In a world where everything can be shared with people online, some Strava users fake their workouts to impress followers.
Strava is an app that tracks runs and bike rides, with statistics available once the workout has been completed including distance traveled, average pace, elapsed time, elevation gain, calories, and average heart rate. The workouts can be made visible to all users.
While the app is intended to track your progress, some users have drafted ‘Strava mules’. The user will then share the data from the run completed by somebody else and will pass it off as their own.
A man in Indonesia, called Wahyu Wicaksono, has 76 regular customers. He told the UK’s ITV News that he does “one or two runs per day” on average, depending on the length of the run requested.
The runner advertises his services through social media and once a customer signs up, he logs into their Strava account to complete the exercise. The man charges 14,000 Indonesian Rupiah, which is around 90 cents.
“Running has been my hobby since childhood, and I often take part in running championships,” he said to ITV News, “I can earn a good amount of money from being a Strava jockey, so I thought, why not?”
@screenshothq Some Strava users are hiring “mules” to log workouts for them, boosting their kudos on the fitness app. Self-confessed Strava mule @Veljko went viral on TikTok sharing how he trains on clients’ behalf. Although Strava warns that mules violate their terms of service and will be suspended, this trend highlights a shift from working out for health and wellbeing to online validation SCREENSHOT is a next-gen digital media company creating content that matters to youth audiences globally. We deliver breaking news, politics, celebrity updates, sports and viral online trends directly to the next generation. Our content spans street interviews, video explainers, image carousels, and vodcast clips, reaching young viewers where it matters most. Follow @SCREENSHOThq for the latest updates. #strava #stravamules #stravacheating #fitness #workout
The attraction of being a ‘Strava jockey’ has spread into the UK, with an IT expert called Gil also speaking to the news publisher about his experience.
The cyclist-turned-businessman charges £2.50 (roughly $3.26) for a five-kilometer run and he’s even said to be considering implementing a subscription program for eager customers.
In a statement, Strava said: “Strava’s mission is to motivate people to live their best lives. Part of the platform’s magic comes from the authenticity of our global community in uploading an activity, giving kudos, or engaging in a club.
“As required by our terms of service, Strava athletes agree to create only one account for their personal use and not share their account or Strava credentials with others.
“Accounts found violating the Terms of Service, including through sharing account information or misrepresenting the athlete and/or activity, will be suspended from the platform. This is important to safeguarding and respecting the progress and work of our athletes as they lace up everyday. “
Featured Image: Via Ideogram
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