Thirteenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

Since its introduction in 2009, the social media fitness app Strava has recruited 50 million athletes who have uploaded 19 billion activities. Through Strava, runners can share runs and engage with other runners in both competitive and supportive ways. Despite the enormous popularity of this app, particularly among emerging adults, little is known about the implications of its use. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceived psychosocial implications of Strava use among emerging adult runners. The central research question was: how does Strava influence perceived motivation and wellbeing in emerging adult recreational runners? To answer this question we employed a qualitative descriptive methodology by conducting semi-structured interviews, followed by thematic analysis to explore themes in the data. We recruited 15 emerging adult runners who had been using Strava for at least 6 months. Participants were asked to provide detailed responses related to the nature of their Strava use, the nature of their peer interactions, and their perception on how Strava influences their motivation for running, as well as their overall wellbeing. Better understanding the broader implications of Strava among emerging adult runners could allow professionals in sport and exercise psychology, coaching, and fitness to better utilize this tool for its motivational potential while, at the same time, assessing possible harms, such as promoting social comparison or obligatory motives for exercise.