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There have been a lot of weird segments added on Strava over the years — segments on unnamed dirt roads, segments in grocery and dollar stores, segments to someone’s mailbox, and even segments running point A to point B … from jail.
Now, it seems like airports are home to the latest Strava trend.
Heck, if you are there and stuck waiting, what better way to kill time? May as well burn some calories and get some steps in. (No, those moving walkways don’t count!)
The latest Strava segment that’s proving popular is a fairly small (but not easy) one. Still, it’s sending FKT-hungry runners flocking to its unconventional locale. It’s called “Gate Change Gnar,” and it’s located in Concourse B of Denver International Airport.
And in order to get to this Strava segment, you’ll need a valid ticket, leaving somewhere out of DIA.
About the route: This is a 0.1-mile sprint with 1 foot of vert. Terrain includes slippery tile and grid carpet, and obstacles include lots of people with roller bags and long boarding lines. This sprint route is not for the distracted runner, either, as it passes the Qué Bueno Mexican grill, a newsstand, and one of DIA’s many wine bars.
Course Records? More Like Con-Course Records
On April 18, a new All-Time Leaderboard record was set for the women’s fastest time by Kelly Kerschner of Denver, Colo., with a time of 19 seconds. Kerschner ties up the women’s record with the overall men’s record holder, Jared Murphy, also with a time of 19 seconds. (That’s a 3:11/mile pace.)
And while they set the same time for their Strava CRs (course records), the two athletes had very different motivations. “Time for McDonald’s, [and] it closes at 3AM,” wrote Murphy. On the other hand, “[I’m] Just here for the gate change,” Kerschner wrote. “I don’t even fly out of Terminal B.”
“I spend far too much time at DIA, so it’s only fair I hold the crown for my home airport,” Kerschner told GearJunkie.
Attempts made by others on Strava for this segment seem to include a mix of those running for fun to kill time, running out of necessity to make it to a flight, or running to become a DIA Local Legend.
So, the next time you find yourself somewhere near gates B46-B56 in DIA, watch out. The competition is heating up fast, so there may be some serious Strava athletes nearby.
If not, and if you have time, feel free to log the segment yourself. You may just set a new record.