Possible to be overstriding with a high cadence?

It is possible to over stride at a high cadence, but it would mean that you are moving pretty fast. I overstride no matter what my cadence. For easy distance runs, it is in the 160-165 range, but in races it is in the 178-180 range. But I have seen video footage of myself racing and I can tell my foot lands slightly ahead of center mass.

For what it is worth, I have no interest in changing my cadence or my stride length. While I may technically overstride, I am very comfortable when I run, have achieved most of my running goals despite my imperfect stride length, and only suffer injuries at about the same rate as other runners of my age logging the kind of mileage I log.

In short, your body tends to find its happy place on its own. Let your body dictate your stride length, cadence and breathing patterns. Since you are a relatively new runner and maybe you have found your happy place yet, I would say focus on doing strides, hill repeats and short repetitions (200s and 400s) as they tend to improve running form and economy and can help you establish proper form while finding your happy place.

Thanks for the response. I think I should probably just stop worrying and slowly build mileage. It's easy to over analyze all the aches and pains but I probably just need to adapt to running and not worry about form too much.

I used to have a distinct "bounce" and overstride. It's the typical form you see in the mannequins they use in the Nike store. After doing lots of long runs where just kind of "licking" the ground with my feet and gliding were the optimal way to run. It sort of implemented itself into my stride and I know run with a distinct forefoot strike, under my center of mass, and have corrected my arm swing from being very low, down to my sides and up to my hips, to being in the upper middle of my body and it is very efficient. Putting in the time helps, and running almost every day gradually builds perfect running form.

Slugger wrote:

Putting in the time helps, and running almost every day gradually builds perfect running form.

Old post but gotta say, just running every day DOES NOT magically give you perfect running form! Oh boy….

Maybe you cut out that sentence out of context and he wrote that with time AND better technique one is on the way towards perfect running form?

At least for me it is a constant process towards efficiency and ease of the running form. Having changed my overstriding, my posture, and so on. Not perfect, but improving and making running feeling better and better.

Oh boy...

Overstriding + high cadence just means you are going faster. You are probably over analyzing.

180 cadence is overrated. As is bashing overstriding. To go faster, everyone increases their stride length and often their cadence as well.

Here is the simple cue: If your feet feel like they are behind you the whole time while in the normal running form looking forward at the road a few meters ahead, and you are running the way it feels most naturally economical to your body, that’s all that matters. Don’t force form changes. A 185 cadence at 9’ or 10’ beginner pace is silly high.

Pain in both hip and Achilles is likely newbie pain, at least one of them. Hip or knee pain is more likely with overstriding. Achilles stress is more likely with forefoot strike or speed or minimalist shoes.