Your smartwatch knows more about you than your coach, so why isn’t it helping you train smarter?

What if your smartwatch actually understood you—not just your steps or heart rate, but your lifestyle, goals, and even those off days when your body says “not today”? This episode breaks down the core flaws in current running AI and smartwatch tech, revealing why most fitness platforms fall short for experienced runners. I explore how to take ownership of your data, transform it into powerful insights, and build a personalized, adaptive training system that actually serves you. If you’ve ever felt like your fitness tracker wasn’t keeping up, you’ll want to hear how to flip the script and train 1% better every day—with your own hybrid of human intuition and machine precision.

1. Running AI needs more personalization—it should adapt to your goals, recovery, and life stresses instead of giving generic advice.
2. Most fitness apps focus on basic metrics like heart rate and pace but miss the personal context that makes training advice actually useful for people who've been running more than a few months.
3. To get better insights, we need to take control of our own fitness data by exporting it, building our own dashboards, and using AI tools to find trends and make smarter training decisions.

• [00:00] Why AI in fitness still doesn’t get you
• [00:40] The real problem with "one-size-fits-all" advice
• [01:34] Who these apps are really built for (hint: not experienced runners)
• [02:25] Why data without context fails
• [03:08] The better way AI could help runners
• [05:02] How to take control of your own data
• [06:38] My personal system to set real goals
• [07:16] What I want AI to actually do for me (my wishlist)
• [08:26] Using AI tools to analyze your own training data and improve
• [09:58] What I’m building next — a smarter, more personalized training plan

• 📈 Get your free 1% better base training plan - https://dlakecreates.com/basefree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/virtualcoach2
• Learn more about how smart watches are lying to you https://dlakecreates.com/virtualcoach
• Why Strava is Pacist and Doesn’t Care About Short Distance People https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1D_pHZ7J4Ww
• DLake Runs on IG - https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• DLake Runs on Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the key to running faster wasn't about running harder, but about remembering how to skip like a kid?

What if the secret to unlocking faster, more joyful running isn’t another grueling workout, but something so simple you’ve likely been ignoring it? In this episode, I dig into the counterintuitive power of short, controlled bursts that could completely change your approach to training—physically and mentally. We’ll uncover why your ego might be sabotaging your progress, how skipping (yes, like when you were a kid) plays a vital role in performance, and the quiet discipline behind showing up daily with purpose. Whether you're trying to break through a plateau or just bring more intention to your running and life, this episode will give you a smarter foundation and a system you can start today.

• [00:00] What most runners skip that actually helps: Strides
• [01:22] What strides are and why they matter
• [03:10] Skipping as a warm-up tool for fast running
• [04:40] How to use skipping and strides in your workouts
• [05:34] The ego trap in training and goal setting
• [06:20] Why “shoulds” burn us out in running and life
• [07:55] What real long-term consistency looks like
• [09:27] Lessons from writing and how they reflect in running
• [10:57] The big truth: life mirrors running
• [11:52] What you can actually start doing today

Nicole Burnham is a RITA award-winning author of over twenty romance novels, including the popular Royal Scandals series.

Before becoming a full-time writer, she earned both a J.D. and an M.A. in political science from the University of Michigan and practiced law.

As an Army brat, she grew up moving around the world, which has influenced the international settings of her novels. Beyond writing, she is an avid runner (marathons and ultras are her jam!) who incorporates strides into her routine to maintain form and energy. Nicole currently resides in Boston, where she balances her writing career with regular runs on local trails.

• 📈 Get your free 1% better 6-weeks to strides, sprints, and habits training plan - https://dlakecreates.com/stridesfree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/nicole
• Get my strides, sprints, windups and run-throughs deep dive toolkit here - https://dlakecreates.com/strides
• Nicole Burnham Books & Website
• Nicole Burham on Instagram
• DLake Runs on IG - https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• DLake Runs on Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fitness tech industry is failing runners, and no one’s talking about it.

Ever felt like your smartwatch or running app just doesn’t get you? You crush a hard workout, and it calls it "unproductive." You take a rest day, and your fitness score drops. The truth? Most fitness tech is stuck in the past; obsessed with data but clueless about what runners actually need. This episode breaks down why the tech we trust with our training is often missing the point, and how that can hold us back without us even realizing it. I dive into what’s really wrong with how fitness data is delivered, why it’s failing more experienced runners, and how we can shift the focus from generic numbers to meaningful insights. If you’re tired of chasing arbitrary metrics instead of real progress, feeling guilty about rest days, or getting useless feedback from your watch, this one’s for you.

1. Smartwatches track data but fail at giving useful advice: They show numbers but don't explain what to do with them or how to improve.
2. Fitness apps reward the wrong things: They push streaks and long runs over smart training, which can lead to burnout.
3. The best runners don't follow generic plans: Progress comes from understanding your body, not just hitting app goals.

• [00:00] Why smartwatches and virtual coaches aren't working
• [00:40] What You’ll Learn
• [01:23] The problem with "training unproductive" messages
• [02:15] What apps track vs. what runners really need
• [03:07] Why running apps don’t ask about your goals
• [04:12] How Did We Get Into This Virtual Coaching Mess?
• [06:36] The Cater To The Average Trap
• [08:14] How custom heart rate zones can mess up your fitness score
• [09:35] How gamification creates burnout and pressure
• [10:39] What a better app could actually look like

• 📈 Get your free 1% better base training plan - https://dlakecreates.com/basefree
• 🎧 Listen, read and learn more here https://dlakecreates.com/virtualcoach Learn more about how smart watches are lying to you https://dlakecreates.com/smartwatch
• Why Strava is Pacist and Doesn’t Care About Short Distance People https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1D_pHZ7J4Ww
• DLake Runs on IG - https://instagram.com/dlakecreates
• DLake Runs on Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/120507

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.