Get rid of Strava stress

Over the last year or so I’ve had countless conversations with clients, runners attending workshops or courses, and friends too, about what we’ll call Strava stress.

It’s the worry that people get when they see someone ran faster than them. When they don’t get a segment PR every time they run that piece of pavement or trail. Pushing faster than you should be in a run in order to get to a certain average pace so you don’t look slow, always busting your backside on every single run.

None of these are healthy or helpful habits and can so easily lead to negative emotions and potentially the desire to avoid running or talking with your running friends.

As harsh as it sounds, and I may lose some of you here, but we have to get over our ego if we’re going to avoid this. I don’t mean that if you experience these you’re arrogant, not at all. What I mean is that we have to stop thinking we’re invincible, should be performing like everyone else is and comparing two entirely different people with different situations. It would be like running a PB, but saying to yourself, Mo Farah would have run it faster. Nothing is gained by that thought, all you do is lose sight of the great work you’ve just done for yourself.

At the start of 2020 I had a nasty chest infection and saw two friends that I regularly run with at club put in PBs for 10k that were suddenly 30+ seconds faster than my own. I could either look at this in an unhelpful way as “why do they get to do that? I work as hard as them!” leading to feelings of resentment, or I could be happy for them. Pleased to see their achievements and knowing that they’ve put in the hours and hours of hard training to get to that point, and thoroughly deserve the success.

One perception creates unnecessary pressure and negativity. The other makes me genuinely happy for them, motivated by their achievements and knowing that if they can do it, so can I as we run together all the time in training.

1) Ask yourself the question, “How can I look at this positively?”. Remember what’s probably one of the biggest reasons you run… to have fun and enjoy it.

2) Remember that everyone’s situation is different. From genetics, finances, time, health and more, so don’t worry if someone else runs faster or further than you.

3) If you can’t do those first two things honestly, it may be time to take a break from Strava, or even disable your account for good.