QT: You’ve Got a Brain, Might as Well Use It
Like it or not, AI is taking over just about everything.
Running isn’t being spared by the robot revolution.
In case you haven’t noticed, it’s actually well underway.
Not All Doom and Gloom
I’ll admit it, I’m not exactly loving the meteoric rise and adoption of AI.
But the more I think about it, the more I know I need to get on board and learn how to really use it.
Otherwise, I’m going to end up like my old man, who basically refuses to accept that 1995 technology is no longer cutting edge.
No doubt there are plenty of great ways to utilize AI in running and just about every other aspect of life.
One thing we need to avoid doing? Outsourcing our ability to think and reason to AI.
In other words, use your brain.
Your Brain > AI
In the past week or two, I’ve had a couple of interactions with folks that gave me a bit of pause.
In both cases, it felt like there was a chance the individuals involved may have been overreliant on their technology at the expense of using their brains.
No, not at all.
One Data Point, Nothing More
In one instance, it’s a situation where this runner is training for a fall race and, objectively, training is going quite well.
Recently, the robot coach prescribed a brutally difficult workout.
Doable? Maybe. Maybe not.
Either way, the workout didn’t go well.
Does that mean that the fitness isn’t there? Or that the goal for the upcoming race is out of reach?
All it means is that the workout didn’t go well.
No. Big. Deal.
Provided you use your brain to see the bigger picture, and not get caught up in a single data point that, more than likely, is nothing but an outlier result.
Biometric Data Isn’t the End All, Be All
Another example came from a running friend who was talking about biometric data and how to utilize said data to adjust training.
On the surface, I can really get behind this idea.
As long as there is still some thought involved.
And by thought, I mean you use your brain in addition to the biometrics.
Just because your sleep score was good and your HRV says you’re ready for some heavy training, doesn’t mean your legs are up to the task.
In that case? Use your brain, listen to your body, and adapt your training.
And when the opposite situation is in effect? When your biometrics are shit but your body feels good?
Use your brain, listen to your body, and adapt your training.
As Always, There is Nuance…
If only it were that simple, am I right?
The number of times my brain has sabotaged a run is higher than I care to admit.
When I set out to do a long run and, about halfway through, my brain hijacks the plan and I shut down the run early.
What about those situations?
Hard to say.
Sometimes the answer is to grind out the miles. And sometimes the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
But here’s the thing: knowing which answer is the right answer on the day isn’t something that you can outsource to a robot.
That has to come from you.
You’ve got a brain. So might as well use it, eh?
Using AI to guide your training isn't a bad thing, as long as you also use your brain. #runchat Share on X
How Do You Feel About Outsourcing Your Thinking to AI?
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