Send up groups covering Free and Steps (7)
I believe the answer is:
strides
'steps' is the definition.
(I know this)
'send up groups covering free' is the wordplay.
'send up' is a reversal indicator.
'groups' becomes 'sets' (I've seen this in other clues).
'covering' is an insertion indicator.
'free' becomes 'rid' (to be free of something is to be rid of it).
'sets' back-to-front is 'stes'.
'stes' going around 'rid' is 'STRIDES'.
'and' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for strides that I've seen before include "Long walking steps" , "Walks with long steps" , "Daks" , "Bags" , "Walks, trousers (colloq.)" .)