It’s All About Stride
The swing of your legs into position as you run is called your stride. Some people have long, loping strides, while others have short, economical ones. Some lift their knees high, while others barely lift them at all. Your stride can make a huge difference in how efficiently you run. Runners who want to increase their speed turn to adjusting their stride in order to advance to the next level.
Start with your natural stride, and see where it takes you. Don't be concerned with trying to run fast when you begin a running program. But as beginning runners progress through the first few months of their running program and want to improve their efficiency and speed, there are three adjustments that can be considered: stride frequency, stride length, and knee lift.
Alert
Even though it has always been considered a good thing to have a little bounce in your step, in running circles it is a sign that something is wrong. Don't bounce or bound; it means that you are overstriding. If you shorten your stride and eliminate bouncing, you redirect energy that can be better used to propel yourself forward.
Stride Length
Stride length refers to how far you are stepping out when you extend your leg and foot. Increasing your stride length increases the amount of ground you cover with each step. However, make sure not to overextend your stride, since overstriding is inefficient.
A good rule of thumb is for your foot to strike the ground beneath your knee. Some running experts feel that a short stride is a sign of inflexibility. That is not always so. Proper stretching after a run can help to improve your flexibility, which can in turn lengthen your stride.
Overstriders are easy to spot because they tend to lope or bounce, and their motion is not rhythmic or fluid. Overstriding occurs when your foot lands in front of your center of gravity. When this happens, it causes a braking force that can actually slow you down.
Your optimal stride length occurs when your foot lands directly beneath your knee. This might feel like too short a stride at first, but a shorter stride is more efficient than a longer one.
Alert
Don't kick your legs up when you run. Some runners kick their heels way up behind them when they run, wasting motion and energy. To get the optimum benefit from your stride, you should extend your leg behind you when pushing off, and then bring it forward as soon as possible.
Stride Frequency
Increasing the frequency of your stride is a little more challenging than increasing your stride length. Your stride frequency, also called “turnover,” is defined as the number of steps you take in 1 minute. A shorter stride length will yield a higher stride frequency, whereas a long, loping stride leads to a slower turnover.
A frequency of 140–180 steps per minute is ideal for distance running. For running techniques such as barefoot running or ChiRunning®, stride frequency of 170–180 steps per minute is preferred. One way to improve your stride frequency is by using a metronome when you run.
Knee Lift
By focusing on your knee motion, you'll probably improve both your stride frequency and stride length. Be careful not to bring your knees up too high, because how far up you bring your knees determines how long your stride will be. Remember, a stride that's too long or too short is inefficient. Therefore, the correct knee lift coupled with the correct frequency of leg turnover dictates how effectively you can cover ground.
In short, the knees do not have to come up very high for long-distance runners. Only sprinters or those charging up a hill have to lift their legs a bit higher than usual.
