Garmin Coach Review

13 weeks ago I started my Garmin Coach 5K plan together with Coach Greg and my Garmin Vivoactive 3. It has been a journey. This article will focus on what I learned and gained from this training plan to help you figure out if it’s something for you. 

I’ve already written a lot about Garmin Coach, so check it out:

Accountability

This has been the biggest plus for me regarding this training plan and it’s something that most training plans don’t have: accountability. Every time I performed a workout well the Garmin Coach confidence level increased. Whenever I didn’t do well or skipped a workout, Garmin Coach was ruthless and the confidence level dropped. This gave me just that little extra motivation to get out of bed and go for my run. I couldn’t disappoint Coach Greg, could I?

Comfort

Or laziness. The training plan provides a no research solution to running with a training plan. The Garmin Connect app will show you which workouts to do and when. You are even able to reschedule workouts based on your personal schedule (or mood). Having a plan and not needing to think about this myself was really helpful in getting myself out of bed every morning. 

Adaptability

This training plan adapts it’s workouts based on your input beforehand and your output during the training. You will only be able to see the planned workouts for one week up front and your future workouts might change if your efforts are below your virtual coach’s expectations. 

Sometimes life just happens, you get busy, sick or simply aren’t able to go for your regular run as consistently as you’d like. When that happens Garmin Coach advises you through it’s confidence level if the goal you set is still achievable or if you should consider rescheduling your goal race and/or time. You can make these changes during your training plan without losing your progress and it will affect the calculated confidence level. 

Summary
The Garmin Coach 5K plan is not for everyone. If you love analysing training plans and fitting them to your needs, go for it. If you are already able to run a 5K faster as 22 minutes, you should skip this plan as it’s not possible to set a faster goal time. But, if you are like me and could benefit from the consistency and accountability this training plan gives you and want to train for a 5K time anywhere between 37:30 and 22:00 minutes, this might be just right for you. I think my earlier posts on how I started with Garmin Coach, my Garmin Coach Tips and my race result speak for themselves, but I loved training with Garmin Coach and how it helped me become a better runner. 

3 Responses

  1. David Buchanan

    Hi, I’m almost half way through a 13 week coach Greg half marathon plan with an ambitious (for Me) 1:38. 13 weeks was the minimum it would allow when setting up the plan.
    I’ve never dared to miss a session as I don’t want the negative consequences from coach Greg so this has helped me focus training better than ever before.
    7 weeks before I can see the final result so all my trust is resting with coach Greg.
    Love the way the app adds the training session to the watch and is genuinely keeping me motivated.

  2. Tonya Bettridge

    I was surprised by this review. I thought the 5K training plan (coach Amy) would be great for me, as I am returning to running after more than a year off due to surgery and I am sub-optimal shape. I was pretty honest in my set up, with a goal of run/walk and just to “finish” a 5K. My training plan wasn’t the least bit adaptive, it just kept adding intensity each week, even when I struggled through and never really completed the full running intervals from the previous week. This just comes off as a training plan that I could pull off the web or a book that just increases time and distance, no matter how you are performing. I am going to try the Galloway half-marathon, since he actually embraces the run/walk method and I would rather do slow distance than shorter and faster. Maybe that will work out better.

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