These limited options might be enough for younger runners but I found I could not select a training plan tailored for my demographic, i.e., the older experienced runner who is slow due to age (fitting the pace of Level 5) but is still capable of doing a high volume of training (fitting run duration of Level 7).

Support for personalizing your training plan is pretty good.  You can input the date of your big race and the plan will be generated to have you peaked for that race.  You can specify how which days you can train and which you want off and so on.  And once the schedule is generated, you can easily drag a workout to another day if you need to adjust the plan.

Adjusting Plan to Fitness (Criteria 4).  miCoach uses a 12-minute assessment routine that depends on the runner running successive time segments at an increasing level of perceived effort.  I didn't have the opportunity to try the routine more than once... given the reliance on perceived effort, it would be interesting to see how reliable the measurement is.  I am a little skeptical that the assessment routine will be able to reliably measure the relatively small improvements that can still take 30 seconds off your last 5k time.  In any case, the pace zones miCoach calculated for my single trial seemed reasonable enough.

Workouts (Criteria 5 & 6).  miCoach workouts are based on blocks of time with a color-coded system of speed zones, from the slowest, blue, to the fastest, red.  Since all workouts are time based, you can do them anywhere.  With the Pacer module or iPhone keeping track of time and your pace or heart rate, completing the workout as planned should be easy enough.  On the other hand, many runners are accustomed to doing distance based intervals.  Workouts like 5 x 800 meters are familiar and if your average time drops by 5 seconds, your running friends will probably appreciate the improvement.  The equivalent timed workout (for a aging or slow runner) might be 5 x 4 minutes and the equivalent 5 second improvement would just add about a hundredth of a mile to the distance run in 4 minutes.

The miCoach developers include a simple description of each workout that includes the purpose and tips on how to correctly perform the workout.  To my taste, the descriptions are over-simplified but may be just right for new runners.

Device Integration (Criteria 6 & 9).  miCoach is supports the moderately priced Pacer hardware set and two expensive lines of smart phones.  There is no support for the more popular lines of Garmin GPS watches and Polar heart rate monitors.

Syncing the miCoach iPhone app is quick and easy.  Whenever you decide to sync the miCoach phone app with the miCoach server, the system automatically uploads data from any newly completed workouts and downloads any new workouts to the phone.

The procedure with the Pacer hardware set takes a couple more steps.  With the free miCoach Manager application already installed on your Mac or PC, connect the Pacer module to your computer with a USB cable.  The Pacer will begin to draw power from the USB connection and recharge it's battery.  Connect to the internet.  Then, in the miCoach Manager app, initiate the synching of the Pacer with your account on the miCoach server.     

Device Usability and Suitability (Criteria 7 & 8).  The volume-adjustable prompts and status delivered in a computer-generated voice over head phones are easy to hear (unlike the beeps on most sports watches) and don't interfere with running.  You don't have to keep checking your watch for heart rate or time remaining in an interval.  It's a pretty elegant solution for "coaching" you through a workout.  You do have to wear headphones (or ear buds).

The miCoach Mobile application is free and, if you already have a smart phone, it may seem like a no-risk solution.  But, there are some major tradeoffs to running with a smart phone.  First, the supported smart phones are expensive devices that weren't designed for sports use, e.g., operated by sweaty hands, exposed to rain and snow and accidentally dropped on the pavement.  Second, for best accuracy, the smart phone has to be carried in a holster on the upper arm (so the GPS antenna has a clearer view of the sky).  GPS performance is not acceptable if you clip the phone to a waist belt or carry it in a fanny pack.  Of course, once holstered on the upper arm, you can't see the phone display and the controls are largely unusable.

Third, even when carried in a holster on the upper arm, the accuracy of mobile phone GPS falls short of that achieved by the ‘05 and ‘10 series of Garmin GPS watches that were designed for the specific demands of running.   I found the tracks recorded by the iPhone GPS to be noticeably inferior to those captured by my Garmin 305 on the same run through the tree-lined streets of Fairport Village, as shown in the images below.   

Current pace reported by GPS is notoriously inaccurate (even with the Garmin devices specifically designed for running).  While I haven't had the opportunity to test the miCoach Pacer hardware bundle, I have had extensive experience with Stride Sensor accelerometer technology that is also used in Nike and Polar speed distance monitors.  While the foot pod accelerometer technology is not as accurate as GPS in measuring distance traveled, it is much better at measuring current pace.  Given the two hardware options for use of miCoach, I would recommend trying the Pacer hardware package.  It's designed specifically for running use and gives you the option of either pace and heart rate coaching.

Trend Analysis (Criteria 10 & 11).  The miCoach website gives you a variety of views of your run data.  You can see graphs of miles, time, calories burned, average heart rate, pace, stride rate and feet climbed for each day or summarized for each week, month or year.  A table listing the same data for  all your workouts (called a Journal in miCoach) is also supported.  There's no easy way to export your data so you are limited to the analysis tools in miCoach.

An interesting feature in miCoach is that the data from each coached workout is scored.  As best I can tell, miCoach evaluates your data to quantify how well you stayed within the planned zones for the workout.  A percentage score is reported for the workout.

Bottom Lines. 

•·    I really liked the use of audible prompts to step me through a programmed workout and for current run status.  It was great to not have to look at my watch to check pace or the time remaining in an interval.   

•·    I recommend trying the Pacer hardware package over attempting to use a smart phone with miCoach... the Pacer gives you the flexibility of using either pace or heart rate based coaching.  And the current pace data from the Stride Sensor should be more accurate and unaffected by overhanging trees and tall buildings.  Also, the Pacer can be carried with its controls readily accessible, e.g., clipped to a waist band. 

•·    The miCoach training plans should be a good starting point for many runners although I would prefer more flexible level options, perhaps providing separate selections for current pace and run duration.  Then those of us who are slow but can still run high mileage workouts will be able to select a plan that fits. 

•·    miCoach would need to add an export feature before I would use it for my only running log.  Even at age 65, I think I will be logging miles for more years than Adidas will support miCoach.  Right now the only option would be to print what you can see on the screen to keep in a 3-ring binder or keep a second log.