When it comes to running, cadence is one of those parameters everyone can relate to, as the concept is straightforward. Yet, upon deeper inspection, most people have no idea what to do with it. It’s a bit like BMI (body mass index): Okay, it’s 29.6. Great! Now what?
Cadence is not a one-size-fits-all parameter (Image by Chat GPT)
The right running cadence can help reduce fatigue, become a more efficient runner, avoid injuries such as shin splints, and thus allow you to run longer. And while higher cadence can be beneficial, it is not the secret sauce that is missing from your training. And, if you donât know what youâre doing, cutting your stride indiscriminately is not without its consequences.
Cadence is a simple, straightforward concept: the number of steps you take per minute. Each step starts when one leg touches the ground and ends when the other does. It measures both sides, and most running watches quantify it as a standard function. While most everyday runnersâ cadence is around 160-170ish, it is usually higher for elite and track athletes. Thereâs even a myth about the âmagic 180 cadence.â
The idea that all runners should aim for 180 steps per minute for maximum efficiency is traced back to observations by exercise physiologist and coach Jack Daniels during the 1984 Olympics. Daniels counted the cadence of elite distance runners and found that most were running at about 180 steps per minute, or slightly higher. His observation was descriptive, not a universal prescription. However, as the finding spread through coaching circles, books such as Daniels’ Running Formula, and running watches that track cadence, the nuance was lost. What began as an observation of elite runners gradually became gospel among many recreational runners.
The problem with 180 is that only a tiny fraction of runners will ever become Olympians. So, while 180 is indeed a great cadence, it depends on factors such as height, weight, leg length, structural issues, and now even shoes. The runner pushing a sub-3 marathon, wearing carbon-plated shoes, has different mechanical requirements than one aiming for his first sub-30 5K. You canât expect both to run at a 180 turnover.
If you take away one thing from this post, may it be getting rid of that 180 myth. While it is a great cadence, it is not a magic pill that will have you winning marathons next year. Past and present elite distance runners have succeeded without 180. Meb Keflezighi, Galen Rupp, and Frank Shorter won Olympic marathon medals and were all most efficient in the low 170s. Bill Rodgers won four Bostons and four New Yorks between 160 and 170. Paula Radcliffe set the marathon world record, also around 170.
Cadence is not a magic pill to solve all your running problems and have you set world records (Image by Grok)
Varying your cadence must have a clear intention; it is not just upping the number for the sake of more-is-better. Changing your mechanics without a purpose is a recipe for injury.
Bryan Heiderscheit, PhD, Director of the Runnersâ Clinic at the University of Wisconsin Sports Medicine Center, explains: âResearch shows that when runners increase their turnover, they reduce the impact on their knees and hips and often improve their stride mechanics. Increasing turnover will help the chances of your foot landing closer to or underneath your pelvis, reducing overstriding tendencies, and increasing your lower extremity stiffness with less bounce and braking in your steps.â
That said, reducing your stride to increase your cadence while still overstriding wonât help you at all. Quite the contrary. You will be overstriding more often, speeding up your breaking point, and thus increasing your risk of injury.
“If you’re going to increase your step rate, also try to land with your foot closer under your hips,” Heiderscheit says. “You don’t want to keep reaching in front of yourself.” Jonathan Beverly compliments the idea by stating: âMy experience as a runner and coach confirms this: A faster cadence comes, in fact, as you learn to run tall, land closer, and push back-all part of the same process.â
In conclusion: Even though cadence is a simple concept, and the benefits of adjusting it are real, not every runner needs to do it, and not every leg malady gets solved by it. Assessing it and making a few adjustments is a good place to start, but if the issues donât subside quickly, you may want to check with a physical therapist before continuing to adjust your cadence indiscriminately. You donât want to end up with a stride that is too short for your frame, which will result not only in discomfort but in injury.
There are plenty of exercises and techniques to work properly on your cadence, but they are beyond the scope of this post. But beware: When researching online, make sure the author’s background and credentials are legitimate. Donât just do what the flavor-of-the-month influencer recommends. They may know what theyâre talking about, sure, but they may not.
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As in every aspect of our functional lives, we pick up bad habits while running. Some are silly or quirky, while others derail important areas of our lives. They become unnoticeable the longer they remain unidentified, so we become immune to them.
Image by ChatGPT
Weâve heard about Major League pitchers getting drilled because a certain move telegraphs their next pitch; or public speakers who get stuck repeating verbal fillers as they deliver a speech; or job interviewees who undermine themselves by constantly apologizing before answering a question. Those are just bad habits, all of which can be overcome.
Runners are no different.
These are seven bad habits to consider and analyze whether they are sabotaging your progress as a runner.
1 â Diminishing your accomplishments: If you are training for a marathon, running âjust 10 miles todayâ is an easy day. But running 10 miles is running a lot of miles. Take your car and drive 10 miles from your house, and see how far it is and how long it takes. It is a matter of presentation. Be proud of your accomplishments, whether the medal is around your neck or you are training to earn it.
2 â Refusing to embrace rest: Working hard is essential to maximize your running potential. Recovering so your body can adapt to the stress of those hard workouts, so you can do it again and get better, is equally important. If you return to grinding while unrecovered, you will overwork an unprepared body and get injured. Never feel guilty for âexecutingâ your day off as written, or for taking an additional one when needed. Resting is not a sign of weakness, but of mental strength.
3 â Believing you are not a real runner: Do you run? Then you are a runner. You are not a marathoner if you donât complete a marathon, but there is no pre-qualification in terms of time or distance to define you as a runner. The only qualification needed is to run. So, stop feeling guilty because you think you are slow, or because you donât run what you feel like far enough, or because you take walking breaks. None of that matters. You run; you are a runner. Done!
You must ensure your body remains strong and resilient (Image by Grok)
4 â Comparing yourself to others: If youâve read my blog before, you have seen this one: Stop obsessing about what your friends are doing. Avoid overthinking what others share on Strava or Instagram. Donât worry about how fast your friend is running his mile reps. Worry about you, what you can do better, and how you can become the best runner you can be. That last sentence says âyouâ four times. It is on purpose, because your running is all about you.
5 â Running while injured: This is non-negotiable. If you are injured, you donât run. I am not talking about aches and pains, or little niggles here or there. I am talking injured. Not all injuries require a bone sticking out of your flesh. If you compensate your mechanics to avoid pain, you change not only the way the body was designed to move but also the way your body is used to move. This guarantees that something else will get out of whack. And then, instead of taking two or three days now, your body will force you to take two or three weeks (if not months) sometime later.
6 â Neglecting Cross Training: Running is a repetitive exercise. A high-impact sport. You wonât have to crash into a 300-lbs defensive lineman, but in a 10K, you are landing about 5000 times per leg at 3-5 times your body weight. Constant repetition leads to overuse, and overuse leads to injury. You must ensure your body remains strong and resilient. Strength training is key. You can also do other sports activities, such as yoga, cycling, or swimming, from time to time. This will provide physical gains without the pounding of running.
7 â Forgetting to have fun: Does your next mortgage payment depend on your next PR? Is the happiness of your marriage dependent on your invitation by Abbott to the next Marathon Major? Is next weekendâs race-pace effort the key to qualifying for the Olympic trials? Most likely no, no, and no. Understand why you run. Sure, some people run to get over a tragedy or to regain control of their health and lives. But most of us weekend warriors run because of the joy it brings us. The post-run high, the outdoors, the sense of freedom and accomplishment, or the social component. Never forget that. If you do, you are in for a short running career.
Running can be a lifelong sport if we diligently strive to do it right and remain injury-free. Donât overcomplicate it. You have plenty of worries in life to add running to the list. Especially since you are not a professional.
This past February 2nd, a controversy was sparked by an article that ran on the Runnerâs World website. It was an opinion piece by a writer named Cole Townsend (whom I donât know). The piece was titled: âYes, Itâs OK to Wear a Finisherâs Shirt for a Race You Didnât Finishâ. Hence, the rebuttal in the title of this blog post.
If you did not finish the London Marathon in 2025, you should not be wearing this shirt.
Townsend states things as: âI think we need to have an honest conversation about whoâs âallowedâ to buy finisher tees,â and âYour hard work doesnât disappear because mile 1 or mile 19 didnât happenâ.
These statements, just as the articleâs title, rubbed me the wrong way. Sure, everybody is entitled to their opinion. Sure, wearing a shirt that states you finished the Boston Marathon when you didnât is trivial compared with whatâs happening in Ukraine. Sure, you are not going to ponder what I may think when choosing your wardrobe. Yet, in my book, it is still not right.
Would you wear an Olympic medal you did not win around your neck, just because you own it? You can proudly display it at home, especially if a relative earned it. I display my dadâs marathon medals at home. But they are hung separately from my earned medals. They are my property, but not my achievements.
My beef with the entire affair is two-fold:
1 â How can an entity of Runnerâs World’s reputation think that publishing this was OK? I am all pro-First Amendment, but you are not obligated to provide a tribune to someone for just about anything, especially if it is unsound, which it should be for runners. Would you run a story advocating the superiority or inferiority of a certain race, or defending a flat earth, just because it is someoneâs opinion?
2 â The article, as the headline clearly states, talks about finisher shirts. A finisherâs shirt is earned when you finish a race, hence the name. Not when you register, not when your boyfriend crosses the finish line, not when you purchase it in a fire sale. This is not a participation trophy. This is between you and your conscience, sure, but in my book, it is still a lie.
I can’t believe Runner’s World ran this article.
Is it OK to wear a military uniform and let people assume you served your country? Would you walk through a mall wearing a priestâs cassock, or scrubs with a stethoscope draped over your shoulders? Exactly. And no, Iâm not comparing military service or serving God to finishing a marathon. Iâm pointing out something simpler: what you wear creates assumptions about who you are and what youâve done. Letting those assumptions stand when they arenât true is plain wrong.
There is a difference between a finisherâs shirt and a race or a souvenir shirt. If you ran London and brought me a hat, I would be grateful and wear it, even though I havenât run it. When I returned to road racing after a 26-year hiatus, I gave my race shirt to my dad as a tribute, since he inspired me to start running when I was a kid. He wore it proudly. But it only said â2012 Miami Marathon and Half Marathonâ; it didnât state he finished the race, even though he ran the distance hundreds of times.
The author concludes with this statement: âWe donât need to start a âstolen valorâ debate. What you wear should reflect what matters to youânot what the internet thinks you’re entitled to. If you care, flip the question: why are you wearing it? If the answer is âbecause it means something to me,â thatâs enough.â
This would be a logical conclusion if the article didnât state âFinisherâs Shirtâ. Thatâs where, in my opinion, both the writer and the Runnerâs World editors went terribly wrong.
Any thoughts? I really want to hear from runners who disagree with me. Please share in the comment box below.
A couple of weeks ago, a runner at the 19th mile of the Miami Marathon experienced cardiac arrest, and even though all safety protocols were followed and applied, he sadly passed. His name was Julien Autissier. He was just 33.
Unfortunately, these episodes continue to occur from time to time, and they cast a bad light on long-distance running. It really rubs me the wrong way because the media doesnât report that people donât just die from running. They usually die from a known or unknown condition that gets exacerbated while running. Or by disregarding basic safety protocols for hydration and/or heat safety during a run.
I wrote a blog post on cardiac health and running back in August 2021, triggered by a fatality in the Montreal Marathon. Today, after the unfortunate incident in Miami, I am rerunning an updated version.
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As athletes, especially runners, we are usually physically fit. It doesnât matter if you weigh 120 pounds and look like a Kenyan or if you are on the 250+ side of the scale with an overhanging gut. You can have an unhealthy body yet still be fit. And this doesnât mean you have a heart disease vaccine.
In the 1982 New York City Marathon, when my dad ran his first 26.2, a French runner collapsed and died. He saw it unfold as he passed by through the ruckus, which made it to the worldâs newspapers the next day. It must have been quite an impression on a 16-year-old kid; 44 years later, I am telling you the story.
Unfortunately, this latest case in Miami is one of the handful of cases each year in which someone goes out for a run and doesnât come back.
If the father of the first running boom in the United States is Frank Shorter, the Godfather is Jim Fixx, author of the mega 1977 bestseller âThe Complete Book of Runningâ. In a pre-Internet, pre-Google era, this book democratized access to knowledge about our sport, including its cardiovascular benefits. This guru went for a run on July 20, 1984, at age 52, and died of a fulminant heart attack. He was in great shape, but his autopsy revealed he had atherosclerosis, with one artery blocked 95%, a second 85%, and a third 70%. His father had died at age 43 of a second heart attack.
Born to run, by Christopher McDougall
If you read the blockbuster âBorn to Runâ, you should remember Micah True, also known as Caballo Blanco. Well, he collapsed and died in 2012 at age 58 while running alone on a trail in New Mexico. The cause was reported as an underlying cardiomyopathy and atherosclerosis, discovered post-mortem. His death exposed how even elite endurance athletes, regardless of how long theyâve been running, may carry unknown heart conditions.
One of the most active and fit guys you will ever meet is Dave McGillivray. You may know him as the Boston Marathon Race Director since 2001. His athletic accolades include running across the United States (3,452 miles) in 80 days, running the Boston Marathon every year since 1973, being a 9-time Hawaii Ironman finisher, and participating in 1000+ organized races. Yet, in October 2018, at age 63, he underwent triple bypass surgery. His family’s cardiac history was against him, regardless of how fit he was. He is one of the lucky ones who can tell his story.
These are just three relevant cases that show that being a fit runner doesnât necessarily mean you are cardiovascularly healthy. These two concepts are not necessarily inclusive.
And then, thereâs me. I wouldnât be honest with my readers if I did not include my personal cardiac experience in this writing. In 2019, during my yearly medical check-up, my doctor told me that even though a stress test wouldnât do much for me because I was a marathoner, I should do it anyway, âbecause you never knowâ. And guess what? You donât know. A congenital issue in my arteries was discovered. Unoxygenated blood was recirculating, bypassing the lungs, which created such stress for my heart that it could have provoked a heart attack. Then, on June 23, 2021, I underwent open-heart surgery to fix the issue. This âunneededâ stress test potentially saved my life. I have run 4000+ miles since, including 2 marathons and 13 halves.
I reran this updated blogpost today because Iâd rather have you in the Dave McGillvray and Coach Adolfo column than in the Jim Fixx or Micah True camp. I beg you to understand that, despite an active and healthy lifestyle, you are not immune to the genetics of your ancestors or the sequels from your unhealthy habits before your active life. Get checked up. Now! You never know. I am proof of it.
When it comes to the long run, theories abound. A certain influencer says this, scientific research says that (yet somehow you believe the influencer, but thatâs another story). Or your buddy swears at a new esoteric formula that allows you to run only twice a week and still improve all your PRs, but then, here comes fill-in-the-blank.
Most theories and formulas have their merit, but some are just quacks. Yet certain non-negotiables canât be overlooked if you strive to improve your endurance, times, PRs, and enjoyment in running. These are my six non-negotiables:
Hydration â it is not about drinking water during your long run. It is about setting a hydration strategy that goes beyond your time pounding the asphalt. Hydration is a weeklong strategy. You canât cram hydration the night before or the morning of your long run. A healthy intake of water and electrolytes throughout your day, every day, every week, will ensure you are primed to withstand the sweating rigors of your run, during which you must rehydrate as you go, of course. Donât start on a deficit. In the best circumstances, it is a recipe for a bad run; in the worst, for disaster.
Night-Before Dinner â A key component to the next dayâs long run success. It must be carb-rich, as they will help top off your glycogen (muscle fuel) stores. This is not the time for a big-ass stake or a huge salad. This is not the time to try that new restaurant your family has been dying to go to. This dinner is âme timeâ. It is about preparing for tomorrow. Itâs the time to be a little selfish and make sure your posse understands your nutritional needs. You can please everyone else with their meal choice tomorrow. One more thing: Give yourself plenty of time to digest your dinner.
Pre-Run Fuel â There are plenty of benefits to running in a fasted state, but those do not apply to your long run. Even if you had the perfect meal the night before, your body used glycogen and water to keep you alive through the night. So, even if you feel you can tough it out, hydrate and have a carb-rich snack before you start. There is no reason to start your journey without your tank topped off when the solution is so accessible. Your body will thank you with better performance and less fatigue.
In-run Fueling â Even though your body is designed to perform at a certain level of dehydration and calorie deficit (meaning you donât need to replace every drop of water as you sweat it or every calorie as you burn it), you must eventually replenish so your body continues performing over the energy demands throughout the workout. For that, you must develop your personalized protocol. Forget what experts say and figure out what is best for you. When do you need water? When do you need a gel? When do you need electrolytes? It is all about your individual needs so that you may keep the engine burning hot.
Execute your plan â When you go out for a long run, be clear about what you want to accomplish from your training, and make sure of that before you turn on your watch. You shouldnât be surprised by a mile-repeat in the middle of your run. You shouldnât figure out you are going 12 miles at mile 2. You should have known that yesterday, if not earlier. Being prepared is the key to success, and itâs better to avoid needing a week to recover instead of a day or two.
Purposeful Recovery â You finished your long run. Great! Congrats! Let the Strava kudos and the Instagram likes pour in. What now? Well, if you want your body to benefit from the workout, you must start the recovery process ASAP. This means you should not get in your car 30 seconds after you are done. You should catch your breath, cool down, stretch, rehydrate, ingest protein and carbohydrates (chocolate milk is an excellent way to do so), and make sure that, as your body enters recovery mode, it can recuperate stronger, faster. Eat, hydrate, and sleep so you are ready to use the benefits of that long run as soon as possible.
There are many theories about the long run, some with merits, some without. If you want to build strength, endurance, and confidence, not just for race day, but for years to come, I truly recommend you incorporate your non-negotiables into the long run. These have all been proven.
Please share your thoughts in the comment box below.
If you are reading this post within the first few days of our brand-new year of our Lord 2026, your running goals should already be set and in motion. You shouldnât need to cram in the later months, nor should you have to adjust because you were caught unprepared. If your goals are not set yet, click here before proceeding. If they are, letâs focus on how to achieve them.
It is all about the way you present it to yourself. Image by ChatGPT
A sure way to keep yourself focused on your goals is to shift certain paradigms in your mindset. Little adjustments that, when applied, should put you in a position to achieve your 2026 goals. Some may apply to you, some may not. Letâs check them out:
1 – Focus on effort, not on pace â Easy pace is not measured in minutes and seconds per mile. It is about effort. An easy effort, hence the name. Sure, there are workouts where specific paces must be maintained. There are speeds and progressions to hit. But that is only in selected training sessions. Most of your training is always at an easy pace. So, keep it easy. Let the pace be a product of your effort, not the other way around. If sharing it on Instagram is embarrassing, keep it to yourself.
2 – Break your training into sections â Every single training has components that must be compartmentalized and distinguished so they can be appropriately executed. A light mobility session and a warm-up should be part of every single run. It is once youâve taken care of these that your actual training session, where there are benefits to realize, starts. Regardless of what it is. Short intervals, long intervals, fartlek, progressions, you name it, all consist of segments that should be understood, respected, and executed. They are all there for a reason, so donât rush or skip them. The same applies to the cool-down. Thereâs no need to jump into your car 30 seconds after turning off your watch.
3 – Running is a privilege, not a chore â Why do you run? Is anyone forcing you? Is the Boogeyman going to catch you if you stop? We run because we have chosen it as our sport, our vehicle for health, or our release valve from the stresses of life. Make it an enjoyable part of your day, not a chore. Make it your âme timeâ or your âsocial timeâ with your buddies. Will there be days when you would rather walk through crushed glass than go for a run? Of course! But those should be few and far between. Our running is not guaranteed. Injuries, time constraints, family demands, weather, work, and so many other distractions conspire against our running time. Understand the privilege of being able to run today and be thankful for it.
4 â Reframe your thoughts â Most runs donât fall apart because your legs quit, but because of a thought you let go unchallenged. âIâm slowing down.â âThis isnât my day.â âI should back off.â Reframing is stepping in and editing that sentence before it becomes a decision. Not with unquestioning optimism, but with perspective. âIâm tired because Iâm working.’ This pace still gets me where I need to go. âI donât need to quit; I need to adjust. Once you start deliberately executing this, you will realize how often your mind jumps to conclusions your body hasnât made yet. Running becomes less about fighting discomfort and more about managing the dialogue that surrounds it. Change the words, and the experience will often follow.
5 â Running is a journey, not a destination â There is no finish line. Races, PRs, and medals matter, of course, but they are just checkpoints. Accepting running as a lifetime journey changes the measurement of success. Itâs no longer about faster times or longer distances, but about what running teaches you along the way. The patience to keep training when progress is slow. The humility of setbacks. The satisfaction of keeping showing up. Goals stop being pressure points and become refueling stations. They give direction without defining your worth as a runner. Miss one, and the journey continues. Hit one, and you keep moving forward. This mindset will keep you running for decades to come. Not because you are chasing one more medal, but because running still has something to teach you.
In 2026, letâs focus on the joy of running. Achievements and setbacks are part of the process, part of what makes running special. Always remember why you chose to run.
