Nina Raemont/ZDNET
Within less than 24 hours of wearing Samsung's newest Galaxy Watch 8, I knew a trial run (pun intended) of Samsung's new Running Coach feature was in order.
Running Coach is one of my most anticipated features in the Galaxy Watch 8 lineup, and does exactly what it sounds like: employs AI to calculate metrics like strain, pace, and recovery to improve your abilities and keep you on track for your next race.
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For example, if you're training for a 5K or a marathon and don't know where to start, Running Coach will create a tailored training plan to get you on the right path. To start, it will initiate a 12-minute run, then rank your performance based on health metrics. Afterwards, it will provide a plan focused on improvements.
I'm no pro-marathoner, but I've run my fair share of 5Ks, 10Ks, and even a half marathon. But I haven't been on a consistent running routine in over a year, as I traded pounding pavement in the park for weightlifting. So I was curious to see where Running Coach would place me on its one-to-ten point scale when I recently tried the feature for the first time.
Before the run, Samsung Health asked me questions about my height, weight, and experience, including the longest distance I've run and my respective time to completion. It told me to find a flat course that won't slow me down, get enough rest the day before my test, fuel up with a light meal and plenty of fluids, and get a light jog in before I initiate the test.
Nina Raemont/ZDNET
I started the test and tried my darndest to run as fast as I could. I'll be honest: by the four-minute mark, I was huffing and puffing -- and reminded why I stopped going on long runs and started lifting weights instead. Nevertheless, my eyes were on a high score.
Every few minutes, Running Coach would notify me of my pace, which hovered around the 10:30 to 11 minutes per mile mark. Once the 12 minutes concluded, Running Coach initiated a Cool Down, where it instructed me to walk until my heart rate lowered to 124 bpm. Then, Running Coach prompted me to rate my exertion out of ten. I gave it a five, in hopes of a higher score (if I'm being real, I was probably at a seven out of ten).
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