According to reports, fast Strava users are selling their runs to other Strava users to gain more influence
If you’re a seasoned runner and you use Strava, you’re probably used to feeling good about the run you just uploaded to Strava. But you also get overwhelmed when you scroll through your fitness app and see an endless series of GPS maps showing runs that are a lot faster than yours.
However, a recent report suggests that the faster runs you see may have been purchased by people trying to appear better at running, cycling, swimming and the like than they actually are.
Stravafor those who don’t know, one of the best fitness apps for runners. It’s a combination of a training diary and a social network, allowing athletes to upload their runs and rides by syncing information from their best running watches and smartwatches and sending it directly to their Strava account. Other Strava members who follow you can see your workouts, view any photos or videos you’ve taken, and offer you “Kudos” (Strava’s version of a “Like”). You can also view a diary of all your sessions on your Strava profile.
However, a recent article in Canadian Running magazine highlights the rise of so-called “Strava Jockeys” in Indonesia. Strava Jockeys, as they’re called, are individuals who log runs on other users’ accounts: customers give them their Strava account credentials, and the Strava Jockey will run routes of impressive distances and even more impressive paces. Prices appear to vary by mile and pace, with faster runs commanding higher fees: this Indonesian X user advertises a “cheap price” for their services.
The phenomenon is not new and is not limited to Indonesia: we discovered some US users on X as early as July 2023 Their services are advertised as Strava Jockeys, but this is the first time the concept has been discussed widely, as far as we know. TechRadar has reached out to Strava for comment on the phenomenon.
UPDATE: Following our request for comment and subsequent publication of this article, a Strava spokesperson responded as follows:
“Part of the magic of the platform comes from the authenticity of our global community when uploading an activity, giving kudos or joining a club. As required by our Terms of ServiceStrava athletes agree to create only one account for personal use and not to share their account or Strava login information with others.
“Accounts that violate the Terms of Service, such as sharing account information or misrepresenting the athlete and/or activity, will be suspended from the platform. This is important to protect and respect the progress and work of our athletes as they lace up their sneakers every day.”
Analysis: Why bother?
In a post-truth, AI-infected world, it’s safest to take a position of “trust but verify” when discussing and analyzing content generated by strangers on the internet. However, paying someone else to manage your Strava account for you seems hilarious, vain, and harmless in equal measure. If someone really cares that much about power, let them do it, right? They’re not getting any better.
Unfortunately, it’s not all harmless fun: this trend could become harmful if influencers get involved, using their fake Strava times to paint an unrealistic picture of their success to their followers, or using fake times to boost their image, potentially landing them lucrative sponsorship deals or free trips that could otherwise have been purchased by a more deserving, legitimate runner.
If an influencer sells products to the public and bases these products on his or her athletic successes, then deception also brings the legitimacy of those products into question. This is similar to bodybuilders who sell supplements but deny that they use steroids.
It doesn’t seem to be a common trend at the moment, but still – if your buddy’s 10K times are looking a little suspect, maybe you could offer to put your shoes on best running shoes and next time go running with them to see for yourself how fast they are…
