Strava is a website and mobile app used to track athletic activity via satellite navigation and then upload and share such activities. Styled as a "Social Network for Athletes", it can be used for a number of sporting activities however the most popular activities tracked using the software are cycling and running. Users upload their routes and are provided with their times across distances and community-created "segments". Free to use for many, it reserves some premium features for fee-paying users. Users can also participate in challenges and view enhanced statistical analysis of their activities, and combine the activities with additional data such as heart rate or power.
First founded in 2009, it is now used in several countries across the world. Its headquarters are located in San Francisco, California. As of March 2015 there were an estimated one million active users and around 200,000 premium users.
Video Strava
Technology
The service uses the GPS functionality of mobile phones or other devices such as Garmin navigator devices to record position and time data during athletic activities.
The service also functions as a social network: users ("Athletes") can "follow" each other and activities are automatically grouped together when they occur at the same time and place (for example, taking part in an organised marathon/sportive or group run/ride). Athletes can give "Kudos" (similar to a Facebook Like) and comment on each other's activities, and upload photos to activities.
Strava includes an API which connects into numerous third-party services such as map visualizers.
The site has aspects similar to other sites like MapMyRide or Ride With GPS. The basic service is free but an optional pay component allows access to additional statistical detail. Members include both amateur and professional athletes, whose profiles include an orange badge.
Maps Strava
Challenges
There are additional features including periodic challenges which usually challenge a member to run or ride a certain distance in a certain number of days. If the challenge is successfully completed, the member will receive a badge that can be displayed on their profile page. Some challenges also offer the ability to purchase special prizes upon completion. Strava also offers members the ability to suggest new features.
Run challenges tend to be focussed around a typical race distance, such as 10 km or a half marathon. Run challenges also include challenges for climbing a certain amount during a month for a different badge. Ride challenges differ slightly, although they too offer a badge for climbing a certain distance in a month. The "Gran Fondo" challenge is awarded if a user completes a certain distance in one ride over the course of the month. There are conditions, such as that the distance must be completed in one activity, and in a single 24-hour period. The distances reflect summer in the northern hemisphere as follows: January, February, March, November and December are 100 km; April, May, June, September and October are 115 km; and July and August are both 130 km.
Both Ride and Run also have a challenge for cycling or running a certain distance each month, which accumulates the distance of all activities through that calendar month. Users are awarded 25%, 50%, and 75% badges during this challenge.
Premium features
Strava Premium features include "suffer scores", powermeter data, filtered leaderboards, the ability to set goals, and see live where the athlete stands in relation to the King or Queen of the Mountain on a specific segment.
Data
Various aspects of logged activity include:
- route (plan view)
- elevation (net and unidirectional)
- speed (average, min/max)
- timing (total and moving time)
- power/energy
Performances can be uploaded from GPS devices, a mobile device through the Strava app (iPhone or Android), from a file or manually.
Strava can import and export GPX format files.
Datasets gathered by Strava are available to other services. Aggregated GPS logs of Strava users help design bike traffic solutions in cities through the Strava Metro initiative. Strava Slide is a fork of iD Editor for OpenStreetMap, which allows map editors to draw roads and trails more accurately using the same aggregated and anonymized GPS data. Cycling and running traffic may be monitored by everyone on the Strava Heatmap page which shows a global heatmap.
In July 2015, Strava switched to MapBox maps and imagery, based on OpenStreetMap data. Strava allows users to report issues with the maps, which are linked the OpenStreetMap editor so that users can contribute improvements to the map.
Strava art
Strava users have used the GPS track feature to mark out words or images using street networks.
Controversies
Strava user location data has been seen in remote locations in developing countries corresponding with the presence of western military personnel utilizing the service whilst on deployment. Some data showed known US bases in Syria, forward operating bases in Afghanistan, and a trace from someone in Area 51. Additional data was apparent in Her Majesty's Naval Base, or HMNB Clyde, home to the UK's nuclear arsenal.
See also
- Google Fit
- MSN Health & Fitness
- Apple Health
- Endomondo
References
External links
- Strava Homepage
- Example segment page for Mt Ventoux in France
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments