Running Cadence Calculator
See how your cadence and stride length turn into speed and pace — or work backward to find the cadence you'd need to hit a goal pace.
Speed comes from two things: how often your feet land (cadence) and how far each step carries you (stride). Many coaches nudge runners toward roughly 170–180 steps per minute to cut overstriding and ease impact. If you don't know your stride, time yourself over a known distance and count steps to estimate it.
How it works
Your running speed boils down to two levers: how many steps you take each minute (cadence) and how far each step carries you (stride length). Multiply them and you get distance per minute, which converts straight into speed and pace.
In the first mode, enter your cadence and stride length and we return your speed in km/h plus pace per kilometer and per mile. In the second, give us a target pace and a stride length, and we solve for the cadence that would produce it.
Coaches often nudge runners toward roughly 170–180 steps per minute, since a quicker, lighter turnover tends to reduce overstriding and the braking forces that come with it. If you're not sure of your stride, time yourself over a known distance and count your steps.
Frequently asked questions
What's a good running cadence?
There's no single magic number, but many efficient runners land somewhere around 170–180 steps per minute. Taller runners often sit a little lower. Aim for gradual change rather than forcing a big jump overnight.
How do I measure my stride length?
Run a measured distance at your normal effort, count your total steps, and divide the distance by the steps. That gives your average stride length, which you can plug in here.
Will a higher cadence make me faster?
Not on its own — speed is cadence times stride. Raising cadence often helps mostly by improving form and cutting injury risk. To actually run faster you increase one lever without collapsing the other.