Shiny New Object Syndrome

I have been reading about how Triathletes can use AI to build a training plan for their next ‘A’ Race. And how it can be used to improve performance in sport as a whole. I have to say from what I’ve been seeing I DISAGREE, yes in CAPS, I DISAGREE. In fact, I think I’ll call AI ‘Athletically Incompetent’ 

Why? Well, I posed four different questions to ChatGPT to build an Ironman 70.3 training plan for a hilly race. For those of you that are familiar with the Mountain Man Long Course that takes place every August in Flagstaff, Arizona, I used a similar profile in my question. If you haven’t done this local Arizona race you should. The race directors do a great job putting it together and the venue is fantastic. OK, that’s the end of my plug for one of my favorite races.

My questions had enough detail that ChatGPT should have been able to put together a fairly generalized plan that should fit pretty much any athlete in the criteria I specified. I also used a 50-year-old because that is the average age of the athletes I am coaching. I did not specify male or female because yes there are differences between our anatomies women and men can use the same training plans. Links to the training plans are provided below.

Note: If you ask ChatGPT any of these questions more than likely you will get different results. Using the regenerate response button will create different responses each time. While there was some consistency in ChatGPT’s responses there was just as much inconsistency. Your responses and the plans provided by ChatGPT will most likely be different than mine and if you’re lucky, may actually provide what I may consider a viable training plan.

Question 1: I need an intermediate Ironman 70.3 plan for a hilly course.

Question 2: I would like a triathlon training plan for an Ironman 70.3 distance race. I am 50 years old and have done a few shorter triathlons. This will be my first 70.3 distance race. I am fairly fit and do not have any medical conditions. I take no medications and can train up to 10 hours per week. I would like to finish my race in under 6.5 hours. The race I am planning is at 7000ft elevation and has 3000ft of elevation gain on the bike ride. The run is fairly flat except for one big hill of 1.2 miles with 275ft of elevation gain on the big hill.

Question 3: I would like a triathlon training plan for an Ironman 70.3 distance race. I am 50 years old and have done a few shorter triathlons. This will be my first 70.3 distance race. I am fit, I swim once per week, bike ride two times per week, and run two times per week. I do not have any medical conditions. I take no medications and can train up to 10 hours per week. I would like to finish my race in under 6.5 hours. The race I am planning is at 7000ft elevation and has 3000ft of elevation gain on the bike ride. The run is fairly flat except for one big hill of 1.2 miles with 275ft of elevation gain on the big hill.

Question 4: I would like a triathlon training plan for an Ironman 70.3 distance race. I am 50 years old and have finished numerous 70.3 races. I currently swim once per week, bike ride two times per week, and run two times per week. I have high cholesterol and take atorvastatin. I can train up to 12 hours per week. I would like to finish my race in under 6 hours. The race I am planning is at 7000ft elevation and has 3000ft of elevation gain on the bike ride. The run is fairly flat except for one big hill of 1.2 miles with 275ft of elevation gain on the big hill.

What ChatGPT got right

Kudos to ChatGPT on these recommendations.
The first thing I noticed is that in all cases ChatGPT did recommend seeking the advice of a certified coach or health care professional. It also states in every plan that the plan is very general and may be adjusted to your needs and capabilities.

The next thing ChatGPT did right was it had some level of progression in both intensity and volume in each plan. But it left the how and when to make these adjustments up to you. Which is OK if you have even a fair understanding of training plan design.

ChatGPT also showed some level of intelligence when it told me to watch my diet by writing: “With high cholesterol and being on atorvastatin, it’s essential to maintain a heart-healthy diet. Focus on consuming whole foods, lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Consult with a nutritionist or your healthcare provider for personalized advice.”  I would consider this good advice for anyone not just an athlete that has high cholesterol. 

The longest plan it gave me was 24 weeks which was for my most advanced athlete looking for a sub-6 hour finish. In general each time I asked the questions it would generate plans with lengths of 12-16 weeks. 

ChatGPT was usually pretty good about adding strength training to some of the plans but provided very little guidance on what to do. When strength training was recommended it did include flexibility and core and typically recommended full body workouts rather than a 3×10 set/rep regimen or similar.

What ChatGPT got wrong

Disclaimer: I am a USAT Level 1 Certified Coach and an 80/20 Endurance Certified Coach. I am an advocate of periodization and polarization. I train all of my athletes as well as myself using the 80/20 Endurance Principals and Methodologies. I believe most coaches these days use some form of periodization and polarization in their training plans. Why? Because it works, it’s proven at the amateur, age group, elite, and pro levels and it’s flexible to meet the requirements of just about any athlete.   

What is Periodization and Polarization?  These are training plan guidelines that break a plan into segments and cycles such as build, race-specific, and taper where the entire plan is a macrocycle, that is broken up into 3-4 week mesocycles and then further down to microcycles of typically 7 days. Each mesocycle has one week of lower volume and intensity(aka a down or recovery week) allowing the body to recover from the previous training loads and then allowing for another progressive increase in the training load. Adding to this each meso/microcycle is broken down into high and low-intensity training loads.

Not a single ChatGPT-generated plan included any mesocycles, which means they did not include any recovery weeks/microcycles. These plans all build week to week getting more intense as the plan gets closer to the race date. Progression is the basis of all training plans but without rest and recovery, you’re likely to over-reach, overtrain, and worse potentially injure yourself.

Let’s do a triathlon 4 days a week – most of the plans included at least one rest day but one of the first-timer 70.3 plans suggests doing all three sports 4 days a week with rest days on Monday, Thursday, and a rotating weekend day. This plan may be usable enough to accomplish a race finish but logistically this plan for the average working person would be impossible to manage.

Train every day – it doesn’t take AI to know that training every day is a bad idea. But yet AI gave me a first-timer 16-week plan with absolutely no rest days. There isn’t even a rest day during taper. This is another recipe for injury.

Structure, what’s that? –  Most of the plans lack structure. They tell you to swim 2x per week, bike, and run 3x per week. Telling me to do a long workout, a hill-focused workout, and a shorter recovery workout. Well, this would work but what is the intensity level? Running 5x1minute hill repeats with a 2-minute rest between each is very different than running a 1.2-mile hill as a single interval. Which should I do? Which will help me the most and how do I mix these together for the best results? What days should I swim, bike, and run? How do I plan to do 8 training sessions in 7 days? Which should really be, how do I plan to do 8 training sessions in 6 days, in order to have a rest day?

Who do you call?  – When something isn’t going right, and on these plans there is a lot that may go wrong. Who are you going to call or ask a question to? How do you make adjustments that won’t upset the next few training sessions? Which are key workouts that shouldn’t be missed? What about nutrition planning and race planning?

Final thoughts
Could you train using a ChatGPT 70.3 training plan? Yes, you could. Should you? From what I have seen no. 

You are better off using one of the many free plans that are available. At least those plans were likely written by a coach that cares about the plan they provide and has a reputation to protect. The advantages you get from a free plan may include structured workouts. The length of plan that may be more desirable to you and a plan that fits your personal needs better. Should you use a free plan? Well if you ask me, remember I get paid for coaching, I’d say no. If your budget doesn’t allow for monthly coaching or a custom plan a free plan is a better option than what ChatGPT has provided from my initial investigation. 

For anywhere from $75.00 to $300 you can get a plan written by a coach that cares about the quality of the plan, may have many plans to choose from, or may completely customize a plan for your specific needs. They may even include strength and mobility training, nutrition and hydration tips, and a race plan for your chosen race.

There is also the one-on-one and/or remote coaching option, these are the services I offer. These options often include weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly phone calls, and in-person training sessions, if you’re local to the coach. Remote coaching plans generally include text and email support too and may include membership in a team and/or discussion group and private Facebook page. One of the most important reasons to use a monthly coaching service is the plan customization and tweaks that you may need for reasons of life changes, you need more or less volume or intensity in your plan. Your plan may also need to be modified due to missed workouts for illness, vacations, or demands of work. 

If you’d like to learn more about my coaching services please visit www.osbtri.com/coaching, you may use the contact me link or schedule a free consultation. 

Thanks for reading,

Coach Mike

Links to the ChatGPT Plans:
If you choose to use one of these plans that is on you. I will provide absolutely no support for these plans nor will I accept any responsibility for your success, failure, injury, or death using these plans. These plans are linked simply to show that ChatGPT is not ready to provide a triathlon training plan that IMHO is ready for use by any athlete.
Question 1 Plan: ChatGPT Question 1 PDF
Question 2 Plan: ChatGPT Question 2 PDF
Question 3 Plan: ChatGPT Question 3 PDF
Question 4 Plan: ChatGPT Question 4 PDF