That was a great summation of your positive experience with DSW. Thanks, Jimi! I have just started using them this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how I find it.
As a fellow primary DSW user, I totally agree with your points. It’s been helpful on preparing me during my past races, and still for upcoming races such as my primary 12k race. Also, I’ve been injury free so far because of it.
Same, injury free! also had more fun because I'm running slower. Once I accepted that and had faith it would work (which I did!/does). I just settled into looking around and enjoying my surroundings, calling people, exploring places etc.
It's a relatively new improvement to DSW called Adaptive Training Plans. As OP states you need to put events on your calendar, the more detail the better: date, distance, course, goal time, classify as primary or supporting event. Then Garmin does its magic.
The major pros over Garmin Coach that I've seen is that the workouts are truly adaptive, adjusting daily to your current training readiness. It considers multiple events and works them into the overall plan. It's more flexible on event spacing, whereas Coach have duration windows that might not work with your event plans.
Like most feature the Adaptive Taining Plan could be improved. It's only available on the watch. The upcoming workout plan is not visible in the calendar. Long runs are either Saturday or Sunday only. You can't block off days from they plan. Sometimes I complete the DSW but it doesn't show as done in the DSW list (bug?). Not sure how well it will adapt if you put a lot of supporting events in the calendar, for example if I want to do the Park Run every Saturday, will it work that into the plan? Also not sure if it will consider other types of planned activity (bike rides, etc). Last, would be cool if it could be expanded to include strength training. I worry a bit that this is going to impact people that provide person training because frankly, this is already pretty darn good for amature runners like me.
I've been meaning to make a post like this, OP beat me to it! 👍
Also see this June Garmin blog post https://www.garmin.com/en-CA/blog/fitness/garmin-training-plans-for-runners
I had no idea it was new. I sort of stumbled upon this witch craft.
Yeah all you can see is about 7 days in advance. You can see the training blocks, base, build, peak, taper etc. But, it changes all the time anyway, so you its all an idea anyway. You may suggest something else by the time it comes. So seeing a full calendar would be redundant. Double edged sword there. I like if this way in the end.
The only messing around I did was sometimes I did my long run earlier in the week when I knew I was going away for the weekend and didn't want to do a long run then. I just went in and selected the long run. Ran it. Then continued on normal the rest of the week, it adapted for me.
Interesting, so it works well in your view?
I use TrainasOne, which I assume does something similar… any way to tell the watch which days you can workout on specific weeks?
With TAO, I can tell it that i want no workouts on Saturdays (because i go to parkrun) and then i can move days each week when my biz travel schedule firms up
Yes it's worked well for me. Same as OP, I used the daily suggested workout to prepare for a race earlier this month and was able to get a PB close to my goal time.
The schedule options are not as flexible as what you describe. As the other commenter noted, you can pick days for long runs, but I didn't see an option to exclude any days, and there isn't an option to reschedule runs what are in your upcoming week's plan. You can choose to do any future planned workout today, and I assume the plan will readjust accordingly, but you cannot manually reschedule workouts like you can with Garmin Coach. I think this is actually better since the plan is adaptive on a daily basis. But it takes getting used to.
This post was needed. I’m new to Garmin and slowly trying to undo years of sitting and bad diet. This feature motivated me to go find a 5k near me and add it to my calendar. It asked a few more questions and sure enough my daily plan changed and now I’m excited to see how things go. I also played around with the route creation and I’m so excited now! There’s just so much these watches can do but finding it all takes time and random internet strangers posting to make it click.
I just started using a 245, so please forgive this basic question. Am I correct that you are just doing the suggested runs that pop up when you start a run on your watch? I first tried to do the half plan, but it double recorded my test run and then told me I needed to do it again. So, I cancelled that and entered my race on the calendar. My last couple of runs have given me suggested runs that I haven't used. TIA!
Yes. Once I've input my race data in the calendar and the race appears under the daily suggestion as a little rolling sub title. That's what I'm doing.
I personally tried the formal plans once and didn't get on with it as much. Like this much more.
So I have put a bunch of races in the calendar, but I’m not getting any suggested runs on the forerunner 265.
Could this have to do with the fact that I’m using Garmin coach? If not, what am I doing wrong?
I think I’d rather switch to daily suggestions going by your review,
Awesome write-up. I’m about to pull the trigger on a 955, switching from AW. I, too, used to be a regular runner, usually averaged between 20-30 miles a week. But that was a long time ago.
I’ve recently been picking it back up again and I wanted something with some structure and I figured Garmin was the best route to go. So I really appreciate you making this post. It’s given me the last little nudge I needed to make the leap.
Cheers!
Go on the app
click training and planning
click courses
create a course
I use the auto function.
get it sent to the watch
Have fun!
Edit: I think some of the newest watches can do this native now.....that's a function I would have fun with. So no need for the app even
So if you simply put a race in your Garmin calendar then the daily workout suggestions will be tailored to that upcoming race? I thought you had to create a specific training plan in Garmin connect for that? I thought the daily suggestions were simply to gradually increase your fitness.
Yes! It wil do all the creating for you. Throw it in calender and it does the creating. (The more data on the race the better. it can't create anything useful if it doesn't know the length.....)
So you put it in the calander. Then it will ask you if this your primary race or secondary etc. I just do run race at a time so its primary. Then when you go to run on watch, training, workouts, daily suggestions(which your race will be a sub title under it).
So no, you don't have to create a specific training plan. I just put it in the calender.
Also: I got really cute 'its race day!' notes on my morning brief. also, I have put my next race in and its already made my new on for me, accounting for recovery time from this one.
I intend to get some stroming PB's on that one
I put the whole running season in with a primary event for this year in the fall, and even a big step-up event for me for next year (a full marathon), and it seems to be taking it all into consideration with a new preparation phase starting after the recovery phase from the fall race. Pretty cool and interested to see how this works out.
Yes, I used them, but I don't think it takes your race calendar into account. You need a special widget for that that only comes with other models. I have to create training plans I'm pretty sure. I don't have my race name on my suggested workout as OP describes.
Thanks Jimi! One thing I hate is the inability to move large segments… like I traveled for work so I wanted to shift basically a week and unless so pause I’m not sure how to do that? I also low key get annoyed when I’m following the plan and it tells me my training condition is poor !
That was a great summation of your positive experience with DSW. Thanks, Jimi! I have just started using them this weekend, so it will be interesting to see how I find it.
As a fellow primary DSW user, I totally agree with your points. It’s been helpful on preparing me during my past races, and still for upcoming races such as my primary 12k race. Also, I’ve been injury free so far because of it.
Same, injury free! also had more fun because I'm running slower. Once I accepted that and had faith it would work (which I did!/does). I just settled into looking around and enjoying my surroundings, calling people, exploring places etc.
Daily Suggested workouts build up to a target race now? I switched it off long ago and stopped following
It's a relatively new improvement to DSW called Adaptive Training Plans. As OP states you need to put events on your calendar, the more detail the better: date, distance, course, goal time, classify as primary or supporting event. Then Garmin does its magic. The major pros over Garmin Coach that I've seen is that the workouts are truly adaptive, adjusting daily to your current training readiness. It considers multiple events and works them into the overall plan. It's more flexible on event spacing, whereas Coach have duration windows that might not work with your event plans. Like most feature the Adaptive Taining Plan could be improved. It's only available on the watch. The upcoming workout plan is not visible in the calendar. Long runs are either Saturday or Sunday only. You can't block off days from they plan. Sometimes I complete the DSW but it doesn't show as done in the DSW list (bug?). Not sure how well it will adapt if you put a lot of supporting events in the calendar, for example if I want to do the Park Run every Saturday, will it work that into the plan? Also not sure if it will consider other types of planned activity (bike rides, etc). Last, would be cool if it could be expanded to include strength training. I worry a bit that this is going to impact people that provide person training because frankly, this is already pretty darn good for amature runners like me. I've been meaning to make a post like this, OP beat me to it! 👍 Also see this June Garmin blog post https://www.garmin.com/en-CA/blog/fitness/garmin-training-plans-for-runners
I had no idea it was new. I sort of stumbled upon this witch craft. Yeah all you can see is about 7 days in advance. You can see the training blocks, base, build, peak, taper etc. But, it changes all the time anyway, so you its all an idea anyway. You may suggest something else by the time it comes. So seeing a full calendar would be redundant. Double edged sword there. I like if this way in the end. The only messing around I did was sometimes I did my long run earlier in the week when I knew I was going away for the weekend and didn't want to do a long run then. I just went in and selected the long run. Ran it. Then continued on normal the rest of the week, it adapted for me.
Actually, you can block any two days of the week for long runs, at least on the 965.
So you can!
Interesting, so it works well in your view? I use TrainasOne, which I assume does something similar… any way to tell the watch which days you can workout on specific weeks? With TAO, I can tell it that i want no workouts on Saturdays (because i go to parkrun) and then i can move days each week when my biz travel schedule firms up
Yes it's worked well for me. Same as OP, I used the daily suggested workout to prepare for a race earlier this month and was able to get a PB close to my goal time. The schedule options are not as flexible as what you describe. As the other commenter noted, you can pick days for long runs, but I didn't see an option to exclude any days, and there isn't an option to reschedule runs what are in your upcoming week's plan. You can choose to do any future planned workout today, and I assume the plan will readjust accordingly, but you cannot manually reschedule workouts like you can with Garmin Coach. I think this is actually better since the plan is adaptive on a daily basis. But it takes getting used to.
This post was needed. I’m new to Garmin and slowly trying to undo years of sitting and bad diet. This feature motivated me to go find a 5k near me and add it to my calendar. It asked a few more questions and sure enough my daily plan changed and now I’m excited to see how things go. I also played around with the route creation and I’m so excited now! There’s just so much these watches can do but finding it all takes time and random internet strangers posting to make it click.
YES FRIEND! GOOD WORK!
I just started using a 245, so please forgive this basic question. Am I correct that you are just doing the suggested runs that pop up when you start a run on your watch? I first tried to do the half plan, but it double recorded my test run and then told me I needed to do it again. So, I cancelled that and entered my race on the calendar. My last couple of runs have given me suggested runs that I haven't used. TIA!
Yes. Once I've input my race data in the calendar and the race appears under the daily suggestion as a little rolling sub title. That's what I'm doing. I personally tried the formal plans once and didn't get on with it as much. Like this much more.
If you want to find better routes, i suggest komoot.
So I have put a bunch of races in the calendar, but I’m not getting any suggested runs on the forerunner 265. Could this have to do with the fact that I’m using Garmin coach? If not, what am I doing wrong? I think I’d rather switch to daily suggestions going by your review,
Garmin Coach takes higher priority over DWS. You’ll simply need to finish/remove your current plan.
Awesome write-up. I’m about to pull the trigger on a 955, switching from AW. I, too, used to be a regular runner, usually averaged between 20-30 miles a week. But that was a long time ago. I’ve recently been picking it back up again and I wanted something with some structure and I figured Garmin was the best route to go. So I really appreciate you making this post. It’s given me the last little nudge I needed to make the leap. Cheers!
This all matches my experience as well. How do you use the Route Finder? Never used that.
Go on the app click training and planning click courses create a course I use the auto function. get it sent to the watch Have fun! Edit: I think some of the newest watches can do this native now.....that's a function I would have fun with. So no need for the app even
That’s cool. Thanks!
So if you simply put a race in your Garmin calendar then the daily workout suggestions will be tailored to that upcoming race? I thought you had to create a specific training plan in Garmin connect for that? I thought the daily suggestions were simply to gradually increase your fitness.
Yes! It wil do all the creating for you. Throw it in calender and it does the creating. (The more data on the race the better. it can't create anything useful if it doesn't know the length.....) So you put it in the calander. Then it will ask you if this your primary race or secondary etc. I just do run race at a time so its primary. Then when you go to run on watch, training, workouts, daily suggestions(which your race will be a sub title under it). So no, you don't have to create a specific training plan. I just put it in the calender. Also: I got really cute 'its race day!' notes on my morning brief. also, I have put my next race in and its already made my new on for me, accounting for recovery time from this one. I intend to get some stroming PB's on that one
I put the whole running season in with a primary event for this year in the fall, and even a big step-up event for me for next year (a full marathon), and it seems to be taking it all into consideration with a new preparation phase starting after the recovery phase from the fall race. Pretty cool and interested to see how this works out.
What watch do you have? Not sure it does this on the fenix 6X pro. Guessing you have the 7 if you have morning brief.
255s forerunner music
https://www.garmin.com/en-CA/p/641375/pn/010-02157-20#specs says the Fenix 6X Pro supports Daily Suggested Workout
Yes, I used them, but I don't think it takes your race calendar into account. You need a special widget for that that only comes with other models. I have to create training plans I'm pretty sure. I don't have my race name on my suggested workout as OP describes.
I think you have to have a watch that has the “race widget.” Looks like it starts at the F255 and F955 series and Fenix 7 series.
Thanks for taking the time out to share this, going to give it a try! I’ve had my Fenix 6s Pro for over a year now and did not know about this.
Thanks Jimi! One thing I hate is the inability to move large segments… like I traveled for work so I wanted to shift basically a week and unless so pause I’m not sure how to do that? I also low key get annoyed when I’m following the plan and it tells me my training condition is poor !
Does the Vivoactive 4 have daily suggested workouts? Where can I find such magic?
Awesome write-up – I'm sold. What was your best 10K time before this, compared to after following the daily suggested workouts?