Strides running: what they are and how to do them

If you only ever run at an easy, comfortable pace, your legs forget how to move quickly. Strides fix that in about five minutes. They are one of the most common habits among competitive distance runners, yet they are rarely explained well. Here is what strides are, how to do them and what the research can and can't tell us about them.

Strides running meaning

A stride is a short, smooth acceleration, usually 15 to 30 seconds or 80 to 150 metres. You start at a jog, build up to about 85 to 95% of your top speed (roughly your mile race pace or a little quicker), hold it for a few seconds and then gradually slow down. Coaches also call them pickups or accelerations.

Strides are not sprints and they are not intervals:

• Not sprints: you never go all-out. The aim is fast but relaxed, with loose shoulders and an unclenched jaw.
• Not intervals: each rep is too short, and the recovery too long, for heart rate to climb very high. Strides train your legs and nervous system, not your heart. For hard aerobic work, see VO2max workouts.

Strides running workout: how to do them

1. Finish an easy run on flat, smooth ground such as a track, park path or quiet road.
2. Jog for 5 seconds, then build speed over the next 5 to 10 seconds.
3. Hold a fast, relaxed pace for 5 to 10 seconds, focusing on quick, light steps and a tall posture.
4. Ease off gradually over the last few seconds.
5. Walk or jog slowly for 60 to 90 seconds, until you feel completely recovered, then repeat.

Variation	When	Reps	Effort	Recovery
Beginner strides	After easy runs, from week 3 or 4 of regular running	4 × 15 s	Fast but smooth, about 80% of top speed	90 s walk
Standard strides	After 2–3 easy runs a week	4–6 × 20 s	85–95% of top speed	60–90 s walk or jog
Pre-workout or race strides	End of warm-up	3–4 × 15–20 s	Build to race pace or slightly faster	60 s jog
Hill strides	Once a week instead of flat strides	6–8 × 10–15 s	Strong, upright, not all-out, on a 4–8% slope	Walk back down

The treadmill is awkward for strides because the belt takes several seconds to speed up and slow down. If you train indoors, raise the incline for short hill strides or save strides for outdoor runs (more in treadmill vs outdoor running).

When to do strides

The classic slot is straight after an easy run, two or three times a week. Your muscles are warm, the extra fatigue is tiny and the easy day stays easy. That makes strides a good fit for 80/20 training, where most running is slow but you still want regular contact with speed.

The second slot is the end of a warm-up before intervals, a threshold session or a race. A few strides take you from jogging pace to race pace gradually, so the first rep or the first kilometre doesn't come as a shock.

Skip strides when your calves, hamstrings or Achilles tendons are sore, on the day after a hard race, or when you feel run down (a raised resting heart rate or low HRV can be a clue). They are a supplement, not a session to force.

Strides running benefits: what the evidence says

Here is the honest part: there are almost no controlled trials of strides on their own. Their popularity comes from coaching practice. What we do have is research on related training that uses short, fast or explosive efforts:

• Paavolainen et al., 1999: well-trained endurance athletes replaced about a third of their training with explosive work (sprints, jumps and light, fast leg exercises) for nine weeks. Their 5k time and running economy improved without any change in VO2max, and the authors put this down to better neuromuscular characteristics.
• Denadai et al., 2017: a meta-analysis of 16 studies found that adding strength training improved running economy by about 3.9% on average. Explosive programmes (−4.8%) and heavy lifting (−3.7%) worked about equally well.
• Balsalobre-Fernández et al., 2016: in 93 highly trained middle- and long-distance runners, strength training had a large beneficial effect on running economy.

Strides are a much smaller dose than these programmes, so expect a smaller effect. Reasonable, but mostly untested, benefits include:

• Practice at fast running mechanics: quicker steps and a more elastic push-off than easy running allows.
• Regular use of fast muscle fibres that easy running barely recruits.
• Feel for race pace, which helps when a workout or race starts.
• A better warm-up before hard efforts.

Strides don't replace proper strength work. For bigger gains in economy, add two short lifting sessions a week, as in strength training for runners.

Common strides mistakes

• Sprinting flat out: this raises injury risk and defeats the purpose. Stay at 85 to 95%.
• Cutting the recovery: with 20-second rests, strides turn into a hard interval session.
• Straining: if your face and shoulders are tense, slow down a little.
• Doing them on tired legs the day after a long run or hard session.

How strides fit your week

For most runners: two or three easy runs end with strides, one session is a harder workout such as threshold training or a Norwegian 4×4, and one run is long and easy. Strides are a small but useful part of how to run faster; advanced runners on a Norwegian double threshold plan often keep them too. Find your easy and hard intensities with the heart rate zone calculator, estimate race paces with the VO2max running calculator and see more guides in VO2max for running.

Safety: if you are new to running, returning from injury or have a heart condition, build several weeks of easy running first and get medical advice before adding fast running.

Sources

• Paavolainen L, et al. Explosive-strength training improves 5-km running time by improving running economy and muscle power. J Appl Physiol, 1999.
• Denadai BS, et al. Explosive training and heavy weight training are effective for improving running economy in endurance athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med, 2017.
• Balsalobre-Fernández C, et al. Effects of strength training on running economy in highly trained runners: a systematic review with meta-analysis of controlled trials. J Strength Cond Res, 2016.