Strava Routes: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating Custom Paths

How do you create a route on Strava?

Creating a custom route on Strava allows athletes to meticulously plan their runs, rides, or walks, optimizing for distance, elevation, terrain, and safety, directly within the platform's intuitive route builder interface.

The Strategic Advantage of Custom Routes

For any serious athlete, whether a seasoned marathoner, an avid cyclist, or a dedicated hiker, planning is paramount. Strava's route builder is more than just a mapping tool; it's a strategic asset that enhances training efficacy, safety, and exploration. By pre-determining your path, you can manage training load, prepare for specific physiological demands (e.g., climbing, sustained efforts), and navigate new environments with confidence. This proactive approach minimizes unforeseen challenges and maximizes the quality of your activity.

Accessing the Strava Route Builder

The Strava route builder is primarily accessible via the web browser, offering a more robust interface than the mobile app for route creation.

• Log In: Begin by logging into your Strava account on a desktop or laptop computer.
• Navigate to Routes: From the main dashboard, hover over "Dashboard" in the top menu bar, then select "My Routes" from the dropdown.
• Create New Route: On the "My Routes" page, click the "Create New Route" button, typically located on the right side of the screen. This will open the route builder interface.

Navigating the Route Builder Interface

Upon entering the route builder, you'll be presented with a map interface and various controls. Familiarizing yourself with these tools is crucial for efficient route creation:

• Map Window: The central and largest part of the screen, displaying the terrain.
• Control Panel (Left Sidebar): This panel contains options for setting your activity type, preferences, and displaying route metrics.
• Map Layers: Options for toggling between standard maps, satellite views, and Strava's Global Heatmap.
• Zoom and Pan: Standard map controls for adjusting your view.
• Undo/Redo: Essential for correcting mistakes during route plotting.

Step-by-Step: Creating Your Route

Creating a route involves plotting a series of points that Strava then connects using its underlying map data.

1. Select Activity Type:
   • In the left sidebar, choose your activity type (e.g., Ride, Run, Walk). This influences how the route builder snaps to roads or trails and calculates relevant metrics.
2. Choose Routing Preferences:
   • "Use Popularity" (Recommended): This setting leverages Strava's vast dataset to prioritize routes popular among other athletes, often leading to safer, more scenic, or well-maintained paths.
   • "Manual" (For Specific Paths): If you need to force the route along a very specific, less-traveled path or off-road trail, you can toggle off "Use Popularity" and click more precisely.
   • "Minimize Elevation" vs. "Maximize Elevation": Depending on your training goal (e.g., flat speed work vs. hill training), select the appropriate option.
   • "Paved" vs. "Unpaved": Specify your preferred surface type, which can guide the route builder to appropriate roads or trails.
3. Plot Your Starting Point:
   • Click on the map at your desired starting location. A small circle will appear, marking the beginning of your route. You can also type an address into the search bar.
4. Add Waypoints:
   • Continue clicking on the map to add waypoints. Strava will automatically connect these points, snapping to roads or known trails.
   • Drag and Drop: If the automatically generated path isn't quite right, you can click and drag a segment of the route to adjust it or insert a new waypoint.
   • Zoom In: For precision, especially in complex areas or trail networks, zoom in closely before adding points.
5. Utilize the Global Heatmap:
   • Toggle on the Global Heatmap layer (found in the bottom right corner of the map, often represented by a small flame icon). This visual overlay shows where other Strava athletes have been active, indicating popular and potentially safer or more interesting routes. Darker areas denote higher activity.
6. Review Route Metrics:
   • As you plot, the left sidebar will dynamically update with key metrics:
     • Distance: Total length of the route.
     • Elevation Gain: Total accumulated vertical ascent, crucial for understanding the physiological demands of the route.
     • Elevation Profile: A visual graph at the bottom of the screen showing the gradient changes along the route, helping you anticipate climbs and descents.
7. Refine and Adjust:
   • Undo/Redo: Use these buttons liberally to correct errors or experiment with different paths.
   • Delete Points: Hover over a plotted point on the map and click the 'X' to remove it.
   • Reverse Route: If you want to run or ride the route in the opposite direction, click the "Reverse Route" button in the left sidebar.
8. Create Loops or Out-and-Backs:
   • To create a loop, simply plot your final waypoint near your starting point, and Strava will connect them.
   • For an out-and-back, plot your route to a turnaround point, then use the "Reverse Route" function to automatically plot the return journey along the same path.

Saving and Sharing Your Route

Once your route is complete:

1. Name Your Route: Give your route a descriptive name (e.g., "Morning Hill Repeats," "Scenic 20-Mile Loop").
2. Add Description (Optional): Include notes about terrain, hazards, or points of interest.
3. Mark as Private (Optional): You can choose to keep the route private if you don't want it visible to others.
4. Save: Click the "Save" button. Your route will now appear in your "My Routes" list.
5. Export and Share: From "My Routes," you can export the route as a GPX or TCX file to load onto your GPS device, or share a link to the route with others. You can also "Use Route" directly from the Strava app on your phone for navigation.

Advanced Tips for Route Creation

• Pre-Ride/Run Scouting: For critical training sessions or races, consider driving or walking a portion of the route beforehand to assess road conditions, traffic, or specific technical sections.
• Safety Considerations: When planning, prioritize well-lit areas, roads with shoulders, and designated bike/pedestrian paths. Avoid high-traffic intersections or areas with poor visibility.
• Segment Integration: While creating a route, consider if it incorporates any existing Strava segments that align with your training goals (e.g., a specific climb for power intervals).
• Terrain Adaptability: Factor in weather conditions. A gravel path might be pleasant in dry conditions but treacherous after rain.
• Nutrition and Hydration Stops: For longer efforts, plan your route to pass by water fountains, convenience stores, or other resupply points.

Benefits of Using Strava Routes in Your Training

Creating and utilizing custom routes on Strava offers significant advantages for athletes:

• Structured Training: Routes enable precise control over distance, elevation, and terrain, allowing for highly specific training adaptations (e.g., long endurance rides, targeted hill repeats, flat speed work).
• Enhanced Safety: Pre-planning helps avoid unexpected hazards, busy roads, or unideal surfaces, reducing the risk of accidents or injury.
• Improved Navigation: For athletes exploring new areas or traveling, pre-loaded routes eliminate the need for constant navigation checks, allowing for greater focus on performance and surroundings.
• Mental Preparation: Knowing the route in advance, including its challenging sections, allows for better mental preparation and pacing strategies.
• Motivation and Exploration: The ability to plan new and exciting routes keeps training fresh and provides opportunities to discover new areas, combating training monotony.

By mastering the Strava route builder, you gain a powerful tool that transforms your approach to training, allowing for more intelligent planning, safer execution, and ultimately, more effective and enjoyable athletic pursuits.