Steps: is it a tragedy, or something best forgotten? Should we 5,6,7,8 or just Stomp about? What Steps do I refer to? No not the group but one that relates to your cadence.
Running cadence is often defined as the total number of steps you take per minute (SPM).
Your height, weight, leg and stride length and running ability will determine your optimal cadence. Everyday runners generally fall between 160-170 steps per minute, while elite runners strike the ground around 180 steps per minute or higher—with some getting above 200 at their fastest speeds.
Having the right cadence will improve your running performance and reduce your injury risk, as cadence has a big impact on your running economy. So though you can’t do anything about your height – you can still improve your cadence.
Music has a beat, it also can be viewed as having so many beats per minute (BPM). So if you can train yourself to step to a beat, over time you’ll improve your cadence.
Listening to music also distracts you from fatigue and gives you a focus. By choosing music that has a certain beatyou can train yourself to increase your Steps per Minute. You can challenge yourself to keep a pace going for a certain length of time. And hence cover more distance, And get better results. Does it work?
Well I think it does. I started listening to music to get through the solo long runs needed for marathon training. In 2016 as usual after London marathon, I commenced running too early. I felt so good I pushed myself for a 10 miler after 3 weeks and messed up my hamstring!!
Struggling to get back in shape and confining myself to parkruns and some summer series only. It wasn’t good to run. I was pushing myself and not enjoying the discomfort afterwards. I started looking at my Steps per Minute (SPM). They were 120-150. I worked up to 160s and felt my performance improved. But marathon training recommenced and I got back into a long distance rut to get through London. Resting this time afterwards, I decide to recommence the bypass reps and monitor my SPM.
So I started my bypass – 5 minute and 20 minute – reps weekly. The distances I could run started to improve within those times as my SPM increased to the 170s. This culminated in the Alderley Edge bypass run July 2017. I kept a reasonable pace at the beginning losing sight of my group 3 colleagues. On the turnaround which was my normal 20 minute rep return, I waited a few minutes before increasing my pace as if I was rep’ing. Knowing I could sustain it. Such satisfaction in passing Mark, Sally and Nicky – all looking and sounding like they were struggling, and just missing out on my target 45:00 time. I really enjoyed it and noted when I got home I’d averaged 176 SPM and ran nearly 3 minutes quicker than my last 10k! Then cursing myself for not changing up my gears a little earlier. There’s no pleasing some people is there!!. 🙂
So why not give it a go.
More to come about SPM and a challenge to you all coming soon.