What is Running Economy?
Some runners seem to float through miles. Their pace looks controlled, their movement looks effortless, and even when the speed picks up, they don't appear to be working nearly as hard as you expect. There are plenty of reasons one runner may look or feel more efficient than another, but one piece of the performance puzzle is running economy.
Running economy isn't simply about having "good form," and it isn't the same thing as being fast. It's a measurement of how much energy your body needs to maintain a given running speed. Think of it a little like fuel economy in a car: if two runners are traveling at the same pace, the runner who requires less energy to maintain that pace has better running economy. For runners, understanding running economy can change the way you think about performance. Getting faster isn't always about increasing your maximum capacity. Sometimes, it's about becoming more efficient with the capacity you already have.
What Is Running Economy?
The traditional definition of running economy is the energy or oxygen demand required to maintain a given submaximal running speed. In laboratory testing, researchers commonly assess running economy by measuring oxygen consumption while a runner maintains a steady pace. A runner who consumes less oxygen at the same speed is generally considered more economical.
Imagine two runners moving at exactly the same pace on treadmills. Both are running an 8-minute mile. Runner A requires more oxygen and energy to maintain that pace, while Runner B requires less. Assuming comparable testing conditions, Runner B has better running economy at that speed. That doesn't automatically mean Runner B will win a race, because running performance is more complicated than one measurement. But running economy is considered an important component of distance-running performance, particularly when comparing trained runners with similar aerobic capacities.
Running Economy vs. VO2 Max: What's the Difference?
VO2 max gets a lot of attention in endurance sports, but it answers a different question. VO2 max is about capacity, while running economy is about cost. VO2 max represents the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise. Running economy looks at how much energy or oxygen you need to run at a particular submaximal speed.
A runner can therefore have an impressive VO2 max without having exceptional running economy. Another athlete may have a lower VO2 max but use their available capacity efficiently. That's part of what makes running performance so interesting: the biggest engine doesn't automatically produce the best result if another runner can travel at the same speed while using less fuel. Research has even found that among elite runners with similar VO2 max values, running economy can be a useful predictor of performance.
What Determines Running Economy?
Here's where the simple fuel-economy analogy starts to break down. A car's fuel economy is influenced by relatively predictable mechanical factors. Your body is a moving biological system with muscles, tendons, joints, cardiovascular processes, biomechanics, training adaptations, and individual characteristics all interacting at once.
Research describes running economy as multifactorial, involving metabolic, cardiorespiratory, biomechanical, and neuromuscular characteristics. That means there isn't one universal characteristic that makes someone an economical runner. Some of the factors associated with running economy include:
- Metabolic and cardiorespiratory efficiency
- Neuromuscular characteristics
- Muscle and tendon behavior
- Running biomechanics
- Training history
- Fatigue
- Environmental conditions
- Running speed
Even variables such as body temperature, altitude, wind resistance, and fatigue have been studied in relation to running economy. Running economy is the product of an entire system working together.
Is Better Running Form the Same as Better Running Economy?
It's tempting to imagine that there is one perfectly economical running form: a particular cadence, foot strike, stride length, or body position that every runner should copy, but the research doesn't support such a simple formula. A review examining biomechanics and running economy noted that research had not established a single mechanical profile that defines an economical runner. Instead, runners appear to adapt their movement around their own physical and biomechanical characteristics.
That's important because "efficient" movement doesn't always mean movement that looks perfect. Your body has spent thousands, or millions of steps developing the way you run. Changing mechanics simply because another runner looks different doesn't guarantee that you'll use less energy. That doesn't mean technique never matters. Excessive braking, unnecessary movement, or inefficient mechanics may contribute to energy cost. But runners should be cautious about chasing an idealized running form without considering their own body, training, and movement patterns.
How to Improve Running Economy
Running economy isn't necessarily fixed. Training can influence it, although the response varies between runners. The interesting part is that improving running economy doesn't always require simply running more miles.
1. Build Consistent Running Volume
Running itself creates adaptations. As your body becomes accustomed to the repetitive demands of running, physiological and neuromuscular adaptations can influence how efficiently you move. Experienced runners have had thousands of opportunities to practice the movement pattern, which is one reason consistency matters.
That doesn't mean suddenly doubling your mileage. A sustainable training routine gives your body time to adapt without turning every week into a test of how much volume you can tolerate. The best training isn't the biggest week you can survive. It's training you can consistently build on.
2. Add Strength Training
You don't necessarily have to run faster to become a more economical runner. Strength training is one of the better-supported strategies for improving running economy. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found that certain strength-training approaches, including high-load and combined methods, can improve running economy in middle- and long-distance runners.
A review of systematic reviews also found moderate-to-large effects of strength training on running economy, while changes in VO2 max were not significant in the included meta-analyses. You may become better at using your existing aerobic capacity even if your maximum aerobic capacity doesn't dramatically change.
3. Consider Plyometric and Explosive Training
Jumping might seem like an odd way to become a more efficient distance runner, but running itself involves repeatedly storing and releasing energy as you move from one stride to the next.
Plyometric exercises train rapid force production and the stretch-shortening cycle. Research suggests plyometric training can improve running economy under certain conditions, although results depend on factors such as training method, duration, runner characteristics, and testing speed. That doesn't mean every runner should immediately add high-volume box jumps to tomorrow's workout. Strength and plyometric work should fit the athlete's experience, goals, and overall training load.
4. Train at Different Speeds
Running economy isn't necessarily identical at every pace. The energy demands and mechanics of an easy run aren't exactly the same as those of a tempo session or faster race pace. Research examining strength interventions has also found that effects on running economy can vary according to the speed at which economy is measured. A training plan that includes appropriate variation from easy running to faster; structured workouts helps prepare you for more than one gear.
Can Running Shoes Affect Running Economy?
Your shoes are part of the system, too. Every stride involves an interaction between your foot, sock, insole, shoe, and the surface beneath you. Changes to footwear can alter variables such as shoe mass, cushioning, stiffness, and how the shoe interacts with your movement.
But footwear should never be viewed in isolation. A shoe that works extremely well for one runner may feel completely different to another because comfort, fit, mechanics, training, and individual preferences all matter. That's why choosing running footwear shouldn't become a hunt for a single "most efficient" shoe. Start with fit; consider the type of running you're doing, pay attention to comfort, then look at the entire shoe setup including what's underneath your foot.
Where Do Running Insoles Fit Into the Equation?
The factory liner inside a running shoe is only one part of the shoe, but it's the part directly underneath your foot. CURREX RUNPRO™ is an activity-specific insole engineered specifically for running. Rather than trying to hold the foot rigidly in place, Dynamic Arch Technology (DAT) provides adaptable support designed to work with natural foot movement.
RUNPRO™ is available in high, medium, and low arch profiles, allowing runners to match the insole to their arch profile rather than relying on a single arch shape. Dual Layer Cushioning adds comfort under repeated loading, while the Fully Decoupled Heel Cup helps the insole move with the foot and adapt inside the shoe. The goal isn't to promise that putting an insole into your shoe will suddenly transform your running economy. Running economy is far too complex and individual for that.
Instead, think about your insole as one piece of your running setup. CURREX is designed to help complete the shoe, creating an adaptable, comfortable connection between your foot and footwear so you can focus on moving naturally and staying active longer.
Why Comfort Matters More Than Runners Sometimes Think
Performance-minded runners love numbers: pace, cadence, heart rate, power, VO2 max, ground contact time, vertical oscillation. Comfort doesn't look nearly as impressive on a training dashboard. But if your shoes become distracting halfway through a run, numbers aren't the only thing that matters.
A comfortable setup won't replace consistent training, recovery, strength work, or smart pacing. It can help create the foundation that lets you keep doing those things. Because performance isn't one workout. It's what you can build over hundreds of them.
Running economy sounds technical, but the concept behind it is straightforward. At a given running speed, how much does that pace cost you? Improving the answer isn't about finding one magic workout, changing your stride overnight, or chasing a single performance metric. Running economy reflects a combination of your physiology, biomechanics, neuromuscular system, training, environment, and equipment.
Focus on consistent running. Build strength. Introduce faster and explosive work appropriately. Choose footwear that works with your feet and your activity. Prioritize comfort and natural movement, then keep showing up. You don't have to reinvent the way you run. The goal is to help your body become better at doing something it already knows how to do, one stride at a time.
Running Economy FAQs
Q: What is running economy in simple terms?
A: Running economy describes how much energy your body needs to maintain a given submaximal running speed. If two runners maintain the same pace but one requires less energy or oxygen to do it, that runner is generally considered more economical.
Q: What is the difference between running economy and VO2 max?
A: VO2 max measures your maximum aerobic capacity, while running economy measures the energy or oxygen cost of running at a particular submaximal speed. A runner can have a high VO2 max without necessarily having exceptional running economy.
Q: How can I improve my running economy?
A: Consistent endurance training and certain types of strength training can help improve running economy. Research supports high-load strength training, combined strength methods, and, in some circumstances, plyometric training as useful approaches for trained runners.
Q: Does running form affect running economy?
A: Biomechanics can influence running economy, but research hasn't identified one universally economical running style. Individual runners adapt their movement based on their own physical and biomechanical characteristics, so copying another runner's form doesn't guarantee greater efficiency.
Q: Why is running economy important for distance runners?
A: Running economy helps determine how much energy is required to sustain a particular pace. Among runners with similar aerobic capacities, differences in running economy can help explain differences in distance-running performance.