This is the amount of time each running step spends in contact with the ground. Ground contact time is usually quite short, which is why it is measured in milliseconds. Elite runners tend to have especially short ground contact times – often under 200 ms. Almost all experienced runners have a ground contact time under 300 ms, probably because they have learned to lift their feet quickly and not to overstride when landing. Overstriding is a running style in which the foot lands too far in front of the body, causing braking forces on impact and usually a longer ground contact time.
