Apex explains every session, adapts when life happens, and has a real coach behind it. Built for runners and triathletes, 5K to Ironman. $4.99/month or $49.99/year. 14 days of everything, free, no card. After that your plan and history stay readable; subscribe to keep it adapting. Cancel in one click.
The session is over. Apex already knows what tomorrow should be.
Inside the app
Four screens that do the actual coaching.
Why Apex
01
Built on a real coach's method.
Apex's training engine is Breno Melo's playbook — 12× BQ qualifier, USAT & RRCA certified, 18+ race wins. Not a generic algorithm. Not a paywalled template. The same periodization he uses with his 1:1 athletes.
Slept badly? Travelling? Knee tweaked? Tell Apex once and the rest of the week rewrites itself — load redistributed, sessions resequenced, intensity dialled. No streak guilt. No catch-up debt.
Coach
Slept 4 hours, work emergency. Can I move tomorrow's marathon-pace session?
Yes — move it to Thursday and swap tomorrow for the easy 5 with strides. You keep both quality sessions this week and still get 48 hours before Saturday's threshold. I've rewritten the rest of the week for you.
Why 3 × 3 mi instead of a straight 9 at pace?
At week 11 a continuous 9 at 7:26 would cost you Saturday. Broken reps let you bank the same time at goal pace at a lower cost, so Saturday still lands. You'll run it continuous in week 15.
Ask your coach anything…
03
Talks to you and tells you why.
Tap any workout and ask "why am I doing this?" Get a real answer in plain English. Pacing questions, fuelling, race-day strategy, sore knees — your coach in your pocket, honest and warm, not a chatbot.
Workout
Marathon-pace intervals — 3 × 3 mi
Time
1h45m
Load
112 TSS
Pace
7:26/mi
Warm-up
Warm-up
2 mi easy @ 8:40/mi
8:40/mi
8:40min
Repeat 3 ×
Active
Main
7:26/mi
3mi
Recovery
Recovery
3min
Cool-down
Cool-down
1.5 mi easy @ 8:55/mi
8:55min
Explain this session
Goal pace has to become a rhythm before it becomes a race. Three-mile reps are long enough to rehearse marathon effort and short enough to hold form. If rep 3 drifts more than 8 s/mi, stop there — the adaptation is banked.
Every discipline in one week.
Run, bike, swim and strength are planned together, not bolted on. Apex balances weekly load across sports so triathletes stop guessing which session to drop when the week gets tight.
Your watch data actually changes the plan.
Connect Garmin or Strava and completed sessions flow straight back in. Pace, heart rate and sleep shift the next block automatically — training zones stay current instead of going stale after week three.
Race day is planned, not improvised.
Apex builds pacing and fuelling for your A-race, rehearses it in training, and walks you through race week hour by hour — so the plan you execute on the start line is one you have already practised.
A real week from Apex
Half marathon — sub-1:45 · week 8 of 16.
Week 8 is the first week the plan asks for two quality sessions in seven days. The long run stays flat in distance so the body absorbs the new intensity rather than stacking two stressors at once.
Block
16-week build
Phase
Build 2 — threshold emphasis
Volume
34 miles · 4h55m · 1 strength session
Monday
Recovery
Rest or 30 min easy spin
Optional Z1 bike, 30 min, cadence 85–95 rpm.
Why this session
Yesterday's long run is the week's biggest stressor. Movement without load speeds clearance; if you feel flat, take the full rest — the week is built to survive it.
Tuesday
Quality
Threshold intervals — 5 × 6 min @ 7:12–7:22/mi
2 mi easy warm-up · 5 × 6 min w/ 90 s jog · 1.5 mi cool-down. 9 mi total.
Why this session
Your first real lactate-threshold block of the build. Six-minute reps are long enough to hold true threshold and short enough that form does not fall apart. If rep 4 drifts more than 8 s/mi, stop at four — the adaptation is already banked.
Wednesday
Easy
Easy 5 mi + lower-body strength
5 mi @ 9:15–9:45/mi · 35 min gym: split squat, RDL, calf raise, dead bug.
Why this session
Aerobic maintenance the day after quality. Strength goes on a hard-adjacent day on purpose, so easy days stay genuinely easy and the body gets two clean recovery days per week.
Thursday
Easy
Easy 4 mi with strides
4 mi @ 9:15–9:45/mi · 6 × 20 s strides on flat ground.
Why this session
Strides keep leg speed and running economy alive during a threshold-heavy block. They are neurological, not metabolic — full recovery between each, never a workout.
Friday
Recovery
Rest
Full day off. Mobility 10 min if you want it.
Why this session
Placed before the weekend's two sessions rather than after, so you arrive at Saturday's tempo fresh. This is the day Apex moves first when your week goes sideways.
Saturday
Quality
Race-pace tempo — 3 mi @ 7:55–8:00/mi
1.5 mi warm-up · 3 mi @ goal HM pace · 1.5 mi cool-down. 6 mi total.
Why this session
Goal pace has to start feeling like a rhythm, not a reach. Three miles at 1:45 pace eight weeks out should feel controlled — if it feels like racing, the goal gets revisited at the week 10 checkpoint.
Sunday
Long
Long run 10 mi @ 9:00–9:30/mi
10 mi steady, last 2 mi lifted to 8:30/mi. Practise race fuelling at 40 min.
Why this session
Distance holds flat from last week because intensity went up. The lifted finish rehearses running strong on tired legs, and the fuelling window is deliberate — race-day gut training starts now, not in taper.
Yes — tell it once and the rest of the week is rewritten
Free generic app
No — the plan is fixed, you fall behind
Runna
Partly — reshuffles within limits
TrainingPeaks (self-coached)
No — you move the sessions yourself
1:1 with Breno
Yes — rewritten by a human coach
Explains why each session exists
Apex
Yes — every session ships with its intent, and you can ask follow-ups
Free generic app
No
Runna
Short description only
TrainingPeaks (self-coached)
Only what you or your plan author typed in
1:1 with Breno
Yes — in writing and on calls
Multisport (run, bike, swim, strength)
Apex
Yes — one integrated week across all four
Free generic app
Usually running only
Runna
Running-first, limited multisport
TrainingPeaks (self-coached)
Yes — but you build the balance yourself
1:1 with Breno
Yes — including full Ironman builds
Human coach available
Apex
Yes — Apex tells you when to step up to 1:1
Free generic app
No
Runna
No
TrainingPeaks (self-coached)
Only if you hire one separately
1:1 with Breno
Yes — direct access, replies Mon–Fri within 24h
Race-specific pacing and fuelling plan
Apex
Yes — built for your A-race and rehearsed in training
Free generic app
No
Runna
Generic race-day tips
TrainingPeaks (self-coached)
No — you write it
1:1 with Breno
Yes — course-specific, delivered race week
How Apex compares with a free generic running app, Runna, self-coached TrainingPeaks, and 1:1 coaching with Breno Melo across price, adaptability, session explanations, multisport support, human coach access, and race-day planning.
Compare
Apex
Free generic app
Runna
TrainingPeaks (self-coached)
1:1 with Breno
Price
$4.99/mo or $49.99/yr · 14-day trial
Free, ads and upsells
About $20/mo
About $20/mo, plan not included
$250–$750 every 4 weeks
Plan adapts to missed sessions
Yes — tell it once and the rest of the week is rewritten
No — the plan is fixed, you fall behind
Partly — reshuffles within limits
No — you move the sessions yourself
Yes — rewritten by a human coach
Explains why each session exists
Yes — every session ships with its intent, and you can ask follow-ups
No
Short description only
Only what you or your plan author typed in
Yes — in writing and on calls
Multisport (run, bike, swim, strength)
Yes — one integrated week across all four
Usually running only
Running-first, limited multisport
Yes — but you build the balance yourself
Yes — including full Ironman builds
Human coach available
Yes — Apex tells you when to step up to 1:1
No
No
Only if you hire one separately
Yes — direct access, replies Mon–Fri within 24h
Race-specific pacing and fuelling plan
Yes — built for your A-race and rehearsed in training
No
Generic race-day tips
No — you write it
Yes — course-specific, delivered race week
Competitor pricing and features are as published by each provider and checked periodically; check their sites for current terms.
$4.99 a month is a low bar to clear, which makes it easy to buy the wrong thing. Read the right-hand column first.
This is for you if
You are self-directed and you will actually open the app and log your training.
You want structure that changes when your week does, rather than a fixed plan you have to patch yourself.
You train across more than one discipline and want run, bike, swim and strength planned as one week.
You wear a Garmin or use Strava, so completed sessions can feed back into the next block.
You want to try before paying — 14 days of everything, free, no card. After that your plan and history stay readable; subscribe to keep it adapting.
You want coaching structure without a coaching budget. Apex costs about $59.88 a year against $3,250 per year for the cheapest 1:1 tier.
This is not for you if
You need accountability from a human being. You will not get it here. Apex will not notice the difference between a planned rest day and quietly giving up, it will not call you, and it does not care whether you turn up. If that is the thing standing between you and the finish line, buy 1:1 coaching instead — software cannot supply willpower.
You are chasing a Kona slot, an OTQ or a sub-3 Boston. At that level the margins are in judgement calls an app cannot make. Elite coaching exists for this, at $9,750 per year.
You are coming back from a serious injury or surgery. Apex will tell you plainly when something is beyond an app, but it is not a clinician and should not be your first call.
You want a coach who knows your history, your family, and how you get in your own way. Apex reads your data, not you.
You will not log your sessions. With no data there is nothing to adapt from, and you are paying for a static plan you could buy once from $45.
You want a plan you own forever with no subscription. Buy a self-guided plan instead — one payment, yours for good.
A human in the loop
When the app isn't enough, there's a person.
Apex will take you a long way on its own. The athletes who chase podiums, BQs, or their first Kona almost always do it with a human coach in their corner. Breno keeps a small 1:1 roster on purpose — and Apex tells you when it's time to consider it. No pressure, no popup spam.
Yes. 14 days of everything, free, no card. After that your plan and history stay readable; subscribe to keep it adapting. No credit card required to start, and nothing is charged automatically when the 14 days end — you only pay if you choose a plan.
What happens when the trial ends?
Nothing is charged. Your plan, history and training profile stay readable, and you keep 3 coach messages and 1 adaptive replan for life. To keep the plan adapting every week and the coach unlimited, subscribe at $4.99/month or $49.99/year. Nothing is deleted either way.
How is Apex different from 1:1 coaching with Breno?
Apex applies Breno's method automatically — it writes your plan, adapts it and explains it, at $4.99/month. 1:1 coaching is Breno himself: a plan written by hand for your body and season, weekly adjustments from your data, direct messaging (Monday to Friday, replies within 24 hours), video analysis and a race-day pacing plan, from $250 every four weeks. Most athletes start with Apex and move up when the goal gets serious.
Does Apex work with Garmin, Wahoo and TrainingPeaks?
Garmin and Strava connect directly, so completed sessions flow back into Apex and change the next block automatically. Wahoo and most other head units sync through Strava. Workouts export as .TCX/.ICS files, which import into TrainingPeaks and into any calendar — so you can keep the tools you already use.
What happens if I get injured?
Tell Apex what hurts and how bad it is. The plan is rebuilt around it — impact work is pulled, cross-training substituted, and the return is staged rather than dropped back in at full load. Apex will also tell you plainly when something is beyond what an app should manage and you should see a physio.
Can I change my race date?
Yes, at any time. Change the date or the race itself and Apex re-periodizes the whole block around the new timeline — including a shorter build if the race moved closer, or an extra base phase if it moved out. You do not start over.
What disciplines are supported?
Running, cycling, swimming and strength — planned as one integrated week rather than three plans stapled together. Distances run from 5K, 10K, half and full marathon through sprint and Olympic triathlon, 70.3 and full Ironman.
Can I cancel?
One click, inside the app, any time. Your subscription stays active until the end of the period you have already paid for, then reverts to the free tier. No email, no retention call, no cancellation fee.
Does the plan adapt when I miss a workout?
Yes. Tell Apex once — bad sleep, travel, a sore knee, a missed long run — and it rewrites the rest of the week. Load is redistributed, intensity is dialled, and nothing is piled on top of tomorrow. No streak guilt, no catch-up debt.
Can I talk to a real coach?
Yes. Apex tells you when you are ready for 1:1 coaching with Breno Melo, who keeps a deliberately small roster of athletes chasing podiums, Boston qualifiers and Kona. You can move up whenever you want — nothing in your training history is lost.
Method
What the plan engine is built on.
Polarised distribution
The engine holds the large majority of your weekly volume genuinely easy and concentrates intensity into a small number of sessions, rather than spreading moderate effort across every day.
Load progressed against your history
Weekly load is progressed from the training you have actually completed and logged, not from a fixed template, so a missed week changes what next week looks like.
Adaptive replanning
When sessions are missed, cut short or flagged as hard, Apex rewrites the remaining week around the same goal date instead of leaving you to catch up.
Zones from your own data
Paces, power and heart-rate zones are derived from your recent tests and races, and re-derived as they change over the block.
Every session explains itself
Each workout states its purpose, its target zone and what it is preparing you for, so you can tell whether the plan is doing what you need.
The same method behind the 1:1 roster
Apex encodes how Breno builds a week after coaching since 2015. That is a statement about the method, not a promise of any individual athlete's result.
Be one of the first Apex results
Start free, train a full block, and if it works, send the race result. Early Apex athletes get their outcome published here with their name and a link to the official result — the same standard every other review on this site has to meet. No credit card required to start.
No credit card required to start, and you can reach a full personalized plan before paying anything.
01
You create an account
No credit card required to start. Email and password, nothing else.
02
Onboarding, about 6 minutes
Your goal race and date, current weekly volume, available days, equipment and any injury history.
03
Your first plan is generated in under a minute
A full periodized block to your race date, with every session described and paced to your zones.
04
You train and log sessions
Connect Garmin or Strava so completed work syncs automatically, or tick sessions off by hand.
05
The plan adapts when your week does
Miss a week, get sick, travel — the block is rewritten around what actually happened rather than what was planned.
06
Upgrade only when you want it to keep adapting
14 days of everything, free, no card. After that your plan and history stay readable; subscribe to keep it adapting. Apex $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year, cancel in one click.
Refunds, cancellation and pausing
Cancelling
One click in the app, no email and no retention call. You keep access until the end of the period you have paid for.
Refunds
Cancel within 30 days of your first payment for a full refund, monthly or annual. After that, the current period is not refunded and billing simply stops.
Before you pay
14 days of everything, free, no card. After that your plan and history stay readable; subscribe to keep it adapting. No credit card required to start, so you can see the product before spending anything.
Your data
Export your plans and training history at any time, including after you cancel. Delete your account and the data goes with it.
Your first real workout in 3 minutes.
Tell Apex about your goal and your week. Get a coached plan you can start today. No credit card required to start. Then $4.99/month or $49.99/year for Coached, cancel in one click.
Goal pace has to become a rhythm before it becomes a race. Three-mile reps are long enough to rehearse marathon effort and short enough to hold form. If rep 3 drifts more than 8 s/mi, stop there — the adaptation is banked.
Ask why this session exists, get a straight answer.
Slept 4 hours, work emergency. Can I move tomorrow's marathon-pace session?
Yes — move it to Thursday and swap tomorrow for the easy 5 with strides. You keep both quality sessions this week and still get 48 hours before Saturday's threshold. I've rewritten the rest of the week for you.
Why 3 × 3 mi instead of a straight 9 at pace?
At week 11 a continuous 9 at 7:26 would cost you Saturday. Broken reps let you bank the same time at goal pace at a lower cost, so Saturday still lands. You'll run it continuous in week 15.
Ask your coach anything…
Tell your coach what happened, the week rewrites itself.
