Running away from unhealthy social media comparisons

A student recognizes how her relationship with social media creates unhealthy standards in her life.

JUAN COLON / THE TEMPLE NEWS

I’ve always hated running. It reminds me of wheezing through elementary school gym class when I was the stout kid struggling to finish the mile run. 

But during Thanksgiving Break, I downloaded Strava to record my runs and track my progress. It’s a neon orange app designed to push an individual to take on physical activities like running, biking and weightlifting. The app’s name is a direct translation of “to strive” in Swedish.

My primary goal was to stay consistent with tracking my running progress — focusing on metrics like speed, distance and the combination of the two. Although running was not a resolution I made in the New Year, it felt apt to take steps to push myself and improve.

While Strava functions like most fitness apps, it has a unique, social media-like component that stood out to me. Users can follow others, view their activities and even give them “kudos,” or a virtual thumbs-up.

I didn’t start running until college because I stopped playing school sports and needed some form of physical activity. I still vividly remember those early attempts: out of breath and stopping short of a mile. 

During the years, my relationship with running has been sporadic — phases of interest followed by complete indifference and distaste for the activity. I consider myself an athletic person and am constantly active, whether through sports or other forms of exercise, but I’ve always hated running because I never felt like it came natural to me. 

Strava’s competitive, social-media-like features introduced a new sense of accountability and motivation. For the first time, I wasn’t just running for the sake of running — I wanted to improve because I knew others were watching.

My experience with Strava mirrored a deeper issue in many facets of my life. The dual-edged impact of social media — a competition I’ve created by comparing myself to others. 

On platforms like Strava, Instagram or LinkedIn, connection with other people has been a powerful source of insecurity. But as I have taken on this relationship with Strava and running, I wondered if this constant comparison is healthy.

LinkedIn had a natural passage in my life. I don’t frequent the app as often as others, but I find a slight obsession with professional and educational improvement. Every time I open LinkedIn I’m met with a sinking feeling when I see my peers’ polished profiles and announcements of job offers that make my achievements feel inadequate. 

As a soon-to-graduate college student, I’m obsessed with applying for jobs and internships, and seeing the success of others feels like a competition I am constantly losing. 

On Instagram, I see individuals posting snapshots of their life which always look better than the one I’m living. Although most photos on Instagram are just the most palpable and fascinating moments, I often find myself comparing my own life and feeling inadequate in comparison.  

The feeling of inadequacy I found on LinkedIn and other social media platforms crept into my relationship with Strava. My running became a silent competition with strangers’ achievements, and I started questioning whether my motivation to improve was for myself or some external validation. 

Since this realization, I’ve taken a step away from Strava and other social media platforms. Running has become quieter now that I’m not measuring the success of others before personal joy. 

I no longer compete for a faster time or go further than I have in the past – when I run now it’s about finding fulfillment in the act itself. 

Running may never come naturally, but it has taught me to redefine success on my terms. I’m beginning to understand I can improve at running without chasing badges, virtual “kudos” and superficial approval. 

As I step back from measurements and comparisons I realize that both in running and life success is not about the achievements of others, so far it’s about finding joy in the process. 

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