Coach Sage Canaday discusses how speed and high-intensity training can improve your running form.

Why Does Faster Running Improve Form?

Let me start off with an example: You can’t typically sprint 100 meters or 400 meters with poor form. When sprinting 100 meters quickly, you’re not heel striking; you’re running with a fast turnover, probably over 200 steps a minute. This isn’t distance running form but involves high knees and straight arm drive forward and back. Inefficiencies get ironed out, and the same happens when you scale down.

Even if you’re not a sprinter, the purpose of high intensity work as a marathon or ultra-marathon runner has similar principles and benefits. It trains you at the neuromuscular level, helping your muscle fibers coordinate better, and improves your stride rate and turnover. It also gives you power in your stride, enabling a longer stride length, which is key to speed (however, you need the aerobic system to support that!).

For marathon, ultra-marathon, or half-marathon runners, once you build your base mileage and improve your aerobic efficiency, the next step is to refine your form and build leg strength to enhance speed and progress. Part of this involves lowering the lactate threshold and increasing the speed at which you run at VO2 max (maximum aerobic capacity). While your heart and lungs will limit you at VO2 max, good running form not only improves speed and efficiency but also reduces the risk of injury.

It’s A Balance

Overuse injuries can result from heel striking or running with too slow of a cadence or stride rate, which increases impact force. Running at 160 steps per minute or less results in more impact force, especially on downhills. As you increase mileage, for example from 30 miles (50k) a week to 50 miles (80k) a week, the risk of injury rises, and this is especially true if you have poor form or muscle and tendon imbalances.

Minimizing the risk of injury involves running efficiently with the best possible form. While not everyone will look like Kipchoge, it’s important to understand that different muscle mass distributions affect running mechanics. For instance, I have much thicker legs than many elite East African marathon runners who have very thin legs, and my arm strength differs as well. These differences change how form and mechanics look.

What This Means For You

It’s not necessary (or recommended) to run on your toes or forefoot, but it is important to avoid a large heel strike, which acts as a braking force. Maintaining a stride rate over 160 steps per minute is generally effective, because the faster you run, the easier it is to increase your stride rate. For paces from 5k to marathon, aim for at least 165, ideally closer to 180 steps per minute. Speed work helps to improve your form by addressing and correcting inefficiencies.

Track workouts and hill sprints benefit distance runners by not only elevating heart rate and enhancing the aerobic system but also by developing muscle tension, extending the stride, and refining neuromuscular coordination. This leads to improved efficiency and form. Ultimately, faster 400-meter and kilometer repeats should translate into faster 5k, 10k, marathon, and ultramarathon times.

In summary, integrating speed work and high-intensity training into your running routine is crucial for enhancing form, efficiency, and overall performance. By focusing on stride rate, muscle coordination, and aerobic capacity, runners can achieve faster times and reduce the risk of injury. Remember, the key to success lies in consistent training, proper form, and listening to your body’s needs.

I hope this helps you as you look towards your next speed or interval session.

Happy running!

– Coach Sage Canaday