Strava Anxiety: When Data Makes You Slower

Data can be useful (when it’s valid and reliable) - but excessive data, especially when mixed with comparison against others, can negatively impact your training and relationship with running. In this episode, we discuss Strava anxiety, the comparison trap, and when data can actually make you slower.

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In this episode, you’ll learn:

✅ Why internal subjective feedback and observations can matter more than data alone

✅ Why you can’t compare your data to other people’s data

✅ How Strava can make your training more performative vs individualized

✅ The nocebo effect and the drawbacks of excessive data monitoring

✅ How to know if data or social aspect of Strava is negatively impacting you

Tread Lightly Running is hosted and researched by Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris, MSc. Production, show notes, and graphics by Laura Norris.

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