Strands Review - Win A Pair Of Shoes!

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When I first heard about Strands.com a year ago and signed up I didn't have much time to give it much of a chance.  One of the things Strands has going for it is that they offer almost anything you could think of with a running log.  I have tried many running logs over the past 3 years and they all seem to be missing some key things that I would like to have.  Strands has a few of those which I will mention later, but none of which I would consider to be core needs.


I have resurrected my Strands account and have given it another go at their request.  This time I have spent much more time just getting to know the interface and checking out what it has to offer.


They have thought about almost everything.  All the basics are there, the profile, the gear, the routes, and the ability to log your workouts and races.  One of the pleasant surprises was how well the mapping utility works.  I have tried this same feature on many sites and they are either clunky or just not very accurate.




Facebook and Twitter integration is there just as you would expect from any good social site (which Strands also is), however I would like to see a little more information posted to my Facebook profile.  The one liner seems to work on Twitter, but is really not enough to peak the interest of Facebook users.


I have an off-brand GPS that is not natively supported, however the list is quite long of ways to import your runs directly into Strands.  Garmin, Nike+, and Polar are just a few that are available, but also a simple csv file can be used.  I find it very impressive that they also have an iPhone app which is not something that many running logs have yet.  I would just like to see a Blackberry app since I am not an iPhone user.


There are a few things that I think are missing.  I, obviously, am a blogger and blogging is a big part of my running and social interfacing with others.  While they offer badges for blogs, I would much prefer to see a widget that would post my recent wourkouts, races, and PR's.  I also really wish they allowed me to directly link blog posts or other url's in the note portion of a workout or race.  Many times I want to go into much more detail than would be practical on a running blog.  Having my url's clickable is really an important part of the interaction between my running log and my blog.  I also would like a place for my blog to be linked from my profile, it would be really cool if my RSS feed was automatically posted to my profile for my followers to read.


Have you given Strands.com a test drive yet?  If not, here is your chance...... and you could get rewarded while you are at it!  How does a new pair of Mizuno shoes sound?


Prizes:
Grand Prize: A Running Log that is all that you ever wanted (everyone wins!)
First Prize: A Pair of Mizuno Shoes (1 awarded)
Second Prize: A Strands.com/Mizuno Tech Shirt (3 to be awarded)
Third Prize: A Strands Goodie Bag (3 to be awarded)


How to enter:
Create a Strands.com Account if you do not already have one.
Share a workout, route, or status of your run.
Post a comment on this post with your Strands username and your thoughts on Strands.
(some great profiles to follow - mikereneau, marian1984, foxieratliff, timwilson)


....want additional entries?

Tweet this contest (leave comment)
Share this contest on Facebook (leave comment)
Mention this contest on your blog (leave comment)


The giveaway will run through June16th at which time the 7 winners will be selected via random.org.  Sorry, prizes can only be shipped to the US.


Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon!  While you are here why not take a moment to follow me on Twitter, like my Fanpage, follow my blog, or subscribe to my feed.

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com - subscribe - follow blog - twitter - fanpage - call