Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have many road and trail running races scheduled in the summer and fall months, as the rainy season subsides for blue skies. No matter if you are planning on running a 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, or even ultra marathon, you may want to consider evaluating your running cadence before starting your training program. Running cadence is a measure of the number of steps you take per minute while running, with an ideal rate falling between 160 and 180 steps per minute. Not only has this range been linked with improved running efficiency/economy, but it has also been linked with a reduced rate of injury. To measure, simply count the number of steps you take while running at your training pace for one minute, or count the number of steps you take while running at your training pace for 30 seconds and multiply by two. If you are on the low end of the range or fall below 160 steps per minute, you may be over-striding, putting yourself at an increased risk of developing a nagging overuse injury, such as Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, which will negatively impact your training. Try measuring it for yourself during your next training run and see where you stack up!
A Quick Guide To Selecting The Proper Saddle Height On Your Bicycle
With summer right around the corner, many of you are likely hitting the road and/or trails more often on your bicycles. Whether you are training for the STP Ride, commute to work, or enjoy a leisurely ride with friends, it is important to make sure you bicycle is properly fit to you, especially if you are starting to ride more frequently. There are five main connection points between you and your bicycle, all of which help determine a proper fit: two on the handlebars, two on the pedals, and one on the saddle (or bike seat). Selecting the proper saddle height is a basic adjustment even the most novice of riders can make. In general, your knee should be bent to about 30 degrees when your foot is at the bottom of the pedal stroke while riding (6 o’clock position). To the untrained eye, this can be difficult to estimate or measure without the proper tools. However, there is a way to get darn close by a technique called the “Heel Scrape Test”. The “Heel Scrape Test” is performed by setting a saddle height that allows your heel to barely touch the pedal when the crank arm is in the 6 o’clock position (bottom of the pedal stroke). Once in this position, your knee will end up in roughly a 30 degree angle when you place the ball of your foot on the pedal, which is the ideal foot position. No fancy digital software or goniometers necessary. Try it yourself and see how it feels on your next ride!