How to Run Strides
Runstreet track photos by Marques Jackson Photography.
By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach
Wondering how to run strides? You’ve come to the right place. As a running coach, I often give runners strides in their workouts. Running strides improves your running form and speed and reduces your risk of running injuries. Strides are a great way to improve your running efficiency and can also be a short speed workout for beginning runners. Strides are short running bursts in which you build up speed as you run. Strides can help your running balance and form, preventing injuries, as well as help you warm up before a big race. If you don’t know what strides are, don’t worry, I’ll go over everything you need to know here. Before we delve into how to run strides, here’s a better understanding of what strides are and how they can help you:
What Are Strides?
Strides, also called striders, are a running drill that you run for short bursts with an exaggerated running form. You begin at a moderately fast pace and increase your speed to a sprint by the end of your stride. Your legs will have a quick turnover and fast cadence by the end of each stride.
The best place to do strides is on a flat surface such as a track, athletic field, or even road. Strides are often used in training plans for runners tackling distances from 5K to the marathon. Strides can help distance runners warm up before races or can be part of speed work in preparation for a race.
Related Post: 10 Best Running Drills to Become a Better Runner
Runners do strides at the end of a warm up to help prepare for a race or speed workout. Or you can do them after an easy run to work on your form and leg turnover speed. Strides are short, 20-30 second accelerations that you can plug into your training program to become a faster runner.
Strides can also be a key part of your dynamic warm-up before a speed workout or race. Strides help prepare your muscles for more intense, fast running. Learning how to run strides will reduce your chances of injuries and help you become a better runner.
Benefits of Strides
There are many benefits of adding strides to your running routine. Doing strides helps improve your biomechanics and running form, helps loosen up your muscles and prevent running injuries, and builds your running speed. Whether you're a cross country runner or an endurance athlete tackling half marathons and marathons, strides can help you run with good form and improve your running economy.
Strides can be part of your warm-up before a tough race or workout, as part of your dynamic stretching routine. Running strides is also a great way to transition into doing your first speed workouts as they train your body to run fast for short bursts of speed. Stride-outs can be your first speedwork if you're a new runner.
According to the American Council on Exercise, doing short speed workouts like strides helps improve lean muscle tissue and even offers anti-aging benefits by combatting the effects of muscle loss that comes with aging. Speed workouts boost type II muscle fibers, which normally decrease as people age.
Here are the main benefits of running strides:
Better running form.
Improved running efficiency.
Strengthens leg muscles and combats muscle loss that comes with age.
Improves running speed.
Can help warm-up before a race or hard workout.
How to Run Strides
Running strides is pretty simple, so if you’re learning how to run strides, it won’t take long. As with all workouts, the key is to build up slowly, so don’t go out and run 20 strides if you’re a beginning runner.
Here’s how to run strides and incorporate them into your training:
Find a flat place to run about 100 meters. This can be at a track, park, trail, or road.
Begin running your stride by taking exaggerated steps (or strides), and pumping your arms up and down as if you are running fast. As you speed up, your leg turnover will get quicker.
Start out running at an easy, relaxed pace, and build up your speed as you run, accelerating to near maximum speed by the end of your stride.
You should be running at about 95 percent effort level by the end of your stride. Your stride should only take 20-30 seconds in duration so you may get winded at the end but will recover quickly.
Do 4 strides for your first strides workout and build up to doing 6 or 8 reps.
When to Run Strides
You can incorporate running strides into your training at least once a week and up to 3 times a week to boost your speed and running form. If you’re a beginning runner, try doing a few strides in the middle of your regular run, which will start training your body to do speed workouts.
You can also do strides after one of your base runs to work on leg speed and turnover when your body is already experiencing fatigue. If you want to do strides to warm up for a race or speed workout, warm up for 10 minutes and then do your strides before the race or workout.
Learning how to run strides will make you a better runner.
Here’s a sample plan to incorporate strides into your training:
Day 1: Base run + 6 strides
Day 2: Strength training
Day 3: Warm up, 4 strides, speed workout, cooldown.
Day 4: Base run + strength training
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: Warm up, 4 strides, race. Stretch.
Day 7: Rest
As you can see, there are many ways you can incorporate running strides into your training program, and you will become a stronger, faster runner because of it. Strides can help reduce your risk of injury, optimize your stride length, and give you an introduction to intervals and other speed work.
With all the benefits of strides, there’s really no reason not to add them into your training program. Just remember when you are just starting out with running strides, do a few and build up to running 6 or 8 strides over the course of a few months.
Have you tried strides? Follow and tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share your workouts and get cheered on. Happy striding and happy running to you!😊
Related Posts: How to Taper Running, Interval Training for Beginners, 3 Track Workouts to Get Faster
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, a dog lover, an Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet. She specializes in helping runners get faster and stronger and helping beginners elevate their fitness levels. She is based in Brooklyn, New York.
