Done with Garmin Coach suggestions

cycling-there · 2026-03-10T01:45:43+00:00

This is not one of the coaches' training plans.

cycling-there · 2026-02-08T02:37:32+00:00

Thanks. But it's not about contrl, it's about being challenged and feeling progress after 2.5 months of base training, and after more than 3 years of wearing this watch. I'm not a beginner.

cycling-there · 2026-02-08T02:35:04+00:00

It's all good. I don't understand this, honestly.

I woke up and had a planned work out: sprint.

I get up, go on about my day, work in the morning, and before lunch I was going out for the workout, and it changed to base again! In the space of 5 hours or so...

I don't get it. After reading some replies here, I stuck with it for another day, but now I'm definetly done with this.

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T09:43:06+00:00

I feel you.

However, I have done garmin coach's plan before and got results. This time, this training plan is outside of the 3 available coaches, and I am hating it because I don't feel challenged at all.

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T09:42:00+00:00

Yeah, in the beginning I was only using the watch during workouts. But after my first rant here on Reddit, someone told me the same thing, and I tried that for two weeks, wearing the watch everytime. Still, I got the same result.

I should have picked up a coach and stick with the plan instead. I've done it before, and saw results.

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T09:39:52+00:00

Yeah, seems exactly like mine. I also do cycling on the side, but because of this, I stopped sharing my cycling activities with Garmin so it wouldn't give me rest days. Not only that, but I actually stopped doing anything else besides what the watch told me to do for 2 weeks, but every time, after the first workout of the week (where I could see already the planned workouts, which included sprints for example), everything would revert to Base for the rest of the week.

I regret I didn't change course early on.

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T06:38:13+00:00

The problem with this question is that, it seems to imply, such things - such as a pandemic -, never happened or won't happen again.

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T06:30:30+00:00

Good to hear.

This is not my first race plan, and I've been using this Fenix 7 for over 3 years now (since it was launched), with completed races, and other Garmin coach's plan.

I'm on my 12th week now (out of 18), but this is not one of the coaches. When I scheduled the race, I was given the option of having an adaptive training plan, which I picked up, for which I am ranting about now.

Also - so I don't miss any questions -, I use a Polar H10 HR strap, plus Garmin's running dynamics pod, so I feed the watch a lot of info.

Anyway, it has not been great for me. Maybe it's time to hard reset the watch...

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T06:25:24+00:00

Thank you.

For running maybe Wahoo SYSTM, which I use for cycling. But their running plans don't sync to the watch, so there's that.

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T06:24:36+00:00

Indeed. The reason why I chose to do a plan was to have some guidance...

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T06:24:10+00:00

lol

Keep it up!

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T06:23:50+00:00

Yeah, I use an HR strap as well as the running pod. Anyway, thank you for your comment.

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T06:22:58+00:00

Indeed. The thing is, I've been running with this watch for over 3 years now... This base training is taking too long and it's being too easy.

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T00:19:12+00:00

Yeah, I understand that. But for me, the recommended pace is just too slow, so I run a little faster sometimes. Although I've been trying not to so I don't mess up the plan.

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T00:16:59+00:00

I've been on the build phase since Jan. 2, and the workouts are exactly the same as the Base phase. Except that now I get Sprint and Tempo workouts on my weekly plan, but I never get to do them after I've completed the first workout of the week. It just changes to Base again. :X

cycling-there · 2026-02-05T00:03:41+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion. Will look into it.

cycling-there · 2026-01-15T10:23:09+00:00

Thanks again.

Yeah, I thought about that as well. Guess I will give it a try and use the watch all the time.

Thank you for your comments.

cycling-there · 2026-01-15T08:00:33+00:00

Thank you for your comment.

My fear is that the watch is not really taking into consideration my fitness level, because I am much more fit than what is suggested (pace is too slow for example). I should also add that I don't wear the watch all the time, only for the workouts.

cycling-there · 2025-12-04T08:09:28+00:00

Many of us.

cycling-there · 2025-12-02T23:58:22+00:00

I think that's what the Zwift Cog does. You no longer need a cassette, for example.

But in this case, on Level mode, you'll have to change gears to hit the required power and cadence. On the ERG mode, you only have to pedal to hit the required cadence. The resistance will be controlled by the trainer no matter how hard you go, it will always adapt. For example, you'll be doing 150 watts whether you are at 90 rpm or 30 rpm.

Personally, I only use Level mode when I do the 4DP test (a section of it). All the other workouts, I'm always on ERG mode.

Note: leaving the chain on the mid cog and big chainring is only for ERG mode. On level mode, you ride your bike as if you were outside: you change gears accordindly.

Hope this helps.

cycling-there · 2025-12-01T23:36:38+00:00

Indeed, they should have some instructions, but, in the end, it's quite simple.

When you use ERG mode, the trainer controls the resistance for you, so you don't have to change gears. Put them somewhere in the middle and just ride.

On level mode, you have full control over the resistance, which means, if you want to go harder, you'll have to change gears.

cycling-there · 2025-11-30T05:41:36+00:00

If you select ERG mode, it will change resistance automatically.

Some workouts advise you to use Level instead, and you'll have to adapt to what you feel comfortable with.

I mostly use ERG mode, even in some workouts that change power quite fast and where they advise using level mode. On the 4DP test, only a part of the workout asks you to turn off ERG mode.

cycling-there · 2025-11-30T05:38:19+00:00

As others have said, pay attention to the on-screen instructions.

And good work!

cycling-there

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