Sprints & Surges 💨
Striders are the key to you running faster
Last week, I was torn between posting about the Olympics starting or a new blog post I wrote.
I can honestly say, I mulled over not writing about the Olympics because I wrote a new blog post (which was almost as equally as rare as the Olympics Games!)
But, my better judgment prevailed and instead, you’ll get my take on my blog post this week. You’re okay with that, right?
To start, you should jump over to my blog and read it if you haven’t already. It’s published here. In the post, I analyze why striders (sprints done after your run or before a workout/race) are so key to improving your running performance.
Striders are an underutilized key to successful running. I got away from striders for a bit when my first kid was little and to no surprise, those are the same years that I didn’t reach my main goal of breaking 5 minutes in the mile.
Striders are intended to be really short bursts of speed work that keep you closer to “race shape” and then, more importantly, helps the slower paces feel easier. Imagine running your striders at mile race pace - even just for a total of 800 meters a week (2 days, 4 striders, 100 meters)… After even just a few weeks, think about how easy your marathon or long run pace would feel?! That’s the true nature of why striders are so good for your running.
Here are a few tweaks to the normal/traditional striders that you might not have thought about:
Barefoot strides (on turf or really well-kept grass field)
Downhill strides - really work on turnover
Increasing distance of your strides - 50 meters, 75, 90, 110
Finish your run about a half-mile from your intended finish point and do striders home
🔔 If you are on the app Flipboard, you might want to check out my magazine - Running Stories to Inspire
Friday’s Action Plan:
Start incorporating weekly striders into your plan. The day before your workout and long run are typical days to do striders.
What’s Got My Attention:
Article: Sydney McLaughlin Wins in WR time
Article: Teenager Athing Mu Becomes Olympic Champ
Popular Articles on the Blog this Week:
Tips to Increase Your Stride Rate
Using Your Garmin to Improve Your Workouts
Strength Training Tips from a Personal Trainer
Popular Newsletter Sessions:
The Dog Days - July 2021
No Delaying This Time - Apr 2021
Quote of the Day:
Number one is just to gain a passion for running. To love the morning, to love the trail, to love the pace on the track. And if some kid gets really good at it, that's cool too.
Connect with me:
Here’s what I’m working on and what I’d love you to check out:
Thanks for following along on the journey! Have something you’d like to add? Have suggestions or comments? Email me: TrainwithMarc@gmail.com
If this resonates with you, I would love it if you could share it.
Marc is a middle school teacher and coach but also works with distance runners online. I help distance runners around the globe by providing support, writing customized training plans, and designing workouts to help them reach their racing goals. I write for my blog every Wednesday morning and newsletter every Friday morning.