Strava Introduces ‘Beacon’ Safety Feature

Strava, the social network for athletes, has introduced “Beacon,” a new safety feature available now for Strava Premium subscribers. Beacon allows athletes to share their real-time location information with select safety contacts, offering peace of mind for them as well as their friends and family.

“Every athlete wants to be safe, and we felt we could help,” says Aaron Forth, chief product officer. “We’re so proud to introduce Beacon, not only because our community and their loved ones have been asking for it, but also because Beacon adds a new dimension to Strava Premium. Whether you are training regularly, commuting back and forth or heading out for the occasional workout, all types of athletes will find Beacon valuable.”

After enabling Beacon, athletes can select up to three safety contacts who will receive a text message with a unique URL when the activity begins. Safety contacts can click the URL to track the athlete on a map in real time, as well as view the athlete’s remaining battery power. Contacts do not need a Strava account to view real-time information. Beacon also saves contact settings, allowing athletes to use Beacon during future activities with one tap.

Strava’s basic online service, which allows athletes to record and socialize their athletic performances online, is free. The premium service ($59 per year or $6 per month) offers several additional features, including personalized coaching, live feedback and advanced analysis tools. Training plans by McMillan Running are also available. Beacon requires Strava v4.22.00 or later. Download Strava for iOS or Android and upgrade to Strava Premium.

This post originally appeared on Competitor.com.

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