Support

FAQ

Is your question not here?

Send an email to us at feedback@strands.com and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Others

I love Strands.com. How can I help?

Become a Strands.com Brand Ambassador. We are always looking for enthusiastic individuals to spread the word about Strands.com in their community. We are looking for individuals of all ages and abilities. For more information, check out the Strands.com Brand Ambassador blog post.

Training Log

  1. I just want to add my workout time and distance. Do I have to add more information?

    No. You can share as much or as little information as you prefer, as long as the Activity type and Date are selected in the Basic tab. These required fields are denoted with a red asterisk.

  2. How do I share a workout?
    1. Click the Running Man button on the Share Bar.
    2. Enter basic information: Date/Time, Workout Title, Distance, Total Time and Effort. Click the "This is a Race" box to designate as a race.
    3. Add one of your favorite routes, workout details, race information, gear, etc. – using the tabs in the workout post.
    4. If you would like to keep the post private or share it with a specific group or list, use the "Share" tab.
    5. Click share.

    Example: http://www.strands.com/mwreneau/posts/19786744

  3. How do I share a Route?
    1. Click on the Running Man button on the Share Bar.
    2. Select the "Route" tab.
    3. Select the "Set Route" button. (you will need to minimize view before you can share the route)
    4. Map route and click the "Minimize" button to return to the share window.
    5. Assign a title, add notes and click "Share"

    Example: http://www.strands.com/mwreneau (click on the button)

  4. How do I add a route to my Route favorites?

    After you have added a new route, you can "Favorite" the route by clicking on the star icon associated with the route post. Favorite routes will appear in the Favorite Route drop menu under the Route tab, so you can associate the route to a workout post.

    1. Find the route you would like to favorite. This can be any route you or another user has posted.
    2. Click on the "Star" icon associated with that route.
  5. How do I share Shoes & Gear?

    Adding Shoes & Gear allows you to track usage on a pair of shoes or a piece of gear.

    1. Click on the Running Man button on the Share Bar.
    2. Select the "Shoes & Gear" tab.
    3. Add Brand and Model (required fields).
    4. Select "Mileage Control" to track the mileage on a pair of shoes or a piece of gear.
    5. Add Notes, and Image.
    6. Click Share.
  6. How do I add Shoes & Gear to a Workout?

    Associating gear to a workout will display the gear you use in your workout post and it will give you a visual display of the

    1. Click on the "Gear" tab when posting a workout.
    2. Select the Shoes and/or Gear you used for your workout.
  7. How do I track mileage on my shoes?
    1. Click on the Running Man button on the Share Bar.
    2. Select the "Shoes & Gear" tab.
    3. After entering required fields under the Gear tab, select the Mileage Control tab.
    4. Select the Type of accessory in the drop menu.
    5. Add the expected total miles under "Useful Life".
    6. If you have already used the gear, add the total miles in the "Initial Distance" field.
    7. Add Notes and Image.
    8. Click Share.
  8. How do I access my Virtual Training Log?
    1. Click "Profile" to access your profile.
    2. Click the training log icon to open your Virtual Training Log.
    3. Click on a page corner to turn the page or click on the month tab to move ahead to a select month.
    4. Access workout notes or link directly to the online entry by clicking on the icons associate with each workout.

    Example: http://www.strands.com/mwreneau (click on the button)

  9. How do I filter the activity on my home page?

    You can filter the activity on your home page using the "Follow", "Follow Me", and "Everyone" tabs. You can also use the drop menus to filter the activity by "Hottest" or "Most Recent". by activity type (Exercise, Nutrition, etc.) and location.

  10. How do I filter my activity on my profile page?

    Similar to the home page you can use both tabs and drop-down menus to filter your activity in many different ways. For example, if you select "Workouts" from the tab menu under your profile picture – you can then filter the workouts in the drop menu so they are listed in "Chronological" order or "Most Recent" (order posted).

  11. Can I view my workouts in a calendar format?

    Yes. In addition to the Virtual Training Log, there is also the Calendar View, Stream View and Stats View to help you analyze and plan workouts. If you select "Workouts" in the tab menu on your profile page you can access all three views by clicking their icons in the upper right hand side of the stream window.

    Example (Stream): http://www.strands.com/mwreneau#/mwreneau/content/section/workouts/display/stream/post_type/all

    Example (Graph): http://www.strands.com/mwreneau#/mwreneau/content/section/workouts/display/graph

    Example (Calendar): http://www.strands.com/mwreneau#/mwreneau/content/section/workouts/display/grid

  12. How do I add new activity to my Calendar?

    You can add activity directly your Calendar a couple different ways. First, click on the day the activity took place. In the pop-up window you can either select the button that corresponds to the type of activity (i.e. Shoe button for Shoes & Gear) or you can type the activity in the parser window. For more information on how to use the parser, click HERE.

  13. Can I compare my Stats with another user?

    Yes. In the Stats view, you will see a search field titled "vs." where you can type the name of any other Strands user with whom to compare stats, as long as their profile is public.

  14. What is the race prediction?

    The race prediction widget – located in the left sidebar of your profile – factors in your races, personal bests, and recent training to determine a race prediction for events ranging from the 400 meters to 100 kilometers. The more information you share, the more accurate the race prediction. Race Prediction and other widgets can be enabled and disabled by clicking "Preferences" at the top of the right side bar. Log both distance and time in order to count towards the prediction.

    Now available in group pages! See how your race prediction compares with others in your group. The primary activity type for the group must be set to "Running".

    Example: http://www.strands.com/groups/team-strandscom-mizuno#/groups/team-strandscom-mizuno/predictions

  15. How do I upload training from another source?

    Instructions will vary depending on the source. Below are generic instructions for most online training logs. If you have a specific training log in mind and you are still having trouble uploading the the workout data, contact feedback@strands.com and we will email you specific instructions, if possible.

    1. Export and save your training from the other online source.
    2. Edit your exported training log file. It is easiest to cut and paste the data you would like to keep to a new Excel file. It is best to keep it simple and include date, distance, duration, and notes.
    3. Save the file as a .csv.
    4. Open up your Strands account and "Share a Workout".
    5. Click on the CSV logo under the "Or Import Data" side bar.
    6. Upload the file under the "Basic" tab.
    7. Under Details, change the formatting to match your file (i.e. MM-DD-YYYY) and add the field order that matches the file you edited. For example, if the fields in your .csv file are date, distance, duration and notes – then, they need to be listed in that order in details.
  16. How do I invite my friends?
    1. Click "Invite", located to the right at the top of the page
    2. Invite contacts by email or import your entire address book
  17. How do I search event listings?
    1. Click on the Events tab located top of the page
    2. Click on view more options
    3. Find your desired race
  18. How do I add workout details?
    1. Click on the "Details" tab in your workout window.
    2. Click on the "Click here to add new items" prompt.
    3. Select your activity type in the drop menu.
    4. Add Distance and Time. You can also add Reps and change the Unit for distance.
    5. Add as many details as needed and click "Share" or move on to another tab when finished adding details.

Parser

  1. Where should I describe my workout?
    1. You can describe your workout in the status bar from Share Menu Bar.
    2. You can describe in your calendar by selecting the date of your workout.
  2. How should I describe my workout?

    When you use parser, try to organize your entry in the following sequences:

    • Quantity – what was the distance or duration of your workout?
    • Metric – how did you measure your workout? e.g. miles, kilometers, minutes, hours
    • Variety – did you run, swim, bike, walk? was it a tempo run, a long run, intervals?
    • Details – what other details can you add? how long did you workout? who did you run with?

    For example, any of the following descriptions will produce a workout entry:

    • 10 mile run in 45:30
    • 5k walk in 50min
    • 2 hour run on Tuesday at 9AM
    • 2 hour ride on 07/08/10
    • 5x50m pulling

    If you use specialized language to describe your runs, don’t worry. Already, many of the standard training vocabularies work! For example, if you use Jack Daniels’ pace descriptions (i.e. E pace, I pace etc), the parser will be able to understand your entry.

    If you use terms that are not recognized by the parser, just send an email to feedback@strands.com and we’ll do our best to fix it.

  3. How should I enter the date/time of my workout?

    The parser will recognize days of the week (e.g. Monday, Tuesday etc.), months (e.g. January, February etc.), and times of day (e.g. (9am, 10:30pm). If you’re in the United States it will also work to record the date of your workout in this format:mm/dd/yy. If you live outside the United States, this format will work: dd/mm/yy.

  4. How can I enter comments about my workout?

    If you’d like to enter extra details about your workout to appear in the “comments” field of your workout entry all you have to do is type “comment:” and then give us the details. For instance, you could enter “3 mile run in 30 min, comment: felt good today even though it was hot.” Everything after the “comment:” will appear in the comment field of your entry.

  5. How can I use one of my saved routes?

    Simply by entering the name of one of the routes you’ve mapped and saved, the parser will add that route to your workout entry. Say you have a route named “cedar lake loop.” Just write “ran cedar lake loop in 30min,” and the parser will add that route, along with its elevation chart, to your workout entry.

  6. Can I include my running partners?

    To include your running partners in your workout entry, just add their Strands.com user name prefaced by @. For example, you could enter: “ran 3 miles in 30min with @mikereneau.”

  7. How do I add an interval session?

    If you ran a warm-up enter the distance or duration with the word warm-up. So, for example, “3 mile warm-up”. Then, type a “+” and enter the interval information, for example: “10 x 400m”. If you’d like to enter details about the workout, put those in parentheses.

    For instance, if you ran 10 x 400m with each interval in 75 seconds with 30 seconds rest, the workout entry would look like this: “10 x 400m (75sec, 30sec).”

    Finally, if you ran a cool-down put a “+” after the intervals and enter the distance or duration plus the word “cool-down.” So, here’s what the full interval entry would look like: “3 mile warm-up+10 x 400m (75sec, 30sec) + 3 mile cool-down.”

  8. How can I add different kinds of activities?

    For Strands.com users who primarily log one kind of activity (e.g. running, biking, rollerblading) the parser will assume that the workouts entered will also be that activity. However, if you a multi-sport athlete, or maybe just an adventurous person, and you’d like to add a variety of activities, simply add the name of the activity before the description of the workout, set apart by a colon.

    For example, any of these entries would be correctly organized by activity:

    • running: 5 miles in 40 min
    • swimming: 10 x 50m kicking
    • biking: 10 miles hilly fartlek
  9. How do I add a race?

    Just make sure your label your effort a race. For example:

    • Race: 10 miles in 60:15
    • 10 mile race in 60min
  10. How do I add a meal?

    First, enter the type of meal it was (e.g. breakfast, lunch, dinner, supplement, snack) followed by a colon. Then describe what you ate or drank. For example:

    • “Dinner: mushroom garlic pasta and wine.”
  11. How do I add my weight?

    Simply type “weight” then a colon, then a number along with the appropriate metric. For example:

    • “weight: 150lbs”
  12. What kind of descriptions will improve my workout entries?

    When you enter a workout using the share menu a description of your workout in parser language will appear above the entry. Hopefully this will help you learn what kinds of descriptions will produce accurate workout entries using the parser feature.

GPS Devices

  1. How do I upload my Garmin workouts to my Strands.com profile?

    If it is your first time synching your Garmin device with your Strands.com profile, we recommend that you manual upload your workout history.

    Manual Upload

    1. From Training Center, click "File" and "Export All Data...".
    2. Choose .tcx Format type in the drop menu.
    3. Close Training Center and open your Strands profile.
    4. Click the "Running Man" Icon on the status bar to "Share a Workout".
    5. Click the Garmin logo.
    6. Click "Choose File" and locate your saved .tcx file.
    7. Post the workouts and routes, by clicking "Share".

    After uploading your workout history you can synchronize instantly using the Strands Tracker desktop application (currently available for Mac only). Download the Strands Tracker, HERE. After downloading and installing the Tracker software, follow the steps below.

    1. Click on the Strands Tracker ball icon.
    2. Select "Synchronize" in the drop menu.
    3. Select the workouts you would like to upload from the workout history.
    4. Click "Sync".
    5. To add workout notes or details later, just click on the Edit (pencil) icon associated with the workout post you would like to edit.
  2. What is Strands Tracker?

    Strands Tracker is a desktop application that allows you to interact directly with your Strands.com profile from your desktop. You can download Strands Tracker, HERE. Synchronize directly with your Garmin, upload batches of photos, and enable the notifications or notification log to receive instant updates from other Strands.com users.

  3. How do I set up a feed?
    1. Click "Preferences", located to the right of your Inbox.
    2. Select "Add Services" in the left sidebar.
    3. Click the "Add" button associated with your desired service.

Groups

  1. How do I create a group?

    Create a group by clicking on the Group button on the Share Bar. Fill in the required fields and click "Share". When uploading an image for a logo, the dimensions need to be square in order to minimize cropping.

  2. How do I add images to the sponsor widget in the group page?
    1. When adding the group page, click on the \"Sponsor\" tab."
    2. Click the add new sponsor link.
    3. Upload an image (square dimensions and less than 2 MB).
    4. Add a name and url.
    5. Click "Share".
  3. Can I make my group private?

    Yes. Strands.com offers many different privacy settings to accommodate the needs of your group. If you would like your group page to be viewed only by members and admins, simply select "Private" in the Settings tab.

    You can also set you group page to allow only admins to add content to the page. To do so, select "Only allow admins to upload images" and "Only allow admins to upload videos" in the Settings tab.

  4. How do I disable group Stats and/or Predictions?

    First, click on the Edit icon (Pencil). Then select the settings tab and uncheck "Enable Stats" and/or "Enable predictions".

  5. How do I search for Groups on Strands.com?
    1. Click on the Group tab located top of the page
    2. Click on the drop down menu to search for hottest or by country
    3. Click on My Groups to easily find your groups

Privacy

  1. How can I make my account private?

    If you would like to keep ALL of your account information and posts private, you need to change your privacy settings in your account preferences.

    1. Click on "Preferences". located to the right of your Inbox
    2. Select the "Privacy" tab in the left menu.
    3. Uncheck the "Allow others to see my page" box to make your profile private. This will hide your profile and posts to all Strands.com users.

  2. Can I make individual posts private?

    Yes. You can always make a post private through the "Share" tab. From this tab you can also assign a post to a specific contact list or group. If you would like the post to be private, select "Private" only.

  3. What is the difference between a contact list and a group?

    A contact list is a user list you create. A group is the subset of users that are members of a group page. To create a contact list, follow these steps:

    1. Click on the people tab or search for an individual.
    2. Click on the contact list button on the user's profile picture.
    3. In the pop-up window that appears, make a new list or assign the individual to a contact list you already created.
  4. How do I share my Strands.com activity with Facebook?
    1. Click "Preferences". located to the right of your Inbox.
    2. Select "Facebook" in the left sidebar.
    3. Select how often you would like to send your posts to Facebook. For instant updates, select "When Posted".
    4. Click "Log in to Facebook and change settings".
    5. Allow Access on Facebook.
    6. Start sharing!
  5. How do I link my Twitter account to Strands.com?
    1. Click "Preferences". located to the right of your Inbox.
    2. Select how often you would like to send your posts to Facebook. For instant updates, select "When Posted".
    3. Enter your Twitter username and password in the text fields.
    4. Click "Save".
  6. How do I share my NikePlus workouts with Strands.com?
    1. Click "Preferences". located to the right of your Inbox.
    2. Select "Add Services" in the left sidebar.
    3. Click the "Add" button associated with the NikePlus icon.
    4. Open up a new browser window or tab and log into the Nike+ site.
    5. Got to "Runs" and make sure your profile is entirely public.
    6. Copy and paste browser URL into the text field in the pop-up window. The URL should follow this format: http://nikerunning.nike.com/nikeos/p/nikeplus/en_US/plus/#//runs/history/XXXXX/
  7. What other sites can I link with my Strands.com profile?

    You can also sync with MapMyRun, Withings, Flickr, and YouTube. To add these services to your Strands.com profile, Click "Preferences" and select "Add Services" in the tab menu in your left sidebar.

Strands for iPhone

  1. How do I record a workout using Strands for iPhone v3.1?
    1. On the main menu screen, select Chrono
    2. Wait until the GPS signal indicates full strength
    3. Hit Start button when you begin running
    4. After you have pressed Start, lock the screen using the lock button to prevent accidental interruption of your workout
    5. When you are finished running, unlock screen and hit stop
    6. Press save button and follow prompts for saving and sharing your workout
    7. Real-time, auto-pause and auto-lap can all be activated or deactivated in settings
  2. How do I add a workout manually using Strands for iPhone v3.1?
    1. Press the up/down arrow from any one of the four main modes, press share something (plus sign) button
    2. Press exercise (running man) button, then workout (stopwatch) button
    3. You will be prompted to manually add workout
    4. Once workout info page appears, fill in information
    5. Hit share button to add workout
  3. How do I share a route using Strands for iPhone v3.1?
    1. Press the up/down arrow from any one of the four main modes, press share something (plus sign) button
    2. Press exercise (running man) button, then route (loop with dots) button
    3. Chrono will activate, record your route the same way as would would a normal workout
  4. How do I view my training history and stats?

    There are several ways to access your training history. One way is through your profile, which is accessible through either Strands.com or the Strands for iPhone v3.1 app. Your profile switch on the iPhone is found under the expand/collapse arrow button. Workouts recorded specifically through the iPhone are also stored locally to your history folder, which is found on the bottom bar of the Chrono screen.

    Your training stats appear on your profile. To access stats by week, month or year, once in your profile, press the second gray button from the left (bar graph) on the listing of buttons at the bottom of the screen.

  5. Can I edit a post after it has been shared?

    Yes, you can edit a post from either your iPhone or from the Strands.com web site. Once you open an uploaded post, you will see a gray bar at the bottom of the screen. There are options on this bar for editing and deleting posts.

  6. How do I access/change settings for Strands for iPhone v3.1?

    The settings menu for the Strands for iPhone v3.1 is listed under your iPhone's settings. Locate and open the settings button from the iPhone's main screen, the settings button for Strands for iPhone v3.0 will appear toward the bottom of the screen.

  7. How do I change my background/theme?

    You can choose from ten different themes, all accessible through the settings menu.

  8. How do I see others currently training in real-time with Strands for iPhone v3.1? How do others follow my training in real-time?

    There are a couple of different ways to see others training in real-time using Strands for iPhone v3.1. One way is from the "Who's Training" map under Geo. In the "Who's Training" map, you will see clusters of red dots. Each one of these dots represents an individual training. You can filter by either those training currently, those who trained within the last hour, those who trained within the last 12 hours, those who trained within the last day, or those who trained within the last week. To select an individual, touch one of the red dots. A real-time tracking map will pop up on the screen showing the individual's route and distance. The other way to follow someone training is to go to their profile in Social. If they are training using the iPhone, a re "now training" dot will appear by their profile picture. Touching the red do will open up the same real-time tracking map. When you have the Chrono running in real-time, others can follow you training in real-time either through strands.com or another iPhone using the same steps.

  9. How do I add a playlist to my workout?
    1. Select Chrono from main menu.
    2. Select Create Playlist button from the left side of the bottom bar, the iPod controls will open up, press song selection (music note) button. Strands will access your iTunes list.
    3. Select Create Playlist button from the left side of the bottom bar, the iPod controls will open up, press song selection (music note) button. Strands will access your iTunes list.
    4. Use blue plus symbol buttons next to each song to add songs to playlist
    5. Press Done button when desired songs are selected. You be brought back to Chrono.
  10. How do I add shoes & gear to a workout?
    1. Before you begin your workout, select Chrono from main menu
    2. Select the gear (running shoe) button from the up/down arrow drop down menu
    3. Any gear previously entered through either strands.com or through your iPhone will appear in this menu screen. To select gear you previously entered, use the check boxes next to each gear listing (as a default, the app will remember the last gear used for each workout, so if you want to change gear, make sure to do so before starting the workout). If mileage control is set up, the mileage will be tracked and updated once workout is shared. To add new gear within Chrono, press add gear button (plus sign) after you press Gear button and follow prompts. Gear can also be added through the share something button found in all four main areas of the app (Chrono, Social, Geo, and Calendar)
  11. How do I search for a user?

    From the main menu screen, using the up/down arrow you can access "Search on Strands". You can search by activity, people, events of groups. Under people, you can search by either username, real name, or location.Your ad(s) will appear prominently in the right sidebar. They appear above the users personalized widgets. Ads will circulate throughout the entire site.

Advertising on Strands

  1. How do I advertise on Strands.com?
    1. Direct your browser to http://www.strands.com/ads.
    2. Read the Strands Advertising Terms of Service.
    3. Click "Sign Up".
  2. How do I create an ad?
    1. Access your advertiser account by selecting "Advertiser" in the Role drop menu at the top of the web page.
    2. Click the "Create an Ad" button.
    3. Fill in the required fields (denoted by the red asterisk).
  3. Where is the placement of the ad(s)?

    Your ad(s) will appear prominently in the right sidebar. They appear above the users personalized widgets. Ads will circulate throughout the entire site.

  4. What are my commitments?

    Pay as you go. You have the control to decide how much you want to spend on each campaign. Once you add credit to your account, you can set daily limits to control your spending.

  5. What is the duration of the ads?

    Your ad will last until your money runs out. You can always pause or archive to start a new campaign. If your advertising balance reaches zero, your ad(s) will be suspended until the balance is increased.

  6. How do I add credit?

    Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover) are the only accepted method of payment for ads. Payment though invoicing is not an option.

  7. Can I stop my ad?

    You have complete control of your ad(s). You can pause, archive or re-start your ad(s) from the drop down menu in your Ad Management page.

  8. What is the price?

    Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover) are the only accepted method of payment for ads. Payment though invoicing is not an option.

    Strands.com offers s cost structure that combines both cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-impression (CPM). Image+text ads cost $1.00 CPM and $0.10 CPC. Text-only ads cost $0.30 CPM and $0.10 CPC.

  9. Why was my ad rejected or suspended?

    Please make sure to read our Advertisement Terms of Service.

  10. When will my ad(s) be active from pending?

    Our community moderator manages ad(s) to ensure advertisements comply with our Advertisement Terms of Service. Please email feedback@strands.com if your ad has been pending for more than 24hrs.

  11. Can I make changes to my ads?

    You can change any information or the target audience. You cannot change the ad type. If you want to change the ad type, you will need to create a new ad. When you make changes, It will be reviewed by the community manager for approval.

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