The Significance of Strides
Strides. The seven letter word that has caused more confusion in the trail running world than that famous moment Kanye interrupted Taylor at the 2009 VMAs (mostly because up until now, the trail running world has been dominated by straight, white men aged 50 years plus, all of whom would have zero idea of this pop culture reference…) Anyway. Back to strides.
Also like that moment, these underestimated sprinkles of power may just be the catalyst to unlock a new era in your running journey, if you just give them a chance.
Put simply, strides are short bursts of power, lasting 20-30 seconds, in which the athlete (i.e. YOU) runs at around 8-9/10 maximum effort. Strides are not a full-blown sprint, should not leave you feeling exhausted and, if done correctly, are the key to unlocking improved running form, improved running economy and an increased cadence. They can be tacked onto the end of easy runs to keep the engine “ticking over…” or incorporated into a steady run for those who are new to running workouts. Perhaps the most beautiful thing about strides is that they are not reserved for those of a particular age or pace. You do not have to consider yourself a “fast runner” to run strides, and the benefits of practising them regularly actually has little to do with speed at all.
Why Stride?
Whilst strides themselves are 20-30 second periods of “running fast,” the benefits of doing them actually has more so to do with improving running form and improving overall running economy, rather than increasing average pace or speed.
Strides:
Help to increase running cadence
Improve running form
Activate fast-twitch muscle fibres
Maximise power output
All of these benefits combined help to improve running economy (how much energy is required to maintain running at a particular pace / speed) and overall longevity in the sport.
Perhaps the second most beautiful thing about strides is that their overall impact on the musculoskeletal system is so low that the risk of injury from doing 4-6 strides, 1-2 times per week is almost negligible. Think of the benefit-cost ratio as being somewhat equivalent to The Era’s Tour (cost = negligible compared to the benefits).
How to Stride
It is hard to envision has something described as a “short burst of power” does not equate to a “maximum sprint…” but alas, the world is complex, and so hear me out!
Unlike a 100m sprint, in which the athlete (i.e may or may not be YOU) engages maximum speed right from the gun, strides should be eased in to. Toni Kenger from Coros very eloquently describes strides as being broken into “thirds” (time-wise), with the first third (5-10 seconds) spent accelerating towards 8-9/10 effort, the middle third (5-10 seconds) spent holding that pace and the final third (5-10 seconds) spent decelerating back to an easy pace (jog or walk).
Rather than trying to run as fast I can, I use phrases such as “quick feet,” “stay smooth” and “core in” as cues to tune into the essence of strides.
The “stride” component of a stride normally lasts 20-30 seconds. Most people take between 30-60 seconds walking or standing recovery before moving onto the next stride (me preferred ratio is 20 second stride, 40 seconds rest / recovery). Anywhere between 4-8 strides is ample to gain the benefits.
When to Stride
There really is no wrong time to stride! As mentioned previously, conditioned athletes / people who have been running for a little while tend to incorporate strides onto the end of “easy” or “steady” runs as a way of keeping the legs “ticking over” and from feeling too heavy. Other people find strides a useful way to “switch on” prior to a workout, and might drizzle some strides in between a warm up and the meaty component of a run. I personally find strides useful to remind myself what it feels like to run fast after some time off running, be it after an injury or a significant race. And for runners new to the sport, strides can be an excellent way to understand what it feels like to run at a faster pace, and may be slotted into the middle of one run per week as a way to get those legs moving.
Stride when you are:
New to running (add into the middle of a run)
Coming back from an injury (add into the middle or end of a run)
Before a workout or race (add in after the warm up)
As a supplement to easy runs (add in at the end of a run)
TLDR
Strides are short bursts of power, lasting 20-3 seconds. They are run at 8-9/10 effort, but should not be a “maximum” sprint.
Strides can be completed as 4-6 x 20-30 second efforts either at the end of runs, the middle of runs (as a stand alone workout for new runners) or prior to races or harder sessions.
Strides are highly useful for improving running form, improving running economy and increasing cadence.
Everyone can and should stride, regardless of age or pace.