What Does Running Economy Really Mean (and How to Improve It)?
I ‘ve been testing and reviewing the Garmin Forerunner 970 for the past month, and my biggest disappointment (one of the few) was that I couldn’t use it to estimate running economy, as that requires a heart rate monitor, such as the Garmin HRM-600 chest strap . However, this lends greater credibility to Garmin’s running economy metrics, as it requires key metrics such as heart rate, stride length, ground contact time, vertical oscillation, and stride decay.
There’s a lot of talk these days about “running economy.” When I asked a running coach (who, by the way, is a good friend of mine) what differentiates two runners with similar cardiovascular fitness levels, he pointed to the concept of running economy. I’m now considering buying an additional chest strap because I’m really interested in this metric.
However, whenever a term moves from sports science to a buzzword—such as VO2 max—the common understanding can become distorted. So let’s explore what this term actually means for the average runner and when it’s worth investing in devices that can accurately measure this metric.
What does “operating economy” really mean?
At its core, running economy is simple: it measures how much oxygen (and therefore energy) your body uses to run at a given speed. A runner with better running economy uses less fuel to cover the same distance. Think of it like a car’s fuel efficiency: two cars might have identical engines, but one gets 40 mpg while the other gets 28. And in both cases, it’s not just the engine that matters.
While running economy is a real, measurable, and trainable characteristic , I’ve noticed that the phrase “improving your running economy” has become a catch-all for everything from $300 carbon-plated running shoes to specialized breathing techniques. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Science shows that running economy is shaped by factors such as muscle fiber composition, tendon stiffness, training history, and even the body’s ability to store elastic energy in connective tissue. Some of these factors are trainable, but others are largely determined by genetics.
How to improve running economy
The good news is that the most effective strategies are also the simplest—provided you apply them consistently.
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Run more miles at an easier pace. Simply increasing your base training volume is one of the most reliable ways to improve your running economy. Increasing your mileage trains your body to run efficiently, but make sure you’re running easy enough to safely increase your overall volume. This means keeping your workouts long and slow.
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Add sprints, not just intervals. Short sprints (20–30 seconds), especially with a relaxed technique, train your neuromuscular system to work more efficiently. Adding four to six sprints after an easy run two to three times a week is a low-risk, high-reward habit for improving running economy.
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Strength training (with a specific goal). Heavy strength training, especially single-leg exercises, calf raises, and hip strengthening, has been proven by numerous studies to be an effective way to improve running economy .
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Improve your running technique one aspect at a time. Reworking your gait based on a slow-motion video is usually counterproductive. Instead, pick one tip—a slightly faster pace, a more relaxed jaw, leaning forward from the ankles—and practice it during easy runs for four weeks before adding another.
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Priority is given to sleep and recovery. It won’t surprise anyone who’s tried running while sleep-deprived, but runners who aren’t properly recovered from training experience significantly worse fuel economy . Remember: the body adapts during rest, not during running.
Result
The importance of running economy is well worth it, and it’s something you can work on. Just remember that these improvements come through weeks, months, and years of hard work—they can’t be bought with a good pair of running shoes. If you’re looking for a practical starting point, try this: run more easy miles, add sprints and strength training, get enough sleep, and adjust your running technique carefully and deliberately. Once I start properly measuring my running economy with Garmin devices , I’ll report back with my results.