Olympic marathoner Clayton Young has launched a new app designed to help runners get faster and smarter about their training, and he’s opening up a small, paid beta group this week to test it.
The app is called Accomplice, and it’s a product Young says is rooted in the ups and downs of his own marathon journey.
“That first marathon was a struggle,” he wrote in a recent Instagram post, referring to his debut at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials. “The next few marathons were steps in the right direction, but I still had a long way to go.”
Things didn’t really start to click until fall 2023, when he ran the Chicago Marathon and hit the Olympic standard. In 2024, Young competed in the Paris Olympics and placed 7th at the New York City Marathon.
Now, with six years of marathoning experience under his belt, Young is taking what he’s learned and turning it into a platform for others. “I’ve partnered with my friend and his team to create this app, Accomplice,” he wrote. “I’ve been involved every step of the way, and I’m proud of what we’ve created.”
The core of the app is a 12-week video course taught by Young himself, covering everything from training plans and nutrition to race-day strategy and mental prep. It’s paired with an in-app journal and habit-tracking tools designed to help runners not just train harder, but reflect and adjust as they go.
One standout feature is what they call a “3:1 Tracking System”, a reflection tool that encourages runners to process each workout and intentionally plan next steps, something Young credits for helping him break through plateaus in his own career.
Accomplice is entering its first beta phase this month, and the team is looking for 10 runners to try it out. The beta is paid, $197 for an annual subscription, because the team says they want “real commitment and real feedback.”
In return, beta users will get the full course, a personalized training plan, ad-free access to Young’s running docu-series, and two group Zoom calls with Young to give feedback and talk training.
While that price tag is higher than most running apps, it’s cheaper than a 1:1 coach, and for runners who thrive on structure and goal-setting, it may offer a middle ground between DIY training and a personalized coach. “It’s like super shoes for the mind,” the beta page reads.
Applications for the beta close Thursday, July 17 at 10 a.m. MDT. Those selected will be notified shortly afterward and invited to a Slack group where they can access materials, chat with the team, and join live calls. The beta period will last four weeks.
Though the app is centered on marathon training for now, the team says more courses and features are in the works. And unlike many athlete-branded apps, this one appears to have Young’s fingerprints on every part of it. He even tapped documentary filmmaker Andrew Storer to create the course content, giving it a more cinematic, immersive feel than your average running app.
Accomplice is free to download on iOS, but full access will be gated behind the paid beta for now. It’s still early days, but for runners who like structure, crave community, and have a clear time goal in mind, it might be worth keeping an eye on.
