What is Running Cadence?

Running cadence is the number of steps you take per minute. It’s a measure of how quick, efficient or large a runner’s stride is.

For most runners, cadence ranges from 150-200.

Cadence = Number of Steps Per Minute

Your cadence not only dictates your running pace, but also impacts your ground contact time— how long your foot stays on the ground with each stride.

A longer ground contact time corresponds to a lower cadence, increasing the strain on your joints and muscles by keeping them engaged for extended periods. This negatively affects your running mechanics and elevate your risk of injury.

Low cadence often signals overstriding, where the landing leg is straighter and stiffer, limiting your body's ability to absorb impact forces. Overstriding heightens the risk of shin, knee, and hip injuries.

Instead, landing with your foot directly beneath your knee supports proper running form and minimises injury risk.

Key takeaway:
A higher cadence can reduce the impact on the body and reduce the risk of injury

The short answer is: it depends. If you’re looking for a super ballpark figure, then it’s 150-200.

While 150-200 remains a good ballpark number to look for, factors including your height, weight, running ability and even running shoes can affect your cadence.

For example, taller runners generally have a lower cadence than shorter runners, as they typically take longer strides. This is natural and you should not look to alter your cadence to an average number.

Key takeaways:
An ideal cadence depends on the runner, but it's usually between 150 and 200 steps per minute
A low cadence (130s or 140s) could indicate overstriding

Yes, there is, but other factors like weight, speed and running experience must be considered too.

If you're a short runner trying to catch a taller competitor in a race, your cadence will be quicker, while taller runners take longer strides, so they'll naturally have a lower cadence.

This is why the range is so high between what can be considered a ‘good’ or ‘right’ cadence.

If you're new to running, you'll likely notice your cadence gradually increasing as you become more consistent and (quite literally) find your stride.

But you still may find your cadence lacking and dipping well below that 150 mark. 

To actively improve your steps per minute (SPM), you must shorten your stride.

You can do this by ensuring your foot lands directly beneath your body rather than out in front on a straight leg, as it would during walking.

This adjustment not only boosts your cadence but also helps prevent overstriding.

You can also measure your cadence on your own by counting how many steps you take in one minute.

You could download a metronome app on your phone, use a smart-watch that has a cadence tracking feature.

Whatever method you choose to measure your running cadence, it’s best to do it a few times to take an average.

The terms 'step' and 'stride' are often used interchangeably, which is both confusing and wrong.

A step is the distance between successive foot strikes of different feet.

A stride is the distance from one foot contact to the next contact of the same foot.