When I was in 5th or 6th grade, I learned how to correctly run. We were in gym class and had to do laps around the entire playground, and I noticed that we were all being easily lapped by Ninar Kabuti (Neenar Kabutee?). It may be a cliché, but it should probably not come as a surprise that an African kid (he was quite stereotypical; dark-skinned, tall, skinny, etc.) would be more athletic than the rest of us. I watched him running from the other side of the playground (before he made it around and lapped us again), and noticed that he ran differently from the rest of us. Instead of rapidly pounding the ground with his feet like we were, he was practically bouncing, as if wearing spring-shoes. He was bounding across the playground like a gazelle with long strides. Ever since then, whenever I have to run, I take long, bouncing strides because it covers a longer distance with less energy, and it works for long-distance running, but also helps with short sprints.