My husband once ran 7 miles to draw a cat. He came home, sweaty and proud, and showed me his phone like he had just finished the Sistine Chapel. It looked like a potato with ears. I told him it was beautiful, because that is marriage.
The thing is, he was not wrong to try. Strava art (also called GPS art) is one of the most fun things you can do with a run: you plan a route so the line on your map draws a picture or a word, then you post it and wait for the comments. The hard part was never the running. It was the planning, the squinting at maps, and the "wait, is that a dead end?" at mile 4.
So we built a free tool for it. The Run Art Route Maker takes your spot, a shape and a distance, and finds a route on real streets that draws it. Below are our favorite Strava art ideas, grouped by season and occasion, and every one links straight to that shape in the tool.
Updated October 2026
Quick answer
The easiest Strava art ideas are bold, simple shapes like a heart, pumpkin, ghost or thumbs up, plus holiday shapes like a turkey or Christmas tree and race numbers like 26.2 or 13.1. Plan the route in a grid neighborhood or a big park, export the GPX to your watch, and start a few blocks from home to keep your address private.
- Run Art Route Maker (free): anyone who wants a shape drawn on real streets, from 2 to 15 miles, with no app or sign-up.
- Heart route (free): first timers, Valentine's Day and anniversaries.
- Turkey route (free): a Thanksgiving morning run before the pie.
- Ran 10 Miles to Draw You a Heart tee (from $34.99): the runner whose love language is a route map.
- Not Lost. Just Drawing a Dinosaur on Strava tee (from $34.99): the GPS artist who keeps turning left.
Run & Tell was started by Tal, a mom of two, when she couldn't find gifts for her runner husband Shalev that weren't cheesy or generic.
How to make Strava art (the short version)
- Pick a spot. Tap "Use my location" or type a city or ZIP. Grid neighborhoods and big parks with lots of paths work best.
- Pick a shape. Choose from 26 shapes in Holiday, Running and Fun tabs, or type up to 6 characters in the Text tab.
- Pick your miles. Anywhere from 2 to 15 miles. The shape scales to fit, and you can add your pace to get an estimated time.
- Make your route. You get the route drawn on your streets, the real distance, and a match score like "92% turkey."
- Export the GPX. Download it and import it in Strava (Create a route), Garmin Connect or Coros, then follow it on your watch.
- Run it and post it. Save the 1080x1350 art card or the Instagram story image, and share your masterpiece.
It is free, with no app and no sign-up. That is the whole pitch.
Holiday Strava art ideas
Holiday shapes are the best ones to start with, because everyone in your feed instantly gets the joke.
- Turkey. The Thanksgiving morning classic. Run it before the pie and you have a better excuse for seconds than anyone at the table. We wrote a whole guide to running a turkey route.
- Pumpkin. A round, forgiving shape for fall weekends. A great first try.
- Ghost and bat. Halloween art for the runner who already owns three pairs of pumpkin socks. Here is our Halloween Strava art guide.
- Christmas tree. Clean lines, very recognizable, and it looks great on a December feed.
- Candy cane. Short and sweet. Good for a shorter holiday run.
- Gingerbread man. Run, run, as fast as you can. You know the line.
- Snowflake. The arms are out and back, so you will retrace a few blocks. Worth it.
- Star. Works for the holidays, the Fourth of July, or any day you feel like a star.
Race distance art: 26.2, 13.1 and friends
Running the number is a very runner thing to do. It is also the most efficient way to tell people you ran a marathon without technically saying it.
- 26.2. For marathon training, the taper week shakeout, or the anniversary of your first one. Numbers have more corners than pictures, so give it extra miles if it looks jagged.
- 13.1. The half marathoner's flex.
- 5K. Lovely for a new runner who just finished their first race.
- PR. Draw it the week after you set one. Everyone will know.
- Medal, stopwatch, running shoe and lightning bolt. The rest of the Running tab, for when you want art that still feels like training.
Hearts for Valentine's Day (and anniversaries, and apologies)
The heart is the most popular piece of running route art for a reason. It is simple, it reads from far away, and it turns a Tuesday tempo into a love letter.
Run one for Valentine's Day, an anniversary, a birthday, or the morning after you forgot to take the trash out. My husband ran me a heart once. He also wore the shirt about it: Ran 10 Miles to Draw You a Heart. I pretend to roll my eyes every time.
Simple Strava art ideas for first timers
If this is your first time, pick a bold shape with big, simple lines. Small details are where real streets fight back.
- Heart. Still the best starter.
- Smiley. The eyes connect with faint lines that you run too, so pick a spot with plenty of blocks.
- Thumbs up. A strong silhouette that reads well.
- Coffee cup. For the runner who only runs to get to the coffee.
- Pizza slice. Long run fuel, as art.
- Cat and dog. Run your pet. They will not care, but your followers will.
- Dinosaur. Possibly the most beloved Strava art animal of all time. If someone asks why you keep turning left, you need the Not Lost. Just Drawing a Dinosaur on Strava tee.
- Unicorn. Ambitious. Honestly, it reads more like a head with a horn. We love it anyway.
Text art: draw a word with your run
Open the Text tab and type up to 6 characters: letters, numbers, a period or an ampersand. Ideas that work well:
- Your initials, or your kid's name if it is short.
- A city or race nickname.
- "Run," "Mom," "Dad," "Yes" or "Hi."
- "Marry me" is too long, but "Yes?" fits. Just saying.
Letters can't lift the pen, so the jumps between them show up as faint connector lines. You run those too. Short words with blocky letters read best, and they need more distance than a picture does.
Tips for a clean drawing
- Pick a grid. In our tests, Midtown Sacramento matched about 96 to 100%, Chicago's Lincoln Park 89 to 99%, and Manhattan 80 to 95%. Straight blocks make straight lines.
- Go bigger if it looks messy. If your shape looks jagged, add a mile or two. More blocks per shape means more detail.
- Use "Try another fit." The tool tries different sizes and angles. The next option is sometimes cleaner.
- Watch the score. If the page says the streets here don't love your shape, believe it. Move the map to a spot with more blocks, or pick a bolder shape.
- Load it on your watch. Following a route on your watch beats checking your phone at every corner.
- Don't stop your watch early. A shape with a missing ear is a tragedy. Finish the line before you hit stop.
- Expect a little wobble. Real streets aren't a sketchpad. GPS drifts near tall buildings and under trees. That is part of the charm.
Run it safely, and keep your home private
Check the route before you run. Some streets may be busy or closed. Stick to sidewalks and paths, and follow traffic rules. The tool picks streets from map data, and it does not know about traffic, construction or which corners feel sketchy at 6 a.m. You do, so look it over first.
Also, since you will be posting this map for the world to see: start a few blocks from home, or use a privacy zone in your app. Your turkey does not need to reveal your front door.
For the runner whose feed is basically a gallery
If you live with a GPS artist, you already know their Strava has better art than your living room. They know it too, which is why the My Strava Has Better Art Than My Living Room tee exists.
And if they are already plotting next year's miles, the 2027: 1,000 Miles mileage tracker poster gives them somewhere to color in every run, art runs included. Our guide to gifts for a runner who tracks every mile has more ideas. For US Christmas delivery, order by Monday, November 30.
Now go draw something. Tag us if your turkey comes out great.
Not affiliated with Strava, Inc. Strava is a trademark of Strava, Inc.
Strava art FAQ
What is Strava art?
Strava art (or GPS art) is when you plan a run so the line on your map draws a picture or a word. Runners draw hearts, animals, holiday shapes and race distances, then share the map.
How do I make Strava art?
Pick a spot and a shape in the Run Art Route Maker, choose your miles, and tap "Make my route." Download the GPX, load it on your watch, run the line, and post your activity.
How do I put the route on my watch?
Download the GPX file, import it in Strava (Create a route), Garmin Connect or Coros, and send it to your watch. Then follow the line.
Why doesn't my shape look perfect?
Real streets aren't a sketchpad. The tool tries many sizes and angles and picks the closest fit. More blocks nearby means a better shape, so parks and grid neighborhoods work best.
What are easy Strava art ideas for beginners?
Start with a heart, a pumpkin, a ghost or a thumbs up. Bold shapes with simple outlines read well even when the streets aren't perfect.
Is the Run Art Route Maker free?
Yes. No app, no sign-up. We just ask that you tag us if your turkey comes out great.