What's your leg speed? (Read 798 times)

We are supposed to be aiming for 180 steps per min. Are you anywhere near this? I did a rough check this morning and was 160. Im 6ft 2" and struggled to do anything more without looking like a penguin. I can understand the theory behind this but is it always practical, particularly if you are tall?

I'm usually pretty close, I'm 6'0". Sometimes I'm higher, sometimes I'm lower, but I'm from 170-195 when I bother to check. (havn't for a while, you've given me something to do)

I have worked very hard over the years to improve my leg speed. Unfortunately, I have not put in a commensurate effort improving my body speed. Now I fall down backwards. Oh well, live and learn!

I believe Dr. Jack Daniels (and others) have surmised that ~180 is the most efficient stride rate for humans mostly through observing well-trained runners. He (and others) recommends if your turnover is much slower than 180 to occasionally do drills such as pretending to be running on eggshells and trying to be as light on your feet as possible, etc. The idea is that 180 is best for reducing injury risk since there is less impact with each footstrike. Makes sense I suppose. However, yes, I am very near this most of the time, if not a tad faster. I never tried to "achieve" the magical 180 cadence, it just happend, I guess. Knowing my turnover is around 180 comes in handy when I do things like strides--if I want to do 8 x 20 seconds I just count 60 steps rather than having to look at my watch to know when I've gone for 20 seconds. When I was coming back from an achilles injury years ago, I began by running on a treadmill in a local Y. I noticed a lot of the people around me really slamming the belt with each step, and taking fewer steps than me. I also noticed the lighter on my feet I was, the less my achilles hurt. I developed what I call "stealth mode" where I try to run as silently as possible. After a while I moved my training back to the roads but I kept working on stealth mode because I noticed my achilles could handle it and my legs in general always felt fresh after a stealth mode run. The other thing I noticed was that in order to run in stealth mode, you have to have a quick turnover. I still practice stealth mode from time to time when I'm feeling beat up.

Heel striking does not cause injury. Overstriding causes injury.

Isn't that kinda' like saying that speed kills? I prefer to place the blame on the impact itself. Either way, too long a stride is a bad thing. Tom

I think my right leg is faster than my left leg.

hee...

I developed what I call "stealth mode" where I try to run as silently as possible. After a while I moved my training back to the roads but I kept working on stealth mode because I noticed my achilles could handle it and my legs in general always felt fresh after a stealth mode run. The other thing I noticed was that in order to run in stealth mode, you have to have a quick turnover. I still practice stealth mode from time to time when I'm feeling beat up.

I'm frequently sneaking up on deer and freaking them the hell out as I get within just a few yards of them (about a week ago I startled one enough that he actually let out a nervous snort of surprise before he bounded off). Though I am still slow as hell. "Slow, but stealthy" should be my motto.

I think my right leg is faster than my left leg.

One leg is undoubtably faster than the other. It is very unlikely that they are both exactly the same speed. I'm impressed that you know which one is faster. Did it tell you? Or did the other one tell you? Is the slower one jealous? Or do they each have good and bad days and trade back and forth which one is faster? So many questions.