Running Cadence: Why Your Knees Hurt and How to Fix It (180 spm)

Running on asphalt and your knees hurt? Feel a stabbing pain in your shins (shin splints)? Most runners do two things at that point:

Buy more expensive, more cushioned shoes.

Start taking joint supplements.

As an IRONMAN Certified Coach, I’ll tell you the problem often isn’t your shoes or the surface you run on. It can be the physics of your footstrike: strides that are too long.

At Atte ACADEMY I see this in video analysis all the time. An athlete wants to run faster, so they “reach” with their stride. The result can be injury. A useful reference number is 180.

Why Does a Long Stride (Overstriding) Wreck You?

When your cadence is low (under 160 steps per minute), it usually means you’re taking long leaps. Your foot lands in front of your center of mass on a straight, or nearly straight, leg (often on the heel).

Two bad things happen at that moment:

You brake: Landing in front of your body works like a brake. Every step slows you down, and you have to generate energy again to push off.

You wreck your joints: When you land on a straight leg out in front of you, your muscles can’t absorb the impact. Much of the impact goes straight into your joints: ankle, knee, hip.

It’s like hitting concrete with a hammer 160 times a minute. Shoes can only cushion so much.

The Fix Is Called Cadence (170 – 180 spm)

Look at the pro triathletes in Kona. Even when they’re exhausted after 180 km on the bike, their legs turn over fast. Their cadence is often around 170 to 180 steps per minute (spm).

Why is that better?

Landing under your center of mass: At a high step rate you don’t have time to reach your leg forward. You land right underneath yourself, on a bent knee.

Muscles as shock absorbers: A bent knee works like a spring. Your muscles (calves, thighs) absorb the impact, not your bones.

Running economy: You bounce up less (vertical oscillation) and direct more energy forward.

A higher cadence will often help you keep your heart rate lower, which is key for training in Zone 2.

The Connection to the Bike (The Triathlon Secret)

Here’s the key moment for triathletes. If your cadence on the bike is low (you “grind” big gears with force), your legs are “slow.” When you get off, you’ll tend to run heavily and clumsily.

But if you learn to spin 90+ rpm on the bike, your nervous system is already tuned to a fast rhythm. I explain why the two are connected in the article on cycling cadence. It’s all about neuromuscular adaptation. A high turnover is one of the best ways to get your legs moving after hard cycling in a brick workout.

How to Train It (Because It Will Feel Weird)

The first time I tell you to raise your cadence, you’ll feel like a “tiptoeing geisha.” You’ll feel like you’re taking tiny steps and going nowhere. That’s normal.

Here are my tips for Atte ACADEMY clients:

Metronome: Download an app on your phone, set it to 175 BPM and try to land your steps on the beat.

Music: Find “Running 180 BPM” playlists on Spotify.

Less is more: Don’t try to push off hard. Just try to lift your feet off the ground faster.

Remember: Speed = Stride Length × Cadence. We want to raise the cadence, not the stride length. Raise it gradually, and if pain persists or gets worse, back off and see a physiotherapist or doctor.

Want to Run Without Pain?

Don’t obsess over whether you pronate or supinate. Look at your cadence. It’s a cheap and often helpful way to reduce injury risk.

If you’re not sure about your technique, film yourself and send me the video.

As part of coaching at Atte ACADEMY, I do running analysis. I’ll spot your mistakes and teach you to run in a way your knees will thank you for.

This article is part of our technique training. You’ll find more about running in the Triathlon Running Guide.