We often hear that we should run 180 beats per minute to be more effective. However, while this value works for some, it's far from universal. The reality is much more interesting: Your cadence is the result of the power determined by your physiology, and therefore, it influences your speed as well as your running economy.
Trying to copy another runner's cadence is a bit like trying to use the same stride length as them. Each body has its own balance.
The economy of speed: spending less to go just as fast
Running economy represents the amount of energy required to maintain a given speed. Two runners can run at the same pace but one consumes much less energy than the other.
This efficiency depends on many factors:
- running technique;
- muscle strength;
- tendon stiffness;
- neuromuscular coordination;
- body mass;
- each person's biomechanics.
Pace is part of that equation, but it's only one component.
Cadence and power: a constant balancing act
Power corresponds to the mechanical work produced for advancement. For a given speed, it can be distributed in different ways.
A runner who adopts a high frequency generally produces shorter strides. Each impact is a bit less significant, but the number of muscle contractions increases.
Conversely, a runner with a lower cadence take longer strides. Each foot strike requires more force, but fewer steps are needed.
No strategy is systematically superior. The goal is to find the point where energy cost is minimal.
Why do some people naturally run at 160 steps per minute
A slower cadence can be perfectly normal for runners with certain characteristics.
A large size
Longer legs naturally cover more distance with each stride.
Excellent propulsion
Runners with strong muscular power can produce a significant push without increasing their stride frequency.
A moderate speed
During endurance outings, many runners spontaneously find themselves between 155 and 170 steps per minute. This pace then naturally increases with the speed.
Efficient biomechanics
Some people use the elasticity of their tendons very effectively and can maintain a longer stride while remaining economical.
Why do others tend to be around 180 steps per minute
A higher cadence can also represent the best strategy.
A smaller size
With a naturally shorter stride, slightly increasing cadence becomes the most effective way to maintain speed.
A search for stability
Increasing support points often reduces vertical oscillations and improves body control.
A decrease in impacts
A slightly higher cadence generally reduces ground contact time and braking forces, which can decrease certain joint stresses.
Fast gaits
The faster the speed, the higher the cadence. In trained runners, it's common to observe cadences above 180 beats per minute during threshold, VMA, or competition sessions.
What physiology teaches us
A runner's preferred cadence is influenced by several physiological factors.
Body segment length
Long legs generally promote longer strides.
The proportion of muscle fibers
Runners with more fast-twitch fibers can more easily develop a strong push-off with each stride. Those with a dominance of slow-twitch fibers often favor a more consistent force production.
Musculoskeletal stiffness
Tendons that can effectively restore energy allow for better utilization of each step.
Joint mobility
The flexibility of the ankle, hip, and foot directly influences stride length.
Neuromuscular coordination
The nervous system spontaneously seeks the compromise that requires the least energy.
Fatigue
When fatigue sets in, the pace can slightly increase to reduce the strain of each stride… or decrease if muscular power becomes insufficient.
The optimal pace is rarely fixed
Contrary to popular belief, the optimal pace is constantly evolving.
It varies depending on:
- speed;
- the elevation gain;
- fatigue;
- the temperature;
- the type of surface;
- Training level.
A single runner can run at 160 beats per minute during a very easy outing, at 172 during a half marathon and overtake 185 during a fast interval.
Should one deliberately modify their pace?
Yes… but with caution.
If your cadence is very low and you regularly suffer from knee or hip pain, a gradual increase in 3 to 5 % can sometimes improve comfort and reduce braking forces.
On the other hand, striving to reach 180 steps per minute at all costs can degrade your running economy if this cadence does not match your physiology.
The goal, therefore, is not to run like someone else, but to become more efficient with your own mechanics.
Critical Power: The True Benchmark for Endurance Racing
In distance running, power isn't just about what you produce with each stride. What matters most is critical power (CP) the maximum power a runner can sustain for a long time without fatigue setting in rapidly. It constitutes a physiological boundary between a sustainable effort, where the body can still balance energy production and utilization, and an effort where anaerobic reserves are gradually depleted.
The cadence directly influences how this power is produced. A higher cadence distributes the work over a greater number of steps, while a lower cadence demands more force with each stride. At the same power, the neuromuscular system will spontaneously seek the cadence-stride length combination that minimizes energy cost.
The best endurance runners therefore don't just possess high critical power; they are capable of approaching it with excellent running economy. Two athletes with a critical power of 300 watts can achieve very different performances if one wastes more energy through vertical oscillation, braking, or a cadence poorly suited to their body type.
Endurance training, threshold sessions, and specific strength development progressively increase this critical power. Over months, the runner can maintain a faster pace without increasing their energy cost, while their natural cadence often evolves slightly to support this new efficiency. Cadence is therefore not a goal in itself; it is a consequence of improving your sustainable power and running economy.
If you wish to learn more about critical power:
