The Chronicles of Alex

Approximately 150 million people use the activity tracking app, Strava; I am included in this steadily growing number. Not by choice initially, but I still haven’t disconnected my watch from auto uploading workouts. This app is a great way to connect primarily with the running community and participate in app wide challenges; it has the ability to foster connection and accountability. Though, these become the issues I personally have with the platform rather quickly.

Connection and accountability can quickly become comparison and competition, which can be detrimental to athletes individually and breed horrible team dynamics. I have no issue with sharing my training log or watch/heart rate monitor data, but I do not like how this can drive disdain and cause people to overtrain or train in a way that is not compatible with a person’s needs and goals. 

I find being in tune with my body allows me to perform the best; only recently have I come to actually listen to and believe my body knows best. I am processing so many external factors and mentally taking count, whereas my body is processing stress and strain. Period. My body doesn’t know whether the stress is from putting in a training block or a friend passing away, but it does know when enough is enough. It knows when to signal pain. It knows when soreness and fatigue are okay or not. I just have to listen. 

Apps like Strava can make it hard to listen to your own body and intuition, because other people and competitors are always putting in the work. I stopped posting on Strava, because this was a mental struggle I could take out of the equation. Frankly, it pissed me off seeing my own stats knowing I wasn’t where I once was – whether it regarded activity type, distance, or paces. Strava and a team made me hate the process of running and competing. I felt judged and like I was always answering questions regarding my training. 

BUT we are so back!

A lot of time off and disconnecting with a community that saved me, broke me, and saved me again has shown me that: activity like life ebbs and flows and you can always come back stronger. I guess it’s time to put out there that I’m training again (in a very slow and controlled way) and coming back way stronger than when I left! I’m training in a way that doesn’t have timelines, because I have to trust my body. Re-teaching my body to run and do cardio again after two years is not an easy task, but it is one I am willing to do. Sure, I have goals and dreams, but I can’t make them happen any faster than they will. I know I can participate, compete, and maybe even win again. No, I’ll never run ultras again, but thank God there are other endurance sports out there! Ones I don’t have to post on Strava to prove I did them… 

Strava is a great platform to connect on and hype up your fellow athletes, but it is just not the app for me : )