Understanding Running Economy
Running economy is one of the most important factors that determines how fast and how far you can run. Simply put, it measures how efficiently your body uses oxygen at a given pace. The better your running economy, the less energy you burn while running at the same speed as someone else.
Think of it like fuel efficiency in a car. Two cars might travel the same distance, but one uses less gas to get there. In running, two athletes might run the same pace, but the one with better running economy uses less oxygen and energy. This means they can either run faster using the same energy, or run the same speed while feeling less tired.
Running economy is often overlooked compared to VO2 max or lactate threshold, but research shows it can be just as important for performance. Elite distance runners typically have exceptional running economy, which is one reason they can maintain such fast paces for so long.
Why Running Economy Matters
Improving your running economy can lead to significant performance gains, especially in longer races. When you run more efficiently, you conserve energy that can be used later in a race or training run. This is particularly valuable in marathons and ultra-distance events where energy management is critical.
Better running economy also means you can train at faster paces without pushing into higher heart rate zones. This allows you to get more quality training while staying aerobic, which is the foundation of endurance performance.
The good news is that running economy can improve substantially with the right training approach. While genetics play a role, factors like running form, strength, and training consistency all contribute to how economically you run.
Factors That Affect Running Economy
Running Form and Biomechanics
Your running form has a major impact on how efficiently you move. Small improvements in technique can reduce wasted motion and energy. Good running form involves a slight forward lean from the ankles, landing with your foot underneath your body rather than far in front, and maintaining a relaxed upper body.
Tension in your shoulders, neck, or hands wastes energy that could be used for forward motion. Keep your hands loose, shoulders relaxed, and arms swinging naturally at your sides. Your arm swing should be forward and back, not crossing in front of your body.
Ground contact time also matters. Spending less time on the ground with each step generally improves economy. This does not mean you should try to run on your toes, but rather focus on a quick, light foot strike that propels you forward efficiently.
Cadence and Step Rate
Cadence refers to how many steps you take per minute. Research suggests that many runners benefit from a cadence around 170 to 180 steps per minute, though the ideal cadence varies based on height, leg length, and speed.
A higher cadence often reduces the impact forces on your body and can improve running economy. When you take shorter, quicker steps, you typically land with your foot closer to your center of gravity, which reduces braking forces and wasted energy.
You can gradually increase your cadence by counting your steps during easy runs and trying to add a few more steps per minute over time. Most running watches can track cadence, which helps you monitor your progress.
Muscle Strength and Power
Strong muscles, particularly in your legs and core, contribute significantly to running economy. Stronger muscles can handle the repetitive impact of running more efficiently and help you maintain good form when you start to fatigue.
Your calves and tendons act like springs, storing and releasing energy with each step. Stronger, more reactive muscles and tendons return more of that energy, reducing the metabolic cost of running.
Core strength helps you maintain stability and proper posture throughout your run. A stable core prevents excessive side-to-side movement and rotation, keeping more of your energy directed forward.
Body Weight and Composition
Carrying less body weight, particularly excess fat, generally improves running economy. Every extra pound you carry requires more energy to move. However, this must be balanced with maintaining adequate nutrition for training and overall health.
Muscle mass also plays a role. While you need strong muscles for efficient running, carrying excessive muscle mass that is not functional for running can hurt economy. Distance runners naturally develop lean, efficient physiques through consistent training.
Training Experience and Adaptation
Simply running more miles over time improves your running economy. Your body adapts to the specific demands of running through neuromuscular adaptations, improved coordination, and more efficient movement patterns.
This is one reason why consistency matters so much in running. Regular training teaches your body to move more efficiently and use less energy at the same pace. These adaptations continue to develop over years of training.
Practical Ways to Improve Running Economy
Include Strength Training
Adding strength training to your routine is one of the most effective ways to improve running economy. Focus on exercises that target your legs, core, and posterior chain. Squats, lunges, deadlifts, and single-leg exercises build the strength needed for efficient running.
Plyometric exercises like box jumps, bounding, and skipping develop the reactive strength and power that make your muscles and tendons more spring-like. Start with basic movements and progress gradually to avoid injury.
Two to three strength sessions per week during base training periods can lead to measurable improvements in running economy. Even one session per week during race preparation helps maintain the strength you have built.
Work on Running Form Drills
Running drills help reinforce proper movement patterns and improve coordination. Common drills include high knees, butt kicks, A-skips, and B-skips. These drills isolate specific aspects of good running form and train your neuromuscular system to move more efficiently.
Perform drills after your warm-up on easy run days or before workout sessions. Keep the volume low, focusing on quality of movement rather than quantity. Even five to ten minutes of drills a few times per week can make a difference.
Add Strides to Your Training
Strides are short, controlled accelerations that help improve your running form and economy. After an easy run, do four to six strides of about 20 to 30 seconds at a comfortably hard pace, focusing on relaxed, smooth form.
Strides teach your body to run faster while staying relaxed and efficient. They also provide neuromuscular stimulus without the fatigue of a full workout. Include strides two to three times per week after easy runs.
Build Consistency in Your Training
Consistent running over months and years produces gradual improvements in economy through adaptation. Your body learns to run more efficiently simply by doing it regularly. Avoid the temptation to do too much too soon, which often leads to injury and interrupts your training.
Progressive overload matters, but so does patience. Build your training volume gradually and maintain consistency throughout the year. Even moderate weekly mileage maintained consistently will improve your economy over time.
Include Tempo Runs and Threshold Training
Running at or near your lactate threshold pace helps improve running economy. Tempo runs teach your body to run efficiently at challenging paces and build the specific fitness needed for racing.
Threshold efforts also improve your ability to clear lactate and use fat for fuel, both of which contribute to better economy. Include one threshold or tempo session per week during build phases of your training.
Focus on Relaxation
Learning to run relaxed, especially at faster paces, improves economy by reducing wasted energy. Practice staying loose in your upper body, keeping your jaw unclenched, and breathing naturally.
During runs, periodically check in with your body. Are your shoulders creeping up toward your ears? Are your hands clenched? Consciously relax these areas and notice how it affects your running.
Consider Your Shoes and Equipment
Lighter running shoes generally improve running economy, though they must still provide adequate support and protection for your needs. Modern carbon-plated racing shoes can also improve economy through their energy-return properties, though the effect varies between individuals.
Train in shoes appropriate for your daily runs, and save lightweight or racing shoes for workouts and races. Your body needs time to adapt to different shoes, so make changes gradually.
Measuring Your Progress
While laboratory testing can precisely measure running economy, you can track improvements through simpler methods. Notice if you can run the same paces at lower heart rates over time. Track how you feel at different paces during your runs.
Performance in races and time trials also reflects improvements in economy. If you can run faster or farther with similar effort, your economy has likely improved.
Be patient with the process. Improvements in running economy develop gradually through consistent application of the right training principles. Focus on the long-term development of your running, and economy gains will follow.