Cadence & Stride
Enter your pace and cadence (steps per minute) to get your stride length.
At the same pace, a higher cadence means a shorter stride — and lower injury risk.
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Time per kilometer
Steps per minute — from your watch/app
Also shows stride as % of height
Stride length
—
cm
Speed
—
km/h
How it works · about cadence
speed = cadence × stride — we solve for stride.
Speed (m/min) = 1000 ÷ pace (min/km); stride (m) = speed (m/min) ÷ cadence (spm).
Why cadence matters
- A common target is 170–185 spm. Too low (<160) means a longer stride and overstriding, raising knee/shin impact.
- Raising cadence by 5–10 at the same pace shortens the stride and softens landing — good for injury prevention.
- The '180 rule' is a myth — the optimum varies with height, leg length and speed. Increase gradually, about 5% at a time.
Note: even elites drop into the 160s on easy jogs. What matters isn't the number but whether you're overstriding.
Sources: running biomechanics research on cadence & overstriding · RunnerOn
Formula summary & glossary
Key formulas
Finding stride length from pace and cadence
| Item | Formula | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Speed (m/min) = 1000 ÷ pace (min/km) |
Convert pace to speed per minute. |
| Stride length | Stride (m) = speed (m/min) ÷ cadence (spm) |
The inverse of speed = cadence × stride. |
| Target cadence | Roughly 170–185 spm |
Below 160 risks overstriding. |
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cadence (spm) | Steps per minute. |
| Stride length | Distance per step — inverse to cadence at the same speed. |
| Overstriding | Landing ahead of your body, raising knee and shin impact. |
| The '180' myth | 180 isn't optimal for everyone — it varies with height and speed. |
Sources: running biomechanics research on cadence and overstriding
Cadence–stride chart — save as PDF ↓
A printable reference chart with the formulas — choose Save as PDF in the new tab.
Cadence is hard to fix alone
A metronome app and running with people at a similar cadence makes it stick. Find runners at your pace in RunnerOn crews.
