Has CityStrides changed your running at all?

I found that, before CityStrides, I’d run the same routes over and over. After CityStrides, though, I’d always be looking for new routes to run. It’s made things more fun for me, since I always get to run through new areas - I don’t get into a rut as easily, and my runs are more interesting.

Has CityStrides change your running at all? How?

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Absolutely, now in my running-at-pace days (sorry I don’t know the english for that…) I try to “draw” some new streets in my map and not to run around a park or on boring routes.

Definitely! During the long runs I’ve started exploring new areas and found some new interesting places - the long runs become less tedious and more interesting. In my area (around Brussels in Belgium) there are no other runners participating, so the potential competitive aspect is not yet there, but when on an occasion I discover that I am not the only runner who is a part of citystrides community who has run a given street, I feel connected :slight_smile:

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Definitely try to add more variety to my runs. Not always successful but it has made me run streets that I never would have otherwise.

I found that many of my Roadquest runs were longer than anticipated since I had great motivation to not leave a street dangling by itself. Also found parts of town that I never would have gone to.

I have found a good and a bad from citystrides. The good is that, since I’m trying to knock off streets, I tend to take new routes, and to do all the side streets in a neighborhood, which makes a run which would have been 2.5 miles suddenly turn into 4.5. I’m running longer. The down side for me is that, in my quest to complete streets, I’m running on the street more. Before finding citystrides, I ran almost exclusively along safe streets, dedicated running trails, and parks: they were safer and more scenic. As I try to run my city, I’m running in places not really friendly to pedestrians, and certainly not as beautiful to look at.

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Yes, it changed my running, together with the Footpath app on iOS.
On Footpath I am now finding routes and after logging it on my watch, I look what I actually ran on CityStrides.
Great motivation to me now, thanks!

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My running has definitely been affected by CityStrides, mostly in a good way.

  1. In the past, I tended to avoid crossing major streets mainly due to my hatred of traffic lights. Now I cross big intersections much more often.
  2. I spend a lot more time looking at maps to determine efficient routes.
  3. I drive to more starting destinations as the nearest “un-run” street is approaching 2 miles away.
  4. I’ve also run more pedestrian unfriendly areas lately like near schools with high foot/car traffic or places where there are no sidewalks, bike lanes or shoulders.
  5. I’ve learned to dislike dead-ends as they basically have to be run twice.
  6. Similarly, I dislike townhouse developments with their maze of cul-de-sacs and necessity of running in what amounts to a parking lot.

Overall, CityStrides has made running more enjoyable with a long term goal in mind to run my city.

My running has absolutely changed since CityStrides. I run during my lunch break at work, and nearly every run is different. I find myself analyzing the CityStrides Map View, then plotting a run in a turn-by-turn navigation app called RunGo. Then I enjoy loading the map the following day and seeing new purple lines on my map!

My distances and pace have slowly increased as I try to add more distant streets in a limited-duration run :smile:

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In addition to the other comments, I will say that CityStrides gave me a new goal for this year to run every street in my huge and hilly neighborhood. Nice tool for setting interesting goals to keep running fun.

yes it changed my way of running for now

  1. I see area’s of the city i never saw before, artworks, architecture etc
  2. I tend to run a little bit longer because i have to get back and it is cold :slight_smile:
  3. I tend to run a little bit slower taking much turns instead of headon
  4. it is competitive, i know some other runners
  5. I spent more time looking at the map and plotting :frowning:

overall it’s fun!

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Trying to find a new app to use to track my runs/walks (sick of issues with MapMyRun), and I’m looking at Footpath. Can Footpath save routes and upload them in a usable format to CityStrides? tia!

No, CityStrides is (currently) only compatible with Garmin, MapMyFitness, Runkeeper, and Strava.
Additionally, it doesn’t look like Footpath tracks you at all - it looks like it’s just a route planner.

Are the issues you’re having with MapMyFitness related to its connection with CityStrides, or are they entirely within MapMyFitness app/service?

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Absolutely.

Ditto on all of this, it has definitely helped me stay out of a rut! And competing with friends is a great way to get me to push a bit more.

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Hi Krzysztof,
I’m going to be visiting Mechelen in May which will be my first international city since I discovered the joy of recording my walks on Strava and the absolute delight of CityStrides during Covid lockdowns. I’m then going to Berlin in June but there is absolutely no chance of me making even a tiny dent in your and Denis’s command of the roads of your cities. I’m looking forward to combining my sightseeing and my volunteering time with a chance to ‘bag’ some streets in new cities.
Catriona

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I think it’s pretty cool to visit new places, knowing you will be adding lines to your LifeMap!

It’s definitely changes my running “routine”, it keeps me motivated to run.

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Hi Catriona!

Mechelen is a very nice city to run: flat, with a lot of sights or picturesque countryside, generally good surface and from time to time you even get a free carillon concert from the tower of the cathedral.

I hope to meet you one day on the trail/street - I still have a few of them left there (I live in Brussels so Mechelen, Leuven and other is left for the weekends, as it requires a ca. 20 minutes commute).

Krzysztof

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Thanks Krzysztof. I visited Belgium four years ago and walked lots in Antwerpen and Brugge but sadly didn’t track those ones so looking forward to bagging a few streets on this trip. I’m looking forward to it and will have one Sunday to explore as my event finishes on the Saturday.

Catriona