A 2019 Runner’s World survey found that 84 percent of women have experienced “some kind of harassment that left them feeling unsafe” while running outdoors. To address the issue of running safety, popular fitness tracking app Strava is making their location-sharing feature free for all users.
Strava’s Beacon feature allows you to send your live workout tracking data to a trusted contact who can see your location in real time, where you started recording, and when you finish your run. The app allows you to send this data to anyone in your contacts, even if they are not Strava users.
As pandemic concerns continue to keep many people out of gyms, outdoor running and exercise has increased significantly. Strava reports that from 2019 to 2020, users reported a 28 percent increase in overall outdoor activities and a 300 percent increase in solo marathons. This feature is offering users and their loved ones peace of mind as they get active outdoors.