Vince — AI running coach
Start running — without breaking down.
Vince is your AI running coach for your very first kilometres. Not a rigid plan you have to keep up with, but one short message each morning that adapts to your sleep, your recovery and your schedule. Science-based, warm in tone — and free all the way to your first 5K.
Become a tester of the first version. Just your email, no strings attached.
Most beginner plans aren't built for actual beginners.
You start a popular 9-week plan full of good intentions, and somewhere around week three it stops adding up. The next step is too much, you're tired, and you drop out — feeling like it's your fault. It isn't. It's the plan.
- Only 27% finish the standard 9-week Couch-to-5K plan, with most drop-out between weeks 2 and 5.¹
- 29.5% of beginner runners have quit within 26 weeks of a starter programme.²
- The main reason people stop is injury. Over 60% of running injuries come from training errors — "too much, too soon". Beginners average around 17.8 injuries per 1,000 hours of running.³
A plan that prescribes the same week 3 for everyone knows nothing about your week 3. Vince does.
(Sources ¹²³ — see the source list under "The science".)
Our philosophy
Progress is earned, not scheduled.
Some days you run. Some days you walk. Vince knows the difference — and only builds up when you're ready for it.
Five steps. One decision a day.
You don't need to calculate anything or keep track of a schedule. Vince checks in every morning and tells you exactly what's smart today — nothing more.
Step 1
The Start scan
A short scan of where you are today: how much you move, how you feel, and whether anything hurts. No fitness test, no pressure. Vince picks a safe starting point that fits you, not the average.
Step 2
The morning message
Every morning, one short message: max 80 words, exactly one decision, tuned to your sleep, recovery and schedule. You open it, you know what to do, done.
Sample message from Vince (72 words):
"Good morning. You slept short last night and yesterday was busy — so we keep it light today. Plan: 5 minutes walking to warm up, then 6 rounds of 1 minute easy running with 2 minutes walking in between. Run at a pace where you can still talk. Feels too hard? Just keep walking. That's not failing — that's smart. See you soon."
Step 3
Running
You head out and follow the message. A pace where you could still hold a conversation; we think in minutes, not kilometres. Walking in between is part of the training, not a lesser version of it.
Step 4
Vince adapts
What you did yesterday shapes what's wise today. Went well? Vince builds up gently. Was it hard, or does something hurt? He scales back. Progress is earned, not planned. A separate safety layer checks every piece of advice and refers you to a professional at any sign of pain or illness.
Step 5
Your first 5K
Step by step, walking grows into running and running into distance — until one morning you run 5 kilometres in one go, because your body was ready for it. The whole road to your first 5K is free.
Why one daily decision beats a plan set nine weeks ahead.
A fixed plan decides today about a day that doesn't exist yet. It doesn't know you slept badly, got sick, or that yesterday was just too much — and that's exactly where beginners drop out, between weeks 2 and 5.¹ Vince flips the logic: instead of planning ahead, he re-plans every morning based on what's actually happening in your body. Since over 60% of running injuries come from "too much, too soon",³ adjusting the load daily is how Vince is built to reduce that risk — not a promise you'll never get injured, but a design that actively tries to avoid training errors.
Three principles make the difference:
- Progress is earned, not planned. You only build up once your previous step went well — not because the calendar says so.
- Walk-run build-up. Alternating walking and running keeps the load low while your fitness grows; it's the safest route from zero to 5K.
- A safety layer above everything. Every piece of advice is checked; at any sign of pain or illness Vince scales back and refers you to a professional. Vince does not replace a doctor.
Curious how that works in the app?
Sources
- Peer-reviewed study (2023), 27% completion of 9-week Couch-to-5K, most drop-out weeks 2–5, via The Running Genie analysis.
- Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 29.5% of beginner runners quit within 26 weeks, PubMed 29934211.
- Beginner running-injury research: >60% from training errors; ~17.8 injuries per 1,000 running hours.
The whole road to your first 5K is free.
Vince is still in development. The full beginner experience — the Start scan, your daily morning messages, the adjustments and the safety layer — is free all the way to the day you run 5 kilometres in one go. No trial that quietly expires, no credit card up front.
Want to keep going after that — faster, further, or towards a new goal? A "Plus" tier comes later. But that's your choice, made once you're already running. Not now.
Where we're heading
One morning, you'll just run 5K.
Not because a plan prescribed it — because your body was ready for it.
Run along from the very start.
Vince is still in development. Sign up for early access and be among the first when the app is ready. Want more? Join as a tester and help make the coach better — your first kilometres help shape what Vince becomes.
- Early access: you'll be the first to know and get priority in the first group of users.
- Tester role (optional): run an early version, share feedback, and see it show up in the app.
Frequently asked questions
Is Couch to 5K too hard for real beginners?
For many people, yes. Only 27% finish the standard 9-week Couch-to-5K plan, with most drop-out between weeks 2 and 5. The problem isn't the runner but the fixed schedule: it prescribes the same jump regardless of how you sleep or recover. A plan that adapts to your body each day keeps the load manageable.
What's the best running app for beginners?
The best app for a beginner is one that builds up at your pace instead of imposing a fixed plan. Vince is an AI running coach that makes one decision each morning based on your sleep, recovery and schedule, using walk-run build-up and a safety layer. The whole road to your first 5K is free. The iOS app is in development.
How do I start running without getting injured?
Start slower than you think you need to. Over 60% of running injuries come from "too much, too soon", so alternate walking and running and only build up when the previous step went well. Vince is built to reduce that risk by matching the load to your recovery each day — and refers you to a professional at any sign of pain. It doesn't replace a doctor.
Is Vince free?
Yes. The full beginner experience is free up to and including your first 5K: the Start scan, your daily morning messages, the adjustments and the safety layer. No trial that expires, no credit card up front. A paid "Plus" comes later for new goals — a choice you only make once you're already running.
When is the Vince app coming out?
The iOS app is in active development. We're deliberately not naming a launch date, because we only want to ship once the coaching is safe and good. Sign up for early access to be the first to know when it opens — and optionally join as a tester to run an early version.