Ping Melinda (and shelly): OT - stride length

Being the sort of person who likes trivia, I've been curious, ever since
the conversation that started WRT Pomeranians, as to just how much ground I
*do* cover when I kick into my ground-covering walk.

It snew here last night, and when I let the dogs out at lunchtime, a small
thought bubble went up over my head: "Snow. Footprints!". So I walked from
one end of the yard to the other, hitting stride across an unmarked patch of
snow, then went inside and fetched the yardstick.
"Implausible" as it may seem, I do, in fact, cover 3 feet in one stride at
that pace; I measured it three different places, and the yardstick goes
exactly from the middle of one footprint to the middle of the next.

Can't tell you how many strides I do in a second, though, 'cos I haven't
yet located the stopwatch. G

"Sionnach" wrote in
:

Being the sort of person who likes trivia, I've been curious, ever
since
the conversation that started WRT Pomeranians, as to just how much
ground I *do* cover when I kick into my ground-covering walk.

It snew here last night, and when I let the dogs out at lunchtime, a
small
thought bubble went up over my head: "Snow. Footprints!". So I walked
from one end of the yard to the other, hitting stride across an
unmarked
patch of snow, then went inside and fetched the yardstick.
"Implausible" as it may seem, I do, in fact, cover 3 feet in one
stride
at
that pace; I measured it three different places, and the yardstick goes
exactly from the middle of one footprint to the middle of the next.

Can't tell you how many strides I do in a second, though, 'cos I
haven't
yet located the stopwatch. G

For what it's worth, I depend on www.gmap-pedometer.com for logging run
distances, and the tool is absolutely right on.

If you could apply it to your walk up to the store, you might be able to
work out pace pretty accurately.

I'm impressed by your 6mph walk/run - that's just a little slower
than my 10K race pace, and a little faster than my daily training runs.

(and I work at maintaining a 180 step/minute turnover, too - running
coaching flavour of the month favours that stride rate for distance
runners)

Storm trots easily at that pace. There are times I think 14k long runs
might be hard on her, but then I release her from heel position at the
end
of the run, and she goes out like a shot after a bunny in the field. I
just don't know where that dog gets her energy.

--
Kate
and Storm and Hamish the FCRs

In article ,
KWBrown wrote:
(and I work at maintaining a 180 step/minute turnover, too - running
coaching flavour of the month favours that stride rate for distance
runners)

Really? What does that do to your heart rate? (I know what
it does to mine, and I don't like it).
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Don't think you are going to conceal faults by concealing evidence
that they ever existed. -- Dwight D Eisenhower

(Melinda Shore) wrote in news:dndge7$g49$1
@panix2.panix.com:

In article ,
KWBrown wrote:

(and I work at maintaining a 180 step/minute turnover, too - running
coaching flavour of the month favours that stride rate for distance
runners)

Really? What does that do to your heart rate? (I know what
it does to mine, and I don't like it).

I cruise at about 70-75% MHR, taking smooth, short little strides. I think
it reduces the jarring on my frame, compared to the slower, more bounding
running I used to do.

During speed intervals, I just open that stride up and blow out the
carbuerettor. It feels good, for the first little bit. Later? Well, ice
is my friend.

--
Kate
and Storm and Hamish the FCRs

In article ,
KWBrown wrote:
I cruise at about 70-75% MHR, taking smooth, short little strides. I think
it reduces the jarring on my frame, compared to the slower, more bounding
running I used to do.

When I shorten my stride and increase my turnover my heart
rate shoots up. Since I'm not trying to get anywhere in a
hurry I haven't tried to train my way out of it. Did that
happen to you, and if so how long did it take you to adjust?
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Don't think you are going to conceal faults by concealing evidence
that they ever existed. -- Dwight D Eisenhower

On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 19:31:52 -0500, "Sionnach" wrote:

"Implausible" as it may seem, I do, in fact, cover 3 feet in one stride at
that pace;

i didn't disbelieve you.

I measured it three different places, and the yardstick goes
exactly from the middle of one footprint to the middle of the next.

that's very nice for you, but i'm unsure what that has to do with me?
unless it's meant as some sort of neener-neener, though if that's the
case, i already said that i realize i'm slow at walking. but, hey,
thanks for taking the time to revisit the topic. i, uh, appreciate it.
now, would you like to make another snide comment about us slow-pokes
being unfit and out of condition, while you're at it?

WTF?!

--
shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net || http://cat-sidh.blogspot.com

When a Cabbage Patch baby dies, I think we all feel the pain.
-- Melora Creager

"shelly" wrote:

i didn't disbelieve you.

The "implausible" was Melinda's, and I didn't think you did.

that's very nice for you, but i'm unsure what that has to do with me?
unless it's meant as some sort of neener-neener,

No, not at all. I simply thought it was an interesting factoid, and wanted
to move the discussion of human gaits- which you were part of, and seemed to
be finding interesting - into a seperate thread since it's pretty much OT.


now, would you like to make another snide comment about us slow-pokes
being unfit and out of condition, while you're at it?

WTF?!

WTF indeed - I just went back and re-read every post I made in the
orginal thread, and I remain baffled as to what on earth you're referring
to.

It would be impossible for me to make "another" such comment, since I
haven't made ANY comment about anyone on the group being a "slowpoke",
"unfit", or any such.
Nor did I made any comment about your personal walking speed, other than
to say that when I'm not fast-walking, I would cover 3 miles in about the
same speed you said you would.

The only comment I made that even touched on conditioning of humans was
when I said that Bob's not currently in condition for fast and/or distance
walking, in response to you saying that you couldn't wrap your mind around
the idea of me being able to sustain a faster walk than someone who's 5'
11".
Aside from that, the only other comment I made on fitness or conditioning
had to do with dogs who do agility, in response to something Robin N.
posted.

(Melinda Shore) wrote in
:

In article ,
KWBrown wrote:

I cruise at about 70-75% MHR, taking smooth, short little strides. I
think it reduces the jarring on my frame, compared to the slower, more
bounding running I used to do.

When I shorten my stride and increase my turnover my heart
rate shoots up. Since I'm not trying to get anywhere in a
hurry I haven't tried to train my way out of it. Did that
happen to you, and if so how long did it take you to adjust?

I can't say it did happen. I have pretty short legs in proportion to my
body, so it may be a more natural gait for me anyhow. Sorry I can't be
more help,

--
Kate
and Storm and Hamish the FCRs