Running economy

Running economy is the oxygen cost of running at a fixed submaximal speed. A more economical runner uses less oxygen at the same pace, which means the same physiological effort carries them faster.

It matters because it is the third pillar of endurance performance alongside VO2 max and lactate threshold, and it explains why athletes with modest laboratory numbers sometimes outrun those with better ones. Among trained runners whose VO2 max has largely plateaued, economy is often where the remaining improvement lives.

In practice it improves slowly and through several routes: years of accumulated running volume, strength and plyometric training, cadence and form work, and — measurably — lighter, better-designed footwear. It is not something that changes in a fortnight.