Strava’s new heatmaps have completely changed my running safety

[phillynews215]

Depending on who you ask, some people will tell you they hate running in the winter, not because of the cold — most runners I know prefer freezing temperatures to boiling heat — but because it’s dark outside by dinnertime. It just doesn’t always feel safe when relying on reflective clothing and attentive drivers to protect yourself. If only there were a convenient, often-updated way to see where running at night is usually safe.

Oh, right, there is — Strava finally added it. It’s rolled out two new heatmaps for members — one for night routes and one for the most heavily trafficked paths in a given week — making it much easier to keep my mileage up in the cold. Here’s how I’ve started using both maps in different ways.




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