How To Mimic The Way The Pros Run

August 7, 2025

Elite runners may come across superhuman—they clock insanely speedy splits while looking light on their feet. But some of the biggest differences between them and the rest of us come down to mechanics, not magic.

If you’ve ever watched a distance race, you’ve seen how the fastest runners blow by with seemingly effortless strides while the slower runners behind them grind it out. And you probably don’t need a scientific study to tell you that the two groups move differently in subtle but significant ways.

The main difference is really that elite runners have fine-tuned their form to maximize efficiency and minimize wasted motion. And while you might not be chasing Olympic qualifying times, you can train your body to move more like the pros. That means smoother, faster, more economical runs—and maybe even a new PR. Runners World