Strategies
Quicker Is Better

By Scott Sutherland

Five-time Olympic long-distance champion Emil Zatopek always ran with his face twisted. His successor, Vladimir Kuts, held his arms too high. And Michael Johnson leans back too far. Elite runners have always had their idiosyncrasies, but not when it comes to stride rate: They each take between 180 and 190 steps per minute, regardless of speed. It's something all runners might keep in mind as they pick up the pace this summer. Physiologist Jack Daniels, who's studied runners' strides for more than three decades, sees the 180-190 range as the gold standard of human running efficiency, achievable by legs of any length. "Most beginning runners average about 160 steps each minute," Daniels says. "That usually means they're overstriding, which generates more landing shock, which makes you more susceptible to injury."

In the interest of avoiding such a physiological train wreck, here's how to perk up your efficiency. First, determine your stride rate. On a level stretch, count the times your right foot hits the ground in one minute and double the number. To bring your efficiency up to speed, try running with a friend whose rate is higher and matching his or her footfalls. If you just wing it, the impulse is to merely run faster, which does little for your stride rate and maybe too much for your heart rate. Meanwhile, focus on lifting your knees and landing gently on the middle of your foot, which lessens the stress of each footfall and helps you to quickly move to the next step. Daniels' mantra: "Run over the ground, not into it."