See where people are logging the most miles running, swimming, biking, and generally getting their sweat on.
Strava’s user stats are staggering. Since launching in 2009, the activity tracking app has logged more than 200,000 years’ worth of exercise. And each step, stroke, and turn of the pedal has propelled users to a monumental 17 billion miles total. That’s more than 4 billion miles farther than the Voyager 1 spacecraft has traveled since it launched in 1977, traveling at 38,000 mph.
To help put those numbers into perspective, Strava today unveiled a global heatmap of the most active exercise spots on the planet. Using GPS and activity data (anonymously), the heatmap accounts for 31 different disciplines, including running, cycling, swimming, kayaking, and skiing.
Strava Heatmap
Strava’s heatmap doesn’t just show gross numbers—it’s interactive. Anyone, on Strava or not, can view and manipulate the map. Filters allow you to view water, winter, cycling, and running activities individually or in any combination.
“A global community can seem very abstract until you see its activities visually represented in your immediate location and across the world,” Strava CEO James Quarles said in a press release. “It’s not just runners and cyclists, either—skiers, hikers, kiteboarders, and even mountaineers on Everest are all counted in the more than 1 billion uploads of the Strava community.”
In addition to the free global map, Strava Premium users can access the same visualization for personal workouts. Both free and premium heatmaps leverage the Strava Metro platform. That utility helps users see the most trafficked areas and best routes for their activity.
This year’s launch marks the second iteration of the Strava heatmap. It builds on the 2015 original map with six times more data, according to the brand.
Hats off, Strava users! Keep logging the miles. You’re making the world a hotter place to play.
