Cadence, etc.

[michelem]

So, I was interested to read that 90 footfalls per minute (per foot) is the optimum running cadence. I already know that 90 rpm's is ideal for cycling, but didn't know anything about running cadence. Does anyone here work on their running cadence, and have you noticed an improvement or decline in running efficiency based on cadence?

On a related note, has anyone here used the Podrunner Podcasts for their workouts? http://www.djsteveboy.com/mixes.html The 1 hour (more or less) music mixes are based on beats per minute (bpm's), so you'd choose a music mix with 180 bpm's to correlate with 90 footfalls per minute.

Anyway, I think I'm going to try this out. I'd love to hear your experiences, if any.

[OakLeaf]

My experience, having spent a long time working on my cycling cadence before I ever paid attention to my running cadence, is that I was already running at about 90-95 steps per minute. It's just what my legs knew how to do. Have you timed yours yet?

[michelem]

Thanks for the reply Oakleaf. I tried timing my cadence on the treadmill and it was right around 90, but I'm not sure if that translates to on the road. So, I'm going to try it tomorrow morning. The route I'm going has some mild rollers, so I want to see if I can keep my cadence consistent throughout and see if I feel any different. I have a hard time finding music fast enough to keep my speed up when running outdoors. On the treadmill, I can just crank the speed up manually despite whatever music I'm listening to or not, ya know? We'll see how it goes . . .

[alpinerabbit]

I was taught to do small steps which implies high cadence. so yes.

[michelem]

Tried it out this morning and OH WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! Cut 10-15 minutes off the time of my usual 8 mile loop! Smaller steps, an even 180 bpm (90 footfalls per foot per minute), WAY less effort, and loads faster! I'm excited!!!

[limewave]

I tried this too! My run was much quicker than I anticipated, closer to my race times.

And a little off topic, I finally got a computer for my road bike with cadence. I found that I am comfortable at 95. I can hold uncomfortably steady at 105 for awhile. I was really surprised by that.

[oaklandchloe]

I too learned recently that bike and run cadences are similar. Counted every time my right foot hit the ground. Also read an interesting chapter on run/bike cadence and running "gears" in a book called ChiRunning.