Stride Smarter: How Short Accelerations Supercharge Your Running Performance
I still remember the first time I felt my legs snap into a new rhythm on a damp, early‑morning run through my neighbourhood park. The air was still, the path glistened with a thin mist, and after ten minutes of easy jogging I slipped into a brief, controlled burst of speed – a stride that seemed to pull a hidden spring from my calves. For a split second I was faster than I’d ever been that day, and when I eased back into my easy pace the world felt a little more open, the hills a touch less steep. That fleeting feeling of “I can run faster without paying the price” sparked a question that still drives my training: how can a few seconds of acceleration make a lasting difference to every kilometre we log?
Story Development
That morning run turned into a series of small experiments. I started adding a handful of short accelerations – what coaches call strides – at the end of my easy runs. I watched my stride length subtly increase, my cadence feel lighter, and my heart rate settle more quickly after the effort. The more I practiced, the more the nervous system seemed to remember the pattern of a quick, efficient turnover. It wasn’t just a feeling; it was a measurable shift in how my body recruited fast‑twitch fibres without the fatigue that follows a full‑out interval.
Concept Exploration: The Science of Short Accelerations
Neuromuscular coordination – research shows that repeated brief accelerations improve the timing of motor‑unit firing, sharpening the brain‑muscle communication loop (Skovgaard et al., 2018). This translates to a smoother, more economical stride at race pace.
Running economy – by practising the mechanics of a faster pace in a low‑fatigue state, you teach your muscles to use less energy for the same speed (Koral et al., 2017). The net result is a lower oxygen cost per mile.
Fast‑twitch fibre activation – short, high‑intensity bursts preferentially target type‑II fibres, strengthening them without the long recovery demands of traditional sprint intervals (Gist et al., 2013).
Together, these adaptations mean that a 20‑second effort can make every subsequent kilometre feel easier, whether you’re aiming for a 5K personal best or a marathon finish.
Practical Application & Self‑Coaching
- Identify the right moment – add strides after a solid warm‑up (5‑10 minutes easy jog) or at the very end of an easy run. The goal is to be fresh enough that the effort feels like a “pick‑up” rather than a hard workout.
- Personalise the pace – aim for 85‑95 % of your maximum effort – roughly your 5K race pace or a touch quicker. If you have a sense of your personal pace zones, use them to gauge the intensity without over‑reaching.
- Structure the effort:
- Accelerate gradually over the first 20 m, reaching top speed by the 40 m mark.
- Hold that speed for 10‑15 seconds (about 50‑80 m total distance).
- Decelerate smoothly back to an easy jog.
- Recovery matters – give yourself 1‑2 minutes of walking or light jogging between repetitions. This mirrors the 1:40 work‑to‑rest ratio that research flags as optimal for neuromuscular gains.
- Leverage adaptive training cues – if you use a training platform that offers real‑time feedback, let the instant pace read‑out confirm you’re staying within your target zone. Adjust on the fly if you drift too far.
- Track progress in collections – keep a simple log of how many strides you complete each week, noting any changes in perceived effort or form. Seeing the pattern over weeks reinforces the habit and highlights when you can push the intensity a notch higher.
By treating strides as a self‑coaching tool – a quick, data‑informed experiment you can run on any flat surface – you gain control over the quality of every training session.
Closing & Workout
The beauty of running is that it rewards consistency, but it also loves the moments when we surprise our bodies with a new stimulus. Strides are that surprise – a tiny, intentional flash of speed that rewires how we run, day after day. If you’re ready to feel that extra spring in your step, try the following workout this week:
“Stride‑Boost” Session (6 × strides)
- Warm‑up – 10 minutes easy jog (≈ 0.6 mile).
- Strides – 6 repetitions of 50‑100 metres (≈ 0.06‑0.07 mile) at 85‑95 % max effort. Keep a 1‑minute walk back or light jog between each.
- Cool‑down – 5 minutes easy jog, focusing on relaxed breathing.
Tip: If you have a platform that offers personalised pace zones, set the stride zone to your 5K pace and let the real‑time feedback confirm you’re hitting the sweet spot.
Run with curiosity, listen to the feedback your body gives you, and watch those short accelerations turn into a smoother, faster, more enjoyable running experience.
Happy running – and if you want to try this, here’s a workout to get you started!
References
- Everything You Need To Know About Running Strides (Blog)
- How to Run Strides (& Why You Should) - The Mother Runners (Blog)
- What Are Running Strides? - V.O2 News (Blog)
- What Are Running Strides? - V.O2 News (Blog)
- Everything You Need to Know About Running Stride (Blog)
- Strides: Everything you need to know about this running drill (Blog)
- Become a Faster Runner With Strides - RUN | Powered by Outside (Blog)
- Strides Make You Faster. Here’s How - Trail Runner Magazine (Blog)
Collection - Stride Into Speed: A 3-Week Program
Introduction to Strides
View workout details
- 10min @ 6'30''/km
- 20min @ 6'30''/km
- 4 lots of:
- 80m @ 4'00''/km
- 1min rest
- 5min @ 7'00''/km
Dedicated Stride Practice
View workout details
- 15min @ 6'30''/km
- 6 lots of:
- 100m @ 4'00''/km
- 1min 30s rest
- 10min @ 7'00''/km
to import the collection after you install it.
