#316: The Strava Paradox: Competition, Community & Why Your Uploads Might Be Sabotaging You

In this episode, Rob Jones and Tom Walker break down one of the running world's most powerful tools and potential pitfalls. They kick off by catching up on Rob's final week of Chamonix training for the 13 Valleys, share quick heat management hacks for training in Dubai, and then dive deep into Strava.From its Swedish roots in 1995 to 195 million athletes across 185 countries, Strava has transformed how we train and share. But here's the real conversation: Is it motivating you or manipulating you? Through the story of Rob's VK (vertical kilometer) comeback, where friendly competition sparked a 3-minute PB, they explore when Strava works for you and when it works against you.They tackle the hard truths: How social validation can hijack your training plan. Why you shouldn't run hard every session just to post a decent average pace. The safety risks of location sharing. And most importantly, how to tell if you're chasing intrinsic goals or just chasing likes.Perfect for endurance athletes, weekend warriors, and anyone wondering why their Strava feed looks nothing like their training plan.