I tried to get a Mararthon training plan by ChatGPT-3. Chat GPT is inside all news at the moment. The release of the version 3 brought a great improvement to this system.
What is Chat GPT?
ChatGPT is a conversational agent created by OpenAI and based on the GPT-3 language.
This chatbot uses recent advances in artificial intelligence to offer reasoned answers to the various questions asked by the user. It uses two learning axes: a supervised mode followed by reinforcement learning.
This application using Artificial Intelligence can answer questions, write articles or create pictures.
At the moment, this application is so famous that it is not available at the moment : “ChatGPT is at capacity right now”. The developer had the fantasy to wrtite this poem:
Write a poem about the status of ChatGPT.
ChatGPT, oh ChatGPT
With AI so smart
But alas, it’s at capacity
Leaving us to wait
For a chance to chat
With its wisdom and wit
We long to be part
Of its conversation
But for now, we sit
On the sidelines
Patiently waiting
For the day When
hatGPT Is ready to play
Again.
I just had the time to create a sample training plan during the week.
Marathon plan by ChatGPT-3
I put a very simple request in the system and get a very detail answer from the application within roughly one minute.
My request :
“Create a marathon training plan over 12 weeks“
The answer from ChatGPT-3:
Here is a 12-week marathon training plan:
Week 1:
Monday: 3 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training (elliptical, bike, or swim)
Wednesday: 3 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 4 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 5 miles easy run
Week 2:
Monday: 3 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 4 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 5 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 6 miles easy run
Week 3:
Monday: 4 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 5 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 6 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 8 miles easy run
Week 4:
Monday: 4 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 6 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 7 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 9 miles easy run
Week 5:
Monday: 5 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 7 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 8 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 10 miles easy run
Week 6:
Monday: 5 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 8 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 9 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 12 miles easy run
Week 7:
Monday: 5 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 8 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 10 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 12 miles easy run
Week 8:
Monday: 6 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 9 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 11 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 14 miles easy run
Week 9:
Monday: 6 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 10 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 12 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 15 miles easy run
Week 10:
Monday: 6 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 10 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 13 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 16 miles easy run
Week 11:
Monday: 6 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 11 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 14 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: 18 miles easy run
Week 12:
Monday: 5 miles easy run
Tuesday: Cross-training
Wednesday: 10 miles easy run
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 15 miles easy run
Saturday: Cross-training
Sunday: MARATHON DAY!
Note: This is a basic training plan, and it’s important to keep in mind that every person is different, so adjust as necessary and always listen to your body. Also, make sure to properly warm up, cool down, and stretch before and after each run.
Conclusion
I am impressed by the accuracy of the answer and the speed to get this plan. It was easy and quick to get a Mararthon training plan by ChatGPT-3. There is a mix of running, cross training (elliptical, bike, or swim) and Rest days, which is good.
I will look more in details the sessions and all the runs are at the same pace, no Easy days or speed.
Each week is similar but there is a progression from the beginning to the Marathon. The progression is very important. Week 2 has 20% more miles than week 1, and week 3 has 28% more miles than week 2. This very steep increase in mileage is not good, it will bring a lot of injuries in runners. The average increase of mileage is 13%, then I will really avoid this training plan.
Weeks 6 and 7 have similar mileage, than allowing the body to assimilate, but I like to have an assimilation week every month.
Week 11 is the highest mileage with 49 miles (79km). It is as well more than 3 times more than during week 1. There is a progression, but starting too low and increasing too much.
There is no taper, week 11 is the highest mileage and there is a 15 miles easy run on the Friday before the Marathon. If you run 15 miles 2 days prior to the marathon, you will not have recovered before the marathon.
During the 12 weeks, there is no competition. I like to include one or 2 competition during the 3 months period to add variety and see the progress. It is as well a good exercise to train the aid stations and the racing “stress”.
I think it was a good exercise to try this new application ChatGPT-3. I would not suggest to try this training plan. As stated in the last note from the plan:
it’s important to keep in mind that every person is different, so adjust as necessary and always listen to your body.
I would suggest to get an athletics coach online or in your local athletics club who can defined your training plan, follow your progress and modify the plan in order to match your progress.
OpenAI is working to improve this application and I am looking forward to see the ChatGPT-4 and further versions. It looks that the version 4 will be using 1,000 time more data. As soon as the access to the application is available again, I will try to be more precise with my requests and see if I can get speed or threshold sessions to be included in the plan, or get ideas to prepare my speed / threshold sessions for my athletes.