What is your running stride length?

[vupson]

I am trying to figure out if my running stride length is accurate. I can find average stride lengths for walking on the internet but not running (unless it's for a sprinter). I think that my running stride length is about 40 inches, so about 3 feet and 4 inches. Is that reasonable for a 5'6" woman?

[Mukluk4]

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@vupson wrote:

I am trying to figure out if my running stride length is accurate. I can find average stride lengths for walking on the internet but not running (unless it's for a sprinter). I think that my running stride length is about 40 inches, so about 3 feet and 4 inches. Is that reasonable for a 5'6" woman?

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The biggest problem is that it assumes your stride length is the same for different types of running/walking activities.

I know for a fact that my distance stride and my sprint/basketball stride are significantly different so you need to take the mileage calculation with a grain of salt...

[depepsi]

So true that your stride length varies with the type of walking, running you do. I had no idea that I have several different "walk" lengths until I did a 5K. I walked my very first one. When I got done Fitbit told me that my mileage was 2.35 miles, not 3.1 miles. My heart rate zone was 80-90% for 33 minutes and 90-100% for 17. I was flying. Because I do not want to EVER have to have my hip replacement replaced I do not run or jog, but I walk from 3.7 to 4.2 miles per hour easily. According to the steps that Fitbit recorded (6011) for the 5K my power walk stride is 32.6 inches for a course where I averaged 3.7MPH.  I'm sure I don't have a 32.6 inch stride on a treadmill at 3.7MPH. I'm also certain that I'm not using a 24.7 inch stride at work, or walking around the house. 

I'm heading over to the gym to pace out on their measured 25-yard length in the training area both my normal walk, and my power walk which I'll enter as "run." I don't record distance on my dashboard because it's so variable.

UPDATE:

power walking for the 5 K event                         32.7 inches average

power walking test on 75 foot measured track   36.7 inches (4 tests almost exactly same)

regular walking test on 75 foot track                   26.4 inches 

It appears that when I am fresh (75 foot tests) I have a longer stride, and when I do sustained effort and tire a bit my average stride shortens.  My original walk (24.7)  and run (30.2) measures were done 7 months ago when I first started working out, so even those measurements have changed for the better as my fitness levels improve. 

[Patrick]

I read about a 1984 study once, where the analyst monitored the strides of women in the Olympics. His result was that sprinters have longer strides than distance runners.

If so, then someone could be the exact same height and sex as another but have a totally different stride length dependent of the "type" of run that they are engaging in.

[Heybales]

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@depepsi wrote:

So true that your stride length varies with the type of walking, running you do. I had no idea that I have several different "walk" lengths until I did a 5K. I walked my very first one. When I got done Fitbit told me that my mileage was 2.35 miles, not 3.1 miles. My heart rate zone was 80-90% for 33 minutes and 90-100% for 17. I was flying. Because I do not want to EVER have to have my hip replacement replaced I do not run or jog, but I walk from 3.7 to 4.2 miles per hour easily. According to the steps that Fitbit recorded (6011) for the 5K my power walk stride is 32.6 inches for a course where I averaged 3.7MPH.  I'm sure I don't have a 32.6 inch stride on a treadmill at 3.7MPH. I'm also certain that I'm not using a 24.7 inch stride at work, or walking around the house. 

I'm heading over to the gym to pace out on their measured 25-yard length in the training area both my normal walk, and my power walk which I'll enter as "run." I don't record distance on my dashboard because it's so variable.

UPDATE:

power walking for the 5 K event                         32.7 inches average

power walking test on 75 foot measured track   36.7 inches (4 tests almost exactly same)

regular walking test on 75 foot track                   26.4 inches 

It appears that when I am fresh (75 foot tests) I have a longer stride, and when I do sustained effort and tire a bit my average stride shortens.  My original walk (24.7)  and run (30.2) measures were done 7 months ago when I first started working out, so even those measurements have changed for the better as my fitness levels improve. 

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I've got a better suggestion based on what the units are actually attempting to do.

They all have common chip accelerometers in them that do a couple things - measure hang time and impact.

This is of the step, not the swing of the arm as commonly misunderstood. They are attempting to measure accurate impact despite the swing of the arm actually. Or as many can attest, the inability when the hand is gripping a shopping cart.

Anyway, to get distance from impact they need an expected impact to calculate measured against along with hang time.

Expected impact is based on Stride Length setting and weight. Hang time helps tell if walking or running, acceleration forward or up, ect.

So you really don't want the Stride Length set for your fastest pace that is used for the minority of the day.

You want a SL set in the middle of your potential paces, from grocery store shuffle to exercise level.

Usually about 2 mph will hit that mid-point.

Then the device can see impacts going equal directions both ways and improve accuracy all around.

But you set it for exercise level, and the majority of your daily steps could be inflated, with resulting inflated calorie burn.

Also, need 1/2 to 1 mile, 25 yards isn't nearly long enough for accuracy. Walk right past the line at that 2mph, hit the button to start a workout, and when the 1 mile is done, hit the button again to stop it as you walk by.

Then do the math.

Remember that Fitbit is going for feet & decimal inches. Not decimal feet.inches.

Also, power walking isn't running - it shouldn't register since you don't have the correct acceleration parameters for running nor impact. So don't bother adjusting the running stride length.

[Heybales]

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@Patrick wrote:

I read about a 1984 study once, where the analyst monitored the strides of women in the Olympics. His result was that sprinters have longer strides than distance runners.

If so, then someone could be the exact same height and sex as another but have a totally different stride length dependent of the "type" of run that they are engaging in.

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The other variable there is when you view sprinters vs long distance, and I just reminded myself to confirm my suspicions - sprinters for same height usually have longer legs. Not always, but good runners with longer legs seem to trend toward sprinting.

I could see that, the extra impact from long distance would benefit shorter legs not getting near the height nor distance to increase impact.

But so true that the gender/height equation can leave much to be desired. We've all seen the 2 people sitting at a table that appear equal height stand up together and show they are no where near, or opposite effect.

That's why I feel that tweak of stride length is so important. Especially as you lose weight.

People almost always discover they can't stride out as much when carrying more weight, only discovered when they lose it and find they can do more.