AI running coach: Can Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch help you finish a marathon? Part 1

With the Sydney Marathon looming, this technology editor turns to Samsung’s new AI running coach. Can this smart watch outsmart past injuries and salvage a sub-four-hour dream?

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 has a new running coach catering for everyone, from beginners to those preparing for a marathon.

In a little over a month, I’ll be lining up for the Sydney Marathon, and I’m worried.

I started training in earnest for it about a month ago, giving me about eight weeks to get in shape. Foolish, I know.

But, the adrenaline rush of a big race is irresistible, and it takes a certain type of craziness to run 42km for fun, particularly without completing a full training program beforehand. Nuts.

I regularly run 12km a couple of times a week. It’s a way to blow off steam, and hope my base level of fitness will be enough to complete the run in my compressed training program. I know it’s relying on a bit of a wing and a prayer, and I carry a greater risk of injury, particularly on my middle-aged knees and hips.

I’ve completed quite a few marathons in some stunning yet trying locations from the Great Ocean Road to 300km north of the Arctic Circle. But normally my training program is a minimum of 12 weeks. There is no substitute for getting the kilometres into the legs.

Fortunately, Samsung has released a new feature on its Galaxy range of smart watches that aims to more accurately gauge somebody’s fitness and abilities.

The 8 series of watches are now equipped with an artificial intelligence-powered running coach. How it works is you strap the watch on, run for 12 minutes and it will then generate a report, revealing your fitness level, as well as a personalised training program.

As Samsung Australia head of wearables Kelly Mason tells me, most running injuries happen when people over-estimate their capabilities, either running too far or too fast.

Indeed, I’ve fallen into this trap before – and it’s largely been because I was looking at my smart watch too much. If I run a good time, the next time I put my runners on, I want to better it.

This happened in the lead up to the 2023 Sydney Marathon, which I was on track to complete in under three hours and thirty minutes, based on my performance in my longer training runs. But then I got competitive and cocky and bang, I was hit with hip bursitis and couldn’t run for about six weeks leading into the race.

My goal of running sub three hours, thirty minutes was shattered, and I ended up hobbling over the finish line at the Opera House in a touch over four hours instead. Stupid.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.

So to avoid a repeat this year, I was keen to try Samsung’s new running coach to see if my base level of fitness was sufficient to complete a marathon or quit while I was ahead and try again next year. After a brief set up on the Samsung Health app, where I punched in my height, weight and how fast I could run 10km, I strapped the latest Galaxy Classic 8 watch on and off I went.

12 minutes, and almost three kilometres later, I got my report. I gingerly opened it. Could I run the Sydney Marathon on August 31?

Good news. It told me that based on my current fitness level I could complete a marathon. But it urged me to take things slowly.

The plan it generated was conservative, involving me to slow down. For instance, its five kilometre running target was under 35 minutes – about 15 minutes less than my current time for that distance.

It set my goal for completing a half marathon at a six minute, forty second kilometre pace for a total time of two hours and 20 minutes. That’s about 40 minutes longer than what I can currently run 21 kilometres.

Of course, it’s one thing to run a quick five or 12 kilometres or even 21km. But maintaining that over a marathon distance is completely different. If taking things more slowly, particularly in a compressed training time frame, means I will get to finish the marathon – hopefully injury free – that’s still an achievement.

And there are a few more tricks that Samsung says the latest range of Galaxy watches have in store to help achieve its users stay healthy, such as an antioxidant index – the first ever installed on a smart watch.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic can also measure stress levels throughout the day. But, how much information is too much information?

How it works is that someone removes their Galaxy smart watch and places their thumb on the rear sensor, which measures carotenoids – the pigment found in many fruit and vegetables – on the skin. It will then give you a score and, if you’re deficient, advice on how to improve.

When I first tried this feature, my score was 83, which Galaxy said was “adequate”. “You’re maintaining a good antioxidant balance. Keep eating your fruit and vegetables”.

What a relief. But then in subsequent testing, it varied widely. One morning I recorded a score of 85 and my chest swelled with pride. But after lunch, my score plummeted to the high 60s. While wearing smart watches can be helpful, the constant monitoring can be triggering for some, creating anxiety – or eating copious amounts of broccoli to boost your antioxidant score again. Better to view longer term trends, which Galaxy provides, instead.

The watch has a rotating bezel but it’s a pity only the edges — and not the numbers on it — rotate like a classic dive watch.

The Galaxy Watch Classic 8 is presented in an attractive stainless steel case, with a rotating bezel, which acts as another dial to navigate functions. It’s a shame that only the edge of the bezel rotates and not the numbers printed on it – like a real diving watch.

I might not go deep sea dwelling but I use the rotating bezel on an older analogue watch to time the brewing of my tea or cooking pasta. The Classic 8 though is integrated with Google Gemini, making it easy to perform tasks such as setting a timer, by a long press of the top button on the watch, and then saying ‘set a time for five minutes’, which makes me feel terribly archaic in my preference to turn a mechanical bezel. Hopefully, Samsung can combine the best of both worlds in its next release.

In the meantime, let’s hope it can help me finish the marathon. Stay tuned for part 2.

Originally published as AI running coach: Can Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch help you finish a marathon? Part 1