Steppin’ on my style

10/11/11

How many steps do you take a minute? It is pretty much a biomechanical fact that from the 5k to the marathon elite runners take at least 180 steps a minute when racing and what occurs as they go at faster velocities correlating to the 3k down is they take more steps. If you want some proof to this count the swings of the arms of any of the runners in a lead pack marathon race. Thankfully arms and legs work in synchronization so if you get 45 swings for one arm in thirty seconds then they are running 180 steps a minute. What is also true is that these runners, in their regular training, maintain this quick 180 stepping cadence at all paces except those that are faster velocities training where they take more steps.

This can not be said about a lot of aspiring runners. Interestingly all form comes together a bit better when racing, except for at the end when you may be falling apart. One issue with taking say 160 steps a minute vs. 180 is that when you accelerate you are on the ground and you decelerate as you are falling. The more steps you take to run the same pace means you are spending more time in the air and falling from a slightly greater height because instead of rolling over the ground you are almost grasshopper like bounding over it. This brings up a much more serious issue with a slower cadence. Besides working harder to run the same pace you are risking injury.

Running is a repetitive motion venture. So when you extrapolate the difference of steps from a minute to the difference in all the minutes of a year you can see that you want to manage risk. The new quicker cadence may take some time to adjust to being natural but you will find that upon acclimation it is much more comfortable. The best time to work on this form is when you are easy running. Your form may need adjustments when you are training at faster paces, but chances they are more nuanced because form comes together more when you are running at race paces. However, watch the laborious bounding of a beginner runner, or even a vet who just defies conformity, they are spending a noticeable amount of energy to increase their chance of injury. Maybe they need to make a 180degree turn in their form.