I built a SaaS in one day with no software background. Here's what I learned.
I had zero coding experience. I typed one prompt into Claude.
3 minutes later I had a working running app prototype.
A few days later I launched a real SaaS at paceai.run
A few days ago I had an idea: what if your running app actually coached you mid-run instead of just showing you data?
Garmin tells you your pace. Strava tells you after the fact. Neither one says "hey, it's 84° and humid, slow down now or you'll blow up at mile 8."
So I opened Claude and typed: "Create a running assistant AI agent that analyzes GPS data, pace/HR trends, local weather, and fatigue, and helps runners with real-time coaching."
It built a prototype in 3 minutes.
Then I spent the next several days turning that prototype into a real product:
Real GPS tracking with satellite map (Mapbox)
Live weather from your exact location (OpenWeatherMap)
AI coaching every 90 seconds that knows your pace, fatigue, and weather (Anthropic API)
Real coach voice (ElevenLabs) that ducks background music when speaking
Adaptive training plans based on your actual run history
Route intelligence with terrain and elevation options
Post-run AI debrief and shareable run card
Google sign-in, Stripe subscription ($9.99/month), Supabase database
Stripe webhook so Pro status persists across sessions
PWA — installable on any phone, no app store
PostHog analytics
Custom domain at paceai.run
Landing page with email capture
3-step onboarding flow for new users
Cancel subscription button
All built with AI assistance. Zero software background.
Current MRR: $0 (just launched)
84 pageviews in first 48 hours from Reddit and Twitter
Goal: First paying stranger by end of month
The hardest parts weren't technical — they were figuring out what to build next, staying focused, and not over-building before getting a single customer.
Happy to answer questions about the stack, the build process, or go-to-market. What would you do next in my position?
Update: just hit a big milestone.
Pace AI started as a web app. Today I converted it to a native iOS app using Capacitor. It's running on my iPhone right now with full GPS, satellite map, AI voice coaching, Strava sync, and HR monitor support.
Next steps:
All built with zero software background using Claude. The Mac I ordered arrived today and within a few hours the native app was running.
MRR is still $0 but the product keeps getting better. First paying customer is the goal.
paceai.run
Pace AI launched on @ProductHunt yesterday. Here's the honest recap 🧵
The numbers:
• Finished #89 on launch day
• Lots of visitors
• Real runs tracked by real people
• Paying customers: $0
• MRR: $0
What worked:
• The #buildinpublic community showed up
• Shipping features same-day based on feedback (GPS auto-init from a commenter's suggestion)
• The "talk to your coach" feature got the most attention
What I learned:
• Running apps need trust before purchase. Nobody pays on day 1.
• The product is good. Distribution is the hard part.
What's next:
• Building native iOS app + Apple Watch support
• Spotify BPM matching
• Keep shipping, keep posting
MRR goal: first $10 by end of month.
paceai.run — free to try
#buildinpublic #indiehackers #producthunt
Update - launched on Product Hunt today! Would love your support.
https://www.producthunt.com/products/pace-ai
Quick update on what shipped this weekend:
✅ Strava sync — runs auto-upload after every run with AI debrief as the activity description
✅ HR monitor support — Bluetooth HR monitors work on Android Chrome, iOS message for iPhone users
✅ Coaching frequency control — runners can choose how often the AI coach speaks (1 min / 90 sec / 3 min / 5 min)
✅ Quiet mode — coaching appears on screen without voice for runners who want silence
✅ Audio ducking — music lowers when coach speaks
Product Hunt launch is tomorrow (Tuesday). Would love the community's support 🙏
https://paceai.run/?ref=producthunt
Quick update — launching on Product Hunt this Tuesday! 🚀
If you've been following along, would love your support. Every upvote helps get Pace AI in front of more runners.
Link: https://paceai.run/?ref=producthunt