Getting Faster - Cadence Drill

This is from one of my favorite runners Jeff Galloway! I was able to run with him and thousands of other people in the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon this year!!

Cadence or Turnover Drill   This is an easy drill that improves the efficiency of running, making running easier. This drill helps to pull all the elements of good running form together at the same time. Over the weeks and months, if you do this drill once every week, you will find that your normal cadence slowly increases, naturally.
* Warm up by walking for 5 minutes, and running and walking very gently for 10 minutes.
* Start jogging slowly for 1-2 minutes, and then time yourself for 30 seconds. During this half-minute, count the number of times your left foot touches.
* Walk around for a minute or so.
* On the second 30 second drill, increase the count by 1 or 2
* Repeat this 3-7 more times. Each time trying to increase by 1-2 additional counts.
* If you reach a count that you can't exceed-just try to maintain.
* In the process of improving turnover, the body's internal monitoring system coordinates a series of adaptations which makes the feet, legs, nervous system and timing mechanism work together as an efficient team:

-Your foot touches more gently--light touch
-Extra, inefficient motions of the foot and leg are reduced or eliminated
-Less effort is spent on pushing up or moving forward
-You stay lower to the ground
-The ankle becomes more efficient
-Ache and pain areas are not overused

Taken from Galloway Training Programs by Jeff Gallowa