---
title: Local MCP servers
description: Run the coach or athlete MCP server over stdio on your own machine.
---

Local servers run as child processes of the MCP client. They need no database or OAuth setup;
the client passes TrainHeroic credentials through environment variables.

**Coach**

The coach server includes the full coaching surface and the account's own athlete tools.

```bash
claude mcp add trainheroic \
  -e TRAINHEROIC_EMAIL=coach@example.com \
  -e TRAINHEROIC_PASSWORD=yourpassword \
  -- npx -y @trainheroic-unofficial/coach-mcp
```

**Athlete**

The athlete server exposes only the signed-in account's training tools.

```bash
claude mcp add trainheroic-athlete \
  -e TRAINHEROIC_EMAIL=athlete@example.com \
  -e TRAINHEROIC_PASSWORD=yourpassword \
  -- npx -y @trainheroic-unofficial/athlete-mcp
```

## JSON configuration

For Claude Desktop, Cursor, or another stdio client, add a server entry to its MCP config:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "trainheroic": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@trainheroic-unofficial/coach-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "TRAINHEROIC_EMAIL": "coach@example.com",
        "TRAINHEROIC_PASSWORD": "yourpassword"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

For an athlete-only account, change the package and server name to
`@trainheroic-unofficial/athlete-mcp` and `trainheroic-athlete`.

:::danger[Protect the config file]
The example stores real credentials in plaintext. Keep the config out of source control and
limit who can read it.
:::

## Confirm the connection

Ask the client to list your athletes or show your recent workouts. The available tool names and
input schemas should appear in the client's MCP inspector or tool picker.