The Roads Most Traveled

Hungry 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.

Strava Growing Pains

Strava’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

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!

Challenge Details Are Here! Join the GU 100,000 Mile Challenge and A Classic Challenge from Specialized

The GU 100,000 Mile Challenge

Put your legs to the test with GU.  From March 9 to April 9, rack up as many miles as you can.  The more miles you run, the more awesome your prize will be.

Hit 100 miles: 8 pack of Peanut Butter GU Energy Gel
Hit 150 miles: 8 pack of Roctane Ultra Endurance Energy Gel
Hit 200 Miles: Mixed box of 24 Energy Gels

Most importantly, if everybody in the challenge runs a combined 100,000 miles within the 31 day period, all participants will receive a special GU VIP card for discounts (up to 35% off) and special offers on GUENERGY.com so you can stock up for the season.  Join the challenge today.

During the challenge, GU will randomly select 5 athletes who post inspiring photos and stories about their training to receive a special GU Gift Pack.  All you have to do is post a photo or story about why you love running on the GU Facebook page.

A Classic Challenge from Specialized

Riders, do you think you can climb the cumulative elevation of five Spring Classics in 45 days? Do you think you can do it not just once, not twice, but three times? Now is your time to find out. Specialized and Strava challenge you to climb a grand total of 105,312 feet from March 15 to April 30.  The Classic courses may be better known for their distances or questionable pavement, but here are the cold, hard, climbing facts:

Milan-San Remo – 6,260 feet
Tour of Flanders – 5,709 feet
Paris-Roubaix – 3,259 feet
Liège–Bastogne–Liège – 10,883 feet
Amstel Gold – 8,993 feet

A custom Specialized and Strava commemorative water bottle and surprise finisher gift is yours if you can climb this set of Spring Classics three times, not to mention the gargantuan bragging rights you’ll earn. This challenge is going to take some serious guts, but not without some serious glory. Good luck to all of you. Join the Challenge.

Strava Run Is Now Available For Android + Join the GU 100,000 Mile Run Challenge!

We know you’ve been waiting a long time, and we’re thrilled to finally deliver.  Strava Run for Android is now available to download from Android Market!  This free app makes it easy to kick your training up a notch with highlights including:

• FREE unlimited run uploads
• Detailed run stats including distance, pace, time, splits and full map view
• View of your recent activities from all devices in your Feed
• All time and year-to-date stats on your Profile
• Ability to change your activity type to ride, hike, ski and more to easily keep track of your cross-training

AUDIO UPDATES

Need some coaching while you run?  Strava Run for Android features audio updates on your pace, distance, and time.  Make sure you’re staying on track without checking your phone.

COMPARE AND SHARE YOUR PERFORMANCE

Strava Run for Android features segment leaderboards so you can see how you stack up against others and set new Course Records.  Track your best efforts on key distances, earn achievements for personal bests, and let your friends know what you’ve achieved by sharing your activities on Facebook and Twitter. There’s more to come – stay tuned and be sure to rate Strava Run for Android if you like what you see!

GU 100,000 MILE CHALLENGE

Put yourself and our app to the test next month in a new running challenge brought to you by GU.  Get ready to rack up the miles and win some incredible prizes from March 9 to April 9.  More details coming soon!