Strides Per Minute

Jack Daniel's recommends 180 strides per minute.

We did our research a the 84 Olympics and of about 50 runners (men and women and in all events from 800 to marathon) we counted stride rate and calculated stride length as well). Only 1 of the total group of runners took fewer than 180 per minute (176 as I remember), and in the shorter/faster events (800 and 1500) they were around 200, but that is racing fast. Typically the 180 number is good and cost less energy than slower rates

I'm curious about how differences in height translate into stride length.

I'm 6'4" and usually do about 160 strides per minute when running 5-minute to 6-minute pace. If I try to get anywhere near 180 per minute I feel awkward, like I'm doing one of those quick-step exercises that football players sometimes do.

Any other tall (or short) runners want to chime in?

I'm 6'3, and 180 feels a bit awkward to me, I've tested myself to naturally be around 160 as well (~7:00 pace), but less so as I pick up the pace, and around 5:00 pace I guess I'm doing close to 180.

I am only 5'9" and I average a low stride rate, somwhere around 140-150 per minute at 5:00 pace. Unquestionablly I have a long stride, and I feel like I bounce too much.

However increasing to 180 per minute makes me feel like I am stepping on hot coals and it definetly slows me down.

I can run mid 52's in the 400 and I don't shorten my stride for it. My coach always tells me that fast running will naturally bring out your corret stride lenght, especially when you combine it with long miles, but I am not sure how I feel about this. Are there drills to do for eliminating bounce, but keeping a confortable stride, or do I need a different approach altogether?

when you are more efficient( years of hard training) 180 strides comes more natural

the difference in speed is related to stride length. I run about 176 to 180 strides for my 1500m and 5000m. the only difference is the stride length. even on some hard training runs im running 172-176. my 800m is about 182-184 and the stride length is also a little longer than the 1500m. this is after over 5 years of probably 4-6000miles at 5min pace or faster. (estimating a 1000m or so a year)

Ah the glories of being sick at college...message boards during commercials in the basketball game.

HOw would you reccomend promoting effciency? WOuld one simply train at a faster pace, or should I actively try and make make my strides faster but maintain the same pace in workouts...or both?

Both is the way to go. Uphill running can also help with better economy -- anything that promotes strength and a solid stride, minimizes wasted motion. On the other hand running economy is to a great extent a genetic thing. I've seen some pretty poor looking technique that was actually very economical when tested for energy expenditure

At 6'2", I, too, have difficulty hitting 180; I'm usually even below 160. My legs are longer than my torso. Love to improve the turnover rate if I could. Any ideas?

One reason I've read for keeping your stride count during the run around 180 is to keep your turnover on the bike and the run approximately the same. There are a number of people in the tri community who believe that a cadence of around 90 is optimal so that you're not pounding a tough gear and over-stressing your muscles before your run. The theory about strides, as I understand it, is that keeping the same cadence in the run as you've just had on the bike results in a smoother transition period.

I just typed results from a number of runners and letsrun erased it. Oh well too bad.

I have checked stride rates and stride length for runners including Brahim Boutayeb, Salvatore Antibo, Kipkemboi Kimelli, Olga Bondarenky, Liz McColgan, Yelena Zhupiyava, Paul Ereng, Joaquim Cruz, Said Aouita, Wilson, Kipketer, Rosa Mota, Lisa Martin, Katrin Dorre and others.

These stride rates vary greatly, depend on inseam (height), speed, training, and conditioning.

However, there is direct relationship in the (dual) increase in stride rate and stride length as speed increases.

There is NOT one specific rate for all runners and/or all distances.

Examples of differences in rates, first actual, then adjusted to a height of 5'8 1/2".

John Ngugi ........ 5'10" ...... 179 spm ... 183 spm (long stride) 5k

Brahim Boutayeb ... 5'7 3'4" ... 193 spm ... 189 spm 10k

Salvator Antibo ... 5'7" ....... 191 spm ... 187 spm

Kimeli Kipkemboi .. 5'8" ....... 175 spm ... 173 spm (long stride)

Paula Ivan ........ 5'7" ....... 205 spm ... 200 spm 1500m

Olga Bondarenko ... 5'0 1/4" ... 208 spm ... 183 spm 10k

Liz McColgan ...... 5'6" ....... 182 spm ... 175 spm (long stride)

Elena Zhupiyava ... 5'2 1/4" ... 204 spm ... 186 spm

I have values from the 800m through the marathon.

Even after adjusting for height, stride rates vary within the same events at the same speeds.

Also, even for the marathon the average strides rates are somewhat above 180 spm.

I am reading Noakes' "Lore of Running, 4th edition" and he notes that people tend to find the most economical stride rate and length for themselves. (Economy here is defined as oxygen cost at a given submaximal pace.)

I also found a sentence that I think is provocative (a lot in this edition is provocative). He seems to argue that increasing stride length is a better way to improve running economy. This would to some degree go against what many people have thought. I am sure that Noakes would agree that there is a limit to stride length for biomechanical reasons.

There is certainly some level at which increasing stride frequency becomes less efficient. However, making that judgement by "what feels good" is probably not the best method...Whenever we make a change it feels awkward until we get use to it.

Consider two runners both running at 6:00 pace. One is at 160 spm and the other is at 180 spm. The one at 160 spm must stay in the air longer than the one at 180 spm. The only way to do that is to have a greater vertical component of their motion. Vertical motion, bounce, loping, etc. is generally a waste of energy.

Try doing your warm-up at 8:00 pace at 180 spm, then slowly pick-up the pace but keep the 180 spm until you get near your MVO2max pace. In time you'll feel much better about the new motion and will probably pick-up a few second per mile for free.