When I first downloaded the Strava iPhone app I didn’t know that it would become such a vital part of my daily ride. I have now upgraded to a Garmin Edge 500 GPS and record every ride I go on.

To start off I should probably explain what on earth “Strava” is. Well, Strava is an online service which tracks your rides via GPS and compares it to those of other athletes. The service puts a major emphasis on what they call segments. Anybody with a Strava account can create a segment for their favorite trail or road. When you go on a ride, Strava keeps track of all the segments that you ride and times you. When you upload the ride, Your time is put on the leader board page for that specific segment. Now this can get pretty competitive, especially in areas with large riding communities, such as where I live.

Here is my latest ride on Strava. Strava gives data such as distance, speed, elevation, and heart rate.

Here are all of the segments from the ride. PR stands for personal record.

I am naturally a competitive person. Strava provides the perfect tool to both train, and hold fake internet races. Whenever I ride, I find myself trying to get in as many segments as possible. This is how Strava has helped become a better rider. I want to push myself on that climb and see how I rank against everyone else. I want to find the fastest line down a technical descend and see if I can beat my previous time. Strava definitely makes me want to ride more often, and it makes training a bit more enjoyable. Now try it out for yourself! And check out my profile if it interests you.