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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.

The streets of Portaferry fell silent with grief as family, friends, fellow athletes and members of the community gathered to say their final goodbyes to Ciara Mageean, the beloved Irish Olympian whose remarkable life was cut tragically short at the age of 34.

It was an emotional farewell to a woman who had brought immense pride to her country, inspired countless people through her achievements on the track and touched lives through her warmth, courage and generosity.

Mageean, who represented Ireland at the Olympic Games and Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games, died on Sunday, November 1, following a courageous battle with stage four bowel cancer. She had publicly revealed her diagnosis in 2025 and was facing a likely terminal prognosis.

Her death sent shockwaves throughout the athletics community, with tributes pouring in from fellow competitors, sporting organisations, political leaders and admirers around the world.

For Portaferry, however, the loss was deeply personal. The town was not simply mourning a European champion and Olympic athlete; it was saying goodbye to one of its own.

Her funeral brought together a community united in sorrow, celebrating a life that had made an extraordinary impact both on and off the track.

One of the most moving moments came during the funeral service when Fr Martin Kelly shared a touching memory from one of his final visits to Mageean at the hospice.

He recalled visiting her approximately three weeks before her death and accompanying her on a walk. Despite the severity of her illness, the determined athlete still appeared to have enough energy to leave him struggling to keep up.

When Ciara noticed that the priest was finding the walk difficult, she offered him her arm.

"There’s still a bit of 'macho' in me, so I hesitated - linking arms wasn’t me," Fr Kelly recalled. "Then I gave in."

What followed became one of his most treasured memories of the remarkable athlete.

"One of my happiest memories is that of Ciara Mageean linking my arm as we walked back to her room, shortly before she went to Heaven," he said.

"Thank you Ciara from the bottom of my heart."

It was a simple gesture, but one that captured the extraordinary kindness of a woman whose greatness extended far beyond her sporting achievements.

Even while facing the final stages of her illness, Mageean was still thinking about someone else, offering comfort and companionship when she could easily have been the one receiving it.

Her final chapter was also filled with love and precious family moments. Just weeks before her death, she married her longtime partner, Thomas Moran, in a civil ceremony at Belfast City Hall. The couple subsequently celebrated their marriage with family and friends at Darver Castle in County Louth on October 25.

The following day, Mageean shared photographs of the celebration on social media, writing: "I hope you didn’t think we were skipping the party."

She described the occasion as an "incredible day" surrounded by "the most amazing people."

Those photographs, showing her smiling and celebrating with loved ones, have since become particularly emotional reminders of the happiness she experienced during her final days.

Moran had stood beside her throughout her cancer journey, encouraging her to seek medical attention when her symptoms changed in 2025. Mageean had spoken about the future they hoped to build together in Portaferry, including having children and eventually grandchildren.

Tragically, their dreams were cut short. The couple had been married for only 20 days when Mageean passed away.

Among those who travelled to Ireland to celebrate the wedding was British marathoner Phily Bowden, who had trained alongside Mageean in Helen Clitheroe's New Balance Manchester group.

Bowden had flown from Arizona during the final stages of her preparation for the New York City Marathon because she did not want to miss her friend's special occasion.

In a video recorded during a training session in Dublin, she explained the reason for her journey.

"A very special person in my life is getting married this weekend here in Ireland," she said. "So I couldn’t exactly miss it."

Just seven days later, Bowden found herself lining up for the New York City Marathon after receiving devastating news while travelling on the bus to the start.

Her friend had died.

Despite the heartbreak, she went on to complete the 42.195km race, finishing 17th in 2:30:45. She later dedicated her performance to Mageean, turning a day of personal achievement into a deeply emotional tribute.

It was another reminder of how many lives Ciara had touched, and how far her influence extended beyond the athletics track.

Sportingly, Mageean leaves behind an extraordinary legacy. She represented Ireland at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, competed for Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games and established herself as one of the finest middle-distance runners in Irish history.

Her greatest triumph came at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, where she captured the women's 1,500m gold medal in 4:04.66, delivering a historic performance that secured her place among Ireland's most celebrated athletes.

But while her medals and achievements will remain part of athletics history, those who knew her will remember something even more valuable: the person behind the champion.

Her courage through cancer, her determination to embrace life, her love for family and friends, and her instinct to extend kindness even during her most difficult moments have become central to the tributes celebrating her life.

As Portaferry said its final goodbye, the streets that once celebrated one of their greatest sporting daughters became a place of reflection, remembrance and heartbreak.

Ciara Mageean's final race was not run on an athletics track. It was a battle fought with extraordinary courage, surrounded by the people she loved.

And perhaps the most powerful image to emerge from her final chapter is not one of her crossing a finish line or lifting a championship medal, but of a woman in a hospice offering her arm to someone else as they walked together.

A small act of kindness. A beautiful final memory. A lasting reminder that true greatness is measured not only by what someone achieves, but also by how they make others feel.

Portaferry has lost a daughter. Irish athletics has lost a champion. And the world has lost a remarkable woman.

 As Portaferry laid one of its brightest daughters to rest, the tears, tributes and heartfelt memories told the story of a woman whose impact reached far beyond the finish line. Ciara Mageean may have lost her final battle, but cancer could never take away the courage with which she lived, the love she shared or the countless lives she inspired. Her footsteps may have fallen silent, but her legacy will forever echo through Irish athletics and the hearts of everyone who had the privilege of knowing her story. A champion on the track, a fighter in life and a beautiful soul remembered forever. 

What happens when one of the greatest marathon runners in history meets an Olympic sprint champion in a school cafeteria?

In New York City, it made for an unforgettable evening of athletics, laughter and community ahead of the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon.

On Friday, October 30, Nike Running transformed the cafeteria at Manhattan’s High School of Fashion Industries into “Cafeteria 26.2,” creating a classic American school-lunchroom atmosphere where runners could gather, enjoy a pre-race pasta meal and soak up the excitement building around one of the world’s most famous marathons.

But the food was not the only attraction.

Among the most memorable moments came when two of athletics’ biggest stars stepped away from the competition arena and behind the serving counter.

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, widely regarded as one of the greatest marathoners of all time, joined American Olympic sprint champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden to serve pasta to runners preparing for Sunday’s race.

Wearing custom red Nike aprons emblazoned with the word “RUN,” the two champions embraced the unusual roles with plenty of energy, chatting with athletes, signing jackets and sharing smiles and photographs with members of the running community.

For the runners in attendance, it was a rare opportunity to interact with champions who represent two very different sides of the sport.

Kipchoge has built a legendary career around the marathon, winning the Olympic title twice and becoming the first person to complete the distance in under two hours in a specially staged event. Jefferson-Wooden, meanwhile, has established herself among the world’s leading sprinters, bringing explosive speed and Olympic success to the occasion.

Together, they created a striking picture: marathon endurance meeting sprinting speed, all in the most unexpected of places.

The evening also produced plenty of lighter moments. Social media users jokingly focused on Kipchoge’s seemingly careful pasta portions, turning a simple serving moment into another source of entertainment before race day.

But behind the jokes was something more meaningful.

“Cafeteria 26.2” captured the communal spirit that makes major road races so special. Before thousands of runners would take on the bridges, hills and streets of New York, they were given a chance to share a meal, meet fellow athletes and celebrate the sport away from the pressure of competition.

And with Kipchoge and Jefferson-Wooden on the other side of the serving counter, the night offered a reminder that athletics is not only about records, medals and finish lines.

Sometimes, it is simply about bringing people together.

From the explosive world of the 100 metres to the relentless demands of 26.2 miles, different disciplines may require different kinds of greatness—but they are united by the same passion to RUN.

Sweden’s Andreas Almgren has turned his marathon debut into a piece of history.

The 31-year-old produced a stunning performance at the 2026 New York City Marathon, winning in 2:06:01 and becoming the first Swedish man to conquer one of the world’s most prestigious marathons.

But Almgren’s breakthrough was about far more than a personal victory. His triumph marked the end of a remarkable era of African dominance in two of the sport’s biggest distance-running competitions.

Almgren became the first non-African-born male winner of the New York City Marathon since Brazil’s Marílson Gomes dos Santos claimed his second title in 2008. For 18 years, the race had remained without another non-African-born male champion.

His achievement also added another remarkable chapter to a career that has already produced a major global breakthrough. Almgren had previously become the first non-African man since Italy’s Stefano Baldini in 1996 to win the World Half Marathon title, ending a three-decade wait for another victory of that kind.

His New York triumph was even more unusual because it came on his marathon debut. Almgren became the first man since Ethiopia’s Gebre Gebremariam in 2010 to win the New York City Marathon in his first attempt at the distance.

For Sweden, the significance is even greater.

Almgren is now the first Swedish man to win the New York City Marathon and the first Swedish athlete to claim a men’s World Marathon Major title, placing his name alongside some of the greatest distance runners in history.

New York has long been a stage where experienced marathoners, Olympic medallists and established champions battle for glory. Almgren arrived without a marathon race on his résumé and left with one of the most remarkable debut victories the event has witnessed.

His 2:06:01 was not simply a winning time. It was the performance that transformed an ambitious first marathon into a landmark moment for Swedish athletics.

From the World Half Marathon title to the streets of New York, Almgren has now broken barriers that had stood for decades.

A new chapter in marathon history has begun — and Sweden has found its newest distance-running star.

Des Linden has officially gone where the marathon can no longer take her.

The 2018 Boston Marathon champion completed her first 100-mile race at the Javelina Jundred in Arizona on Saturday, finishing in 16:58:00 to place ninth among the women and 39th overall. It was a demanding debut over 100 miles of desert trail, but for Linden, simply reaching the finish line was another remarkable chapter in a career that continues to evolve beyond the roads.

For much of the race, however, Linden looked capable of something far more ambitious than simply finishing.

She began cautiously, gradually working her way through the field before moving from fifth place into the women's lead. By mile 45.3, she was out front in 5:53:12, and she continued to extend her advantage. At mile 56.9, Linden was still leading, carrying a gap of roughly five minutes over Katie Asmuth.

Then came the moment when 100 miles began to feel very different from 26.2.

Linden completed 60.3 miles in 8:01:12, maintaining a remarkably strong pace deep into the race. But after reaching the aid station, she needed significant assistance from her crew, including a shoe change, and the momentum that had carried her into the lead began to disappear.

The change was dramatic.

The 4.3 miles from the 60.3-mile mark to Coyote Camp took Linden 1:22:37. By mile 64.6, she had surrendered the lead and slipped back through the women's field. What had looked like a potential victory challenge had become a battle of survival, patience and determination.

Yet Linden refused to stop.

Her final 39.7 miles took 8:56:48 — nearly an hour longer than the time she needed to cover her opening 60.3 miles. The difference illustrated just how brutally the final stages of a 100-mile race can punish even an experienced marathoner.

And the conditions offered little mercy.

Rain had already affected the course, leaving muddy sections and washouts, while further storms and heavy rain made the later stages particularly difficult. As darkness settled over the Arizona desert, Linden kept moving, adding another layer of difficulty to an already punishing first attempt at the distance.

Heather Jackson ultimately won the women's race in 13:48:29, edging Carla Molinaro by just 55 seconds, with Katie Asmuth third in 14:06:34. Jackson and Molinaro secured the two women's Golden Tickets to the 2027 Western States 100.

Linden's ninth-place finish left her outside those qualifying positions, but the result hardly diminishes what she accomplished. She came to Arizona to discover what 100 miles would demand from her — and she found out the hard way.

The distance was the part that had made her most nervous before the race.

In the end, it was exactly what she feared.

But she faced it anyway.

From winning Boston in 2018 to stepping away from professional road racing and embracing the world of ultrarunning, Linden has continued to challenge herself in ways that few athletes at her level would dare. Earlier this year, she finished third at the Marathon des Sables, a brutal multi-stage desert ultra that included a 100-kilometre long stage.

Now she can add another achievement to that growing trail résumé: 100 miles completed.

It was not the victory she may have glimpsed halfway through the night. It was not the Golden Ticket she might have dreamed about.

It was something perhaps more valuable for a first attempt — a hard-earned lesson in just how unforgiving 100 miles can be, and the satisfaction of knowing she kept going when the race stopped going according to plan.

For Des Linden, the marathon may have been the distance that made her famous.

But 100 miles may be where her next chapter truly begins.

The New York City Marathon is celebrated as a day of courage, endurance and achievement — a race where thousands of runners push their limits while families and friends wait eagerly to see them cross the finish line.

For one family, however, November 1, 2026, became a day of unimaginable heartbreak.

Twenty-four-year-old Rachel Apa, a former Division I field hockey athlete at Bucknell University, was running her first marathon when she collapsed in Central Park with roughly two miles remaining. She never made it to the finish line.

Rachel had entered the race with a deeply personal purpose. She was running in honour of her late grandfather, who had battled Parkinson’s disease, while raising money and awareness for Parkinson’s research and care.

Her family followed her journey closely as she made her way through the five boroughs.

Rachel exchanged messages with her father, Steve, during the race as he monitored her progress remotely. At Mile 18, she sent a brief message: “Ow.”

One mile later, another message arrived: “Ow ow.”

Then, at Mile 23, came her final message: “Final stretch.”

Those words would become heartbreaking in hindsight.

Rachel’s mother, Michelle, was waiting around Mile 25 in Central Park, expecting to see her daughter approaching the finish line. She was preparing for a moment of celebration — to watch Rachel complete the biggest running challenge of her life.

Instead, Rachel’s tracking-app location stopped moving around Mile 24.

At approximately 1:30 p.m., Rachel collapsed near 85th Street in Central Park. Spectators rushed to help, including medical professionals who began performing CPR. New York Road Runners’ medical team soon arrived with a defibrillator, and Rachel was taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Doctors fought for more than six hours to save her life.

But at approximately 9:40 p.m., Rachel was pronounced dead.

According to her father, doctors attributed her death to rhabdomyolysis, a serious medical condition in which damaged muscle tissue breaks down rapidly and releases substances into the bloodstream that can cause severe complications.

The tragedy sent shockwaves through the running community.

New York Road Runners, organisers of the New York City Marathon, expressed deep sadness over Rachel’s death and extended their condolences to her family, friends and everyone affected by the loss.

Rachel’s marathon was never simply about completing 26.2 miles.

It was about family. It was about memory. It was about honouring her grandfather and helping others affected by Parkinson’s disease.

She had already pushed through more than 24 miles of one of the world’s toughest and most demanding marathon courses. She was so close to the finish line that her final message to her father was simply, “Final stretch.”

But the finish line she had spent months preparing for would remain out of reach.

For Rachel’s family, the New York City Marathon will forever be remembered not for the finish line, but for the devastating moment when a day of hope became a night of grief.

Her mother was waiting to celebrate her daughter’s achievement. Instead, she was left facing an unimaginable loss.

Rachel Apa was just 24 years old.

She came to New York chasing a dream, carrying the memory of someone she loved and running for a cause close to her heart. She never got to finish the race, but her story will remain with the people who knew her and with a running community that mourns her loss.