Why I came off strava (ain't no kudos for recovery)

There is a pretty decent documentary doing the rounds called “the social dilemma” which is all about social media and the way in which is it used by people. The upshot of it was fairly obvious from the beginning- that it was conceived as a force for good, but really focussed on getting people to use it to the point of addiction. Now the executives that started it all, they try not to use it and pretty much all but ban their kids from using it.

All very interesting. It was very much looking at Twitter, Facebook, Insta etc. It didn’t once mention Strava.

Now hang on a sec, I hear you say- Strava isn’t *really* social media. It is a record of how much mileage I’ve done. It shows what races I have run, my fitness over time etc etc. Yes, so there is the kudos button, and comments, but it’s not exactly social media.

Ok. Have a look at your page. Notice how it mentions how many people you’re following and how many followers you have- oh, and it suggests following certain people that “you might know”. Where have I seen that before?

Facebook. Twitter. Insta.

Try scrolling down- and more. And more. Infinite scrolling of things people have done to keep you interested and on the screen for longer. Where have I seen that before?

Twitter, Insta. Facebook.


Kudos - people giving thumbs up for things. People chasing other peoples Kudos and likes. A run isn’t really a run unless someone else gives it a kudos. The measure of success isn’t necessarily in terms of how you feel you have done, but in terms of how other people feel you have done. Effectively, putting your accomplishment, your feeling of happiness in the hands of other people.

Hang on a sec… like buttons? Haven’t I seen that before as well?

Oh yes, Facebook, insta, twitter- etc.

All of this drives the user to post more runs, more stuff, more amazing things for others to like etc. Which is good, so far as it goes, but when the result is “I must go for a run”- is that totally healthy?

Running, after all, is not the thing that makes you fit.

Recovery from running and exercise is what makes you fit, and there ain’t no kudos for recovery.

I was finding myself running and cycling and uploading things not necessarily for the joy of doing them, or even for the training benefit (this was evident from going into overtraining)- but rather for more kudos, more comments, and more interaction. I was caught in the strava trap of wanting validation of my fitness from other people. Which is complete nonsense. It's like mixing your sense of self worth up with what other people think of you - passing control of your own happiness to someone on the other side of a screen.

Not. Healthy.  

And THIS is why I came off Strava.

 

Run for the sheer joy of it.