What is a good running form score?
A good running form score in Caden is 75 or above out of 100, with 85 plus reading as excellent. Scores from 60 to 74 are fair, and anything below 60 needs work, usually on one or two metrics such as foot landing or head position.
How the score is built
Caden measures six things from a side view: foot landing, back position, front knee, back knee, arm swing and head position. Each gets its own score out of 100 based on how far it sits from a coaching range. The form score is a weighted average, with foot landing counting for more than arms, because landing reach affects load and efficiency more than elbow angle does.
So a 72 can mean six middling dials, or four green dials and one red one. Look at the dials, not just the number.
What each band means
85 and above, Excellent. Your stride looks close to what a coach would leave alone. Small refinements at most. Re-check every couple of months.
75 to 84, Good. Solid, with a metric or two to tidy up. Worth a short block of drills if one dial sits clearly below the rest.
60 to 74, Fair. Typical for most recreational runners. One or two metrics are out of range, usually landing reach or head position. A block of drills on the lowest one is the right response.
Below 60, Needs work. One metric is well out of range, or several are. This is common in new runners and in people coming back from a break. It is not a verdict. It is a starting point, and it is the band where a block of work makes the biggest visible change.
Why the score only compares like with like
A treadmill clip usually shows a shorter stride than the road, and a fast clip shows different lean and knee bend than an easy one. Caden only draws trends between runs filmed the same way: same view, same running direction, same analysis version. A 68 on the treadmill and a 75 on the road are not comparable and were never meant to be.
Pace matters too. Film your baseline and your re-check at the same easy pace.
What the score is not
It is not a fitness score, a speed prediction or an injury risk number. A 90 does not mean you will not get hurt, and a 55 does not mean you will. It says how your stride looks against a coaching range on the day you filmed.
How to check it with Caden
- Tap Run a new analysis and film 10 to 20 seconds from the side.
- On the results screen the form score sits next to the verdict: Excellent, Good, Fair or Needs work.
- Tap the lowest dial to read what was measured and the cue.
- Open Stats after your next few runs. The trend only draws between runs filmed the same way.
FAQ
Can I get a 100 form score?
In theory. In practice most well-coached runners sit in the high 80s, because the ranges leave room for individual differences in height, leg length and pace.
Why did my score drop when I ran faster?
Faster running changes lean, knee bend and cadence. Compare clips at the same pace. Caden lists the pace-related metrics on each result so you can see what moved.
Is a form score the same as a running economy score?
No. Running economy is measured in a lab from oxygen use. A form score is a 2D visual measure of the stride. Better form often improves economy, but the score does not measure it.