Do longer legs help?

[Hules]

I am hoping to graduate on Saturday as I did my w9r2 today and I did 4.7k in the 30 minutes but that was really pushing myself and not sure that can be replicated on Saturday but as I was running I was thinking I wonder how much of an advantage it would be to be taller (I am 5ft 2")?

[unfitmum]

I am guessing that whether they help or not, there is probably not much you can do about it!!! Sounds like you are doing brilliantly with slightly less long legs anyway - 4.7km is very good going pre graduation. Well done!!!!

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Hi Hules I'm almost certain longer legs would make a difference to times especially when a longer stride is added to the equation. But as unfitmum says there is nothing anyone can do about it. I'm 5' almost 1" with short legs. I try when running on the flat or down a gradual slope to lengthen my stride, this comes with practice and does help with reducing times. But for now until you have graduated I would just concentrate on being able to run for the 30 minutes, the rest can be worked on as time goes by. Good luck

[Hules Graduate]

Ha ha! Yes I can't do anything about it! and as long as I improving which I am as I couldn't run for 1 minute 9 weeks ago! It is just I would really like to get as near to the 5k in my 30 min run as possible and that's the competitive stubborn streak that C25K has brought out in me!

[wannanewme Graduate]

Yes, longer legs help. A taller person has a longer stride, so if you had a stride of 1metre and did 100 strides you would cover 100 metres, whereas someone with a stride of 1.5m would cover 150 metres in the same number of strides.

[Landesman Graduate]

I think the correlation between height and speed works for sprints (Usain Bolt is 6'5") but not for distance running. Many of the distance runners are not tall - Mo Farah is 165cm (5'5") and some of the women runners are smaller than that.

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to Landesman]

And isn't Mo just gorgeous with it too!! Sorry could not resist that comment, he is one heck of a sports gentleman in my eyes.

[notbad Graduate]

Although longer legs must help I think cadence is probably just as important, and technique generally (if only I knew the finer details!). I'm 5'2" and my fastest 5k time is 25.16 (sadly not for some time). Keep it up Hules, you're well capable of sub 30 from the sound of it!

[Nerdio Graduate]

A lot of the above answers seem to come from people of a similar height to you. I am 6', so somewhat taller. I haven't measured my running stride, but can easily stride 1m, but not comfortable for walking. Running then I am probably close to that stride length. So longer legs must help in that respect.

However, as someone who has done a lot of hill walking, coming down a steep slope with long legs is not nice. A longer stride makes for a bigger drop on each stride. I definitely have to short stride on down hills, and that is not comfortable at all.

So it could help, having longer legs. But as Landesman said, Mo Farah is only 5.5" and he;s quite quick :-). Technique must prevail.

[ksed Graduate]

Hi Hules, i'm also a shortie 4ft 11 !! I would love to be able to run with a longer stride. My graduation run was 5k in 34mins. So now i'm trying to lengthen my stride but i'm struggling but as you say weeks ago we could only run for one minute at a time. Keep up the good work!

[Fletchasketch Graduate]

Long-legged person here (5ft 10) - I think it does help IF you're feeling fit enough to use a long stride, but that takes quite a lot of energy and some pretty good fitness to keep it up for any length of time! So most of my running at the moment is with a short stride so that I can do the full 30 minutes and probably doesn't give any advantage. Will be interesting to see if that changes as I get fitter.