Strides: The Most Underrated Speed Tool

There’s a training tool almost every elite runner uses, but most amateurs overlook.

It’s simple. It takes less than 10 minutes. And it’s one of the easiest ways to improve your speed, form, and running efficiency—without leaving you overly fatigued.

It’s called strides.

Let’s break down what they are, why they matter, and how to start using them in your training today.

What Are Strides, Exactly?

Strides are short bursts of fast—but controlled—running. Typically 15–30 seconds long, strides are run at around 85–95% of your max effort (think 1-mile race pace effort), followed by a full recovery walk or jog.

They’re not sprints.

The goal isn’t to hit max velocity or drain your energy. It’s to rehearse fast running with great form, loosen up your legs, and sharpen your neuromuscular coordination.

The Benefits of Strides

🧠 Neuromuscular Priming

Strides help your brain and body fire together more efficiently. This improves your running economy and helps you access your speed when it matters—whether that’s in a race or during a hard workout.

🧘 Form Reset

Doing strides with intention encourages you to run tall, stay relaxed, and build smooth turnover. Over time, this gets wired into your muscle memory.

⚡ Speed Without Stress

Unlike workouts, strides are short enough that they don’t build fatigue. In fact, they can enhance recovery after easy runs and prep your legs for faster running without adding real training load.

🎯 Sharpening Tool

Strides before a workout or race can help you feel “pop” in your legs—like flipping the switch from aerobic to performance mode.

When to Do Strides

Here’s how to work them into your week:

• 🟦 After Easy Runs (1–2x/week):
  Do 4–6 strides after your cooldown jog. Think of this as ending your run with a quality tune-up.
• 🟩 Before Workouts or Races:
  After warming up, include 2–4 strides to prep your legs. They help you shift gears and make that first rep or race mile feel smoother.
• 🟨 During Base Training:
  When you're running mostly slow mileage, strides can be your hidden speed maintenance tool.

How to Do Them Right

1. Start Smooth:
Ease into the stride—don’t blast out of the gate.

2. Build to Fast but Controlled:
You should feel fast and smooth, not strained or tight.

3. Focus on Form:
Stay tall, drive your arms, and land lightly under your center of mass.

4. Rest Fully Between:
Walk or jog for 45–90 seconds between strides. These aren’t meant to be continuous.

Sample Stride Routine

After an easy 45-minute run, add:

✅ 4 x 20 seconds at ~mile pace
✅ Full walk/jog recovery between
✅ Focus on relaxed, quick turnover

That’s it. You’ve just added quality to your training in less than 10 minutes.

Why We Program Strides in NXT RUN

You’ll often see strides built into your plan after easy runs or before big workouts. That’s because we know how valuable they are—for speed, form, and long-term development.

They’re the kind of small habit that compounds over time, and at NXT RUN, we’re all about the small things that lead to big breakthroughs.

Pro Tip:
Want more control over how strides appear on your watch? Head to your App Connection Settings, tap “More Options” under your connected device, and customize how strides are sent.

You can choose to send strides as a separate workout or adjust the recovery intervals to be open-ended, so you can start the next rep when you feel ready—just like a real coach would do.

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Final Thought

If you’re not doing strides, you’re missing a free, low-risk way to get faster, feel smoother, and train like an elite.

So next time you finish an easy run, don’t just stop the watch and head home—add a few strides. Your future self will thank you.

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