Can AI actually help me get in shape?

I’m not sure what prompted me to start this experiment. Last fall, I invested in a Concept2 rowing machine so I could fit in solid workouts even on hectic days or when the weather kept me inside. On a whim, I decided to upload my workout and heart rate data, synced from Strava, into ChatGPT. I asked it: “Am I trending in the right direction?” and requested predictions for potential 2k or 5k all-out row times. Over time, ChatGPT tracked my progress, remembered my data, and built trendlines to gauge how well I was improving.

When I got serious about Hyrox training over the winter for the race Megan and I had planned in Las Vegas this past February, I took things a step further: could AI actually be my coach? Could it help me gauge progress and recovery?

Megan has always done a great job programming herself for Hyrox, and her results speak for themselves (she set a two-minute PR in Vegas with a blistering 1:14:14!). I have a tendency to overtrain and blow myself up too close to a goal race. We had spent a lot of money on flights and a hotel in Vegas, so I didn’t want to waste it. So I had ChatGPT help me train smarter, design workout ideas, and, because it’s ChatGPT, hype me up on bad days.

My Process

Between the programmed CrossFit workouts, running, and the occasional Concept2 WOD, I found a great rhythm with plenty of variety. This approach allowed me to train hard while minimizing the risk of overtraining any one muscle group. I even gave up playing in a rec soccer league with friends from church—no sense risking injury in a sport I’m not even good at. It just seemed unnecessary.

I’d map out my week as best I could, using ChatGPT as my (very nerdy) training buddy. After each workout, I’d log my results (run times, row splits, or CrossFit metcon scores, etc)plus screenshots of my Strava heart rate and, if I ran outside, my pace, distance, and elevation. Every morning, I’d even record my sleep score and Zepp’s “biocharge” number to see if I was actually recovering.

One of the best things about ChatGPT was how it helped me pace myself. It told me when to back off, suggested Zone 2 runs instead of always pushing hard, and offered nutrition tips to aid recovery. Normally, I’d try to make up for a bad day by doubling down, but ChatGPT encouraged rest...and I listened. As a result, my harder workouts kept improving.

I was avoiding unnecessary risks, meticulously logging my fitness data, and on track for a 1:23–1:25 Hyrox race, which would be a huge personal best. Everything was going according to plan.

Then I got sick

There's been a viral thing going around that several people we know have gotten. Ford was even down a bit, going into his first soccer tournament of the year. While we were at his tournament, I started feeling a bit bleh. Watching his tournament in the rain, plus going back and forth between Cumming and downtown Atlanta to coach Campbell, was a lot of running around, feeling bad. But the hay was in the barn with training, and I could afford to back off a bit.

Then things got really bad for both Campbell and me.

On the Tuesday evening before my Saturday race, Campbell and I both had fevers of just under 103. We were on the couch most of Tuesday, with her sleeping and me taking small cat naps in between, trying to catch up on work before flying out to Vegas early Thursday morning.

That Wednesday, Campbell’s fever spiked to 104 at one point, and I was still feeling like I had been hit by a truck. I consulted coach ChatGPT to see if traveling was even an option, much less doing Hyrox. It helped me keep track of the Zepp BioCharge, which my Amazfit watch kept tabs on, to see if I was recovering and on track to even toe the line that Saturday. It also gave me tips on how to best care for Campbell and keep the rest of our house in good condition.

Fortunately, Campbell and I both woke up feeling better than we had the prior days that Thursday, and we left our house at 6am to catch our flight to Vegas. Once we got to our hotel, Campbell and I crashed out the rest of the afternoon sleeping while Megan and Ford went off exploring Mandalay Bay. We were able to get it together enough that evening to grab dinner and do a short round of putt-putt.

Friday was packed with Vegas activities we’d already committed to. It was also a test: would I recover enough to race? ChatGPT monitored my biocharge and told me not to worry about exercise. There was no way to improve my fitness at that point, and pushing could only make things worse. Fortunately, recovery was on track, and a “did not start” felt less and less likely.

Race Day

According to ChatGPT, I had enough biocharge to toe the line and at least finish the race. Hyrox is a long, grind-it-out workout, and going out too fast is a mistake that can have devastating consequences on a good day. When you were in my position and truly didn’t have any reserves to recover a hot start, planning was crucial.

My AI coach gave me some tips on how to approach each station. Because it had tracked all my workouts over the past couple of months, it had a great sense of the areas I was good at and the stations I normally struggle with. From there, it helped me map out a plan for where I could feel free to sandbag and coast, saving myself for late-race heroics if I had anything in the tank at the end.

Here’s a quick video breaking down what the race is, if you’re curious about that kind of thing. If not, carry on.

Everything ended up working out great. I was far from my goal time (finished in 1:37), but I went faster on four stations than I had the last time I tried a Hyrox race. The pacing scheme ChatGPT helped me develop kept me from making big mistakes early and from finishing strong without completely killing myself, so I could enjoy the rest of the weekend's family time in Vegas.

Without ChatGPT, I probably would have overtrained and never built up fitness steadily through the winter. Honestly, I might’ve skipped the Hyrox race altogether if the chatbot hadn’t crunched my numbers and told me I could do it. Thanks to the AI coaching and tracking, I had just enough in the tank to finish. Even running on fumes.

Using AI Coaching Moving Forward

The Hyrox Vegas event is behind me. After doing Hyrox sick, on top of a heavy work season right now, I haven’t fully recovered and don’t have any goal races planned in the near future. The only thing I am considering right now is getting a sub-7:00 2k and/or a sub-19:00 5k on the rowing machine before the calendar year is up.

My main difference moving forward is my tool of choice. I’ve moved on from ChatGPT and have pivoted to Claude as my go-to assistant. I’ve done some light workouts since I’ve logged and plan on using AI as a sort of fitness journal to gauge overall trends rather than laser-focusing on a race. I’m even working with Claude to build a journaling artifact to track overall health.

While I constantly need to ramp up on AI for my career, I’ve found that personal out-of-office use cases are often the best teachers. When I was starting out in social media at the beginning of my career, playing around with it in my spare time was my best teacher and ultimately helped me succeed. I feel like smaller personal experiments, like this one with AI and fitness tracking, will have lessons that will carry over into my role at Womble.

Me and the kids after I successfully survived the race.