CoachX is a running-specific AI coach that connects to your sports watch (via Intervals.icu), analyzes your training data including HRV, heart rate, and sleep, and generates personalized running training plans using proven coaching methods from Daniels, Hansons, and Pfitzinger. You can chat with your running-specific AI coach to adjust workouts in real-time.

Which sports watches does CoachX support?

CoachX works with any sports watch supported by Intervals.icu, including Garmin, Wahoo, COROS, Polar, and Suunto. Your training data is synced automatically, and AI-generated workouts are pushed directly to your watch.

How does AI coaching work?

CoachX uses the latest AI models combined with established coaching methodologies (Daniels VDOT, Hansons, Pfitzinger). The AI analyzes your fitness data, training history, and goals to create periodized training plans. You can chat with your running-specific AI coach anytime to modify workouts, ask training questions, or adjust your plan based on how you feel.

What coaching methods does CoachX offer?

CoachX offers three proven coaching philosophies: 1) Daniels Coach - uses the VDOT-based scientific training system with 5 precise pace zones (E/M/T/I/R), ideal for data-driven runners. 2) Hansons Coach - uses cumulative fatigue training with high frequency (6 days/week) and shorter long runs. 3) Pfitzinger Coach - focuses on high-mileage training (55-85 miles/week) with lactate threshold emphasis, suited for serious runners.

Is CoachX free to use?

Yes, CoachX offers a free plan with 5 AI messages per day and basic coaching features. Paid plans start at $4.99/month for 50 messages/day (Standard) and $9.99/month for 200 messages/day with advanced coaching and priority support (Pro). Yearly billing saves 20%.

Can CoachX create interval workouts automatically?

Yes! Simply tell your AI coach what you need in natural language, like 'Schedule a 30-min tempo run for tomorrow' or 'Create a 5x1000m interval session'. The AI creates the structured workout with correct paces and automatically syncs it to your sports watch via Intervals.icu.

How is CoachX different from my watch's built-in training plans?

Unlike one-size-fits-all watch plans, CoachX creates truly personalized training plans by analyzing your actual fitness data (HRV, heart rate zones, sleep quality, training load). The AI adapts your plan in real-time — if you're tired or injured, just tell your coach and workouts are adjusted instantly. Watch plans can't do this.

How does the AI know my situation?

Once you connect Intervals.icu, CoachX continuously reads your training history, fitness level (CTL/ATL/TSB), heart rate zones, recent activities, HRV and resting heart rate. You can also tell the AI extra context in chat — recent injuries, life stress, race plans. The AI combines this objective data with what you share to understand your current condition before any suggestion. Read the User Guide for the full data flow.

How does the AI build a plan tailored to me?

After understanding your fitness and goal (e.g. a target race and date), the AI picks a coaching philosophy from 8 proven styles, back-calculates the right paces from your VDOT or threshold, periodises the weeks (base → build → peak → taper), then schedules each workout around your weekly availability. As you complete sessions, it re-reads your data and adjusts upcoming workouts. See the User Guide for a worked example.

What coaching methods does CoachX offer?

CoachX offers 8 proven coaching styles, including: 1) VDOT-based scientific training with 5 precise pace zones (E/M/T/I/R). 2) Cumulative fatigue training with high frequency (6 days/week). 3) High-mileage training (55-85 miles/week) with lactate threshold emphasis. Plus polarized training, run-walk methods, and more.

CoachX User Guide

A complete walkthrough — from connecting your watch to letting the AI build a running plan around your life.

Last updated: 2026-05-15

Getting started

CoachX is a running-specialized AI coach that reads your watch data through Intervals.icu and writes structured workouts back to your watch. Here is what you need before you start, and what to expect in your first 10 minutes.

What you need

A GPS sports watch (Garmin, COROS, Polar, Suunto, Wahoo, or any device Intervals.icu supports).

A free Intervals.icu account already linked to your watch — so your runs sync there automatically.

A CoachX account (sign up with email, Google, or directly with Intervals.icu).

Your first 10 minutes

Create a CoachX account and authorize Intervals.icu. CoachX requests read access to your activities and the permission to push planned workouts.
Wait ~30 seconds while we read your recent activities and analyse your fitness data.
Choose a coaching style from 8 proven methodologies
Set a goal: a race, a target time. The AI will draft a plan immediately.
Open the AI Coach chat and ask it anything — "Why is Tuesday a tempo?", "I am sore, can we move long run?", "Add a 5×1000m next week".

Interactive Demo

What is CoachX?

CoachX is a running-specialized AI coach. Instead of giving you a static training PDF, it reads your real training data, applies a recognised coaching philosophy, and adjusts every workout based on how you are actually responding. You talk to it and the workouts land on your watch.

What does CoachX do?

Connects to your watch via Intervals.icu, analyses your data, generates personalised training plans, lets you chat with an AI coach in real time, and pushes structured workouts back to your watch.

Who is it for?

Any runner with a sports watch — first-time 5K runners through to sub-3 marathoners. The plan adapts to the runner, not the other way around.

How is this different from my watch's built-in plan?

Watch plans are static templates. CoachX reads your day-by-day fitness, activity, and feedback, and rewrites upcoming workouts when something changes — illness, travel, a bad night's sleep.

Connecting your watch (via Intervals.icu)

CoachX does not connect to your watch directly. Instead it uses Intervals.icu — a trusted, free fitness analytics platform that already integrates with every major brand. This means we read consistent, normalised data and we can push workouts to brands that otherwise have closed APIs.

What is Intervals.icu?

A free fitness analytics platform that already syncs with Garmin, COROS, Polar, Suunto, Wahoo and more. It is widely used by coaches and serious athletes worldwide.

Why route through Intervals.icu instead of direct?

Garmin and similar manufacturers have closed, hard-to-obtain APIs (approvals can take months or be denied outright). Intervals.icu solves this once for everyone. Your data is only accessed with your explicit consent — read access to activities, write access to planned workouts.

Which watches are supported?

Anything Intervals.icu supports: Garmin, COROS, Polar, Suunto, Wahoo, plus Strava and Apple Health as data sources. Workout push is best supported on Garmin, COROS, and Wahoo.

How the AI knows your situation

Good coaching starts with understanding the athlete. CoachX builds that picture from two streams: objective data from your watch, and the context you share in chat.

What we read automatically (from Intervals.icu)

Recent activities: pace, heart rate, lap structure, time of day.
Heart-rate zones, threshold pace, VDOT — derived from your recent races and tests.
Wellness data when available: HRV, resting heart rate, sleep, body weight.

What you tell the AI

Goals: race name, distance, target time, race date.
About me: anything you want your coach to know about you — running history, injuries, preferences. And it has the highest impact on the plan.
Feedback: niggles, illness, motivation, recent travel, life stress.

You stay in control. You can revoke Intervals.icu access at any time, and only the data needed for coaching is read. CoachX never sells your data.

How the AI builds your plan

A CoachX plan is not a generic template — it is generated from your fitness, your goal, and the coaching philosophy you chose. Here is what happens under the hood.

1. Set the target
You define the goal (e.g. "Auckland Marathon, 3:30, in 16 weeks"). The AI infers what training paces and weekly mileage that requires.
2. Pick a philosophy
8 proven coaching styles — each has different weekly structures and stress patterns.
3. Back-calculate paces
Read your activities and create a fitness profile. The AI derives your Easy / Marathon / Threshold / Interval / Repetition paces. Every workout is anchored to these.
4. Periodise the weeks
The plan is split into base, build, peak and taper phases. Long-run progression, intensity, and recovery are scheduled so each phase prepares the next.
5. Schedule into your week
The AI fits workouts to the days you said you can run, keeping at least one easy day between hard sessions.
6. Adjust continuously
After every workout it re-reads your data. Missed a run? It reshuffles. Crushed a tempo? It nudges paces. Bad HRV? It softens the next session.

A worked example

Sara wants to run a sub-1:45 half-marathon in 12 weeks, training 5 days/week. CoachX reads her activities and coach style, sets her threshold pace at 4:35/km, and schedules 4 easy runs + 1 quality day per week — starting with 30km/week and building to 55km/week with a 2-week taper.

Choosing a coaching method

CoachX ships with eight coaching philosophies. They are not gimmicks — each is a published, peer-reviewed training system with a different bias.

VDOT Style

Best for: data-driven runners who want precise paces.

Five pace zones (E/M/T/I/R) anchored to your VDOT. Highly scientific, moderate volume.

Cumulative Fatigue

Best for: time-crunched runners who can train 6 days/week.

Cumulative fatigue method. Shorter long runs (max 26 km) but never fully rested. Two quality days per week.

High Mileage

Best for: experienced runners targeting a marathon PR.

High mileage (55–135 km/week) with strong lactate-threshold focus. Demanding but very effective.

Polarized (80/20)

Best for: runners who keep getting injured or burnt out.

80% easy, 20% hard. Polarised training, used heavily by elite endurance athletes.

Run-Walk

Best for: beginners or returning runners.

Structured run/walk intervals. Friendly entry into longer distances with low injury risk.

Classic Progressive

Best for: first-timers chasing a half or full marathon finish.

Approachable, gradual mileage progression. Clear weekly schedules.

MAF (Low HR)

Best for: athletes rebuilding aerobic base.

Strict low heart-rate aerobic training (180-age formula). Slow, but builds a huge engine.

Balanced 80/20

Best for: all-round runners who want a balanced plan.

Modern, evidence-based blend of polarised training with race-specific intensity.

Daily use — chatting with your coach

Most of the value comes after the plan is generated. Open the AI Coach chat and talk to it like you would a real coach.

Push specific workouts

"Schedule a 30-minute tempo run for tomorrow at 4:30/km."

Adjust the plan

"Move long run from Sunday to Saturday this week."

Ask why

"Why is Wednesday an easy day?" — the coach explains in plain language.

Analyse a run

"Look at my Tuesday session — what should I improve?"

Course-correct

"I am sore in my left calf, ease off intensity for 4 days."

Build interval sets fast

"Create a 5×1000m at 3:50/km with 90-second jog recoveries."

Pricing & limits

CoachX is free to start. Paid plans unlock more daily AI messages and stronger underlying AI models.

Free

5 AI messages per day. Full watch sync. Great for trying things out.

Standard — $4.99/month

50 AI messages per day. Premium AI models. Recommended for casual to serious training.

Pro — $9.99/month

200 AI messages per day. Advanced reasoning. Priority support. Best for heavy users and coaches.

Yearly billing saves 20%. You can cancel any time from the Profile page.

Troubleshooting

My workout did not appear on my watch.

CoachX seems to be using old fitness data.

The AI suggested a pace that feels too fast/slow.

I hit my daily message limit.

Your data & privacy

CoachX reads only the Intervals.icu data needed for coaching, and you can revoke access at any time. We do not sell your data. See the Privacy Policy for the full statement.

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