Forums >Running 101>Tracking Cadence
I'm at the point now in my running where I'm very interested in monitoring my cadence; however, I've found it tedious to count while running. What is the best equipment/technique for counting your cadence?
My Garmin 220 tracks cadence. It wasn't a feature I was looking for but there it is.
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Evolving body parts
I'm using a Garmin foot pod. Has the added bonus of using it for measuring distance when on TM or where GPS coverage is shaky. It's really great in this respect. Very accurate, too, without even calibration.
I guess I am in the same boat - wanted to improve my cadence. Looking at the data, yes there is a definite correlation between cadence and speed (ta-daa), but as far as actually improving the turnover - it's very difficult for me. I tried the foot pod on a couple of races (I would pick it up when my cadence started to fall), but I found that it messed up my rythm and was more of a distraction than a useful feedback.
For monitoring, as you said, it is perfect.
Get a metranome app for your phone and follow it for cadence
I'm still trying to decide how to best do this with improving my cadence, but plan on going to a local running store and see what they got. However, in the mean time I've been doing these running drill to work on my cadence, because I've found that I typically run at about 80-84 spm. The drills are great, but not something I want to do up and down my street Rather, I do them at the track after my gym workout. One thing about them, they are not aerobic exercises, but anaerobic. Especially the high knee skipping.
Here are some examples of what I've been doing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvH5WZk0f90
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_HKaTPD7ZE
Drill #4 (Grapevine) on this video is kind of fun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs06XykydZY
Greetings, Earthlings!
My Garmin 620 counts my cadence.
In Running Science, Owen Anderson recommends running with a portable electronic metronome set between 180 and 190 bpm to improve cadence. I wouldn't know; I have no idea what my cadence was when I was running in the 1990s, but after returning to it in 2014 after years as a cyclist, I find that I'm most comfortable running with a cadence around 192-197 depending on the terrain.
not bad for mile 25
If you have a stopwatch, you can count your steps in fifteen seconds, then multiply by 4. You could count just left steps and multiply by 8. That shouldn't be too tedious.
Chasing the bus
I've used RunmeterPro app for awhile. It counts foot cadence. I also like the iphone app Cadence. It catalogs your music by cadence and then plays songs randomly from your music within a range of cadences.
“You're either on the bus or off the bus.” ― Tom Wolfe, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
I have an FR220 which tracks cadence but, in my opinion, you should just count either right or left footfalls over one minute. Most accurate reading (it's NEVER wrong) and you get feedback exactly as you run. I used to count my steps on most of my runs, now I rarely do as the 220 data is good enough for me to check after the fact nowadays. My easy run cadence is pretty much 180 so good enough for me.
What I do if I want a quick check on my cadence is just glance at my watch, note the reading (say 20:28) and count either right or left footfalls until I get to 90. Then a quick glance at my watch and it should read exactly 60 seconds more (21:28 in this case), if it's more or less, well, there ya go. You don't have to wait for an 'even' number on your watch and counting either left or right steps makes it easy. Can't get much simpler than that and you get an intimate feel for your stride rate as you are running as opposed to a number reported to you after the run.
I can tell the pace at which I am running if I count my cadence, anything under 180 will be over 10 min mile pace, anything over 190 will be well under 9 min miles. Obviously may not work for steep hills, need to check it out one of these days.
I just watch my watch for a few seconds every once in a while and try to get on a 3-steps-per-second cadence (180 steps/min). Once I get a feel for the cadence, I can usually keep it for a while without looking at my watch. I've been doing this for probably a couple years, and over time I've a) gotten more consistent with naturally hitting 180 spm and b) gotten better at telling in the moment whether or not I'm around 180 spm.
To increase your cadence, once you're warmed up and running at your normal training cadence, increase cadence. You do that by swinging your arms a little faster. That's all you have to do. Count every other time your left (or right) foot strikes the ground in 30 seconds. Multiply that by 8 and you have your cadence. For example, 24x8=192. Before you do this drill, count for 30 seconds as just described to determine your normal cadence. For example, a count of 20x8=160.
On the first attempt, do faster cadence for 4 reps of 30 seconds. Gradually built up to 8 reps of one minute. Then, do two minute reps and so on. You should be able to increase cadence by about 10 steps per minute, assuming you are starting at 160-170 steps per minute.
queen of headlamps
For counting cadence I used the runzi app on my phone; not great for realtime feedback but nice to see over the course of a workout.
I've been using Podrunner's Dragonback interval mix to work on cadence. My natural cadence is pretty slow (~160), and there's some evidence that your body chooses the cadence that is most efficient for it, but I'm trying to increase it slightly (around 170 I feel as if my steps are lighter.) The interval set starts at 150 and ramps up to 180 over four sets.
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I've had a foot pod for some time, but only recently started using it on any kind of a regular basis. But not to get the cadence information - rather to concentrate on increasing my stride length. As you age (which, unfortunately I have) and your flexibility suffers, one of the results is a shorter stride length. That's one of the ways we oldsters slow down.
So I've actually let my cadence slow down - I now average about 176 instead of the 180 to 182 I normally run, but I've increased my stride length to 1.07 meters from right at 1 meter. (I know - still pitiful).
Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey
Lordy, I hope there are tapes.
He's a leaker!
I've had a foot pod for some time, but only recently started using it on any kind of a regular basis. But not to get the cadence information - rather to concentrate on increasing my stride length. As you age (which, unfortunately I have) and your flexibility suffers, one of the results is a shorter stride length. That's one of the ways we oldsters slow down. So I've actually let my cadence slow down - I now average about 176 instead of the 180 to 182 I normally run, but I've increased my stride length to 1.07 meters from right at 1 meter. (I know - still pitiful).
Did someone who knows what they're doing recommend this? Not really my business but this just seems like a bad idea. If your stride is shortening due to a lack of flexibility, it seems to me you should address the flexibility issue (by stretching, mobility exercises, etc.) rather than trying to muscle out a longer stride. Otherwise your'e likely to create some bad form breaks trying to stride longer than your body wants to--by arching your back, overstriding out in front, leaning forward etc. That's a recipe for a whole host of injuries (he said from experience.)