Well, that is one way to get in your exercise!

Duncan McCabe, a 32-year-old accountant from Toronto, Canada, has managed to turn his passion for running into a creative sensation that has gone viral. Using the GPS tracking app Strava, McCabe spent 10 months crafting a dancing stick figure across the streets of Toronto. The mesmerizing animation, set to Sofi Tukker’s hit Purple Hat, has taken social media by storm, amassing more than 8 million views on platforms like TikTok and X.

The project began as a casual conversation with McCabe’s wife, Andrea Morales, who suggested he animate a figure in a flip-book style. “The lightbulb went on,” McCabe said. “I could visualize it in my head.” From there, McCabe embarked on an ambitious journey to bring the idea to life.

Strava art—where runners, cyclists, and walkers create digital designs using GPS routes — is already a popular trend. But McCabe’s approach was groundbreaking. Instead of a single static image, he aimed to create an animated sequence.

Each piece of art is a frame, and if you combine them, you can turn frames into motion,” McCabe explained.

The process was anything but simple. McCabe meticulously planned each of his 120 runs, often spanning six miles, to ensure the stick figure moved fluidly. Using PowerPoint, he mapped out the runs slide by slide to visualize how the animation would come together. “You need to have a lot of frames per second in order to give it motion,” he said.

One of the project’s biggest challenges was the stick figure’s diagonal movements. When McCabe needed to create a straight diagonal line through areas with buildings or obstacles, he paused the Strava app, ran to the desired point, and resumed tracking. “When you un-pause, Strava runs a direct line between the two points,” McCabe said. This technique meant he ran farther than the app credited, adding extra miles to his already grueling effort.

Duncan McCabe and his wife, Andrea Morales. Photo courtesy of McCabe

Despite the physical and logistical challenges, McCabe found the experience deeply rewarding. “It’s creativity coming out of somewhere you wouldn’t expect it,” he said. “It’s fun. It’s unexpected.” The final product, a 27-second video of a stick figure tipping its hat and dancing, has captivated audiences worldwide.

Even though the video makes the run look flawless, it pays to remember the work McCabe put into it. McCabe explained the intricate planning and effort behind every detail. “Objectively, it was a bad running experience,” he said, laughing. “I looked ridiculous.”

McCabe’s work has placed him in the spotlight among Strava artists, a community known for pushing the creative ability of GPS. His stick figure joins a catalog of impressive GPS creations, including dragons, lions, and Olympic rings. However, his moving animation stands out as a first-of-its-kind achievement.

Sources: Washington Post | Running