Running Workout Question - Strides?

This is from the Training Plan Terms and RPE/HR Zone Chart page

Strides - short repeats at a 5K pace with recovery in-between.  Each 'repeat/stride' should be about 20-30 seconds long and allow for a full recovery in between.  Make sure you are properly warmed up-at least 10 minutes before the first.  You are looking to get in about 45 left foot strikes per 26-28".  This number equals ~90 RPM, a running cadence that is the most efficient.  You will typically be doing 4-10 repeats of 20-30" strides with a full recovery between sets (depending on the particular workout) by walking back to the starting point. 

Heh.  This is another term that has multiple meanings, and depends on who you ask.

Strides are a neuromuscular sort of work-out.  They get your legs turning over quickly, and help develop proper form and increased stride length.  Also, they can act as a sort of key to tell your body that you're about to go fast and hard (if you do them before a race).

Strides can easily be incorporated into your long, medium, or after your short runs.  They are an easy workout from a physical standpoint, and can be done fairly often.  Generally, they consist of a steady increase up to speed, anywhere from mile to 5k pace, maintaining that speed for a short period of time, and then a steady decrease back down to an easy pace.  The recovery period between strides must be long enough to allow complete recovery, so usually anywhere from a minute to a minute and a half.

You could incorporate strides into your warm-up routine before a race.  I've done it, and you'll often see people doing short "sprints" from the starting line (those are strides).  Depending on the race, you might "stride" through the whole thing, but it's doubtful for the simple fact that most people can run a mile much faster than they can run 3, 6, or whatever.