Welcome to Stack
Welcome to Stack
Stack is the culmination of a decade of running, frustration with current training apps, and a drive to improve without compromising flexibility.
My Running Background
I started running in 8th grade (2013) and ran competitively throughout high school. I ran a few times during college, but I really got back into it after school when I started training and racing consistently. I've been running ever since, but I never really saw improvements in my performances until March 2025.
I ran my first marathon in June 2023, the Steamboat Marathon in Steamboat, CO, in 3:47. Finishing was the main goal; sub-4 was just a perk. In March 2025, I ran the LA Marathon in 3:09—a 38-minute PR in less than two years on a much more challenging course. I saw the same pattern in my 5k: I ran 21:49 in April 2023, and I ran a PR of 18:24 in November 2025. My proudest accomplishment was running 4:15 at the Austin Rattler 50k and placing 2nd overall, securing my spot at the Leadville 100. This wasn’t a steady progression, and I only became comfortable running these paces in the last few months.
Below, I’ll share my secret.
Issues with Existing Apps and Training Plans
I’ve tried numerous training plans and apps, but nothing really stuck. I would follow them militantly until I inevitably had a scheduling conflict, which led me to stop using them altogether. Even though most plans these days are adaptable, I would fall off as soon as my “streak” was broken. I found it really difficult to let go of my all-or-nothing mentality when it came to prescribed runs and workouts. I felt like a failure when I couldn’t hit paces or went under planned mileage.
Another factor was the lack of flexibility in most of these training systems. I don’t work a traditional job, and I don’t live in one place, so my surroundings and schedule are always changing. There were days where all I did was work, and by the end of the day I didn’t have enough energy or daylight to run or work out. On days where I had more time, I would sometimes overdo it. This variability in my schedule and training habits would show up as wildly inconsistent predicted stats in these apps, and I never really knew what kind of shape I was in.
As a result, I kept telling myself that I’d wait until I settled down or had a less hectic schedule to really focus on training. I used this excuse for a long time.
I don’t care how adaptive a training app is—it will still lack the specifics you need. Every runner is unique and responds to training differently. The problem is that all training apps are built using traditional training theory. For a broad audience, that’s fine, but on an individual basis it’s incomplete. Adaptive apps, especially AI-driven ones, are still built on that same underlying theory. They may be more tailored, but the root issue remains.
Plus, if you’re anything like me, you’ll get bored of the monotony of following a training plan and will more likely than not quit. Running is supposed to be fun, and I really believe that your best performances and improvements happen when you’re enjoying the process.
Turning My Experience into an App
One of the best running-related decisions I’ve ever made was writing down every detail that I thought might contribute to my performance in LA, starting three weeks out from race day. I wrote down everything: the runs I did, how I slept, when I went to bed, what I ate, when I ate it, bathroom habits, etc. In hindsight, it was excessive, but it led to a few key insights that changed everything and ultimately led me to create Stack.
Going into the Rattler and being able to compare my training and other details was incredibly helpful. It lifted so much weight off my shoulders and allowed me to relax and enjoy the buildup.
That document gave me the ability to listen to my body and still feel confident heading into race day. I’m not a high-mileage runner—obviously this is relative—but I know historically that I can perform well without hitting the recommended average mileage for someone at my level.
I also learned that I don’t do well with tapers longer than 3–4 days. I need to maintain intensity in my training until a few days before the marathon; otherwise, I fall short and can’t perform.
These insights are unique to me and my physiology and would have been overlooked by a traditional training app.
After manually extracting them from my race documents and putting them into practice, I realized there’s a huge hole in the market. Runners deserve a platform that’s unstructured and completely customizable—something that helps them uncover insights about themselves. Something that can be used individually or alongside a traditional training plan. An app that makes running fun.
All of this led to creating Stack. I want to revolutionize how the world views training and show firsthand that having fun is the most important factor.