Running with a Metronome can provide many benefits and most people do not know how valuable a running metronome can be for runners, especially as a digital metronome can keep you running with a steady cadence.
So what is Cadence and How Can I Improve My Pace?
The cadence is the number of steps that you take per minute and your stride rate is the length of your step. Both the cadence and stride rate determine your pace, which is usually measured by the time it takes for you to run a kilometer or mile.
For example, if your cadence rate is 160 steps per minute and your stride rate is 3 feet per step than your running pace is 11:00 minutes per mile. (160x3x11 = 5,280 feet, which equals 1 mile).
Whether you’re a beginner or professional runner, you will most likely want to improve your pace by reducing the time it takes for you to run a mile. Running with a metronome can help you increase your cadence rate so you can run faster.
How Do I Improve My Pace Running with a Metronome?
With a running metronome, runners can easily track their cadence and stride rate. By tracking this data, you can easily improve your running technique; speed and distances while ensuring you use as less energy as possible. By running at a stable cadence rate, your body can effectively use less energy, reducing the likelihood of injury.
Let’s say you want to run faster and achieve a cadence rate target of 200 per minute with a stride rate of 3 per step. With this cadence target of 200 per minute, you can essentially complete a mile with a time of 8:48 minutes. This cuts 2:12 minutes off your original time if your cadence rate was 160 steps per minute!
Alternatively, if you want to keep your pace the same but reduce your stride rate, you can run with a metronome to increase your cadence and adjust with a shorter stride (reduces the chance of injuries). For example, you can set a cadence rate of 200, while keeping the pace an 11:00 minutes per mile then you can reduce your stride to 2 steps per feet.
Running with a metronome can certainly improve your pace speed by running at a comfortable stride rate. However, if you’re prone to injuries, you can still run with a metronome to help you reduce your stride rate while achieving your cadence rate and keeping your pace the same.
Which Is the Best Running Metronome To Buy?
The Seiko DM51B Digital Metronome, which is considered one of the best running metronomes by amateur and professional runners today and we highly recommended it. The Seiko Digital Metronome is very easy to use, small and compact.
You can currently buy the Seiko DM51B Metronome from Amazon with Free Shipping and it’s a great metronome for runners.
Do you enjoy running with a metronome? We would love to hear your comments or experiences of using a digital metronome for running below.
