Skeezy New Trend: Strava ‘Surrogates’ Are Making Money by Logging Runs for Other People

August 15, 2024

An Indonesian teenager has found a lucrative way to do just that by, well, running for other people.

Wahyu Wicaksono, 17, has become what’s known in the country as a “Strava jockey,” logging running achievements for others on the app for a fee.

“I am active on X and it is booming there,” Wahya told Channel News Asia. He charges 10,000 rupiah (about 62 cents) per kilometer for running at a “Pace 4” (one kilometer in four minutes). For a more leisurely “Pace 8” (one kilometer in eight minutes), the fee is 5,000 rupiah per kilometer. Clients pay upfront, and Wahyu tracks his runs by logging in to the buyer’s account. RW