NatNews

You’ve just finished a workout and posted it to Strava, and the kudos start to roll in—and maybe it feels like a giant unspoken “good job, buddy.”

While Strava allows runners, cyclists, triathletes, and other athletes to log their workouts and track their progress, the app also helps individuals connect with, support, and encourage one another as people achieve goals and milestones. In fact, that’s one thing that Dallas resident Juliette Vielhauer said she enjoys most about Strava.

“Running is often a solitary sport, and Strava creates a sense of connection that helps bridge that isolation,” she said. “I really value being able to support my friends through their solo training runs—it turns individual effort into a shared experience. The platform fosters a community that celebrates progress, resilience, and consistency, even when no one else is watching.”

Vielhauer said there is nothing she actively dislikes about Strava, as it serves its purpose well and adds value to her running experience. She also appreciates the healthy sense of competition the app encourages through Strava segments, which are portions of roads or trails created by members that let athletes compare times, and an individual can earn the title of King of the Mountain (KOM), Queen of the Mountain (QOM), or course record holder if he or she achieves the fastest time on a segment.

“Anyone can create a segment—whether it’s a tough hill, a fast stretch, or a popular loop—and anyone can compete on them,” Vielhauer said. “It adds a playful motivating layer to everyday training runs and offers a tangible way to challenge yourself or others without being in a formal race setting.”

Los Angeles resident Greg Cohen, who served as a Brooks brand ambassador for five years, said while he doesn’t like that he isn’t able to use certain Strava features that are only included in a paid subscription, he certainly appreciates other benefits that he experiences through using the app.

“I enjoy following my friends on Strava and even meeting new people all over the place to develop new connections with people who share similar passions,” he said. “By liking and following others, at times, it has allowed me to meet up with people in other areas.”

More than 150 million users in more than 185 countries throughout the world use Strava to record more than 50 types of activities available in the app. Users include weekend warriors and amateurs as well as elite and professional athletes, all of whom are able to choose how much or how little information they share with their followers and/or non-followers checking out their profiles.

“Strava’s been doing a good job with its share screens,” Dallas resident Drew Mbiam said. “I feel like it gives you a lot of freedom to express how you felt about your workout or event.”

While some runners have taken to Strava to try to find love, it was not created as a dating app, and Mbiam said he is not a fan of the app having a feature that allows for direct messages.

“Why the heck did they put them there?” he said. “It’s wasting my screen real estate. A better button would have been one that generates a list of everyone kicking your ass in some metric. At least that would be entertaining.”

But whether Mbiam and others like them or not, DMs became an option in Strava in December 2023, so users are able to message one another without leaving the app. The company encourages athletes to use the DM feature to “coordinate adventures, connect for inspiration or tips, share their journeys, and more” in an effort to further the sense of community aspect that the app seeks to create.

And feeling part of a community of individuals with similar interests is important to many people, especially those who take part in what is primarily an individual activity. For Cohen, that’s the primary purpose for which he uses Strava.

“I would not say Strava is important for my training, as I use other features, such as my Garmin app,” he said. “However, I enjoy it for the social connection part and being able to share my data and runs with others.”

Similarly, Vielhauer relies on her Garmin app when it comes to structured training and performance analysis to track her metrics, set workouts, and plan her own improvement.

“I use Strava primarily for its social features—cheering on friends, seeing others’ progress, and staying engaged with the running community,” she said. “While it’s not my primary training tool, it’s an important supplement that keeps running fun and keeps me socially connected.”

Mbiam also said Strava isn’t an integral component of his training, and he doesn’t subscribe to the belief that “if it’s not on Strava, it didn’t happen.” Like Vielhauer and Cohen, he simply appreciates the connection it provides among athletes.

“It gives us something to talk about, which fosters community,” he said. “It’s also great that Strava and Garmin work together to roast us voluntary participants.”

That building of community and encouragement for people to continue to be active and pursue their goals is what helped the app become more popular since it first launched in 2009. Strava believes that “if you sweat, you’re an athlete,” which is a concept Vielhauer truly enjoys about the app.

“One of the things I love about Strava is how easy it is to connect with other athletes—from local running buddies to elite professionals,” she said. “It’s inspiring to follow pro athletes I admire and get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their training routines. Seeing their workouts, races, and even rest days gives me a better understanding of what it takes to compete at a high level. It’s both motivational and educational—and it reminds me that we’re all part of the same broader running community, no matter our paces or goals.”

At 380.8 feet, the Hyperion tree in Redwood National Park in California is the world’s tallest tree. However, in 2022, the park closed the area around the Hyperion, and visitors who attempt to see it up close risk a $5,000 fine and six months in jail.

Last month, a groundbreaking ceremony marked the official commencement of construction on Harold Simmons Park, a 250-acre space located between the Ronald Kirk Bridge and the Margaret McDermott Bridge in the Trinity River Corridor.

In a private-public partnership with the City of Dallas and the Trinity River Corridor Local Government Corporation, the Trinity Park Conservancy was selected to design, construct, and maintain the future park. Trinity Park Conservancy Chief Marketing Officer Brian Lapidus said the concept for Harold Simmons Park emerged from a longstanding vision to transform the Trinity River Corridor into a vibrant public space. 

“For decades, city leaders and community members aspired to revitalize this underutilized area, aiming to create a unifying green space for the city,” he said. “This vision gained significant momentum in 2016 when Annette Simmons, widow of the late Dallas businessman Harold Simmons, pledged a transformative $50 million donation to support the development of a park along the Trinity River.”

To bring this vision to life, the Trinity Park Conservancy is collaborating with well-known landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and Lake|Flato Architects to guide the park’s design and development.

“Their collective goal is to convert the Trinity River from a divider into a central gathering place that fosters community engagement and environmental stewardship,” Lapidus said.

The hope is also that Harold Simmons Park will not only serve as a unifying landmark that fosters community connections and provides access to nature and recreational amenities for all Dallas residents but that it also becomes a recognized place for non-locals.

“Positioned to be a signature destination akin to New York’s Central Park, Harold Simmons Park will elevate Dallas’ national and international profile,” Lapidus said. “Its innovative design and community-focused initiatives reflect the city’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive urban development.”

The park is expected to benefit the city in a variety of ways, including by generating more than $7 billion in economic impact, leading to increases in job creation, tourism, and local business development. Lapidus said Harold Simmons Park will also result in positive impacts regarding environmental sustainability.

“With a strong emphasis on conservation, the park will feature native landscapes, flood mitigation strategies, and sustainable infrastructure,” he said. “These elements not only enhance the ecological health of the Trinity River but also provide residents with a resilient and green urban environment.”

Dallas resident Erasmo Estrada is an advocate for city parks and enjoys visiting major parks of other various cities when he travels.

“A park provides something healthy for locals and visitors to do, helps the local economy, increases a city’s aura, and provides a space to just hang out,” he said. “It feels like I’m on my own little adventure when I go through a park.”

Estrada was recently able to attend a luncheon that included information regarding Harold Simmons Park, and he said he has no real qualms about this new addition to Dallas.

“I think any city needs continuing investment in parks,” he said. “I hope it can be smartly connected and not isolated, but I’ll leave that to those developing these things to design and build it as well as they can.”

A significant portion of the park will be in the floodway of the Trinity River. Currently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working on improvements to the floodway and levees, so design plans for the floodway will be released after USACE completes its flood safety work. The park will include urban overlooks (with playgrounds, performance spaces, restaurants, etc.), which will be located above flooding concerns.

While Dallas currently has a variety of parks and other public spaces for individuals to enjoy, Harold Simmons Park is expected to be a unique accessible place to connect diverse neighborhoods and offer recreational opportunities for all Dallas residents and visitors. Estrada said he thinks the area where the park is being constructed is certainly one that needs improvement.

“I’d be excited to make something out of our Trinity River that sits right next to our city’s core and feels neglected, compared to something like Austin’s Lady Bird Lake,” he said.

The design plans for Harold Simmons Park include several attractions, including a six-tower playground, skate and bike parks, a rollerskating rink, sports courts, picnic areas, and a cable ferry. There will also be a 40,000-square-foot event lawn for concerts, festivals, and community gatherings.

“Residents of Dallas and the broader metroplex have ample reason to be enthusiastic about the forthcoming Harold Simmons Park,” Lapidus said. “It represents a visionary investment in Dallas’ future, promising to deliver social, economic, and environmental benefits that will resonate for generations to come.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

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Monday, May 12: Rangers vs. Rockies at Globe Life Field
Tuesday, May 13: Stars vs. Jets (Game 4) at the American Airlines Center; Dallas Speed Dating & Singles Mixer (ages 26–36) at Happiest Hour; 90s Pop Culture Trivia at Legacy Hall
Wednesday, May 14: Pilates & Palomas at Hall Arts Hotel
Thursday, May 15: Candlelight — Best of Video Games at Edison’s; Frisco RoughRiders vs. Corpus Christi Hooks at Riders Field
Friday, May 16: Dallas Wings vs. Minnesota Lynx at College Park Center; Wildflower Arts & Music Festival at Galatyn Park Urban Center (goes through Sunday); Dallas Silent Disco at Klyde Warren Park
Saturday, May 17: WRRC Saturday run from Taco Joint; The Dallas Fitness Sampler at White Rock Brewing Co.; Stars vs. Jets (Game 6, if needed) at the American Airlines Center
Sunday, May 18: Rangers vs. Astros at Globe Life Field; PBR World Finals at AT&T Stadium (also on Saturday)