Some Strides are Better than Others

I'm not a professional runner, not even an amateur one. I'm just a guy who likes to jog to keep fit, and once in a while join a race to push my limits a little more. I have received no counseling on how to improve my running, except to try to go further and faster. This is especially true when it comes to my stride, which must be horrible. I run as I see fit, as I feel I should, and so far it has served me well and I can't complain.

Well, that's not entirely true. Sometimes I do feel that something is wrong, without being able to put the nail on it. It happened tonight as I was jogging home from work (again, a longish outing). For the first 40 minutes or so (out of 90 in the end), I couldn't find my rhythm. Usually, within 20-30 minute, I find the pace I feel comfortable for the day, and the rest of the jog is basically a breeze. But not tonight. For some reason, I had a hard time finding my breath and pace, and couldn't understand why. I hypothesized that it was due to all the barley tea I have been drinking recently, which somehow made me feel uncomfortable.

Then, after 40 minutes, after stopping for a quick pee, I realized that I was running with my lower legs, not my upper legs. From that point, I started taking longer strides, even longer than usual, and in no time I was running at a faster pace than usual, without really feeling exhausted. That was really an awakening, and I kept a healthy pace for the next 40 minutes. By then, I started to feel some pain in my upper thighs, as I was using muscles in a way they weren't used to. But I kept on going, knowing that my goal, the shrine nearby my place, wasn't far off.

I felt (and still do) quite tired after the run, but also happy to have discovered a stride that may be more efficient for me. I encourage you to try different strides once you are more comfortable with your jogging, you may find that one style is better suited for you. In general, longer strides require more energy, but end up being more efficient since you cover a longer distance with each step. Also, try not to lift your leg too much, as you spend energy lifting your legs.