After narrowly missing my target time of sub-40 minutes at the Tshwane 10k on August 23 despite a toilet emergency, I decided to try something completely different while preparing for the Absa Run Your City Joburg 10k on Heritage Day, September 24.
Instead of relying purely on my usual routine, I turned to my AI assistant of choice, Google Gemini, and began having detailed, intensive conversations to guide my build-up.
What actually got the ball rolling was catching a bad case of the flu just two days after the Tshwane race. Sidelined, feeling miserable, and stuck on the couch with little else to do, I started asking Gemini for advice on how long I should wait before running again. I was already feeling anxious about my fitness dropping and whether I would be ready in time for the next starting line.
About four days later, I returned to running and kept leaning on Gemini for advice on training schedules, mileage distribution, and when it was safe to attempt a hard workout again. It quickly snowballed into asking the AI to build complete weekly training plans and map out specific sessions directly onto my calendar.
While I did try one training session I wouldn’t normally do, the overall program erred heavily on the side of caution. I happen to manage a persistent, old injury that frequently flares up, and my inputs likely led Gemini to adopt an overly conservative approach. Much of the build-up felt far too easy, and Gemini increasingly acted like a supportive echo chamber—telling me exactly what I wanted to hear just to boost my confidence.
Ultimately, hitting race-day targets comes down to hard physical preparation, and spinning an encouraging narrative won’t change the outcome on the road.
On race day in Joburg, I simply wasn’t physically prepared for the demand. While it was a hot day and the opening 4 kilometres were extremely tough, I felt completely spent early on without even pushing flat out. That immediate fatigue proved to me that I was genuinely underprepared, not just struggling with the high heat and elevated course profile.
Now, with my next race six weeks away, I want structured time to put in solid, uninterrupted training blocks.
Moving forward, I am returning to what 25 years of running experience has taught me works best for my body. I might ask Gemini for the occasional tip or quick reference, but I certainly won’t rely on it anywhere near as heavily again. Gemini offered nice mental encouragement, but it left me completely lacking where it mattered most: true physical readiness.
@MichaelSherman
IOL Sport – IOL Tech
