By Kyle Merber
December 6, 2023
Every Strava user has a suggestion of what additional capabilities or features should be integrated into the platform – when are we gonna get SAP: stroller-adjusted pace? And if you’re like me, you occasionally runsplain to your friends who work there how the app could be improved. And in what many are calling the biggest update since calculating the carbon savings of a bike commute, exercise enthusiasts can now send each other private messages.
Coming on the heels of the trend (and subsequent backlash) that Strava be used as the new dating app, the ability to DM other users opens up a new frontier of possibility. Millions of athletes already voluntarily share biometric and location-based data at no cost, now we can discreetly critique each other’s workout routines! (Just a reminder, that if you aren’t paying for the product, then you are the product, says the writer of the free newsletter who asked your salary last month.)
It should be noted that there are privacy settings that should be utilized depending on your comfort levels. The default setting only allows messaging between mutual followers, but you can open things up to accept notes from anyone you follow, and of course you can make it so that nobody can message you – however you can still initiate messages to anyone accepting them from you
It seems Strava preemptively accounted for common ways DM-sliders misbehave, so chances are, unless you’re a real freak, you can’t mess this up too badly. But still, let me help you understand what is and isn’t a socially acceptable message to send via Strava:
Asking a pro for training advice — OKAY ✅
Suppose a pro follows you back, either via clerical error, general kindness, or because you used to race them in HS. You may ask simple training questions, but please do not expect that every pro badge will respond with a three page essay and invitation to come train with them in Boulder under their guidance.
Asking anyone for feet pics — NOT OKAY ❌
There is an expectation that one would pay for this sort of thing. But I suppose it’s okay to ask for shoe recommendations... as long as you don’t follow up by asking for feet pics.
Saying good luck — OKAY ✅
This is a sweet gesture! People love being wished good luck. I’d much rather a Strava DM than a text 90 minutes before the race that reads, “Hey good luck, where can I watch?” and then a follow up asking for my account password.
“I do not mean for this to be creepy, but...” — NOT OKAY ❌
Sorry nice guys. The fact that you think there is a chance that whatever your next few words are might be creepy means that it is creepy.
Route recommendations — OKAY ✅
When I am traveling to a new place and don’t know where to explore I will often look at the top times on some local segments and find where the best runners in the area run. Asking for a suggestion of where to brunch after is an expert level move, but will likely require you following them, and them reciprocating, first.
Unsolicited training advice — NOT OKAY ❌
“Hey nice workout today, though I’d highly recommend cutting that rest down and slowing down your pace a bit because based on your heart rate data it looked like you were probably a bit outside of the zone you said you were aiming for in your description. This is probably why you bombed a couple of weeks ago in that race that was really important to you that you are not yet over.”
Requesting a bike ride be labeled as a bike ride — OKAY ✅
We need a fraud protection button. Suddenly all the glory of your best tempo run ever is immediately erased by the dude with an e-bike who is telling the world that he just ran nine miles at 3:20 pace. In this case, it’s best to apologize often, and grovel a little, and close with this sign-off, which never fails: “please dude, can you please change your “run” to a ride? I really need a win right now. :(“
Meme distribution — CASE BY CASE BASIS ⚠️
We’ve all got friends who aren’t really on social media, but might make an exception for Strava, for some reason. Sure, you already text them, but there’s a dumber, more lizard-brained level of communication out there that really isn’t text worthy – the kind of stuff you’d mindlessly scroll over and share via Instagram DMs. Can Strava fill this void for you when communicating with IG-less buddies? You can try. But be prepared to find out quickly if you’re the reason they aren’t on other platforms to begin with.
Kyle Merber
After hanging up his spikes – but never his running shoes – Kyle pivoted to the media side of things, where he shares his enthusiasm, insights, and experiences with subscribers of The Lap Count newsletter, as well as viewers of CITIUS MAG live shows.
