Purpose-The objective was to examine if step rates ±5% or ±10% of a novice runner's preferred step rate (SR) is sufficient enough to shift a novice runner's foot strike pattern (FSP) (rear-foot, mid-foot, forefoot) and whether these SR changes produce changes in the rate of submaximal oxygen consumption (VO 2 ).Methods-Foot strike angle (FSA) was recorded using sagittal plane video images and VO 2 was measured for novice runners while running on a treadmill at a constant speed during increased and decreased (±5% and ±10%) SR conditions. Foot strike angle was used to predict strike index (SI) (predicted strike index = [FSA -27.4]/-0.39) and quantify FSP in each SR condition.Results-Predicted SI was significantly different between preferred SR and the -5% (p = .014), -10% (p = .001), and the +10% (p = .007) SR conditions.There was a shift to higher predicted SI measures in the increased SR conditions and lower predicted SI measures in the decreased SR conditions. Oxygen consumption was significantly increased in the -5% and -10% SR conditions (p =.000 and p = .003, respectively).Conclusion--Manipulations of SR produce shifts in FSP in novice runners and these changes cause small changes in submaximal VO 2 .