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Why You Should Consider an A.I. Running Coach
New technology tracks performance and provides cues to help you improve mid-run
I was zoning out halfway through a long run when I heard a tinny voice in my ear: “Your cadence is low,” it said. “Step faster!” It was almost alarming, until I remembered I had switched out my AirPods for a pair of Soul Electronics earbuds with built-in A.I. coaching technology. As a seven-time marathoner, I usually rely on coaches or friends to help me pick up the pace or adjust my form when I’m bored or burned out; these headphones promised that same feedback while running solo.
Companies are starting to use artificial intelligence in fitness gear, with proprietary algorithms tracking performance and providing performance-boosting insights not just in an app post-workout, but while you’re exercising. And the timing couldn’t be better.
With stay-at-home and social distancing measures in place, there’s been a surge in runners on the streets — some of whom may be picking up a former habit, and some of whom may not have laced up a pair of running shoes since clocking the mile in high school PE class. But while treadmill studios remain shuttered, run clubs are prohibited from meeting, and even the idea of running with your more experienced friend is frowned upon, there’s no IRL way for…
