When easy runs feel hard, runners often look for complex fixes. The solution, however, might be a simple shift in focus. Focusing on this specific metric during easy days makes your stride feel smoother so you run with less effort, a strategy that bypasses the frustration of watching pace and time.
Watch Your Steps, Not Your Time
I recently started a jog that felt stiff and disjointed, my stride awkward and my effort high for a supposedly easy day. Frustrated by this disconnect, I stopped looking at my watch’s pace and started watching a different number. The result was immediate. I settled into a rhythm, the effort dropped, and the run became manageable. The metric? Cadence, or steps per minute.
Laura Norris, an RRCA-certified run coach and exercise scientist, says this happens because dropping below a runner’s usual cadence reduces efficiency. “That lower cadence is going to cost more energy, which can make our perceived effort feel higher,” she explains. You might hear runners claim slow runs feel harder than fast ones; this is often the reason why. If you are stepping too slowly, you are working harder than your body wants to for that speed.
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Most runners naturally hover between 170 and 180 steps per minute. If you start a run at 160 or 161 steps per minute, you are likely forcing your body into a less efficient pattern. Raising that number back toward your baseline helps the neuromuscular system sync up, making the movement feel fluid rather than forced.
Cadence varies by individual and pace. The famous “180 spm” figure comes from observing elite runners, but it isn’t a universal standard. Your height, the terrain, and your current fatigue level all play a role. A runner might naturally step 175 times per minute during a recovery jog and 180 times per minute during a tempo run. Comparing yourself to a friend or an elite athlete can lead to unnecessary anxiety and poor form.
The Warm-Up Factor
Neuromuscular communication takes time to wake up. When you start a run cold, your brain and muscles are still syncing up. A small amount of muscle damage from previous hard efforts can further delay this process, causing your stride to feel sluggish at the start.
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One way to bypass this delay is through a structured warm-up. Plyometric drills that mimic running mechanics—like pogo hops, bounding, A-skips, and B-skips—prime the muscle fibers. These movements facilitate the same mind-to-muscle connections used during the run. Doing two sets of eight reps of these exercises wakes up the system, allowing you to settle into your optimal cadence faster.
For those who dislike complex drills, jumping rope offers a simple alternative. Research suggests just five minutes of jumping rope before a run can improve performance. It helps settle the body into its most economical gait. I found that adding a few minutes of rope skipping before heading out made a noticeable difference. I had more pep in my step, and my groove returned almost immediately.
