Despite the benefits of exercising outdoors, for many people – particularly women – safety is still a major barrier. Those working full-time may have no option but to exercise at night, when routes that are fine during the day might suddenly feel dark and isolated. Workout apps that share maps of your runs are great for motivation and receiving encouragement from friends, but they can also let strangers work out where you live, and when you're likely to be running or cycling alone.
Earlier this week, we sat down in London with several members of Strava's executive team, including CEO Michael Martin and CBO Zipporah Allen, to hear what you can expect from the app over the coming months, and what's happening behind the scenes to help keep you safer. Martin explained that the company has "a long-term commitment to reduce the barriers faced by women in sport", and Allen went on to discuss two new features that will be rolling out soon to help you feel more safe and comfortable. First, the app will soon offer night heatmaps, which show the most popular routes people use between sundown and sunrise.
These might be very different from those used during the day, but you may not be aware of that, particularly if you are new to the area. Allen explained that her work takes her all over the world, and she often runs at night in new cities, so knowing the routes that local people take after dark is extremely helpful, allowing her to avoid areas that are popular during the day, but un.
