- LiAnn Anderson took up running in 2016 and found it helped her relax and get through a divorce.
- She used the Strava app to map her routes, monitor her progress, and connect with other enthusiasts.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with LiAnn Anderson. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Running is a huge stress reliever for me. It's my way to decompress after sitting at work for eight hours a day on the computer.
It does a lot for my mental well-being and helped get me through my divorce around eight years ago. I was a single mom of three, but I always made time for a run several times a week.
In 2016 I decided to download the Strava app, which kept track of my progress and logged milestones. It also allowed me to tag friends who had profiles. It helped make me accountable.
I kept it on my watch and would check it during runs, especially when I started entering 5K and 10K races before graduating to half-marathons.
We'd chat about challenging ourselves and our fitness goals
The app suggests other athletes to follow, often based on people I know. I have no idea how the profile came up of a stranger called Mike Anderson, but one of us approved the other in January 2017.
Your profile usually includes your photo, your Instagram, and a little description. Mike seemed like a nice person. We communicated through the chat function. We'd talk about our upcoming runs and rides. Mike was into cycling back then. He'd cover as far as 100 miles in one day.
Next we chatted about challenging ourselves further by cross-training. Mike began to focus on running as well.
We'd cover topics such as the best type of shoes to wear. I encouraged him to look at his nutrition. He used to run on an empty stomach, which isn't good. I advised him to have breakfast first.
He was pretty much the only person in the Strava group that I chatted to. Then things got a bit flirty. We switched to email.
Still, there was an obstacle, because Mike lived in the Bay Area, 400 miles from my home in Southern California.
Nevertheless, in May 2017 — five months after we'd met on Strava — I asked him to join me for the Orange County Half Marathon. I wasn't sure whether he'd come, because it was an eight-hour drive.
We'd drive to see each other once a month
But he did. We met at the place where you pick up the packet for the race. We hung out and went for dinner.
The next day we ran the half-marathon together. Even though Mike was a faster runner than me, he stayed by my side. It was the fastest half I'd ever run.
We started dating. We'd drive eight hours to see each other once a month. It started to get serious.
Luckily, in 2019, Mike, who's 12 years older than me at the age of 54, got a job here as a store manager. We moved in together. My kids thought Mike was great.
Our little boy, Declan, was born in June 2020. Mike and I got married two months later. It's funny to think our son wouldn't exist without Strava.
Some of my single friends have now joined Strava; they'd like to meet a man like Mike who shares their interest in fitness. I hope they find love like we did.
I've got around 100 races under my belt, and Mike has around 150. But our whole family can't get enough of running. We all did a turkey trot on Thanksgiving. Declan, now 3, even took part. He's showing a lot of potential.
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