This morning, the news announced that two of the services on our list of best fitness applications joined what Strava buys Runna.
Strava, that we have evaluated an excellent service at free and premium levels with a formidable social media platform and racing follow-up integrations, does not have much coaching, to negotiate the availability of certain static training plans. This seems to make Runna, another highly rated application built around coaching plans, including an AI coaching service, an excellent adjustment.
Like Strava CEO, Mike Martin, said it in an interview with Techradar, alongside the CEO of Runna, Dom Maskell, “the way I think about it, it’s as if the biggest team in the world has a new coach. I think it’s a really exciting way to position it.”
After reading the reactions on the sub-Subddit Runna (cautious optimism, unlike the fury around the new Connect + Premium level of Garmin last month), I wanted to ask the two CEOs, in particular Martin, if there is a temptation to force Runna users to possibly aboard a new system, in the same way as Google did with the Fitbit community.
Martin said: “I want to be really clear for communities and user bases … A key element of Strava is that we are and remain an open platform for the entire connected fitness industry. We therefore expect to continue doing so, and this is how Runna is also integrated into Strava.
“I think there are a lot of interesting opportunities for us to accelerate both the support we provide to the race community between the two companies. And just to put a good point, it’s a growth and an investment game for us … Do not make a forced integration game, or something like that.”
A race for swimmers / cyclists?
I asked Maskell and Martin what the acquisition for users of the two platforms means, and in the short term, nothing will change. However, it seems that a given Strava may possibly use part of the Runna AI technology of full Runna training planning in one way or another.
I also asked what Runna would take from Strava: of course, Strava also offers features for cyclists, swimmers, triathletes and all kinds of other disciplines. Could we see Runna brand AI coaches for other sports in the future, with Strava’s help and investment?
Short answer: not yet.
Maskell said: “It has always been our long -term intention to explore other sports.
However, Maskell has revealed some changes to its roadmap: “We will probably seek to internationalize non -English -speaking languages, probably in the coming years. Strava has a lot of users … This number [of non-English speaking users] is very, very high.
“We could decide to translate a lot of coaching comments, all videos, all types of content in the application earlier, so that we can serve these users. I think it is the kind of thing that would be wise to accelerate.
“In terms of other sports, I think it’s more long -term vision.”
