In my earlier blog, I have talked about nutrition and using ChatGPT as a nutritional guide. However, having a healthy lifestyle isn’t just about eating habits, it’s also about staying active and fit. For me, running became a preferred choice over traditional gym workouts, aligning more with my personal preferences. My father used to be a marathon runner, and I remember cycling with him as he trained for those marathons. Those moments left a lasting impression on me, and I later came to understand and share his passion for the sport. This change in my fitness routine brought along the goal of completing a half marathon in Breda on may 19th 2024, a challenge that requires structured training. In this blog, I will share how ChatGPT is playing an essential role in setting up my training schedule, , incorporating interval training and setting intermediate training goals,
One of the first hurdles I encountered was creating a structured training plan that would prepare me for the half marathon. ChatGPT helped me develop a training routine based on my fitness level, available time, and the specific race date. It took into account factors like gradually increasing distances, rest days, and the importance of cross-training. I was able to run 5 kilometers in 27 minutes and I used this as a baseline in my prompt.
As you can see, the aim is to increase my weekly running distance by 2 km, and on the second day of the week, I would run 1 km less than I did on the first day.
In the second month of my half marathon training journey, ChatGPT recommended incorporating interval training into my schedule. This addition enabled me to further optimize my training and improve my running performance. In addition, interval training helped me prevent training plateaus, since the body tends to adapt to the same workout over time.
I’ve always been really competitive and I’ve found that one of the best ways to motivate myself is by setting ambitious intermediate goals during my training. These goals not only make running more enjoyable and challenging, but also provide a clear way to track my progress. Knowing this, I asked ChatGPT to incorporate this in my training schedule for October. I asked ChatGPT to set the first intermediate goal in week 7 and the second intermediate goal in week 10. I was convinced that I would improve measurably within three weeks.
My journey to a healthier lifestyle through healthier nutrition and running was significantly enriched by the assistance of ChatGPT. It facilitated my training schedule, incorporated interval training and helped me set intermediate goals to keep me on track. I am eager to use ChatGPT as an training assistant for the upcoming months! As I continue to train, I look forward to running the half marathon in Breda.
Very cool that you chose this way to create a fitness training program rather than searching for one online. It is interesting to see that ChatGPT set the intermediate goals and that it actually motivated you more than just the regular goals.
It’s also interesting to me that for nutrition and/or fitness these days you can just let ChatGPT generate a whole program for you rather than having to pay for it or do a lot of research to get the same results. I am curious how much this eventually will impact these industries since a lot of the problems regarding this topic come down to not having enough information. Now all this is available with just an easy search on ChatGPT. Will personal trainers/dietitians be unnecessary in the upcoming years?
Good luck on the half marathon tho, I’ll be cheering you on at the finish line!
I think this is an interesting take on combining digital technologies with physical improvement. While I have never committed to a marathon, let alone to training for one, I can imagine the discipline and planning that goes into such a commitment. Using ChatGPT to overcome this hurdle is an excellent way to solve this problem. In my opinion the schedule looks very doable, for someone who is committed and as you mention ‘competitive’. However it does make me curious what kind of prompts you used to generate such a schedule, and how easy it was to get it to align with your goals and your baseline/capabilities. Let me know whether you were able to complete the marathon!