Running Cadence: Why It Matters and How to Improve It Safely

You run regularly, you do your sessions, and yet you feel like you've hit a plateau. Your legs ache after an hour. You feel like you're "pounding" the ground with every stride. These signals often point to a parameter that most runners ignore: your cadence.

Cadence is simply the number of steps per minute. A figure that seems trivial but that influences your injury risk, your running economy, and even the type of shoe that suits you. In this article, we'll show you how to measure it, how to interpret it, and how to work on it intelligently.

Cadence: The Simple Definition

Cadence (or stride frequency) is the number of ground contacts per minute, adding both feet together. If your right foot touches the ground 85 times in one minute, your total cadence is 170 spm (steps per minute).

Not to be confused with speed. You can run at 12 km/h with a cadence of 170 spm (long strides) or with 185 spm (shorter strides). Same speed, totally different mechanics. The formula to remember:

Speed = cadence × stride length

When you speed up, two things can happen: you lengthen your strides (cadence stays stable), or you quicken your cadence (strides stay similar). In practice, it's a mix of both --- but the proportion varies from runner to runner.

Why Cadence Affects Your PerformanceGround Impact

The higher your cadence, the shorter your strides. Mechanically, you reduce the impact force at every footstrike. In concrete terms, biomechanical studies show that increasing your cadence by 10% reduces vertical impact forces by around 20%.

That translates into less stress on the knee, hip and shin. That's why runners prone to shin splints, runner's knee or Achilles tendon pain often benefit from a cadence slightly higher than their natural cadence.

Footstrike

A low cadence goes hand in hand with long strides and a pronounced heel strike, often far in front of your centre of gravity. This is what's known as "overstriding": your foot brakes your progress with every contact.

A higher cadence naturally shifts the strike towards the midfoot, under your hips. Your stride becomes more efficient: less braking, more energy return.

Running Economy

At an equivalent MAS, two runners can perform differently depending on their running economy (the energy consumed to produce a given speed). Cadence plays a direct role in that economy. A cadence that's too low forces your muscles to work harder with every stride. A cadence that's too high, conversely, wastes energy unnecessarily.

What Is Your "Ideal" Cadence?

You hear everywhere that you should aim for 180 spm. That figure comes from coach Jack Daniels' observations at the 1984 Olympics, where he noted that elite runners hovered around that value. The problem: you're probably not an elite runner standing 1.72 m tall and weighing 58 kg.

Your optimal cadence depends on your build, your pace and your experience. Here are the ranges observed among amateur runners on a moderate-pace easy run:

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HeightWeightLow cadenceAverage cadenceHigh cadence

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< 1.65 m < 60 kg 168-172 spm 174-178 spm 180-184 spm

1.65 - 1.75 m 60-75 kg 164-168 spm 170-174 spm 176-180 spm

1.75 - 1.85 m 75-85 kg 160-164 spm 166-170 spm 172-176 spm

1.85 m > 85 kg 156-160 spm 162-166 spm 168-172 spm

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These ranges are indicative. If you run pain-free and enjoy it, your natural cadence is probably already well suited to you --- even if it falls outside the table.

How to Measure Your CadenceMethod 1: With Your Watch

All modern GPS watches (Garmin, Polar, Coros, Apple Watch) display cadence in real time and store it in your session stats. Look at your average cadence over your last 5 runs to identify your "natural" cadence.

Method 2: By Hand

No watch? It's dead simple. On a moderate-pace easy run, count your right foot's ground contacts for 30 seconds. Multiply the result by 4. That gives you your total cadence in spm. Repeat the test over 2 or 3 stretches to get a reliable average.

Method 3: Via Strava

If you import your runs into Strava, cadence is visible in the details of each session. You can compare your cadence at different paces (slow easy run, brisk easy run, quality sessions) and identify how it evolves.

How to Work on Your Cadence Without Getting Injured

Changing your cadence isn't like changing a setting on a watch. It means changing your entire biomechanical chain: tendons, stabilising muscles, foot arch. A sudden increase is the number 1 cause of shin splints among runners who try "180 spm for everyone".

The golden rule: +5% maximum per 4-week cycle. If you're at 165 spm today, aim for 173 spm in 4 weeks, not 180 spm in one week.

Here's a progressive 8-week plan to go from 165 spm to 175 spm safely:

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WeekTarget cadenceTime at target cadenceFrequency/week

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1 167 spm 10 min mid-run 2 sessions

2 168 spm 15 min mid-run 2 sessions

3 170 spm 20 min mid-run 2 sessions

4 172 spm The whole easy run 3 sessions

5 173 spm The whole easy run 3 sessions

6 174 spm The whole easy run + 1 quality session 4 sessions

7 175 spm All runs All

8 175 spm Consolidation, new normal All

Tools to Help You

A metronome (a free app like Pacer Pro or MetroTimer) set to your target cadence can help you in the first few weeks. Start it for 10 minutes mid-run, then switch it off and let your body carry on naturally.

Music playlists sorted by BPM also work very well. Spotify offers running playlists at 170, 175 and 180 BPM. Your feet naturally follow the tempo.

Warning: don't stay on the metronome for more than 6 to 8 weeks. It's a learning tool, not a crutch. Your goal is for your body to internalise the new rhythm.

Cadence and Shoe Choice: The Underrated Link

Here's a point few articles cover: your cadence largely determines the type of shoe that suits you. A low cadence calls for substantial heel cushioning. A high cadence calls for a more dynamic shoe, with a lower drop and energy return at the forefoot.

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CadenceTypical strikeRecommended dropShoe profile

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< 165 spm Pronounced heel 10-12 mm Generous heel cushioning

165-175 spm Heel / midfoot 8-10 mm Versatile, moderate cushioning

175-185 spm Midfoot 6-8 mm Dynamic, energy return

185 spm Midfoot / forefoot 4-6 mm Responsive, carbon plate OK

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If you're working on increasing your cadence, don't forget that your shoes will gradually become unsuitable. A pair with ultra-cushioned heels, perfect at 160 spm, becomes cumbersome at 180 spm. Reassess your choice every 6 months.

The Signals to Watch in Your Data

Your cadence isn't a static figure. It varies with pace, fatigue, terrain and even your mental state. Learn to read these variations:

A cadence that drops by 8-10 spm at the end of a long run → a signal of accumulated fatigue or a lack of aerobic base. You're pushing too hard on your easy runs.

A cadence that rises by more than 10 spm during a MAS session → normal, that's just mechanics.

A very low cadence (-10 spm vs your norm) on an easy run → you're more tired than you think. Reduce the intensity of your next session.

A cadence that varies a lot from one run to the next, even at a similar pace → work on consistency. It's probably a sign that your stride mechanics are still a work in progress.

Key Takeaways

Cadence is a valuable indicator, but it's not a goal in itself. The goal is a stride that's efficient, economical and that protects you over the long term.

Measure first, observe next, adjust if necessary. And always in small steps --- no more than 5% per month. If you run pain-free and enjoy it, your current cadence is probably already well calibrated for you.

READY TO TAKE ACTION?Analyse your cadence and find the shoes that match your stride

Connect Strava to StrideMatch to automatically analyse your cadence, your footstrike and your training history. Our AI cross-references this data with the technical characteristics of hundreds of shoes to recommend the model that truly matches your mechanics. Free to start.

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Related Articles

→ The Diaphragm: The Forgotten Driver of Your Stride → Running Economy: The Real Secret Behind Endurance → Beginner's Running Guide: Everything You Need to Start Well → Breaking Through a Training Plateau → How Often Should You Run per Week? A Complete Guide by Goal