Strides for Trail Runners: Speed Without the Fatigue

Most trail and ultrarunners spend the majority of their training at low intensity. That’s necessary—but it comes with a trade-off: you gradually lose your ability to run fast efficiently. Trail runners shouldn’t neglect speed, as racing often presents moments where having that extra gear is essential.

This is where strides come in.

What Are Strides?

Strides are a form of fast running that falls short of sprinting. They are controlled accelerations, typically lasting 15–30 seconds (about 80–100 m).

A proper stride includes three distinct phases:

• Gradual acceleration → build speed during the first 5 to 10 seconds 
• Controlled fast running (~85–95% effort)  → hold top speed for 5 to 10 seconds
• Relaxed deceleration → decelerate for 5 to 10 seconds

The goal is simple: run fast without tension.

Strides are a simple way to keep fast, efficient running in your program without adding fatigue.
They’re especially useful during base phases and taper, but they shouldn’t disappear once training gets more specific—they help maintain coordination, economy, and movement quality throughout the entire training cycle.

How to Do Them

A simple structure:

• 4–8 repetitions
• 15–30 seconds each (about 80–100 m)
• Full recovery between reps (up to 2+ minutes, walk or easy jog).

If you’re new to strides, start with 4 × 15-second strides once a week and build over 3–4 weeks.

Focus on:

• Excellent running form
• Tall posture
• Quick leg turnover, high cadence
• Relaxed arms and shoulders

Strides are not all-out sprints. They are controlled, fast running. If you feel strain or heavy breathing, you’re going too hard. Slow down.

Run strides 2–3 times per week, typically at the end of an easy run.

Don’t do strides when you are dealing with an injury.

Video Demonstration: Strides by Dr. Jack Daniels

The video below provides a clear example of proper strides. Focus less on pace and more on running form and how it feels.

Coaching cues while watching:

• Start relaxed and build speed gradually
• Aim for fast but smooth running—not all-out sprinting
• Stay tall through the hips and chest
• Keep the arms compact and relaxed
• Let cadence increase naturally
• Avoid straining or forcing speed
• Ease out of the stride—don’t stop abruptly
• Finish each rep feeling sharp, not tired
• Recover fully between reps

For trail runners, the goal is to stay connected to fast, efficient movement so your mechanics don’t fall apart when terrain or fatigue demands more from you.

Where to Do Them

For optimal results, perform strides on smooth surfaces, such as roads or tracks, so you can focus on the quality of your movement. Ideal terrain is flat, smooth ground. An incline of 3–6% is also a great option—see the Uphill Strides section below.

You should avoid technical terrain or steep trails, as the added complexity interferes with proper execution. While some training systems suggest using a 3% downhill grade, Top Of The Trail does not recommend downhill strides because of the increased risk of injury.

Uphill Strides

For masters runners and beginners alike, a mild hill (max 6% incline) is a great option and a good starting point. Going uphill offers a gentler approach, as the incline helps to reduce impact forces, thereby decreasing tissue damage and the need for recovery. Masters athletes and injury-prone athletes should focus on uphill strides. Keep uphill strides short, 8-12 seconds, and recover fully between reps.

Avoid downhill strides because of the increased risk of injury.

Why Strides Work

Strides are a form of neuromuscular training.

They help:

• Train and reinforce efficient movement patterns at higher speeds
• Improve coordination and muscle recruitment
• Maintain a sense of rhythm and speed during predominantly easy training

Coaches such as Steve Magness and Jack Daniels consistently include short, fast running in training to support efficiency and coordination. Short bursts of fast running recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers that easy running rarely activates, helping preserve them as a usable part of your fiber pool. The idea is simple: if you never run fast, you lose the ability to run efficiently when it matters.

Strides offer a neuromuscular stimulus with low fatigue but do not replace high-intensity interval training or provide the metabolic benefits of speed intervals.

Why Trail Runners Need Strides

For trail and ultrarunners, strides emphasize movement quality and fast running, not top-end speed. Relying only on slow running often leads to reduced neuromuscular coordination and less efficient movement over time. Strides counter this by reinforcing coordination, supporting efficient running at faster speeds, and helping keep your running light and responsive. Even in trail and ultra races, a speed reserve is valuable for occasional short bursts of fast running.

When to Use Strides

Strides work year-round, but they’re especially valuable in the base phase, when high volumes of low-intensity running can lead to a loss of speed and coordination. During the taper, they help keep the legs sharp without adding fatigue.

Here’s how to include strides in your training to reinforce movement quality without adding fatigue: 

• As part of a warm-up: Include strides as the final step of a warm-up before a high-intensity interval session or a race to prime the neuromuscular system for faster speeds.
• At the end of easy or endurance runs: Perform 4–8 repetitions after a low-intensity run to shake out the legs and reinforce efficient movement patterns. Include strides 2–3 times per week.

Final Thought

Don’t neglect speed as a trail runner. Racing often presents moments where having that extra gear is essential. Strides are easy to overlook because of their simplicity—and that is precisely why they are so effective. They provide a vital neuromuscular reminder of what fast running feels like, ensuring you stay connected to fast, efficient movement even when the bulk of your training is performed at a low intensity. Strides are a simple way to keep fast, efficient running in your program without adding fatigue.

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Cover image by Nano Banana.