Have you tried Strava?
I set up a profile and I’m not sure I totally get it yet, but I’m a little obsessed with figuring it out.
So, for those not familiar, Strava is basically a Facebook/Instagram for active people. It’s a website/app that tracks your athletic activity via GPS.
You can start an account for free and access it via an app on your phone or through the Strava website. There is also a premium version with way more bells and whistles that is available for $7.99 a month or $59.99 a year.
The way I connect my account is via my Garmin watch, which is a Forerunner 235.
When I track an activity like a run or a spin class on my watch, it automatically uploads to Strava once I’m done.
My activity is then available for people to view and give me “kudos” for my activity. Just like most other social media platforms, I follow others and others can follow me.
You can also join challenges. This can be a challenge with your friends and family, or people in the same workout group as you, like a running group.
You can also join public challenges.
For example, I joined the Lululemon 40 | 80 Challenge.
The goal of the challenge was to complete at least 40 kilometers within two weeks. Added bonus if you compete 80. What do you get once you complete the challenge? A Strava badge.
Sure it’s not a large cash prize, but still a good motivator!
Added bonus to doing the challenges? It’s also a great way to meet other people to follow and to find people that might be interested in following you.
And what is the point of all this following/followers/challenges/etc? Well, it could just prove to be the extra motivation you need to follow through with your fitness goals.
I have to say, it’s nice to get kudos from someone in Ireland after I finish up a long run!
Another great aspect of Strava, by looking at the dashboard you can easily get a recap of your week, including how many miles you covered and your recent achievements. If you get the premium subscription, you can also set personal goals and track them as you accomplish each one.
So is Strava a must have? Right now I’m a total newbie, but I have to say, it really is fun. It’s definitely worth the download and spending some time poking around the app.
I’d love to hear from others that are using it about their thoughts on the app.
And if you’re on Strava, let’s connect! You can find me there as Megan White from West Sacramento, California.
I promise to give you plenty of kudos on your morning jog!!
