AI training apps aren’t fringe anymore—they’re steering runners into races, shaping programs, and shifting the coach–athlete relationship. In this conversation, Rob, Sharon, and Dan get honest about where AI helps, where it harms, and how real coaching fills the gaps. From Strava’s social pull to training plans that ramp too fast, we unpack who thrives with AI, who gets left behind, and how to blend tech with human nuance without losing the “care” that keeps athletes healthy and progressing.

In this episode:

• The draw of AI tools: convenience, community, and decision-fatigue relief
• Hidden downsides: comparison traps, overreaching, and context-blind paces
• Why beginners often need humans more than algorithms
• RPE vs pace, hills and elevation, HRV/sleep, and the data AI ignores
• Accountability: push notifications vs a coach who actually checks in
• Equity & nuance: female athletes, older runners, youth, neurodiversity, and medical history
• A practical middle ground: using AI plans with human touchpoints