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What "average pace" should I tell Garmin Coach?

I am trying to set up a 5k training plan i Garmin Coach. Right off the bat it asks "Tell us your average running pace." Does it want to know my average pace if I went out and ran a 5k as fast as I could right now? The average pace of all the running I've done in the last month, including warm-ups, cooldowns and super-easy recovery runs? The average for the last year? The average since I bought my first Forerunner in 2007? (Okay, I know it's not that one). The average pace if I just went out and ran 5k without trying too hard or thinking about it? The average pace if I went out and ran 20km?

I've been looking for an answer to this in the forums and am seeing runner after runner complaining that the workout paces assigned are too slow or too fast, so it looks like I have to get this right, but what does it want?

I figured out that if I want to start on a specific date, I start it now and then pause it until that date.

I know this isn't a FR245 specific question, but I couldn't find a forum for Coach questions.

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+1 Walter1109 over 3 years ago

Forget the Garmin Coach. This feature is complete fake. I tested several Garmin Coach settings for an 5 km run. Result: 90% max HR even with the light runs. You can test it: There will be no changes if you set different "average paces". In addition: Garmin Coach will not align your training, although when your heartrate figures are too high or too low. It`s not more than a cheap marketing trick.

0 Aviatrix over 3 years ago

I found an answer elsewhere on the web, from someone who said that the "average pace" value isn't used in the calculation. I'm finishing the Improve Your Fitness program on Wednesday, so I'll try the Coach next, and report back if I have the same disappointing result.

0 Aviatrix over 3 years ago in reply to Walter1109

Walter1109, you appear to be correct. The Coach tells me "Good Job" when it assigns me an "Easy Run" at a pace I can only sustain by maintaining a Z4-5 HR, and then tells me "Room to Grow" when I complete the next "Easy Run" at a Z2 HR pace. It does not adjust anything for future runs in either case. Curiously, the pace it assigns for tempo runs is difficult but just within my ability--seems perfect--and the pace it assigns for speed repeats is slower than the prompt "Run Hard!" would suggest. I think the Coach is a clever idea, and hope they refine it to use more data and produce better customized workouts.

0 4061052 over 3 years ago

If you have been running since 2007, the Garmin Coach, especially the 5K will not be very useful to you.

I have understood the "average pace" to be important in relation of the time goal you set for yourself. If you're training towards your fastest 5K, you should use your recent fast 5K as average pace. If you want to run an effortless easy 5K, you should use a recent effortless 5K pace. If the discrepancy between average and goal is too big, the program will just warn you that it might not be achievable. If you don't set a time goal, it probably doesn't matter at all.