Wife's cadence is all over the place...

On the graph I can see there are intervals with increased cadence. Does she change something in her running style periodically? Like changing pace or holding the handle bar? Her arms need to swing freely and naturally for cadence to work reliably.

On the graph I can see there are intervals with increased cadence. Does she change something in her running style periodically? Like changing pace or holding the handle bar? Her arms need to swing freely and naturally for cadence to work reliably.

Thanks for responding, tmk2.

She does a walk/run/walk. She doesn't use the handle bars unless she loses her balance. Otherwise, arms are swinging freely. I've observed her sessions and I just cannot figure out where her 235 is getting cadence readings of over 200. Her typical cadence is more around 150-160 while running.

For starters, having a cadence around 160spm is a sign of poor run mechanics. This is more than likely due to over striding, as well as not having a forward lean. Basically, she needs to shorten her strides and lean forward from her ankles. Her foot strike should generally be underneath her hips.

The arm swing is important. However, having a good arm swing will not increase your cadence. Having a good arm swing will use her upper body's momentum to load her rear foot and create more energy forward.

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Rerun201 I realise that your wife is a treadmill runner but could you try a couple of outdoor runs and see if you get the same issues. Maybe also on the treadmill try switching wrists for the watch just to see if that has any impact.

@Mattforerunner23 sensible advice but not really related to the problem - the OP is trying to understand why they are getting readings that do not reflect the cadence at which she is running.Also leaning forward (from the ankles as you say) is very easy to overdo - it should hardly be detectable by the runner (no more than 3-4 degrees) any further will also impact efficiency.

Rerun201 I realise that your wife is a treadmill runner but could you try a couple of outdoor runs and see if you get the same issues. Maybe also on the treadmill try switching wrists for the watch just to see if that has any impact.

@Mattforerunner23 sensible advice but not really related to the problem - the OP is trying to understand why they are getting readings that do not reflect the cadence at which she is running.Also leaning forward (from the ankles as you say) is very easy to overdo - it should hardly be detectable by the runner (no more than 3-4 degrees) any further will also impact efficiency.

My point was it's more than likely not the watch that's the problem here. The high run cadence data probably is a false positive caused by poor run mechanics on a treadmill. Which let's be honest, isn't accurate reflection of outdoor run data. I've had treadmill run data be incorrect numerous times. Those cadence red dots at the bottom are an indicator the OP's wife is getting off the treadmill and jumping back on. That alone will cause false positives. She's changing her run mechanics to adapt to the varying treadmill speeds, as well as her perceived rate of exertion.

My advice is the same as Rerun201. She really needs to find a track or safe street to get some outdoor runs to practice run mechanics.

Regarding a proper lean, an easy drill is to stand in one place, lean forward from the ankles till your heels start to come off the ground. Begin swinging your arms hip to nip (hands down to pelvic bone and up to mid chest). Then take your forward lean and begin to run.

Thanks for the help, fellow runners.

MattForerunner23 - The missus is not jumping on and off the treadmill. Her issues with vertigo would not allow for that. She is doing a Run/Walk/Run program. You'll note from the image in the OP that the higher cadence rate usually occurs with her "walk" portion of the cycle. Having observed her on the treadmill, this is where she is most smooth in her efforts.

Yeah, 160 is said to not be an optimum stride rate by some people. She is a heel striker. Her running efficiency is not the greatest, but she's focused on just running anyway she can. This alone is a big plus for her when you take into account her MS. Her cadence in and of itself is not necessarily a good or bad thing. For all the information out there to put forth 180 as optimum running cadence/forefoot strike being more efficient, there is also data available to say this ain't necessarily the way to go for all runners.

Arm swing can have significant impact on cadence measurement if the device measuring the cadence is on the user's wrist. Going further, I know from experience that arm swing can impact anyone's running cadence. I've had many runs where my legs have become tired, yet I've maintained or even, in race circumstances, increased my cadence by focusing on my arm swing. The legs and arms are interconnected when running. You can't run smoothly without matching the motion of the arms and legs. An increase in the frequency of movement in one must result in a corresponding increase in the other. Try it sometime. Try running with your legs at one cadence and your arms at another. It just don't work well.

Frankly, your post hits me as being an effort to generate views for your YouTube channel more than providing practical advice on the issue.

JSRUNNER_ Thanks for the advice. We have tried an outdoor run to get a more accurate measure her stride length. My recollection is that these may have also resulted in the way off cadence rates being measured, but right now Garmin appears to be down and I can't go back and check to be certain. We will try switching the wrist later today.

JSRUNNER_ Switching wrists did produce a more likely accurate result...

Rerun201 - OK that's good news - quirky but if it works :)

Thanks for the help, fellow runners.

MattForerunner23 - The missus is not jumping on and off the treadmill. Her issues with vertigo would not allow for that. She is doing a Run/Walk/Run program. You'll note from the image in the OP that the higher cadence rate usually occurs with her "walk" portion of the cycle. Having observed her on the treadmill, this is where she is most smooth in her efforts.

Yeah, 160 is said to not be an optimum stride rate by some people. She is a heel striker. Her running efficiency is not the greatest, but she's focused on just running anyway she can. This alone is a big plus for her when you take into account her MS. Her cadence in and of itself is not necessarily a good or bad thing. For all the information out there to put forth 180 as optimum running cadence/forefoot strike being more efficient, there is also data available to say this ain't necessarily the way to go for all runners.

Arm swing can have significant impact on cadence measurement if the device measuring the cadence is on the user's wrist. Going further, I know from experience that arm swing can impact anyone's running cadence. I've had many runs where my legs have become tired, yet I've maintained or even, in race circumstances, increased my cadence by focusing on my arm swing. The legs and arms are interconnected when running. You can't run smoothly without matching the motion of the arms and legs. An increase in the frequency of movement in one must result in a corresponding increase in the other. Try it sometime. Try running with your legs at one cadence and your arms at another. It just don't work well.

Frankly, your post hits me as being an effort to generate views for your YouTube channel more than providing practical advice on the issue.

JSRUNNER_ Thanks for the advice. We have tried an outdoor run to get a more accurate measure her stride length. My recollection is that these may have also resulted in the way off cadence rates being measured, but right now Garmin appears to be down and I can't go back and check to be certain. We will try switching the wrist later today.

I'm sorry, but you are very mistaken by my response to this forum topic. If this was a simple attempt at getting your viewership, I wouldn't have bothered with following up on multiple occasions.

A lot of what you say I can tell is based on misinformation about running. Heel striking isn't a bad thing. It's matters more where a person's foot lands under their body. Regarding cadence, 160 is low for anyone, tall or short. There's no debating that. Picking up her cadence will prevent injuries and unneeded stress on the body. This is even more important if she's diagnosed with MS. Once her physical abilities improve, I would take this friendly advice more seriously, rather than be defensive. Good luck to your wife & God speed!