LOLZLetter 263 | Should you Care about running cadence?
Welcome,
Today, I'm traveling back to the desert from Florida. In fact, it might be my first newsletter in the sky. It was a quick, but fun trip down to the USA Women's Half Marathon. As most people know, I've been dealing with a mysterious illness for the last couple of weeks. I wasn't sure I would be able to go, and it wasn't until Wednesday night that I decided I felt okay enough to go.
While I never tested positive for anything, I think I likely had some sort of upper respiratory disease that affected my stomach as well. I still have some congestion and don't feel 100% exerting myself, so I am hoping that clears up by the Los Angeles Marathon in 3 weeks. I ran the USA Women's Half Marathon at around an 8:05 pace. It was the most humid half marathon I've ever done, but I'm happy with that. Now, onto the newsletter.
I've seen a lot of people talking about cadence lately, and to improve your running, you must improve your cadence. I don't necessarily think that's true, and I think as runners, we tend to obsess over the most minute details of running. Can improving your cadence help your running? Sure, but is it the be-all and end-all? No.
This newsletter is about Running Cadence.
What Is Running Cadence? Running cadence is the number of steps a runner takes per minute. There has been plenty of research, including by Jack Daniels, that shows most elite runners take somewhere between 170-180 steps per minute.
How do you know what your running cadence is? You can count your steps. But also, many GPS watches will log your cadence. Separately and somewhat related, did you know most wrist-based heart rate monitors are inaccurate for heart rate because they lock onto your cadence and not heart rate?
Why does Running Cadence Matter?
Generally speaking, if you increase your cadence, you run faster. More footsteps mean you can cover the ground faster. However, this isn't necessarily true, and just because you take more steps doesn't mean you'll go faster.
Elite runners tend to have a cadence between 170-180, whereas other runners tend to have a cadence between 150-170. The lower your cadence, the fewer steps and more of a tendency to overstride.
How Can You Improve Cadence? The first step of anything is knowing what your cadence is. If you have a smartwatch, most have that feature. If you don't, you'll have to count it manually.
Count every left (or right) footfall for an entire minute of your run. It's easier said than done.
How Can You Increase Your Cadence?
Metronomes:
Metronomes are widely used in the music world but can be used for running too. A metronome is a practice tool that produces a steady beat to help musicians play rhythms accurately. There are even options to download to your phone.
The beats are measured in beats-per-minute (BPM). Most metronomes are capable of playing beats from 35 to 250 BPM. Your goal is to take one step for each beat. So, setting the metronome to 180 BPM means your goal is 180 steps per minute.
Music:
You can choose music based on BPM. Some music is remixed or set to a particular tempo or cadence. So, if you prefer listening to something "fun" to help with your cadence, consider downloading a playlist with your goal BPM.
When to Increase Your Cadence:
Most runners don't realize that your cadence depends on the type of run you're doing. One of the best ways to work on cadence is to do so on a tempo run. (You obviously can't do this every day without getting injured). Start with a warm-up, then a tempo run targeting your goal cadence, followed by a cooldown. The tempo should be the part where you turn on your music or metronome to work on the cadence.
Avoiding Injury:
To avoid injury, don't increase your cadence more than 5 steps per minute in each session. If your current running cadence is 130, aim for 135. Like anything with the sport, it should be done slowly. Changing anything too quickly can result in injury.
It will take time, and most people need at least 6 weeks to adjust to a new cadence and for it to "feel normal."
Finally, Does Cadence REALLY Matter?
If you are running healthy and improving, there is no rule that 180 is a magic number and going to make you run faster. It might, but it might not. It can help lead to speed, but it won't always lead to speed. It's important to run efficiently for you, whether that's a 150 cadence, 180, or 200.
If you're looking to run faster, running cadence is definitely something to look at. Will it automatically lead to PRs? There is no guarantee, but it won't hurt. My suggestion is it's worth looking at your own cadence. If done slowly, it won't hurt you to try and increase your cadence. It's worth trying and analyzing your own to see if you can get benefits
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