At C$99.99 a year, subscribing to Strava Premium is not exactly a small commitment. For a lot of runners, the question is simple: what exactly are you paying for? The free version of the app already does plenty–it tracks your runs, lets you share your post-workout selfie and shower your training buddies with kudos. So what is Strava hiding for subscribers only?
Route-building
Let’s start strong with what’s arguably the most practical perk: route-building. Premium lets you automatically generate new routes from wherever you are, based on distance, elevation or surface. You can also map out custom routes using the pinpoint tool and see your personal heat maps, which shows everywhere you’ve ever run. The best part? You can save these for later, download them offline and upload them to your watch for turn-by-turn directions–no phone needed. It’s perfect for those who need to switch up their long-run route or are prone to running in circles at the end of their run to hit their mileage goal.
However, putting aside the convenience of having it all on one app app, there are other apps or services available that allow you to build a route, such as Garmin Connect, Footpath, Nike Run Club, MapMyRun or other basic sites such as Google Maps or Map Pedometer. (Some of these sites may still require subscriptions or only be available to use in busier areas.)
Detailed data analysis
Premium gives you a closer look at training numbers–splits, heart rate, pace zones and relative efforts. You can even take a look at more details from others athletes’ workouts.
That can be motivating (targets to chase), but it’s also a slippery slope. We all know the saying, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” If you’re the type to get caught up in comparing yourself to others, Premium might end up being more toxic than helpful.
Coaching tools
This is the “coach in your pocket” side of Premium. You can set custom goals–weekly mileage, segment times–and Strava will chart your progress. The Grade Adjusted Pace feature helps you compare runs across different terrains. It will also predict performances based on past activities, stack up month-to-month comparisons and keep tabs on your best efforts and personal bests. On top of that, you’ll get detailed breakdowns of heart rate zones, pace distribution and relative effort.
But for runners who already have a coach, or those just running for fun, it can be frustrating to have every run dissected. Not every run is about how fast you went or how hard you push your body–the real goal is often just getting out there and moving your body. Seeing those numbers may make you feel like you aren’t doing enough–when really, going by feel is the most crucial part of running.
And if you happen to be having an off-week (which happens!) or nursing an injury, seeing “you did way more last week” isn’t exactly the reminder you needed–it’s more like rubbing salt in the wound.
Segments
Instead of just showing who owns the “local legend” title, Premium unlocks full segment leaderboards. You can filter them by age group, weight category–even down to “today only.” With Live Segments, your device will buzz mid-run as you approach your favourite segments and update you in real time on whether you’re closing in on your segment goal (or falling short).
It’s motivating if you thrive on competition or need to an excuse to throw in some mid-run pickups. But here’s the real question: is it actually going to change where you run or how hard you push, just so you can climb a leaderboard? For some, it can simply turn running from something simple and fun into a numbers game.
