RunningEasy runsBeginner 52 min

Easy run with 6 strides

An easy run with strides: 35 minutes of easy running, then six 20-second strides at 100–108% of vVO₂max, with a walk to recover. 52 minutes, open to newer runners. Springiness and form, at very little cost.

Written by Pierre Halloo · Updated 25 October 2026

Session profile15 blocks

At a glance

Duration: 52 min
Main target: 100–108%vVO₂max6 Z6 · Anaerobic
Time at target: 2 min
Estimated load: 45
Structure: 20′ at 65–72% vVO₂max
Level: Beginner
Equipment: GPS watch

The session in detail

vVO₂max

Time in zone

Z125 min
Z225 min
Z62 min

What the targets mean

The session's targets, as paces for three reference speeds
Target	Zone	Time	vVO₂max 14 km/h	vVO₂max 16 km/h	vVO₂max 18 km/h
100–108%	6Anaerobic	2 min	4:17/km–3:58/km 78–84 m per rep	3:45/km–3:28/km 89–96 m per rep	3:20/km–3:05/km 100–108 m per rep
65–72%	2Base endurance	20 min	6:36/km–5:57/km	5:46/km–5:13/km	5:08/km–4:38/km
25–35%	1Recovery	5 min	17:09/km–12:15/km 58–82 m per rep	15:00/km–10:43/km 67–93 m per rep	13:20/km–9:31/km 75–105 m per rep

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What this session is for

Strides work coordination, stride and springiness without fatigue. Running fast and relaxed for 20 seconds reminds your legs how to work at speed, something an easy run on its own never does.

It isn't a full speed session: it's an add-on to an easy run. It gets your legs ready for faster sessions and keeps your speed ticking over during spells of mostly easy running. No study looks at strides; it's a very widespread coaching practice.

Who it's for

All regular runners, beginners included after a few weeks of easy running. Useful the day before a fast session or a race, or to maintain speed during an endurance phase. A recent vVO₂max sets your paces, but strides can be run on feel.

When to do it

One to three times a week, in place of a plain easy run. It slots in easily the day before a quality session or a race. To progress, go from 4 to 8 strides, or do them on a gentle hill.

How to do it

Warm-up
15 min
10′ at 60–65% vVO₂max + 5′ at 66–72% vVO₂max
10 minutes of easy running at 60–65% of vVO₂max, then 5 minutes at 66–72%.
Main set
20 min
20′ at 65–72% vVO₂max
20 minutes of easy running at 65–72% of vVO₂max. At 16 km/h, that's 5:46 to 5:13/km: you should be able to hold a conversation. Finish the run on a flat, clear stretch where you can do your strides.
Main set
7 min
6 × 20″ at 100–108% vVO₂max, 1′ recovery
Six 20-second strides at 100–108% of vVO₂max, each followed by a minute's walk. At 16 km/h you'll cover 89 to 96 metres, between 3:45 and 3:28/km. Build up speed over the first 5 seconds, hold a fast but relaxed pace, then ease off without stopping dead. Stay loose: shoulders, jaw, hands.
Cool-down
10 min
10′ at 55–65% vVO₂max
10 minutes of very easy running at 55–65% of vVO₂max. You should finish fresh, with livelier legs than when you started.

How it should feel

Easy run: you can hold a conversation, 3 to 4 out of 10. Strides: fast and fluid, never out of breath, 6 to 7 out of 10. The feeling you're after is lightness, not effort.

Common mistakes

Turning them into sprints

A stride is fast, not maximal. If you finish tense, teeth gritted, you're going too fast: the session loses its technical value and becomes riskier for your hamstrings.

Jogging the recoveries

The minute between strides is walked. Jogging tires your legs and leaves you less fresh for the next one. The aim is for every stride to be as fluid as the first.

Doing them cold

The strides come after 35 minutes of running, not at the start. On cold muscles, even a relaxed acceleration can tug at the back of your thigh.

Picking the wrong ground

A downhill, a tight bend or a slippery surface throws off your stride. Look for a flat, straight, clear stretch of about a hundred metres.

When to skip it

Before you start

A few weeks of regular easy running.

Skip it if

You have a niggle in the back of your thigh or your calf.
You're just back from injury: stick to easy running for a few weeks.

Origin and evidence

Level of evidence

Established practice, no dedicated studyLevel 1 of 5

Coaching practice, with no established author or date. Practice sources describe accelerations of 15 to 30 seconds at 85–95% effort, with 45 to 90 seconds' recovery. Daniels' Running Formula (4th edition) reportedly mentions strides of 15 to 20 seconds with 45 to 60 seconds' rest, according to a secondary summary; coaches, RunnersConnect among them, suggest 4 to 8 repetitions of 20 to 30 seconds. No study dedicated to strides was found. The conversion to % of vVO₂max, from Daniels' tables, the volume, 20 minutes then 6 strides, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. Bottom line: common practice, moderate confidence on safety, weak on measured effects.

Sources

Daniels J., Daniels' Running Formula, 4e éd., Human Kinetics (d'après un résumé secondaire)
RunnersConnect, conseils sur les lignes droites (strides)

Frequently asked questions

What are strides in running?

Short accelerations of about twenty seconds, fast but relaxed, usually run at the end of an easy run. They work your stride and springiness without tiring you. They're not sprints: you never reach your top speed.

How fast should strides be?

Here, at 100–108% of vVO₂max, close to your mile pace: 78 to 84 metres in 20 seconds at 14 km/h, 89 to 96 metres at 16 km/h, 100 to 108 metres at 18 km/h. By feel, it's fast and fluid, never out of breath.

Can I do strides the day before a race?

Yes, it's common practice: a few strides after a short easy run wake your legs up without tiring them. Keep it to four or five, and don't try to go faster than usual.

How many strides should I do?

Between 4 and 8 depending on your level. Six is a good starting point for a regular runner. What matters is that the last is as fluid as the first: if it starts to fall apart, stop there.

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