I’m on a trial period and had the AI Coach set up a training plan for me for a middle distance duathlon. Connected to Garmin and let it sync previous workouts. Did half of the test workouts, missed the possibly most important ones (5k all out, FTP), because reasons, and family logistics…
Since a sick leave in Nov-Dec my body has not been able to cope with hard intensity interval sessions, so if the period from then onward is what is used for setting up the plan, suppose that skews it. But here goes: the zones are weird, in spite of my entering threshold values (from actual tests). Lots of workouts for the first period had me work out in what I refer to as zone 1, or zone 2 according to how Athletica has me down. Maybe a smart move to keep me going really easy, not sure, it just feels too easy. I am used to thinking easy runs are sub VT1, which is top of zone 2 in my thinking, middle of 3b in Athletica.
And then I get something like this:
First of all, it’s a very short run at a very easy pace and HR. My VT1/LT1 is 130, LT2 150. Goal HR and pace feels veeery slow. The coach is also off on avg pace, what is up with that? And an FTI of 93 when doing a zone 2 run - does that make sense? I guess what I am asking is whether others have had similar experiences, and, from the Athletica team, whether this is by design and I’m just not getting it or if there is something weird going on.
The above is just one example of how I struggle with figuring out whether the algorithms and whatnots under the hood here really understand me. So is this the case, or is it me not getting it, or should I perhaps come up with feature requests to be able to add more data manually? The latter would include test data such as LT1/2 etc, as well as which days I would prefer to do what (again, family logistics, home office days etc).
Sorry, feels like I’m rambling all over the place, but hopefully I manage to get something meaningful across. For the record, I have been enjoing the experience with a “coach” to provide feedback and getting a (continually, responsively) customised training plan. My Garmin watch agrees, as the easy sessions interspersed with tempo and brief vo2 work has moved me out of strained status into productive, and my body is also starting to cooperate, adjust, adapt, and IMPROVE! All over, I am very likely a paying user when the trial ends toward the end of the month.
EDIT: I see the workout stats were impacted by my attempting to get a new training plan going, which turned this into an ad-hoc rather than planned workout.