Listening to My Body: Why I Changed My Garmin Workout
Garmin recommended a threshold session, but after listening to my body, I chose an easy aerobic run instead. Sometimes the smartest workout isn't the one your watch recommends.
The Plan
My Garmin Coach had scheduled a 38-minute threshold workout: a 10-minute warm-up, 18 minutes at 166–176 bpm, and a 10-minute cool-down. Normally I'd have followed the plan without hesitation — Garmin has been an excellent coach throughout my training programme, and I'll share a full review once I complete the 17-week plan. This time, though, things were different.
What Garmin Couldn't See
The day before, I'd suffered a migraine that required aspirin and paracetamol, followed by diarrhoea and lingering abdominal cramps. I'd also had a stressful few days and wasn't feeling fully recovered — I know from experience that emotional stress often affects my sleep and triggers migraines. Despite that, my Garmin metrics looked encouraging: Training Readiness 71, Body Battery 99, Sleep Score 83, Training Status Productive. Objectively, everything suggested I was ready to train. Subjectively, I didn't feel that way at all.
Adapting the Plan
Rather than cancelling the session completely, I asked myself a simple question: was today really the right day for high-intensity training? The answer was no. Instead of forcing the threshold workout, I changed the goal of the session — I still wanted the physical and mental benefits of getting outside, but without adding unnecessary stress to a body that was still recovering. So I replaced the threshold session with an easy aerobic run.
The Run I Actually Did
Distance: 3.28 km
Time: 29:50
Average Pace: 9:06/km
Average Heart Rate: 136 bpm
Training Effect: Recovery
Aerobic Training Effect: 2.2
Anaerobic Training Effect: 0.0
Exercise Load: 31
Although I felt weak throughout the run, the data told an interesting story. My heart rate stayed comfortably aerobic, my running dynamics remained efficient, and I finished with plenty left in reserve. It reminded me that how we feel doesn't always reflect how our body is actually performing.
Garmin Wasn't Wrong
This isn't a criticism of Garmin. It correctly recognised my recent training load, recovery trends and overall fitness — what it couldn't measure was the migraine, the stomach upset, the emotional stress, or how drained I felt mentally. Technology is an incredible training partner, but it doesn't replace self-awareness.
BonePilot Insight
“Recovering from osteoporosis has taught me that progress is built over months and years, not in a single workout. The same principle applies to endurance training — long-term consistency matters far more than completing every session exactly as planned.”
Final Thoughts
One of the biggest lessons I've learned during this journey is that discipline isn't about blindly following a training plan — it's about making good decisions. That day, I still trained, still got outside, still moved my body. The only thing I changed was the intensity, and looking back, I believe that was exactly the right call. Wearables like Garmin provide fantastic guidance, but they're advisers, not dictators. Sometimes the smartest workout isn't the one your watch recommends — sometimes it's the one your body needs.
Practical Takeaways
Use wearable technology to guide your training, not control it.
Consider your overall health, stress and recovery — not just the numbers.
Adapting a workout is often better than skipping it completely.
Consistency over months matters more than one missed or modified session.
Learning to listen to your body is a skill every endurance athlete should develop.
Related Articles
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
