What ‘Running Economy’ Actually Means (and How to Improve Yours)

I spent the last month testing and reviewing the Garmin Forerunner 970, and my biggest disappointment (one of only a few) was that I couldn’t use it to test my running economy, since it requires a heart rate monitor like Garmin’s HRM-600 chest strap. At the same time, it does lend a lot of legitimacy to Garmin’s running economy metric, knowing it requires key inputs like heart rate, stride length, ground contract time, vertical oscillation, and step speed loss.

“Running economy” has a lot of buzz around it right now. When I asked a running coach (who happens to be a good friend) what separates two athletes with identical cardiovascular fitness, they pointed to the concept of running economy. Now I’m considering buying the additional chest strap, because I’m just that intrigued by this metric.

However, whenever a term migrates from exercise science into trendy buzzword—looking at you, VO2max—the mainstream understanding can get warped along the way, so let’s take a look at what the term really means for the average runner, and when it’s worth investing in devices that can accurately measure it for you.

What “running economy” really means

At its core, running economy is straightforward: it measures how much oxygen (and therefore energy) your body uses to run at a given pace. A runner with better economy uses less fuel to cover the same ground. Think of it like fuel efficiency in a car: Two cars might have identical engines, but one gets 40 miles per gallon while the other gets 28. And in both cases, your engine isn’t the only thing that matters.

While running economy is real, measurable, and trainable, I’ve seen “improve your running economy” become a catch-all phrase attached to everything from $300 carbon-plated shoes to specific breathing techniques. Sadly, it’s not that simple. Instead, the science shows that running economy is shaped by factors like muscle fiber composition, tendon stiffness, training history, and even your body’s ability to store elastic energy in connective tissue. Some of these factors respond to training, but others are largely genetic.

How to improve your running economy

The good news is that the most effective strategies are also the simplest—as long as you work at them consistently.

• Run more miles at easier efforts. Simply growing your base volume is one the most reliable ways to improve your running economy. While tacking on miles trains your body to run efficiently, make sure you really are running easy enough to safely up your total volume. That means long and slow, people.

• Add strides, not just intervals. Short accelerations (think 20–30 seconds), especially with the relaxed technique, teach your neuromuscular system to fire more efficiently. Adding four to six strides after an easy run, two or three times per week, is a low-risk, high-return habit to improve running economy.

• Strength train (with a purpose). Heavy resistance training—particularly single-leg work, calf raises, and hip strengthening—is supported in a ton of research for improving running economy.

• Fix one aspect of your form at a time. Overhauling your gait based on a slow-motion video is usually counterproductive. Instead, pick one cue—slightly higher cadence, a more relaxed jaw, forward lean from the ankles—and practice it during easy runs for four a few weeks before adding another.

• Prioritize sleep and recovery. No surprise to anyone who has tried running while sleep-deprived, but under-recovered runners show measurably worse economy. Remember: Your body adapts during rest, not during runs.

The bottom line

The importance of running economy lives up to its hype, and it’s something you can work to improve. Just remember that those improvements come from weeks, months, and years of consistent work—they can’t be bought with a nice pair of running shoes. If you’re looking for a practical framework to get started, try this: Run more easy miles, add strides and strength work, sleep enough, and change your form conservatively and deliberately. Once I start properly measuring my running economy with my Garmin devices, I’ll report back on how it’s working for me.