How to use AI to help you train for a marathon or 5K

How to create a running plan using AI

Achieve the extraordinary with

Copilot in Microsoft 365

Seamlessly tackle your to-dos and track budgets, projects, and calendars with AI-powered features in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more.

Learn more

Create an incremental training plan

AI-powered programs and apps are capable of determining the best intervals for running and walking. Just like you don’t want to immediately jump off the couch and run a 5K, you want to ease into long-distance running without the risk of developing health and muscular issues. A potential AI prompt for this can say, “Help me develop a 30-day training plan for me to run a 5K,” or “Based on my current ability of running nonstop for 5 minutes, how many weeks will it take me to run for 30 minutes without stopping?” Fill in specific details like how regularly you want to train and when your 5K or marathon is happening.

Track your fitness stats

Smart devices can monitor many health details of your fitness routine, from heart rate to oxygen levels in your bloodstream. When you take this information into account, you can ask AI if you’re on the right track to burning a certain number of calories, reaching a comfortable heart rate, or determining the best time of day to run based on temperature and humidity conditions. And by showing you how far you’ve come along on your running journey, AI’s ability to track your progress can also feel like an added boost of motivation as you train for a marathon.

Ask AI for a recommended running path

AI can draw from the advice of fellow runners who are posting in forums or on message boards. If you’re running a marathon in a specific city or venue, try an AI prompt like, “What is a running path in my city with similar elevation and terrain to the Berlin Marathon?” Since elevation changes will make a difference in your speed, time, and overall fitness results, it can be helpful to find evenly sloping terrain in your next running route.

Optimize your daily route

If you have an existing running plan, upload a map of your route and ask AI to analyze terrain, traffic heaviness, and weather patterns in your time of year. This can help you discover alternate paths that you may not have previously explored, which can come in handy in case your existing path is blocked (by construction or street events, for example). You can even ask AI to generate a random route so you can mix up your routine.

Ask AI to find places along your path

If you have an existing path, you can tell AI where you’re running and ask it to find coffee shops, health food stores, and other places to rest and rehydrate along the way. Ask AI to find places that are spaced evenly along your route so you can find the energy and motivation to reach the next one while you’re running.

Stay motivated with marathon tips and inspirational quotes

If you’re finding yourself flagging in your daily training, try asking AI for inspirational quotes related to running—after all, much of the sport of distance running is mental, not just physical. If you can draw inspiration from the sagacity of famous athletes, you might unlock that additional boost to keep running.

AI has the ability to transform your relationship to fitness, such as using AI to plan realistic goals. Consider leveraging the power of everyday AI to reach your fitness and sports goals, such as plotting a bicycling route or creating a protein-forward shopping list.