“Disclaimer: I will receive an annual Strava Summit subscription and Strava merchandise to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!”
“Are you on Strava?” That seems to be the question I am asking folks these days and for good reason – I want to share the Strava love as well as give kudos! 🙂 I’m pretty new to Strava (see my first Strava post about my initial thoughts) so I get excited when I find new Strava friends! Usually when I ask someone if they are on Strava, I get one of two answers: “Yes! What’s your Strava name?” or “No, what’s Strava?” Well, if you are not on Strava – it’s super easy to get started (& free) and here are a few perks of being a Strava user!
- Garmin Connection – You can upload your activities a few different ways, including: opening up Strava to record from the app, manual entry, or syncing your fitness watch to the Strava app. I like that I can use my Garmin like I normally would to track a run and then it automatically syncs to Strava – easy peasy!
- Name runs and segments – Not only can you name your run/activity, but you can also type in a description of how you feel. It’s like a fitness journal so you can see patterns of what works best of you. You can also name specific segments of your route and when you make your activities public, you can sort of compete with others (and yourself) and increase your position on the leaderboard!
- Complete challenges – Strava offers lots of clubs to join and challenges to complete each month. You can find a local running club or join a global group. For the month of May, I completed the Bibrave Run Club streak. This meant that I ran or walked at least one mile each day in May. I also completed the Strava Virtual 5k for May and June. It’s a great way to stay motivated, find accountability, and earn some digital badges a.k.a. Swag! 😉
- #StravaStats – Each month you can receive an email with your stats of the previous month. It shows you the combined mileage of the month as well as how many kudos you gave/received. If you are a visual person or really into graphics, this is for you! 🙂 Don’t forget to post your image on the socials with the hashtag #stravastats! Note: You have to choose to sign up for this email within your Strava account.
So far I have really enjoyed being a Strava user! I like the accountability and motivation to find new challenges. Next month, I am planning to do the Strava Virtual 5k and 10k! I hope you will join me!
*A note for privacy: You can choose who you want to see your activities: Just yourself, your followers, or everyone. You can also turn off the heat map.
So now here’s the question: Are YOU on Strava? 😉
~SM
The Swag Mama 