RunningAHEAD - Topic: Lengthening my stride

EveinOz

skinnycaponesugar

posted: 5/14/2008 at 9:58 PM

My husband mentioned recently that I take very short strides. I didn't think much of it until I saw a photo from my last Sunday's 8K race. My back leg is coming off the ground quite flat footed, my knee is flexed only a bit. Is this something I want to change? Should I just go faster and the would take care of itself? Also, I feel I could go faster, but don't want to get injured, at which point do you attempt to get faster? Thx, Evie

Love, Run, Sleep

dnephin

posted: 5/14/2008 at 10:03 PM
modified: 5/14/2008 at 10:04 PM

There was a discussion on stride length recently. I think the long and short of it (get it, I made a funny!) was, don't eff with your stride as you may be asking for injury. So you may wanna search for that. Don't worry about a race photo. I've yet to see one of me in which I appear to be doing anything resembling running. I usually look as though I'm crumpling. Hence, I have never purchased a race photo.

DWARP
Marathon Madness Mob

finney

Resident pinniped

posted: 5/14/2008 at 10:12 PM

You're still new to running. A "better" stride will come as you get stronger. Then if you still have problems or shortcomings, you can do some work on it at that point, since it will be an issue of form and balance more than fitness.

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 5/14/2008 at 10:18 PM

Quote from dnephin on 5/14/2008 at 10:03 PM:

I've yet to see one of me in which I appear to be doing anything resembling running. I usually look as though I'm crumpling. Hence, I have never purchased a race photo.

I have seen a lot of photos like that of myself, too. I've never purchased one, either. At least I don't look like my one friend who always looks like she's dying (leaning forward and sort of sideways). It's become almost a joke...I'm amazed that she's never been one of those people collapsing on the side of a race course.

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

dnephin

posted: 5/14/2008 at 10:21 PM

Quote from zoom-zoom on 5/14/2008 at 10:18 PM:

I have seen a lot of photos like that of myself, too. I've never purchased one, either. At least I don't look like my one friend who always looks like she's dying (leaning forward and sort of sideways). It's become almost a joke...I'm amazed that she's never been one of those people collapsing on the side of a race course.

Yeah, you have a whole thread about it!

DWARP
Marathon Madness Mob

HermosaBoy

posted: 5/14/2008 at 10:28 PM

I wouldn't worry about stride length. Work on the numbe of strides. I have a very short stride but turn em over around 190 per minute. It works for me...

And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx

Rob

Scout7

posted: 5/15/2008 at 7:12 AM

You CAN improve your stride length, and there is a safe way to do it. There's two components: 1) Run more. The more you run, the more your stride will naturally develop. 2) Run up hills. But don't just run up them like you do any other time. You need to "bound" up them, focusing on leg extension. For a good description, look here. These are things you can do, pretty safely.

Figbash

posted: 5/15/2008 at 7:28 AM
modified: 5/15/2008 at 7:30 AM

Don't worry about your stride length. As your strength develops and your normal pace increases, your stride length will naturally increase as well. A stride that is too long for your pace can lead to injury because it forces you to land on your heels. If you want to see what your stride really looks like, have someone video tape you running after a thorough warmup. If you are landing flat footed with your foot plant about even with the front of your body, you are good to go. An excellent book on form is "Programmed to Run" by Thomas Miller. He does a great job of defining good form and offers numerous drills and exercises to help you achieve it. Tom

Run To Win

#2867

posted: 5/15/2008 at 8:49 AM
modified: 5/15/2008 at 8:51 AM

Quote from EveinOz on 5/14/2008 at 9:58 PM:

Is this something I want to change? Should I just go faster and the would take care of itself? Also, I feel I could go faster, but don't want to get injured, at which point do you attempt to get faster?

Stride length and how your foot lands are things that your body is going to take care of on its own and you shouldn't try to exert any conscious control over it past deciding what shoes you are going to wear. The motions that your foot make take less than 1/5 of a second, and any conscious decisions that you are going to make will take at a minimum 4/5 of a second, which means you won't be reacting in time to a current stimulous anyway. The best way to improve your running form is to run more. As you get in better shape, your body will become more flexible and your body will make adapatations to withstand the stress of running so that it can become more efficient: this takes 6-8 weeks for musculoskeletal (muscle and bone) adaptations and 4-6 weeks for cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) adaptations. If you want to make a conscious improvement in your stride, try to land with your foot below your body instead of in front of you. I'm going to assume that this is what you are doing if you are currently taking short strides. Like Scout said, you can also work on running hills to improve your running efficiency and form. As for when I attempt to go faster, I have different training periods where I run at different paces. First, I spend 8-12 weeks with all easy running to build up a base. Then I spend 6-8 weeks with speedwork and trying to get faster. Then I spend a few weeks (ideally) where I can race at my fastest. After a few weeks of recovery, I repeat the process. Even during the base building phase you will get faster as you build up strength and endurance.

Run to Win
25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

perfesserr

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 5/15/2008 at 9:00 AM

I agree with Blaine--lengthening your stride consciously is not generally a good idea, and might end up with you overstriding (foot landing out in front of your center of balance). That's not a good thing. Personally the only thing that I have found helpful is to increase my cadence--180 steps/minute is generally considered ideal, and it seemed to get me a little more speed with the same effort. It also slightly decreased my stride length. (My Polar footpod measures stride length).

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mikeymike

posted: 5/15/2008 at 9:25 AM

Your stride length is the distance your center of mass travels between footstrikes. Stride length basically equals speed. Fast people have longer stride lengths than slower. Training makes you faster. Train to get faster and your stride length will increase. Not the other way around.

Runners run

EnjoyTheRide

Future running partner.

posted: 5/15/2008 at 9:33 AM

I started running a year ago with about a 12min/mile pace. Over the course of the year I've done much of what Blaine suggested and had very good success. The fact that you have a short stride is very healthy, especially at the paces you are running. By increasing your stride you are only going to increase the elevation that you are running thus you will have a greater impact with each foot strike. This is less efficient and can put you at greater risk of injury. If you watch a marathon on tv, notice that in the lead pack that there is a big diversity in stride lenghth and form. Some of them look like they are really running fast and some look like they are jogging.

EveinOz

skinnycaponesugar

posted: 5/15/2008 at 10:09 PM

Thank you people, I really appreciate your advice. I really don't care so much about the photo, it is more about holding a safe pace with a longer stride and gaining a bit of elevation. The squeeky sound of my feet dragging on the treadmill is really annoying Wink

Indeed, I have to run more. I'm starting a new programme this week. Cheers!

Love, Run, Sleep

AA717driver

posted: 5/27/2008 at 10:58 PM

My stride length improved as I ran more upright. I found I became more relaxed and things started to flow. I still do shorter "shuffles" as I'm starting out or keeping a slow pace for a long run but once I'm into the run, I notice my stride getting longer. Good discussion! TC

"I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead..." J. Buffett There are two rules in life: 1.) Don't sweat the small stuff 2.) It's ALL small stuff

Viich

posted: 5/28/2008 at 8:48 AM

Quote from EveinOz on 5/15/2008 at 10:09 PM:

Thank you people, I really appreciate your advice. I really don't care so much about the photo, it is more about holding a safe pace with a longer stride and gaining a bit of elevation. The squeeky sound of my feet dragging on the treadmill is really annoying Indeed, I have to run more. I'm starting a new programme this week. Cheers!

While I agree with everyone about not trying to lengthen your stride, dragging your feet is definitely worth the effort of trying to fix.

Lengthening my stride (Read 1486 times)