Why Most Runners Are Missing an Essential Signal
Many runners train almost exclusively in one gear. They run easy when they are tired and harder when the plan tells them to, but rarely touch true speed unless they are racing or suffering through intervals. Over time, this creates a strange imbalance. Endurance improves, but coordination, elasticity, and comfort at higher speeds quietly decay.
Strides exist to solve that problem. Not as a workout, not as conditioning, and not as a test of fitness, but as a neuromuscular reminder. They reconnect the nervous system to efficient movement patterns that long, steady running slowly erodes.
What Strides Actually Train
Strides are often misunderstood as short sprints or mini speed workouts. They are neither. Their primary effect is neurological, not metabolic. A stride briefly exposes the body to fast but relaxed movement, allowing the brain, muscles, and connective tissue to coordinate at higher speeds without fatigue.
This matters because running economy is not built solely at easy paces. Efficient mechanics at slow speeds do not automatically transfer upward. Strides act as a bridge, keeping faster movement accessible even when most training happens at lower intensities.
Speed Without Stress
A defining feature of strides is that they feel fast but not hard. The body accelerates smoothly, reaches near maximal speed for a moment, and then decelerates without strain. Breathing remains controlled. Muscles stay relaxed. The nervous system experiences speed without threat.
This distinction is critical. When speed is introduced under fatigue or emotional pressure, the body compensates poorly. When speed is introduced briefly and deliberately, coordination improves instead of breaking down.
Why Distance Runners Need Speed Exposure
Distance running rewards repetition, but repetition comes at a cost. Running thousands of steps at the same pace gradually narrows range of motion and dampens elasticity. Over time, runners begin to feel stiff, flat, or mechanically inefficient even if aerobic fitness is high.
Strides counteract this by restoring access to higher stride frequencies and longer stride lengths. They remind tendons how to store and release energy. They remind the nervous system how to fire quickly. This is why many runners report that easy runs feel smoother and faster after several weeks of consistent strides, even without changes to mileage or workouts.
Placement Matters More Than Volume
Strides work best when they are placed thoughtfully rather than performed aggressively. They are most effective when the body is already warm and relaxed, either at the end of an easy run or as part of a pre-workout or pre-race warmup.
In this context, strides act like a dynamic tune-up. After easy running, they loosen movement and restore rhythm. Before harder running, they transition the body from cruising to responsiveness. In both cases, they serve as preparation, not exertion.
Power, Mechanics, and Injury Resilience
Regular exposure to controlled speed improves what coaches often call mechanical output. This refers to how effectively force is applied to the ground and recycled through tendons and connective tissue. Strides train this quality without the injury risk associated with maximal sprinting or plyometrics.
Variations such as gentle uphill strides can further emphasize force production while reducing impact. Because the speed is naturally limited by the incline, runners can generate power without overstriding or braking forces.
Why Strides Feel Easy but Pay Off Later
One reason recreational runners neglect strides is that they do not feel productive in the moment. There is no heavy breathing, no burn, no obvious fatigue. This can make them feel optional or even pointless.
In reality, strides operate on a delayed return. Their value shows up weeks later as smoother form, better race readiness, and improved comfort at faster paces. They are an investment in movement quality rather than fitness metrics.
Strides and Surface Choice
Strides are adaptable to nearly any environment. What matters most is predictability and safety rather than perfection. Flat ground, gentle grass, track surfaces, or smooth pavement all work. Some runners incorporate barefoot strides on forgiving surfaces to further enhance proprioception and foot strength, but this is optional rather than required.
The key is clarity of movement. Strides should feel clean, fluid, and controlled regardless of surface.
Treadmills and Modern Constraints
Even in constrained environments, strides remain relevant. On treadmills, they take a slightly different form but serve the same purpose. The emphasis shifts from covering distance to briefly touching faster belt speeds and then backing off. The nervous system still receives the signal, even if acceleration is simulated rather than spatial.
The Long-Term Effect
Over time, strides help runners maintain access to speed without constantly training it. This has implications beyond performance. Movement variety reduces repetitive strain. Neuromuscular readiness improves reaction and stability. Confidence at faster speeds increases, which reduces anxiety around races or harder workouts.
Perhaps most importantly, strides preserve the feeling that running fast is natural rather than forced.
In fact, it’s best to think of strides as a speed development workout.
Here’s a video demonstration of how to run strides.
Here’s another video demonstration of how to run strides.