In my opinion, the best investment of time that any runner can make is by performing strides, aka striders or stride-outs. If you have yet to add a set of strides to your weekly running routine, I believe that this simple drill will make a dramatic improvement to your running. It only takes 5 to 7 minutes to perform a set of 4-6 strides.

The physiological benefit of strides are an improved leg turnover, economy, and form. Most distance runners perform the majority of their training at an easy running pace. Adding strides to the routine offers a method to stretch out, as well as way to freshen up an easy or recovery paced run.

The practice of strides also offers an additional way to identify weaknesses in your biomechanics. If you are dinged up, or achy in one area, strides usually help pinpoint places to apply additional stretching or strengthening exercises.

There are several techniques to performing strides. I will describe one way:

Find a 100-150 yard distance of smooth ground on any surface, such as a football or grass field, open road or path, or flat dirt trail.

Typically, I use the road in front of my house since I run frequently from home, but my favorite place is the football field.

The way I run a strider is a gradual increase of speed, over the first three-fourths of the distance, followed by a gradual (float) deceleration to a walk. I use a walking recovery of about 15-30 seconds before starting the next stride.

I like performing strides on the football field for the yard lines and it's soft surface. I use end zone to end zone (120 yards) and break the sections into 30 yard quarters. Example stride technique using a football field:

Start at the back of end zone.

    First 30 yds: Start at fast jog
    Second 30 yds: Faster run
    Third 30 yds: Fastest run (but not all-out)
    Last 30 yds: Gradual floating slow-down to a walk.

The stride is a controlled activity. At no time should the stride feel-like "all-out" pace. The main idea with this technique is to avoid a sudden change in speeds. By accelerating every 30 yards, the change in speed is gradual and not abrupt. The same goes for the deceleration. The last 30 yards feel like a "float" slow-down to a walk and recovery.

I don't see the need to do a tremendous amount of strides in one set. In my experience, a set of 4 or 6 strides, 1-2 times per week is enough to create the desired stimulus. Performed this way, I suggest that a set of strides adds only 5-7 extra minutes to a workout.

Perform strides as a part of an easy run or recovery day, or prior to a quality workout or race. As with any new training activity, allow yourself 3-4 weeks of consistency in order to fully realize the effect of the training you're performing in this week.