Tell me about Running cadence...

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Link2Life
Link2Life Posts: 102 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I bought a foot pod to track my speed/distance on the dreadmill but now I see from garmin connect that it gives me cadence as well. What's an ideal cadence? I know in biking what that is and why it helps you, but I'm not sure about running.

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  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
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    I believe it is common rule that ideal cadence for most runners is over 90. As for the why, there are plenty of good reads out there for you with a quick search.
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,209 MFP Moderator
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    Cadence = singing "I want to be an airborne ranger..." while trying to run in military formation. :P

    Edit for clarity
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Broadly an increased cadence encourages a shorter stride length so can encourage increased pace and reduce injury risk. The general principle is 180 steps per minute is optimal although there is some variation based on height and leg length.

    I found moving from 140 to 160 significantly improved my pace and led to feeling less tired at the end of a session.

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