Strava DMs are now open

It's not that I don't like flirting on the internet. I love a cheeky email or a Spotify blend playlist. But a new horrible opportunity for flirting has entered one of my social media platforms, and it might ruin me completely. You can now slide into someone's DMs on Strava.

Strava, an app that tracks your workouts, announced its new messaging feature today. The entire purpose of adding DMs to the platform is to create an easy way for Strava users to "coordinate adventures, connect for inspiration or tips, share their journey, and more," Strava wrote in a news post. I can get behind this reasoning for sure, but if there's one constant on the internet, it's that if DMs are open, men are going to enter them.

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You can message someone on the Strava app by navigating to their profile and clicking "Message" to the left of the "Following" or "Follow" button. A notification will pop up, saying: "Let's keep Strava positive. Remember to be kind when messaging others." Beneath that note, you'll be able to click the "Send a Message," button. You can also click the chat icon to the left of the notification icon in the top right of your home screen.

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You can both DM one-on-one or send a group message, which I could see being helpful when you're trying to coordinate something for a running club where you might not have everyone's numbers but you do have their Strava accounts. And while I don't lovethe idea of literally anyone messaging me on a fitness platform, I was honestly kind of shocked that this feature didn't already exist on the app. 

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"Running isn't just a sport; it's a journey that unites us in remarkable ways," shared Toni Harris, the first female to be awarded a college football scholarship as a non-specialist in college football history, said in a Strava news post. "As I geared up for my first marathon, the New York City Marathon, Strava became my sanctuary for raw authenticity. With its Messaging feature, it was about a community who are pursuing a shared goal and striving for our best. Through this, I found lasting connections and friendships that reminded me that while I am running 'alone,' there's an entire community cheering me on."

The only problem with the feature is the aforementioned way people use DMs on almost any other social media platform — but this one is for working out. Most of the time, people don't want to be talked to while they're exercising. Think of all the times you've considered approaching your gym crush but decided against it because you're at the gym to do one thing: work out and go home. You're on Strava to do one thing, too: log your workout and log off. 

But not everyone on Strava wants it to be a solitary experience, and messaging can be a good opportunity to strengthen those bonds. Just, please, dear God, don't use this to hit on someone.

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