Going for a run without music or a podcast? Sounds awful (if not impossible). Knowing the two go hand-in-hand, Strava and Spotify have teamed up.

Dating back to 2009, Strava has been a popular app with runners, tracking pace, distance, and improvements. Spotify has also been popular with runners because, well, running and music are the perfect match. But, it’s only now that the two app giants have decided to join forces.

Strava and Spotify integrate

What do the changes actually mean for the app? Well, for those who find it hard to stick to one song when running and are constantly changing playlists or podcast episodes, the integration will mean that all Spotify favourites are now saved onto the Strava app without having to have both apps open at the same time.

Strava’s vice president of connected partnerships Mateo Ortega spoke about the obvious partnership, “It’s just one of those things we know people have been asking for a long time, and the stars have finally aligned,” says Ortega.

The partnership promises that runners who are used to fumbling around on their phones or devices to switch songs or find the perfect playlist will now be able to do so with ease from Strava and be more in the zone.

“If people forget that they used to have to open Spotify, come back to Strava and hit record, and to change a song, switch back to Spotify. If it changes their behaviour, does it keep them in the moment? This is a great integration for us and the runners using it,” Ortega muses about the partnership.

It makes sense. The two apps have millions of users who use them alongside one another, so why not cut out the middleman and integrate?

Look out for all the “Local Legends” being taken over by the runners who decide to combine Strava with Spotify and see their stats skyrocket.