I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I prefer furry training partners to human ones most of the time. There’s nothing like the boost of motivation you get from being demolished by your dog’s easy pace as they canter past, practically daring you to try to keep up … with an emphasis on “try,” because you never really have a chance against something with twice as many legs and at least six times as much stoke on life.

Humans get the short end of the stick in that regard (pun absolutely intended). Opposable thumbs and big brains might set us apart from our pups, but do you ever wonder if it’s worth the trade? There are days when I would do unspeakable things for the amount of energy dogs seem to come by so naturally. The lack of deadlines, to-do lists, people to please, and counters to clean no doubt helps. Short of saying “f*ck it all” and going completely off the grid, the next best way to access unbridled joy is by living vicariously through your dog.

Strava, the training and social media platform for athletes, actually found a way to quantify the strength of that relationship between runners and their dogs. According to data from Strava’s Year in Sport Trend Report, 76 percent of users turned to their pets as a source of motivation for training.

That same study found that the largest source of motivation for athletes was the chance to connect with others, either by training together in person or celebrating each other’s efforts virtually on platforms like Strava. It only makes sense that Strava would make moves to merge the two. Now, Strava members can track their dog’s miles the same way they do their own.

Strava’s new partnership with the smart dog collar brand Fi allows athletes to measure their dog’s steps, miles, elevation gain, and GPS data from every outing. Dogs will even get their own leaderboards on the platform to foster some friendly canine competition. Think of it as a digital dog park.

Runners will find that this new Strava feature essentially doubles the reward they would normally get from including their dogs in their training plans. There’s the inherent benefit of getting into a higher gear as you chase them down the trail, but there’s also something to be said for the motivating power of metrics. The chance to earn segment crowns for both you and your dog might be just the incentive you need to bring them along on more runs. The more they join in on, the more opportunities you get to tap into the energy boost that dogs can inspire.

“Strava data has shown that pets are a key motivator for many athletes in pursuing their goals,” said Mateo A. Ortega, vice president of connected partnerships for Strava. “This partnership with Fi is a natural fit, and a way for athletes to not only include pets in their community, but get credit for all of their movement including the daily dog walks.”

The Strava x Fi partnership offers the added benefit of helping athletes become more responsible dog owners. Quantifying the activity that your dog gets on runs and walks makes it easier to ensure that they reach a healthy amount of exercise on a regular basis. Just like us humans, both too little and too much exercise can have adverse health effects. But since dogs don’t have the same ability to regulate their energy and excitement as we do, the onus falls on their owners to keep them in an appropriate range. It’s your dog’s version of a training log. With the numeric evidence right there, runners can set goals in terms of mileage and minutes for their dogs too.

To start tracking your dog’s activity on Strava, pick up a Fi smart collar, download both the Fi and Strava apps (both are available in the App Store and on Google Play), and authorize the integration in your Fi app settings. From there, Fi will automatically upload data from the collar to Strava just like your own watch does.

Here’s to healthier dogs and faster, more motivated humans!

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Lucie Hanes is an avid writer and adventurer on rock and trail with a passion for sharing her outdoor enthusiasms through journalism and mental strength consultation.