Paul's Wetronome Tutorials Base Rate as Stride Rate for Runners by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

With respect to running, stride rate is generally agreed by researchers, coaches and experts alike to be more economical for distance runners to run with a gait which doesn't extend too far forward of a plumb-line directly below your centre or mass (your pelvis essentially). This tries to discourage an "over-stride" or excessive "heel strike" effect, which would be like putting the brakes on and could result in injury in the long-term. The foot strike is generally agreed to be best placed as a mid-foot strike taking place underneath the centre of mass, which will initially encourage a slightly shorter stride but with it a much higher turnover. Whilst body height and lever length will still lead to individual differences in people's gait and turnover (i.e. a smaller runner will by nature have a shorter stride and must therefore have a higher turnover or stride rate in order to keep up with a taller runner running at the same speed), it is generally agreed that a good, economical stride rate would be in the region of 88-92spm, very similar in fact to how an economical cycle pedal cadence is believed to occur around 95rpm (revolutions per minute). However, you will still need to analyse your own gait first, see where its at currently and then work to progress steadily towards a higher turnover if that is what you need to do to improve your economy. So how do you do this?

Well, very simply actually. Head out for a 30 minute run, at some point in the latter half of that run, lift your speed to about typical race pace for 5-minutes at a pace your would be able to realistically maintain for your target race distance (e.g. 5km, 10km, 21.1km, 42.2km etc). Between minutes 3 and 4 count how many times your right foot only (different to swimming where you are counting both right and left arms) strikes the ground. It is best to do this over a flat terrain of uniform surface. This value is your BR strides per minute for your current running gait.

Now we have those two values lets move on (NB. it is well advisable with all these sessions to follow a structured and progressive warm-up prior to commencing the main sets listed below. Examples of good progressive and structured swim sets are available with the Swim Smooth DVD boxset on the bonus CD-ROM, details of which can be found at http://www.swimsmooth.com/program.htm:

First lesson: Swim Session #1 - Simple Rhythm»

(Kindly reprinted from the Swim Smooth website. All material © 2007 Swim Smooth)