How to Run Strides Inside on the Treadmill

Strides are beneficial for runners for a variety of reasons. They can be used during many different phases of training and are simple to implement. However, if you are unable to run outside can you do strides on a treadmill? Some runners may be intimidated by running fast enough to do strides in the same way they would outside. Others may make mistakes than can increase injury risk. While it is possible to run strides inside on the treadmill, there are some guidelines that will help you get the most out of the them while decreasing your risk of injury.

What are strides?

Strides are short accelerations where you gradually get faster over the course of about 20-30 seconds. They cover short distances (50-100 meters) and you should build up to about 80-90% of your maximum speed while also focusing on maintaining good running form.

To start doing strides, ease into a fast pace for the first few seconds until you reach your goal speed. Try to stay relaxed and focus on good form. Slow down over the last few seconds before stopping to take a full recovery. Wait about 90 seconds to 2 minutes before starting your next stride.

You can learn more about running strides here: Running Strides: Why And How To Include Them In Your Training

What pace should you run strides on the treadmill?

It make take some trial and error to figure out what speed to run strides on the treadmill. Unlike running outside, when running on the treadmill you need to select the speed you plan to run. Ideally, strides should be run by effort and your pace may vary from day to day (or even from one stride to the next).

When running strides outside, you should build up to about 80-90% of your maximum speed while also focusing on maintaining good running form. However, when running strides on the treadmill you may want to run them a bit slower and add an incline of about 1-2%, This will help you control your pace a bit. If you typically run strides at your mile pace outside, you can aim for 3k-5k pace on the treadmill with an incline.

How long should you run strides inside on the treadmill?

When running strides outside I usually suggest 20-30 seconds of strides, but that includes about 5-10 seconds to speed up and about 5 seconds to slow down. The full speed of the stride lasts for 10-20 seconds. So when you are timing your strides on the treadmill you need to consider the time to reach the pace you want to run. Once it reaches your goal pace run for about 10-20 seconds before slowing it down.

Other adjustments for running strides inside on the treadmill

You may need to play around with your paces for strides on the treadmill. Another option is to do hill strides. These will be at a slower pace but at a 4-8% incline.

If you can’t maintain good form when doing strides on the treadmill slow down to a pace that feels more manageable. While you may not get the same benefit as faster strides, you may be able to work towards running your strides faster. It’s always better to focus on good form. If you are looking to reinforce good running mechanics but are struggling with strides on the treadmill you can try doing running drills instead.

If you are dealing with an injury or are very injury prone take extra caution when doing strides on the treadmill. The high speeds can put alot of stress on the body which may not be worth it. Consider running hills, doing running drills, or waiting until you can get back outside to do strides.

Do you include strides in your training?
DO you ever run strides inside on the treadmill?

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