- Are you a Strava mule or have you paid for one? Email katherine.lawton@mailonline.co.uk
Lazy runners on Strava are reportedly paying “mules” to run their routes for them to get “recognitions” on the fitness app.
The popular app allows users to share their progress with others while tracking their running routes and times.
Users can give virtual “kudos” to their Strava friends when they share details of their latest run, ride or swim.
But some entrepreneurs offer their services as “mules,” organizing training sessions or races for others in exchange for a profit. The person paying for the service can then pretend that the user’s sporting achievements are their own, earning “recognitions” on the app to look good in front of their peers.
A Strava spokesperson said those taking part in the trend would be “violating the terms of service” and would be suspended from the app if detected.
Are you a Strava mule or have you paid for one? Email katherine.lawton@mailonline.co.uk
Lazy runners on Strava reportedly pay ‘mules’ to run their routes for them (File photo)
A ‘mule’ identified by The telegraph He identified himself as Gil and claimed to be a 45-year-old Belgian citizen living in the UK.
Gil, who runs and is a cycling coach, said he sends data from completed races that recipients can upload to their own Strava accounts.
Explaining why someone might use his services, he said: ‘Social pressure, FOMO (fear of missing out), the dream of a life you can’t have… bragging about credentials, telling your wife you went for a run while you were in the pub.’
Meanwhile, a broker, apparently based in the US, has been promoting his own “mule” services on the social media platform TikTok.
The runner, who claims to have been a Strava “mule” for over a year, said: ‘Basically, someone will pay me to run a race with their Strava account on my phone.’
A broker, apparently based in the US, has been promoting his own “mule” services on the social media platform TikTok.
The runner said some people give him access to their Strava accounts, while others physically hand him their phone or smartwatch.
The user said some people give him access to their Strava accounts, while others give him their phone or smartwatch to go running.
Another social media account, apparently based in London, claimed to have a “global network of athletes” who would charge 40p per mile for running and 16p per mile for cycling, according to The Telegraph.
This month, the account allegedly shared a bike ride taken by a mule that covered a distance of more than 100 miles.
A Strava spokesperson said: ‘Part of the magic of the platform comes from the authenticity of our global community when uploading an activity, giving praise or joining a club.
‘As required by our Terms of Service, Strava athletes agree to create only one account for their personal use and not to share their account or Strava credentials with others.’
The spokesperson added: “Accounts that violate the terms of service, including by sharing account information or misrepresenting the athlete’s name and/or activity, will be suspended from the platform.”