When I see them pause and glide a moment with the hand extended before beginning their pull, the recovering hand has a chance to catch up a bit and enters the water overhead by the time the pulling hand is passing the head. They spend far more time in each stroke cycle as a 9-foot vessel. Roll to your side as you enter and reach. Stand facing a wall with your right arm stretched overhead. Leave your hand on the wall and turn your body so the right hip and shoulder face the wall.
Same thing applies in the pool.
In the final analysis, there's no advantage to stroking faster if it reduces your reach. Too much overlap will mess up your stroke rhythm. Just a split-second longer can make a difference. You'll travel farther and faster with no more effort on every stroke.