BBQ, Loose Rock, and KOM Rivals at the Mellow Johnny’s Classic

Strava headed to Austin, TX this past weekend to attend the Subaru of Georgetown Mellow Johnny’s Classic, the first PRO XCT and UCI Category 1 event of the year.  The pro field was jacked with Olympic hopefuls battling it out on a new course at Flat Creek Crossing Ranch in an attempt to collect their first UCI points of 2012. The unfamiliar course made reconnaissance essential, and Jamis rider Jason Sager visited the site early and shared his Strava files so that we could begin setting up some new segments for our own unique competition.

The Strava KOM Hill and the MJ Classic Cat 1-3 Loop gave amateur riders an opportunity to compete among themselves and against the pros. While we ran into a hearty population of preexisting Strava users, we also recruited some new fans as they competed in age categories for the fastest lap. Early in the weekend the question that we heard  again and again was, “So, what’s this Strava thing that I keep hearing about!?” and by the time things wrapped up we could easily describe Strava as “the fuel behind the fire.”

Pros and amateurs put down some impressive times on our KOM segment on Saturday and Sunday, but in the end it was local Cat 1 racer Joshua deBoisBlanc who edged out all of the pros by a mere two seconds! Joshua will receive a full Strava kit and one year of Strava Premium for his achievement. Winners in each of the Strava age groups for the Fastest Cat 1-3 Lap (excluding the pro field) will also receive a free year of Strava Premium in addition to a Strava Jersey. Congratulations to:

24 and under: Tyler Coplea

25 to 34: Tyruss Cramer, Sarah Ginsback

35 to 44: Manny Galegos, Jessica Hanover

45 to 54: Ty Kady

55 to 64: Jack Hicks, Janis Moreman

65 and over: Bill Moreman

All in all, our visit to Austin was a great success. The abundance of hard-core athletes, not to mention the incredible restaurants and authentic Texas BBQ, will certainly entice us to return. Special thanks to the wonderful folks at Mellow Johnny’s and Juan Pelota Cafe who kept us well fed and comfortably outfitted for the weekend. It’s not every day that sponsors are treated to smoked salmon, fresh-baked pastries and hand-filtered coffee at a mountain bike race. Luckily, we were also loaned an extra bike so that we could burn off some of those calories!

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!

Springtime in New York

Thinking about what events to train for in 2012? Cyclists in NYC are already gearing up for the Gran Fondo NY and they’re using Strava to track their progress. Strava will be attending the race on May 20th, challenging riders to put up new KOMs on GFNY segments.

To enter to win a FREE ENTRY, comment on this post by February 28. We’ll share the news when we pick the winner’s name out of our lucky Italian helmet.

Date: May 20th

Distance: 104 miles/167k

Elevation Gain: 8,500 ft/2,800 m

Timed Climbs: 4

KOM/QOM Prize: Pinarello Dogma2s (provided by GFNY)

www.granfondony.com

The Results are In: 24 hrs of the Old Pueblo Segment Challenge

The desert sunset and sunrise made quite the backdrop behind our Strava segment flags in Old Pueblo this past weekend. The Strava Segment Challenge led to some fierce competition as mere seconds divided our top finishers.

This 24 hour race is the largest in the country (check out the video we took of the mass start), yet the friendly and laid back atmosphere will have you believe that you’re at a private party…and we’re really glad that we were invited.

Thank you to all participants and an extra special thanks to Epic Rides for inviting us to be involved. For those of you who are following Epic Rides to the Whiskey Off-Road in April, stay tuned for additional prizes at stake within the course segment near Prescott.

And finally, congrats to our Segment Challenge Winners! They will each receive a Strava Castelli Jersey and a year subscription to Strava Premium.

The Gasline Segment: Jason Tullous and Naomi Haverlick

The Grind Segment: Bryan Alders and Crystal Petrocelli

The Traditional Lap: Bryan Alders and Deirdre York

The Bypass Lap: Bryan Alders and Deirdre York

Check out some great photos from the event: