How to Improve Your Running Cadence: A Step-by-Step Guide for Triathletes
What Is Running Cadence?
Running cadence — also called stride rate — is the number of steps you take per minute when running. It’s typically measured in steps per minute (SPM) and counts both feet. Most recreational runners naturally fall somewhere between 150-165 SPM, while elite distance runners and experienced triathletes tend to run at 175-185 SPM. The difference matters enormously for efficiency and injury risk.
Why Higher Cadence Matters for Triathletes
Running at a low cadence (under 165 SPM) is associated with overstriding — landing with your foot significantly ahead of your centre of mass. Overstriding creates a braking force with every footstrike and increases stress on the knee and hip. For triathletes running off a fatigued bike leg, overstriding is even more common and costly.
- Injury reduction: Higher cadence reduces ground impact forces by up to 20%, lowering risk of knee pain, shin splints and stress fractures
- Improved efficiency: Shorter, quicker steps reduce the vertical oscillation (bouncing) that wastes energy
- Better off-bike running: A higher cadence is easier to maintain when your legs are fatigued from cycling, making the brick transition smoother
- Faster finishing: Many runners naturally increase cadence in the final km of a race — training it means you can sustain that finish speed for longer
How to Measure Your Running Cadence
Most modern GPS watches (Garmin, COROS, Polar, Apple Watch) measure cadence automatically via the wrist accelerometer. Check your average cadence on your next easy run — it’s usually displayed in real-time or in the post-run analysis. Alternatively, count every footstrike on one foot for 15 seconds and multiply by 8. Do this during the middle of an easy run when you’re not thinking about form.
Drills to Improve Your Cadence
Don’t try to jump straight to 180 SPM — this can cause injury if done too quickly. Instead, aim to increase your natural cadence by 5-10% over 4-6 weeks using these methods:
- Metronome running: Set a running metronome app (or use a watch with cadence alerts) to your target SPM. Run easy while keeping in time. Start with 5 minutes per run and gradually extend.
- High-knees drill: 20 metres of exaggerated high-knee running, focusing on quick foot turnover rather than height. This teaches fast ground contact.
- Short strides: During your warm-up, run 6 × 20m at slightly faster than easy pace with very short, quick steps. Don’t lengthen your stride — think about getting your foot down faster.
- Treadmill cadence work: Set the treadmill to easy pace, then gradually increase speed for 30 seconds to force a faster cadence, then return to easy pace. The fast burst imprints the neuromuscular pattern.
How to Build Cadence Into Your Training
Add dedicated cadence focus to 2 runs per week rather than trying to think about it on every run. On your easy runs, spend the middle 10-15 minutes consciously targeting your new cadence. On one weekly run, include 4-6 × 1-minute cadence pick-ups where you deliberately turn your legs over faster. Over 6 weeks, these deliberate practice periods become your new default form.
Don’t forget to apply cadence awareness during brick sessions. When you step off the bike into your run, your natural cadence often drops even further than usual due to muscle fatigue. Start your run at cadence and you’ll settle into your running rhythm far faster than if you just run by feel.
What Target Cadence Should You Aim For?
While 180 SPM is often cited as the gold standard, it’s not universal. Taller athletes naturally tend toward lower cadences due to longer limbs, and many elite runners perform well at 172-176 SPM. The more useful target is to measure your current cadence and aim to increase it by 5-8% — whatever that brings you to. If you currently run at 162 SPM, targeting 170-174 SPM is a meaningful, achievable improvement that will reduce injury risk and improve efficiency.
