Strava luddite with some questions
It seems a lot of people are really into Strava these days and it's getting a lot more common. Other than "competing" against other people on certain segments of a route, what of value does Strave offer to us for training? Is it worth it? I've cruised their website a bit but it isn't all that helpful.
Honestly in my training I'm really focused on my workouts and the thought of being measured vs. other people not only doesn't motivate me, but creates an incentive for me to trash the workout in favor of killing myself to "win" or at least show respectibly.
So are there other features that Strava offers that are worth it?
0
Comments
It depends on your method of training. I don't do intervals. I ride or run on courses I know every well and that I know allow me to achieve the goals of the session. Overtime I accumulate a history on these courses and it's fun/motivational (or not) to see that history. For example, yesterday Dino and I did a route that's very popular out here, with tons of intermediate segments along the way. I've done the route dozens of times. It's fun to see how I'm progressing, where I am in relation to where I've been in the past, etc. These a very hilly routes with little to no traffic considerations so w/kg have a very large impact your performance, which is a good thing. Might be different if where you live is flat.
On the run, pretty sure I'm the only person on Strava in my area. But I've created segments of the routes I like to do and am about to step out the door for one right now. I'll take a quick look at how I did on this route last week and that's my rabbit today. It's fun and gives me a target.
There is climb I do almost weekly. I can select it and see every time I have done it organized with the fastest on the top and then going down from there. I can see the date I did each climb and then quickly note that I was faster in August before IM Tahoe then I was in June before IM CDA, but not as fast as I was last December the week before I broke my collar bone. It's good stuff!
Also, being an active rider in this community for a few years, being the President of a Tri Club, hanging out with the Wheelbuilder staff and also networking with other local club (cycling) presidents and members means I have started to know a lot of people. I can look at segments and see A LOT of names I know. It's fun to see who is on top and who is quickly moving up the ranks on really common routes.
If you follow a lot of people, like I do, you also get emails and updates of their rides. It's cool to see what people are doing. Who is riding after work? Who is putting in the hard AM miles. It helps get me out of bed at 5:00 AM. Most of the peeps I follow are either in my Tri Club or are in EN. If you don't follow anyone, your wall will be blank and boring. Imagine using Facebook without any "friends". There would be no content. You can even follow most pros and see their routine.
Try the free account, connect with friends and see what you think....
For another, I already do a lot of comparing of routes, and training cycles, eg, comparing my wkos this AZ cycle, to,previous AZcycles, or to my most recent LT cycle. But I'm a triathlete, not a cyclist or duathlete, so I like to see my performance in the context of all the other wkos before and after it. Like, was I faster this time around because I skipped the Tuesday swim, or slower, because I did the Long Tun on Friday that week instead of Thurs?
I can learn much better about my triathlon training by doing "manual" deep dives into my training log, searching and wandering for things I deem important, not being constrained by the decisions of some software programmer.
Finally, its One More Thing. I'm already spending what seems like too much time after a wko logging, dealing with clothes, and refueling. I'd rather spend time reading a book or watching Walking Dead. Another example: I have not re-upped with Trainer Road this fall, just using my own pre-built wkos on my Compu Trainer, as I used to do. Inertia and friction.
I don't think this a "Yes" or "No" to Strava thread. I think the point was to highlight some of the functionality for people who may not have tried it, but are curious about how others use it. I like it, but I also like Powerbar Perform and Quest Protein bars. Others have different taste...
Strava has turned out to be a lot more useful than I expected it to be. Love the Run analysis which shows the pace better than garmin... Tracking your own bests are much easier.. and the premium membership is dirt cheap and worthwhile....
I found it really useful for v02 work on the bike.... search out some short local climbs in the 90sec-5min range and go hammer them...
I would encourage you to not overthink it. I think it's fun so I use it.
I use Strava and really enjoy it simply because it has some fun features that engage my brain in a different way. It’s interesting to see how you stack up after you ride a new route and how your performances compare when riding regular routes. It has some motivating metrics like on the run it will throw out your estimated best effort over a range of races based on a given run (think vDot calculator), compare your performance over a segment to see where you “won or lost” to another rider and of course the KOMs.
Also, I enjoy the sense of community. I participate in a Sunday TNP type ride and the smack-talk and camaraderie that comes with most of the guys being on Strava takes it to another level. Granted, you could get most of this info in other ways, just the interface is really easy and engaging. For folks I don’t train with, we can give each other kudos and comments without annoying non-tri friends by posting to FB.
And finally, as Tim said uploading is a no brainer. Since I’m uploading to multiple platforms (TP, BT, GC) for logging it’s just make more one click as part of my post activity process. And honestly, it’s the one I look at first because as Rich said: It’s FUN.
Fun but kinda sucks out here, sorta. The Tour of California rolling through MY mtns for a couple years absolutely crushed the top of leaderboard of a couple popular climbs.
Skinny lil bastards!!