Posts by admin:
- Prime downtown San Francisco location
- 5 weeks of vacation—happy, balanced employees make a great company
- Strava Innovation Days where great ideas get the attention they deserve
- The firm belief that there is always time for a run, ride, or swim
- April 20-May 13: Stage 1 – Join Coleman Valley Road
- April 20-May 14: Stage 2 – Join Bonny Doon
- April 20-May 15: Stage 3 – Join Mt. Diablo
- April 20-May19: Stage 7 – Join Mt. Baldy
We're Hiring!
May 7th, 2012Strava’s community of avid athletes is growing fast, and we’re searching for some passionate and talented people to help us keep up! We’re looking for software engineers, designers, product managers and more who can go the distance. Please see our Careers page to learn more about all of our openings and the many benefits of working at Strava. Benefits included, but not limited to:
Strava is at the forefront of an exciting space and we’re just getting started! We’re made up of dedicated, fun-loving individuals unified by our passion for building an awesome product that motivates athletes all over the world. Join us for the ride!
You've Got Notifications!
April 27th, 2012Notice anything different on your dashboard? Check out the Notifications tab to read comments from your friends, get updates on new followers, and see who gave you kudos for your epic rides and runs. Plus, you’ll be the first to know when someone bumps you off the top of a leaderboard.
Log in to Strava and see your new notifications ticker next to the Dashboard link telling you how many kudos, comments, and followers are waiting for you. Once you view them, your ticker will reset to zero.
You’ll still be notified of all events via email. However, if you’d like to turn these emails off and rely only on the Notifications tab on your Dashboard, visit Settings from the drop-down menu under your name to customize your preferences. Enjoy!
In California? Join the Amgen Tour of California Segment Challenges!
April 25th, 2012We’ve teamed up with Amgen Tour of California (ATOC) to bring you a series of Segment Challenges that give you the chance to compare yourself against the world’s best on four iconic climbs of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California.
By joining one or all of the Segment Challenges below, you have the chance to test your mettle on some of the marquee climbs before the pro riders attack the very same segments during the official race in May. By uploading your rides to Strava before the conclusion of each Segment Challenge, you can compare your performance against the pros, many of whom will be tracking their efforts on Strava throughout the 8-stage, 750-mile race.
The Segment Challenges will cover the following climbs. Riders have up until the day of the official Amgen Tour of California stage starts to clock their best effort
Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in two categories for both men and women: The fastest time and greatest number of attempts on each segment. In addition, all riders who participate in at least one Segment Challenge will be entered to win a jersey signed by an Amgen Tour of California stage winner.
Good luck riders!
A Few Questions with Jojo Reuland
April 18th, 2012You’ve probably seen the name Jojo Reuland on the Challenge leaderboards – after leading the pack in the Run Base Mile Blast, she was among the top five women in the GU 100,000 Mile Challenge. Jojo, a Seattle native, moved to California for college and now works in marketing at The San Francisco Marathon. Fresh off a stellar performance at the Lake Sonoma 50, she sat down with us to shed some light on how she goes about logging all those miles.
When did you start running?
I started running with my dad in high school. I had always played sports – soccer and volleyball – and my dad was an endurance runner and a hiker. At first he had to give me incentives – I’d run with him and he would give me prizes – but after a couple of months I realized that I really liked it. When I went to college I kept running. It was my escape from campus – I found this little trail behind the school and when I went out there I would see maybe one or two people on my whole run. My running evolved into half marathons and then marathons and now ultra marathons.
When did you run your first marathon?
I ran my first marathon (the California International Marathon) during my senior year of college. When I signed up I was terrified. And it was definitely a tough training cycle because I was training all by myself – being in college, not that many people wanted to tackle the whole 26.2 and get up at 5 AM and do a long run. It definitely gave me mental toughness because when you train on your own, come race day you don’t need your friends there, you’re totally dialed in. I thought it would be a one time thing, but I loved it and after taking about nine months off from seriously training I decided to run more marathons. Still, never in my wildest dreams did I think ultra marathons were in my future.
What led you to your first ultra?
I decided to do my first ultra after Seattle last year. I had tried to qualify for Boston a handful of times and every training cycle went pretty well, but I would get injured or I wouldn’t feel well on race day or I would be so nervous that I would be sick to my stomach. I think mentally I wasn’t ready for the pressure of really racing and it had taken me away from what I love about running, which is being out there and putting in the distance and zoning out. So I decided to take a break and just start trail running. I sent a link (for the North Face Endurance Challenge 50k) to a friend of mine and said I thought it looked fun, and if it ended up being really bad we could just hike it. We started training completely secretly – we didn’t tell any of our family or friends that we were registered until about two weeks before the race. It was a completely different way to look at my running and that’s why I did it – to take my head out of it and run by feel. I crossed the finish line and felt like I wanted to keep going – I wondered how far I could go. I signed up for my 50 miler probably four or five days later – I didn’t waste a minute.
How did you come up with a training plan?
I didn’t really have a training plan in mind when I signed up for the race. I started looking online, but I just wasn’t finding anything. A lot of the training plans didn’t have anything in common – they were all different and the mileage really ranged. I decided that I was going to run by feel and make my own plan and so I started from scratch, building from my current base and following the marathon standard of not increasing mileage by more than 10% a week. I certainly have gotten the feedback that I was overtraining and that I was running too many miles, but the way I looked at it I was really enjoying the training process and I loved being out there. If it had started to feel like too much I would have scaled back, but it didn’t – my legs really adapted and I wanted to be out there.
Any setbacks while you were training?
My last tough run was a 32 miler. It had been pouring the day before and the trails were a wreck – standing water on most of the switchbacks and the singletrack and so my feet were cold and soggy. I ran with my friend Aron who lives in East Bay, and the run was actually really fun, but we were very tired by the end. Somewhere along the way I stepped funny and twisted and hurt my Achilles. I had one more big week of training after that and I ended up having to cut back my mileage. It was disappointing not to be able to get out there and be on the trails for that last week of training but I knew that I was ready, and I think the whole training cycle was a success. I took it one week at a time and every week there seemed to be enough energy in there to do it. Once I wasn’t focusing on time anymore the mental game totally changed.
What was the hardest part of the race?
Mile 41 or 42 until probably 46, when it was really heating up. Because I had such a good base in my training, I felt really good up until mile 38, which was the last aid station where I saw my crew. I had a smile on my face and no muscles were really sore or tight. When I hit the 40′s the tough course was taking its toll and I was getting tired and none of my fuel was sounding good. I just kept putting one foot in front of the other to keep moving. I expected some of that, but I tried to ignore it until race day because it’s inevitable and you can’t do anything to prevent it. Once I left that last aid station I knew that I could make it, and the last few miles were all right.
Best part?
I find that there’s a sweet spot in the middle of my runs. I loved miles 11 through 25. It was just a beautiful section of rolling hills, and at that point my body felt good and I felt like I could run forever.
Would you ever sign up for a 100 miler?
I think so. During my training cycle a lot of people looked at the mileage I was putting in and said it looked like I was training for a 100 miler. Right now I think the most important thing is to get my body back to 100% where I’m not injured and I’m back in the place where I was when I was training for the 50, which was really happy and enjoying the whole process. I think my body will tell me when it’s time instead of my forcing it. I don’t want to jump too far forward, but 100 is in my future eventually.
Gear Up for May's Run and Ride Challenges
April 17th, 2012
Runners, it’s time to go vertical! You’ve put in your miles, you’ve ramped up your endurance, and now it’s time to build up your strength.
From May 1-31, your goal is to accumulate 10,000 feet in elevation in the Strive for the Summit Challenge. Head for the hills – or the stairs, stadiums, bridges and parking ramps…whatever it takes! Surprises are in store for our most dedicated runners, so channel your inner mountain goat and get ready to climb. Join now!
Cyclists, while some of you are gearing up for the AMGEN Tour of California, put yourself to the physical and hydration test with Nuun’s Twice the Tour Challenge.
From May 1-31, ride twice the distance that Tour riders will race – 1,479 miles total – and earn your challenge Finisher’s badge. Join now!
Epic Rides: The Whiskey Off-Road Giveaway
March 28th, 2012
A 3-day mountain bike celebration that begins with a fat
tire criterium on Friday and finishes with a celebratory pint glass on Sunday, the Whiskey Off-Road is a great way to experience Prescott, AZ. Thinking of registering? Strava has 5 vouchers for a 50% discount to this year’s event, held from April 27-29. The first 5 people to reply to this post will be the lucky recipients. What are you waiting for?
The Roads Most Traveled
March 21st, 2012Hungry for a CR or a K/QOM on a hotly contested Strava segment? Here are some of the segments that Strava athletes have ridden and run the most over the past couple of months:
Popular Among Runners
Melbourne, Australia: The Tan
San Francisco, CA: Crissy Field
Sydney, Australia: Sydney Harbour Bridge
New York, NY: Central Park – North Hill
Cambridge, MA: Charles River: BU Bridge to Harvard Bridge
Popular Among Cyclists
Columbus, OH: Fishinger Road Little Grade
Dampierre En Yvelines, France: Les 17 Tournants
Kiefer, OK: Kiefer Hill
Potomac, MD: Anglers Hill
Portland, OR: Cemetery Passage
Phoenix, AZ: South Mountain
We’ll be holding a Challenge on a popular segment in the coming months, so keep riding and running your favorite routes and stay tuned! In the meantime you can compete all year round by creating segments in your area – get more info here.
The 2012 Rouge Roubaix: A Louisiana Sufferfest
March 15th, 2012
The 2012 commemorative print by artist Alex Harvie eerily captures the experience of this year’s Rouge Roubaix. When race organizer Mitch Evans arrived at Saturday’s registration he had just finished clearing the last bridge near mile 100; one of several crossings that had been washed out by the previous day’s flash floods. In the parking lot, some riders were swapping out the pedals on their carbon road bikes to accommodate their mountain bike shoes. Trying to strike a balance between speed and durability, riders of the Rouge Roubaix were well aware that Mother Nature would test their endurance and their equipment over the 106 miles of every type of terrain that one can imagine. For an illustration of the course in words, Helena, Alabama rider Scott Thigpen shared an entertaining article that will give you all the gruesome details (horseflies included) here.
Despite the mud and the debris, the wet dirt roads allowed racers to put up some fast times on our two Strava segments: Woodstock Road and Blockhouse Hill. Racers Samantha Stein and Brian Toone (Strava’s 2011 KOM Challenge Winner) won both of the segment challenges and as a result they will each receive one free year of Strava Premium and a full Strava kit. Congratulations to all race participants for weathering through the elements! Thanks to “y’all” for the southern hospitality and keep those wheels up.
Strava Growing Pains
March 14th, 2012Strava’s growing up! We’re experiencing tremendous growth on Strava and we’re thrilled and delighted to report this news. This stupendous growth, however, has caused some discomfort as we bust out of our old spandex (ouch!).
Over the past couple of weeks, some of you may have had a slow experience on Strava.com, or had difficulty uploading a run or ride. We are sorry about this and understand your frustration. We are actively working to enhance the site’s performance to accommodate our avid athletes around the globe.
Within the next few weeks, you may notice more scheduled maintenance where Strava.com will be inaccessible for short periods. We will try our best to select times that will have the least amount of impact on you and communicate these outages on our alert system. Thank you for your patience and support as we grow big and strong!
Finding the Perfect Pair of Running Shoes by Pascal Finette
March 8th, 2012
Pascal Finette is a Strava runner and serious fan of footwear. He explains his thinking around finding that perfect pair of running shoes.
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m obsessed with running; the science behind it and the way gear can enhance or hinder your performance. I’ve had my running form evaluated, attended running clinics, dabbled with barefoot running – all with the goal of becoming a better runner. And through this process I’ve learned to love and hate running shoes.
After pondering a footwear question from my newbie runner friend, I find that the confusion persists, even for more serious runners. There is a growing body of research which shows that a) all the high-tech in modern running shoes (especially all the pronation control) is not helping at all with injury rates and b) the high heel-to-toe drop design, which is common in a built-up stability shoe, isn’t helping you run healthier, or achieve better form. Physiotherapist Blaise Dubois goes into detail about this in this fantastic podcast courtesy of Runblogger.
So what to do? The best advice I can give you when purchasing a pair of running shoes is:
1. Go neutral (and avoid most of the tech that comes in the more built-up shoes these days)
2. Have a low(er) heel-to-toe drop (a lot of build-up shoes have a heel-to-toe drop in the 12-14mm range, which is a bit like running in high heels – not good!) I would shoot for something in the 4mm range
3. Get something light – I personally found that anything beyond 10 ounces (in a man’s size 9) feels heavy and impacts my form
4. Feels most comfortable on your foot when you run (that is the only reason why you would want to get on a treadmill in a store)
There is some interesting research which concludes that the shoes that *feel* best are the ones which work best for you – allow yourself to trust the feedback your body gives you. The Science of Running blog has some interesting insights into the topic if you’re interested in further reading. And if you’re truly obsessive, check out the fantastic article series on The Science of Sport blog.
It goes without saying, shoes are a very personal thing. For example, I don’t fit into any Nike shoes (as much as I like some of them). It’s best to go to a well stocked shop and simply try some out. You can do some good research at some of the better online retailers as well (my favorite running retailer lists heel-to-toe differentials for pretty much all their shoes). It also depends on where and what kind of running you want to do – road, trail, fast, lower or higher miles. I currently have four pairs of shoes that I use for different purposes. They all have a very low heel-to-toe drop in common and are decidedly low-tech (they fall squarely into the racing flats category).
Now comes the disclaimer: This is all based on my personal observation and experimentation with my own running and helping friends on their quest to running fun. If you have any doubts, have known health issues, or any issues with your feet/bio-mechanics (e.g. are the soles of your shoes significantly more worn off on one side?), please do yourself a favor and get a couple of opinions and be careful!
Hope some of this helps narrow down your search. Happy running!
-Pascal
Got something to say? Have you stumbled upon a favorite pair of running shoes? Gear you can’t live without? Comment below for your spot at a guest blog!