Higher Running Cadence Equals Lower Race Times
There are two things that
largely determine your speed – stride length and running cadence. Stride
length pertains to the distance you cover between each step. The longer
your stride length, the greater your chances of being faster than most
other runners. Cadence is the number of steps taken per minute. The more
steps you take per minute, you once again increase your chances of being
faster than most other runners. This article focuses on improving
cadence, since it is the easier of the two variables to improve upon.
If there is one variable that
is common amongst all fast runners, or elite runners shall I say, it is
cadence rate. Various observational studies have narrowed it down to an
exact rate, which is 180-190 steps per minute. Race distance doesn’t
seem to matter either. The only difference is, short distance runners
(i.e. 800 meters to 5k) have a longer stride length than long distance
runners (i.e. marathon).
Extraordinary natural
abilities, determination, strategy, and the “x factors” will always set
an elite athlete apart from the rest of the pack. However, with practice
and patience, we can still most definitely improve our running cadence
rates and achieve elite cadences (or come pretty darn close). This
represents a huge opportunity to become faster and edge your
competition.
So, how does one go about
improving run cadence? You need to establish a benchmark. The next time
you go out to do one of your normal runs, take a stopwatch. Count how
many steps you take in one minute during the beginning, middle, and end
of your run, and take the average of these three figures. This will give
you a good idea of what your current cadence rate is. Your goal, then,
is to take more steps per minute. At first glance, it seems that the
obvious solution to this challenge is to “run faster.” Yes, this is
true, but brute force alone won’t do the job. And remember, the reason
you want to improve running cadence in the first place is
to run faster. Increasing your cadence rate will take some technique.
Use the following strategy to improve your cadence.
Learn proper running form.
Proper running form makes you a more efficient runner, allowing you to
maximize forward movement relative to the amount of energy you expend.
There are many components to efficient running mechanics. I have
outlined them in a separate article.
Click here to learn more about proper running form.
Work on being light-footed.
Remember, as a runner, friction is your enemy. You want to spend the
least amount of time on the ground as possible during each step. The
longer it takes your feet to transition from first contact to toe-off,
the slower you are. It takes some practice, but you can improve the
speed of your foot transitions. Stay relaxed. Keep your knees slightly
bent. Land on the balls of your feet. Don’t get confused with toes. I
specifically mean the balls. Concentrate on turning your feet over as
fast as you can. Don’t put too much emphasis on pushing off the ground.
Instead, work on gliding across. You can also use imagery to help. For
example, I often imagine myself running down hill, or running on an
extremely hot surface.
There are specific drills that
you can do to improve running cadence. I usually do the following drills
to warm up before and to cool down after my regular run workouts.
Shuffle drills – These drills
consist of 20-35 yards of very quick short steps. They are designed to
get the runner into the habit of turning the feet over quickly and
landing on the balls of the feet.
Stride dills – These drills
consist of 25-50 yards of very quick long steps. They are used to
physically lengthen the runner’s stride (the more distance you cover the
faster your are). They are also designed to get the runner to be lighter
on the feet. Since the drill requires the runner to be quick, it forces
him to accommodate the high impact of longer steps with a lighter touch
and smoother roll of the foot.
A very simple
trick that will help improve running cadence is to switch to lighter,
more streamlined shoes. Heavier, more bulky shoes slow a runner down.
Shoes weighing 11-12 ounces generally provide a good combination of
performance, cushion, and foot guidance. Of course, you’d want to stick
with the type of shoe that will meet your support needs (click here if
you don’t know
how to choose running shoes). You should wear any shoe weighing less
than 11 ounces with caution and limit its usage to one workout per week.
If you have injuries or are more prone to them than the average person,
take a pass on wearing lighter shoes. You can’t be fast if you end up
sidelining yourself with an injury. Shoes that set the heel higher than
the forefoot are ideal because they allow for a faster, shorter
transition from heel to toe. A flexible forefoot is also recommended
because it allows the foot to roll more smoothly. Although you never
want a shoe that fits uncomfortably tight, you don’t want a shoe that
fits too loosely. The shoe should have a glove like fit and move
seamlessly with your foot.
Helpful Links
Homepage of eRunningTips.com
Benefits to Running
Beginners Running Guide
Proper Running Form
Running Heart Rate Zones
Interval Running Guide
Tempo Running
Improving Running Cadence
Creating a Weight Loss Running
Program
How to Choose Running Shoes
How to Prevent Running Injuries
Online Running Stores
Running in Cold Weather
Hot Weather Running Advice
Prevent
Running Cramps |
