I saw this monthly run recap trend and tried to simplify it

I kept seeing these monthly run recap posts on Threads.

At first just random. People already share their runs anyway, usually just one activity, route + stats.

But this one is different. It shows the whole month in one image, like a calendar. I found myself stopping a few times just to zoom in and look at the routes. It’s actually quite fun to see how other people run.

After a while I saw more of it from different people, so I guess it’s becoming a trend.

I checked the comments because I was curious how people made it. Most of them do it manually. They download runs from Strava, then put everything into Canva one by one. Some people were also asking for templates.

At that time I was already working with Strava API, so I thought maybe this can be done faster. I also checked if there’s already a tool for it, but most of what I found are apps like Relay or Share Aura. They focus on one activity, not this kind of monthly recap.

It was also near the end of the month, so the timing felt right to try.

I opened VSCode and made a simple version first. Just pull monthly runs, put them into a calendar grid, and show distance, pace, and route. That part was quite fast.

It worked, but it didn’t feel like something people would post. More like something nice to see, not to share.

So I tried to improve the design a bit.

I started with simple themes, then used colors from things that are trending. Like some running shoes I saw a lot recently Like ASICS Superblast 3 Cobalt Burst (SB BMKG or Dangdut in Indonesia), Adidas Hyperboost Edge, and Adidas Evo SL. Just to make it feel more familiar..

I also added a transparent version. Because I see people often put their run stats on top of photos or stories, so this might help.

Then I added another layout for story format.

At that point it felt ready. I already made some sample images and a short demo.

Before posting, I tried it with another account.

That’s when I found the problem.

The app only works for my account. If other people want to use it, I need to submit the app to Strava and wait for approval.

The rate limit before was okay, I already handled it. This one is different because it blocks everything.

And timing matters here. End of the month is when people post this kind of recap, and approval can take days.

So for now it works, but only for me.

I’ve submitted the app and now just waiting.

I’ll update this once there’s any progress.