Running Economy

Running economy is the energy or oxygen cost of running at a given submaximal speed. In laboratory studies it is commonly measured from steady-state oxygen consumption, sometimes together with carbon dioxide production, while a runner maintains one or more standardized speeds. A lower metabolic cost at the same speed generally indicates better running economy .¹

Running economy reflects the combined effects of many systems, including biomechanics, neuromuscular coordination, muscle-tendon behavior, cardiorespiratory work, and metabolic efficiency. Runners with the same maximal oxygen uptake can have different running economies, which helps explain why aerobic capacity alone does not fully determine endurance performance .¹

Running economy should not be confused with running technique or with mechanical efficiency. No single visible form defines an economical runner, and different athletes may achieve similar energy costs with different movement patterns. Economy is speed- and protocol-specific, so results depend on the running conditions and measurement method. It is therefore a measured energetic cost under defined conditions, not a universal rating of how good someone's form looks .¹