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If you look at hundreds of elite athlete training logs, short, fast "strides" will be a close-to-universal element. There is variance in timing of strides, distribution throughout the year, speed and duration, but you'll rarely see an athlete exploring the top of their performance potential without them.

That's weird, right? How can running quickly for 30 seconds or less have much relevance for events from 30 minutes to 30 hours? The answer likely lies in how adaptation happens in the interaction between cells and systems of our muscles and bones and capillaries, applied via biomechanics and the nervous system.

A flow chart that diagrams adaptation would have thousands of arrows, and even then would be simplifying complex processes that often cannot be measured directly. In other words, adaptation is a lot like the lottery for entry into the Hardrock 100. For endurance runners thinking about their own training in an applied, practical sense, I like to break it down to four component parts that work in tandem: the aerobic system, the musculoskeletal system, the biomechanical system and the neuromuscular system.

Systems Overview

The aerobic system powers working muscles via the heart, lungs, and circulatory elements like capillaries. The musculoskeletal system absorbs and transmits power during activity. The biomechanical system describes the efficiency of that power absorption and transmission via movement patterns. And the neuromuscular system is how the brain and nervous system put it all together. Each of those elements has countless component parts, and each feeds back on one another over time. 

The problem is that it's tempting to prioritize the aerobic system and musculoskeletal system above all else, using total effort or stress as a proxy for the value of training. That model views runners as "lungs with legs," and it risks missing some of the complex feedback cycles that fall between a breath of oxygen-rich air and running speed on a road or trail.

While there is no 100-percent proven reason that strides work, their importance is likely related to the complex interplay of those elements that go into long-term adaptation. Aerobically, short strides could improve cardiac output, but that benefit is likely minimal. Musculoskeletally, they stress output-per-stride, requiring muscles to maximize efficient power output. There are even theories that strides could positively alter protein expression in slow-twitch muscle fibers, and that underscores the idea that all of these adaptation processes likely have immensely complex explanations. Biomechanically and neuromuscularly, the mix of higher cadence, lower ground contact time, and maximized power could help optimize form and power transfer, along with complex pathways involved in how the brain makes it all possible. If I say "complex" one more time, I complete my punch card that entitles me to a free six-inch sub. 

Feeding back development of max sustainable output via strides and similar efforts into normal sub-max training consisting of easy efforts and workouts can raise the ceiling on both. And that's how an athlete can have long-term breakthroughs to previously unthinkable levels.

To simplify it a bunch, an athlete usually will be within a certain percentage range of their short stride speed in longer events. That range is variable and based on a number of individual-specific factors (i.e. muscle fiber distribution, sex, athletic background) and my co-coach/wife Megan and I went into more details in our book and podcast. But the big takeaway is this: maximum sustainable output (sometimes called "speed endurance," though that term means many different things depending on where you look) is often loosely connected to sub-max sustainable output (velocity or power at lactate threshold or harder and aerobic threshold or easier). 

Feeding back development of max sustainable output via strides and similar efforts into normal sub-max training consisting of easy efforts and workouts can raise the ceiling on both. And that's how an athlete can have long-term breakthroughs to previously unthinkable levels.

Applied Studies

Many studies support the empirical framework seen in elite-athlete training. A 2018 study in Physiology Reports had 20 trained athletes do 10 sessions of 5 to 10 x 30 seconds fast in a 40-day training cycle where total training volume was reduced by 36 percent. After the intervention, 10K performance improved by 3.2 percent. Perhaps most interestingly, VO2 max didn't change at all (and it actually had a non-significant decrease). Instead, the athletes improved by two percent in their velocity at VO2 max. 

In other words, their aerobic systems had not improved, they were just going faster with the oxygen they had. The progress was based in some combination of their musculoskeletal, biomechanical and neuromuscular systems. If you want to get to know me better, I enjoy long walks on the beach and that Physiology Reports study.

A 2017 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research similarly took 16 trained trail runners and had them complete two weeks of 4 to 7 x 30 seconds hard with 4 minutes of recovery 3 times per week. They improved in their 3K time trial times by about 6 percent, with similar physiological underpinnings. Physiology Reports, baby, I promise you're the only journal for me. I just like the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research's photo composition on Instagram. It's purely artistic respect!

Running economy improvements seen with the introduction of faster strides would apply to the remainder of training-more sustainable speed in workouts and likely more efficient easy running too.

Do the initial adaptation processes eventually level off or even decrease? That's tough to measure (for more, see this 2017 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology and this 2017 study in the Scandanavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports), but I doubt it. Running economy improvements seen with the introduction of faster strides would apply to the remainder of training-more sustainable speed in workouts and likely more efficient easy running too. Add well-rounded training on top of the speed development (plus periodization of different stimuli), and there should be positive feedback cycles that improve the aerobic system.

Training Systems

From the 1950s on, strides have played an important role in training approaches. Starting in the 1950s, Coach Mihaly Igloi had a system predicated on stride-like intervals (see this wonderful article from Coach Steve Magness). In the 1960s and 1970s, Arthur Lydiard pioneered modern training approaches with strides and hills building off base periods. And now, coaches from Renato Canova to Jack Daniels include short, fast bouts of running in various ways. In trail and ultra running, strides have been key component parts of the training of athletes like Clare Gallagher, Hayden Hawks, Jason Schlarb, Katie Asmuth and many others.

All of that was a glorified preamble for the big questions of the day: how do you actually do strides, and how do they fit into a well-rounded training plan? Now, we are venturing into an area where there is even more debate, so I will summarize what Megan and I recommend, but find what works for you.

How To Run Strides

For athletes we coach, strides are 15- to 30-second accelerations to the fastest pace they can go without straining or sprinting, usually with 1 to 2 minutes easy running recovery between. Our usual guideline is to do 4 to 8 of them, with 4 being the sweet spot balancing stimulus and stress. They can be on roads or non-technical trails, flat ground or slight ups and downs.

It's key to avoid full, arms-pumping sprinting due to the risk of injuries and reinforcing biomechanical patterns that are not conducive to long-distance running. The cap at 30 seconds is to prevent too much stress, which could undermine the aerobic system (see this article on base training for more). We like athletes to apply four cues:

Ease into the effort, with the first 5 seconds gradually building pace, emphasizing longer strides before rapid turnover;

Run tall through the hips, with a slight forward lean;

Use long-distance form, with normal arm carriage and a relaxed upper body;

Instead of increasing cadence as high as you can go, emphasize knee drive and output-per-stride at a smooth effort.

Put it all together, and it usually equates to between the speed an athlete could race 800 meters to a mile (for beginner to intermediate athletes) or a mile to 3K or even 5K (for intermediate to very advanced athletes). More slow-twitch athletes can usually go toward the faster end, and faster twitch athletes should stay on the slower end. If you do them on non-technical trails, the paces will be slower, and that's OK too. 

When To Run Strides

Now, it's important to consider how flat strides fit in with hill strides. Hill strides primarily emphasize the musculoskeletal system, since the uphill grade usually involves lower cadence and increased power-per-stride. Meanwhile, flat strides emphasize the neuromuscular and biomechanical systems, with higher cadence and more strain on form. A strong cyclist who doesn't run could probably do a good hill stride due to their power, but would likely suffer on a flat stride due to their lack of neuromuscular and biomechanical adaptations.

Hill strides primarily emphasize the musculoskeletal system, since the uphill grade usually involves lower cadence and increased power-per-stride. Meanwhile, flat strides emphasize the neuromuscular and biomechanical systems, with higher cadence and more strain on form.

After a base period of easy running, we like athletes to start with hill strides, improving raw musculoskeletal output first with lower overall risk. If athletes are over 50, prone to injuries, or find themselves going too fast on flat strides, they may never do flat strides at all.

Other athletes usually progress into flat strides after they are fully adapted to the hill stride stimulus. The choice of flats or hills will alternate depending on goals (more hills for ultramarathoners, more flats for road racers) and genetic predispositions (more hills for faster-twitch athletes, more flats for slower-twitch athletes). 

Rest between strides starts as near-complete recovery (1-2 minutes), so that fatigue does not impact form or output significantly. Later, the rest may shorten to as little as 30 seconds to get an enhanced aerobic stimulus, particularly closer to races or for faster-twitch athletes.

Most of our athletes do strides one to three times per week. You can generally add them during any easy run, with the caveat that there could be some aerobic drawbacks to doing too many strides too often. Before workouts, they make a great neuromuscular primer. After harder efforts, they can serve as a combo workout stimulus.

A typical weekly breakdown for an intermediate/advanced athlete in the middle of a training cycle may look like this:

Monday: Rest Day

Tuesday: 8-10 miles easy with 5 x 20 seconds fast/1 min easy flat strides

Wednesday: 3 miles easy, workout (like 6-8 x 3 minutes at 10k effort with 2 minutes easy recovery), 4 x 20-30 second hill strides, 3 miles easy

Thursday: 8-10 miles easy

Friday: 4-6 mile easy or x-train

Saturday: 14 miles easy/moderate (20 minutes moderately hard around 1-hour effort) 

Sunday: 10 miles easy with 4 x 20-30 seconds fast/2 min easy flat strides

Before you get overwhelmed, let's end the article with a step back to the first principles of strides. The basic idea is that going faster than you'll ever race (but not as fast as you absolutely can) will make you faster overall at all effort levels. That improved running economy is balanced against injury risk and a slight chance of aerobic regression if done too intensely or at the exclusion of other types of training. Start with hill strides, and only do flat strides if you feel confident in your health and discipline to avoid all-out sprinting. You can add them to almost any run, but don't add them to every run.

And most importantly, don't stress about the exact details. Just make sure that you remember one thing: you are an ATHLETE. And exploring your unlimited athletic potential may be a bit more fast (and fun) with strides.

After years of battling injury and uncertainty, Jake Heyward is proving that resilience can be just as powerful as raw talent. The Welsh middle-distance star has announced his return to the sport in emphatic fashion, producing the performance of his career and emerging as one of the athletes to watch in the men's mile at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

At the London Diamond League, Heyward delivered a sensational run, finishing as the second-fastest British athlete behind mile world record-holder Josh Kerr. His time of 3:46.73 not only established a new Welsh record but also elevated him to third on the United Kingdom's all-time mile rankings, trailing only Kerr and British legend Steve Cram.

For many athletes, such a breakthrough would simply mark another career milestone. For Heyward, however, it represents the culmination of an extraordinary journey back from one of the toughest periods of his life.

The 26-year-old revealed that before undergoing surgery, he had been competing while suffering from Haglund's deformity, a painful condition affecting the heel that placed constant strain on both Achilles tendons. The problem eventually led to a devastating double Achilles injury, forcing him away from competition for an astonishing 20 months.

Rather than allowing the setback to define him, Heyward used the prolonged rehabilitation to rebuild both physically and mentally. Reflecting on that difficult chapter, he believes the experience has transformed his outlook on the sport.

"I truly believe that, because I've gone through this experience and I've had to ask myself certain questions, I actually understand the sport more. In terms of expectations and times, I'm super excited. I think there's no limit on what I can achieve. Running for Wales once again is a huge motivation."

Those words now carry even greater weight after his record-breaking performance in London.

Heyward's resurgence has injected fresh excitement into British middle-distance running and has positioned him as a genuine contender heading into Glasgow. With renewed confidence, a healthier body, and a deeper appreciation of the sport forged through adversity, he appears ready to challenge the world's best once again.

His journey from nearly two years on the sidelines to becoming Wales' fastest-ever miler is a powerful reminder that some of the greatest victories are earned long before the finish line. If his recent form is any indication, Jake Heyward's comeback story may only be just beginning, and the Commonwealth Games could provide the perfect stage for its next unforgettable chapter.

Australian sprint sensation Torrie Lewis continues to redefine the limits of her remarkable young career after storming to a stunning 11.04 seconds in the women's 100 metres at the TIPOS P-T-S Meeting in Slovakia, setting a new Australian record in breathtaking fashion.

Lewis sliced 0.04 seconds off her own previous national record of 11.08, producing the fastest performance ever by an Australian woman over the distance. Her blistering run confirmed that her rise is no fleeting moment—it is the arrival of one of the world's most exciting sprint talents.

The race itself was a spectacle from start to finish. Lewis exploded from the blocks, held her composure through the drive phase, and unleashed a powerful finish to edge one of the greatest sprinters in history, Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica, who crossed the line in 11.06. Austria's Christania Williams also clocked 11.06, making it one of the most fiercely contested 100-metre races of the meeting.

Beyond the victory, the performance carries even greater significance. Lowering a national record is never easy, especially after already establishing yourself as the country's fastest woman. Yet Lewis demonstrated that she is still finding new levels, delivering a performance that signals she is becoming an increasingly serious contender on the international stage.

The 11.04 clocking is another milestone in a season that continues to gather momentum. With every race, Lewis is proving she possesses not only exceptional speed but also the consistency and composure needed to challenge the world's elite when the stakes are highest.

As global championship season approaches, Australia's sprint star has sent a powerful message to her rivals. If this latest record-breaking performance is any indication, Torrie Lewis is only beginning to reveal the full extent of her potential, and the fastest chapters of her career may still lie ahead.

Some moments in sport transcend generations. They remind us that while records may fall, the spirit of greatness never fades. One such moment unfolded when legendary New Zealand coach Arch Jelley watched Josh Kerr produce a breathtaking 3:42.66 mile world record—not from the stands, but from his bed, sharing the historic occasion with his former athlete, 1988 Olympian Christine Pfitzinger, herself once New Zealand's mile and 1500m record holder.

For most fans, Kerr's astonishing performance was simply another unforgettable chapter in the evolution of middle-distance running. For Jelley, however, it was something far more profound. It was a bridge between two eras separated by more than half a century, connecting the glorious past he helped shape with the remarkable future he lived long enough to witness.

As he approaches his 104th birthday on August 13, Jelley has seen the mile transformed in ways few people ever will. Long before modern technology, advanced sports science and super shoes reshaped the event, he guided one of athletics' greatest pioneers.

On August 12, 1975, in Gothenburg, Sweden, Jelley coached Sir John Walker to a revolutionary 3:49.4, making him the first man in history to break the seemingly impossible 3:50 barrier for the mile. It was a performance that changed the sport forever and cemented Walker's place among the all-time greats. Less than a year later, Walker crowned that success by winning the Olympic 1500m gold medal at the 1976 Montreal Games, fulfilling the promise of one of the finest coach-athlete partnerships athletics has ever known.

Yet Walker was only one chapter in Jelley's extraordinary coaching legacy.

Across more than six decades, the master coach nurtured and inspired countless elite middle- and long-distance runners, earning a reputation for developing athletes through patience, wisdom and an unwavering belief in their potential. Even retirement could not keep him away from the sport he loved. At the remarkable age of 93, Jelley returned to coaching to help Hamish Carson qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, proving that passion for excellence has no expiration date.

Now, more than fifty years after witnessing Walker redefine what was possible, Jelley has watched another runner push the boundaries of human performance. Josh Kerr's magnificent 3:42.66 was not merely a new world record—it was another milestone in the endless pursuit of greatness, one observed by a man who has devoted almost an entire lifetime to that very journey.

There is something beautifully symbolic about the scene: a coach who once stood trackside guiding history now watching a new generation rewrite it through the lens of modern technology. The setting may have changed, but the emotion remains the same.

Few people in athletics can claim to have witnessed the evolution of the mile from the dawn of the sub-3:50 era to today's astonishing world-record performances. Arch Jelley can.

His life is more than a coaching story—it is a living timeline of the mile itself. From John Walker's historic breakthrough in 1975 to Josh Kerr's record-shattering masterpiece in 2026, Jelley has remained a constant witness to the relentless pursuit of human excellence, proving that while champions come and go, the love of the sport endures across every generation.

When Sir Roger Bannister crossed the finish line in Oxford on May 6, 1954, in 3:59.4, he did far more than become the first man to run a sub-four-minute mile. He demolished one of sport's greatest psychological barriers, proving that what had long been considered impossible was simply waiting for someone bold enough to achieve it.

More than seven decades later, that historic run remains the most famous mile ever raced—not because it is still the fastest, but because it transformed athletics forever. Bannister's achievement inspired generations of runners to dream bigger, train harder and believe that seemingly unreachable barriers could be broken.

Today, however, the mile has entered an entirely different dimension.

Josh Kerr's sensational 3:42.66 world record has redefined the limits of middle-distance running. In one unforgettable race, the Scottish star erased Hicham El Guerrouj's legendary 3:43.13 mark that had stood untouched since 1999, proving once again that every era has its athlete capable of rewriting history.

The numbers tell a remarkable story of progress. If Bannister's iconic 3:59.4 were placed in the same race as Kerr's 3:42.66, the man who first conquered the sub-four-minute barrier would finish almost 17 seconds behind. At the pace Kerr sustained, that deficit would amount to well over 100 metres—an extraordinary margin in an event where the world's best are often separated by hundredths of a second.

Yet those statistics should never be mistaken for a comparison of greatness. Bannister and Kerr competed in vastly different eras, under different conditions and with entirely different levels of sports science, training knowledge, footwear technology and track surfaces. Bannister raced on a cinder track wearing heavy leather spikes, balancing elite athletics with his demanding medical studies. Kerr benefits from decades of scientific advancement, world-class support systems and cutting-edge equipment that have helped athletes push the boundaries of human performance.

Every generation has added another chapter to the mile's extraordinary story. Just weeks after Bannister's breakthrough, Australia's John Landy lowered the record to 3:57.9. The baton then passed through legendary names including Derek Ibbotson, Herb Elliott, Peter Snell, Michel Jazy, Jim Ryun, Filbert Bayi, John Walker, Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett, Steve Cram, Noureddine Morceli and Hicham El Guerrouj. Each champion dared to believe the record could fall again, leaving the event stronger than they found it.

Josh Kerr is now the latest custodian of that legacy. His world record is not simply another fast time—it is the culmination of more than 80 years of relentless progress. Every stride he took was built upon the courage, ambition and achievements of those who came before him.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the mile is how dramatically its meaning has changed. In 1954, the world was captivated by one question: Could anyone ever run under four minutes? Today, the conversation has shifted to how much further the event can evolve. With Kerr already under 3:43, the now-unthinkable prospect of a sub 3:42 mile no longer feels like fantasy but a genuine possibility for the future.

That is the enduring beauty of athletics. Every world record eventually falls, but the performances that redefine belief never fade. Bannister's sub-four-minute mile remains the sport's most iconic breakthrough because it changed the way humanity viewed its own limits. Kerr's 3:42.66 is the newest benchmark of excellence, standing as proof that the impossible is never permanent—it is simply the starting point for the next generation.

Josh Kerr has already etched his name into athletics history with a breathtaking world mile record of 3:42.66, but the numbers hidden within that extraordinary performance suggest an even greater achievement could be just around the corner.

While the world celebrated the fastest mile ever run, another remarkable statistic quietly emerged. On his way to that historic finish, Kerr passed the 1,500m mark in an astonishing 3:27.62—the seventh-fastest performance ever recorded over the distance and just 1.62 seconds outside Hicham El Guerrouj's iconic world record of 3:26.00, which has stood as one of athletics' greatest benchmarks for more than a quarter of a century.

What makes Kerr's split so extraordinary is the context in which it was achieved.

Unlike a dedicated 1,500m race, Kerr wasn't running to the finish line when he reached 1,500 metres. He still had another 109 metres remaining before completing the mile. Throughout the race, he had to carefully distribute his effort, knowing there was still significant work left after crossing the traditional 1,500m distance.

His world-record mile required approximately 724 strides, each averaging about 2.22 metres in length. By the time he reached the 1,500m split, he still had enough energy reserved to launch one final charge toward the mile finish, meaning he could not afford to completely exhaust himself at that point.

That reality has fuelled growing excitement across the athletics community.

Imagine Kerr lining up for a race built solely around the 1,500m. With elite pacemakers setting the perfect rhythm from the gun, competitors pushing the pace all the way to the finish, and no need to save anything for an additional 109 metres, the conditions would be dramatically different. Every stride, every surge and every ounce of energy could be devoted exclusively to chasing one target—the world record.

Many athletics experts believe that under those ideal circumstances, bridging the remaining 1.62 seconds is far from impossible. In fact, they see it as a realistic challenge for an athlete who has consistently demonstrated remarkable finishing speed, tactical intelligence and the ability to perform under immense pressure.

Hicham El Guerrouj's 3:26.00 has long been regarded as one of the most untouchable records in middle-distance running. Yet every era eventually produces an athlete capable of redefining what was once thought impossible.

After witnessing Kerr's astonishing mile masterpiece, the conversation has shifted dramatically. The question is no longer whether he belongs among the greatest milers in history—it is whether he can become the man who finally brings down one of the sport's most enduring world records.

If his latest performance is any indication, the countdown to another historic assault may already have begun.