Many of you, who already use Vitesse Running, sometimes wonder how and why to use our Virtual Coach to help your training. As a professional runner, I will give you my standpoint on how and why it is important to use it, and get all the benefits from it.
Why you need the Vitesse Running Coach
First, let’s determine WHY exactly you need the virtual Vitesse Running Coach.
If you are new to running, you definitely need a coach. It will make your experience so much better and it will prevent you from doing too much or not running smart, which in turn can lead to injuries.
Moreover, it will help you get faster. No one wants to lose time to train, without seeing the actual benefits of doing so.
But maybe you are not new to running but you have tried many different plans with no success. This is really frustrating.
Usually, the issue here is that the predefined plans may work for somebody but not for you. No approach fits all runners, we are all individuals with different qualities and our own line of growth.
How the Coach will help you
Now, let’s touch a little bit on how the Coach is going to help YOU.
While you run with the app, our coach starts to learn about you and what you are good and bad at.
Based on the way you complete your workouts, it can determine what is the best next step for you.
Our Coach also likes the variety. We are going to help you improve each component of your running. Many online plans focus mainly on one thing. With Vitesse Running, we will give you a variety of workouts including intervals, tempo, fartleks, hill works, sprints, recovery runs, long runs.
But they will not be just randomly selected. We understand how important recovery is so we use a very smart algorithm to decide when you are ready to work hard and when you need to take it easy.
Moreover, the Coach is your friend and a real-time supporter. He will give you specific advice on your workout when needed, or simply said – he will give you feedback and tell you what you need to improve next time.
How to use the Vitesse Running Coach
All of this sounds good to you? Then let’s talk a bit about how you should go about using the Coach.
1. Pick your category
This is the very first thing you need to do. If you are not sure which one is the best for you, start with the shortest distance or beginner one and if it’s too easy for you after a few runs, you can switch to the next one.
If your goal is to actually lose weight, you can try our Fat Burning category. It will be fun and effective, we promise!
2. Select the days when you want to be training
To have the best result we recommend to select at least 3 days in the week for training. Don’t worry about being stuck with those days once you select them – even if you skip a day, the Coach will adapt the plan and will give you the right workout next time you run.
A trick you can do is to modify the days from the Coach Settings. This is great for the days when the Coach has not planned a workout for you, but you still feel like running. Just pick this day from the settings and do the suggested workout without losing track of your plan.
3. Enable your run reminders
Тhis way the coach will remind you that it’s running day and you will be able to make plans accordingly.
4. Check how well you’ve done
Once you have completed a workout, go to the Analysis section in the Workout summary and to check out what Improvement tips the Coach gave you.
Here you will be able to see if there were any parts of your workout that could be improved and how you can actually do that.
5. Follow the plan and watch the magic happen
You will soon notice your progress. The plan is created in such a way that you will see progress in just 2 weeks of training, which will keep getting better and better.
What is Goal Pace and how to use it?
For some distances you would be asked to add your goal pace. This is needed so the Coach give you the right workouts with the right pace for you.
What is Goal Pace, you might be asking. Goal pace is the pace you are trying to achieve for your next competition. Ideally, it should be realistic and relatively close to your current potential.
If you are unsure about your goal pace, you can choose one that you believe is easy enough to run and later you can adjust it in Settings. With time, the Coach will suggest to adjust it for you based on your data and capabilities.
How to benefit from the Coach
All you have to do is just listen to your Vitesse Running’s plan. I know that could be hard, but as I love to say “trust the process”.
Sometimes we feel good and we have an easy recovery run, we decide to push it just because we feel up to it. However, the next day we have a tempo, somehow we feel exhausted and we are unable to follow our pace.
We wonder WHY?
Well, it is that simple. We did not follow our program and instead of saving energy for the right workout, we spent it on the ‘easy’ run.
We have to have patience and trust if we want to succeed. This means listening to your coach. At least, if you do so and something goes wrong, you know that you made no mistake.
Another important step is to follow your paces as much as you can. We will adjust them when you are ready.
But do not rush it and do not expect to go from level 1 to level 3 if you skip level 2. Once you start to improve constantly and complete your workouts in the right way (meaning you are not slowing down at the end of each workout, for example), the Coach will advise you to challenge yourself and try training for a faster 5k,10k, half-marathon, or marathon.
It can also suggest you to adjust your paces to your current level if you are too far away from the goal pace that you have in mind. This way you will build a good base and developing injuries will be prevented.
Last, but not least, read your Coach’s recommendations when you see them at the end of your workout.
The advice you sometimes see after a workout (the flash sign in the analysis) is there to help you become a better runner and prevent you from making the most common running mistakes. Our Vitesse Coach wants to be your best friend and supporter and it is always there to help you become the best and fastest version of yourself.
