini tips on how to enter the exercises into my outdated Garmin watch, and it gave me a step-by-step information.

I used to be additionally supplied to check the newly launched Garmin Forerunner 70 and 170 vary whereas I used to be coaching, and I selected the 170 Music version. I wished to see if the built-in music operate and Garmin Pay wireless payments have been sufficient for me to go away my cellphone at house throughout coaching periods.

Lugging my heavy iPhone 16 Pro Max in a working belt throughout my first few weeks of working turned annoying, so the Forerunner was simply what I wanted. It additionally fully cuts down on distractions, and the voice prompts additionally helped preserve me on observe throughout interval periods.

I managed to stay to this system for the primary few months whereas maintaining my social badminton video games and bike rides. However issues began to get difficult as I progressed into the second part.

Setbacks and changes

Heading into part 2 of my coaching plan, I unexpectedly acquired Achilles tendonitis, which my physiotherapist advised me was the results of placing an excessive amount of load too rapidly on my legs and ft. Restoration took greater than a month of rehab and relaxation.

After I was cleared to run once more, I advised Gemini I might missed just a few weeks and requested how I ought to regulate. It advised me to revisit an earlier coaching week to ease again in as a substitute of beginning over. I used to be additionally suggested to drop to 1 social badminton night every week and swap the opposite for a motorbike journey.

After a month again, I used to be sidelined as soon as once more for the same period of time, because of a chest an infection with a nagging cough and chilly.

In the end, I felt that these setbacks have been sufficient for me to determine to not enter the City2Surf, regardless that Gemini stated I nonetheless had sufficient time to coach. I set my sights on subsequent yr’s occasion as a substitute.

“Forgoing the City2Surf completely to prioritize a balanced, sustainable routine is an outstanding determination,” Gemini’s response learn after making this determination. “Since you have not registered but, dropping the strain of a tough August ninth deadline lets you fully shift your mindset from ‘panic coaching’ to constructing a robust, bulletproof basis for the long term.”

Trying again, I seemingly would have simply give up after the primary setback if I had been following a extra inflexible coaching plan. I might in all probability don’t know tips on how to proceed after these setbacks, and laziness would rapidly take over, and I might be again to sq. one once more.

Refocused coaching

With out the strain of a hard and fast race date, Gemini readjusted my plan over the following 4 weeks to give attention to simply two periods per week: someday of run-walk intervals and one longer, uninterrupted straightforward jog earlier than I transfer ahead with a recent coaching plan. This a lot simpler coaching load has made working a extra intentional endeavour, whereas balancing with my different actions with out placing an excessive amount of pressure on myself.

General, I’ve discovered that the flexibleness and flexibility of Gemini’s coaching plan have made my development way more sustainable, and I by no means felt like I used to be pushing myself too arduous or going too straightforward. Setbacks are a lot simpler to recuperate from, letting me work again into form with no need to begin over. And if I really feel like doing extra days of the opposite actions throughout some weeks, Gemini might help plan my week forward.

Whereas I finally failed in my unique goal of becoming a member of a well-liked working occasion, I ended up having fun with the journey of turning into a greater runner at a extra sustainable tempo.

Do you have to let AI be your working coach?

For novices or runners who need a versatile, low-pressure plan, Gemini is a genuinely helpful place to begin. It helped me construct one thing sensible, adapt once I missed coaching and preserve progressing with out consistently feeling like I used to be falling behind.

I might argue although that it is not an alternative choice to correct teaching. AI might help with construction, pacing and consistency, but it surely can’t spot issues in your type, preserve you motivated, or maintain you accountable when coaching will get powerful. And as with all AI-generated plan, particularly for something extra superior, it is best to nonetheless deal with it as a place to begin relatively than gospel.

For my functions, although, Gemini was sufficient to show working from a chore into one thing I might truly persist with.