Improve your marathon running technique with this 5 minute assessment 🏅

Take this quick 5-minute self-assessment to identify hidden weaknesses and unlock your best running form.

This August, 35,000 runners will line up alongside Eliud Kipchoge at the Sydney Marathon.

Don’t let inefficient technique hold you back.

Each test takes about a minute.

Write down your score for each test, then total them at the end to assess your marathon readiness.

These simple tests will pinpoint exactly what you need to improve to run more efficiently and stay injury-free.

With years of experience coaching thousands of marathon runners, I can guarantee—this will make a difference in your running.

Test 1: Cadence

Cadence refers to the number of steps you take per minute while running. 180 is the gold standard.

Put simply, if your running cadence is too slow (less than 170) it means your foot will stay on the ground for too long and you are wasting energy, and therefore reducing your efficiency. Learn more about cadence.

Find a flat, uninterrupted section on your next easy run. Count your steps for one minute multiple times during the run, then average your results.

Score yourself:
🏁 155 steps or less → 1 point
🏁 165 steps → 2 points
🏁 170 steps → 3 points
🏁 175–185 steps → 5 points
🏁 186–190 steps → 3 points
🏁 190+ steps → 1 point

Test 2: Posture & Running Form

Get a friend to film you from the side while running. Compare yourself to this video to analyse your posture.

Score yourself:
❌ Hips low, bottom sticking out → 2 points
❌ Head jutting forward → 2 points
❌ Folded over at the waist → 3 points
❌ Excessive lower back arch → 3 points
✅ Standing tall, bottom tucked under → 5 points

Test 3: Foot Landing & Strike

Using your video from Test #2, pause at foot strike. Read this article to learn more.

Score yourself:
❌ Foot landing far in front (toe or heel first) → 1 point
❌ Landing slightly ahead on forefoot → 2 points
✅ Landing slightly ahead on heel → 3 points
✅ Landing slightly ahead, foot flat → 3 points
🏆 Landing close to under your body → 5 points

Test 4: Hip & Pelvic Stability

Strong, stable hips help prevent injuries like knee pain, plantar fasciitis, and lower back issues. Watch this video to check your stability.

Score yourself:
❌ Hips drop & twist (both sides) → 1 point
❌ Hips drop & twist (one side) → 2 points
✅ Hips drop, no twist (one side) → 3 points
✅ Hips drop, no twist (both sides) → 3 points
🏆 No dropping or twisting – stable hips! → 5 points

Test 5: Glute Activation

Weak glutes affect efficiency and increase injury risk. Watch this video to check yours.

Score yourself:
❌ No glute activation → 0 points
❌ Glutes flicker, but quads/hip flexors do the work → 1 point
❌ Glutes engage slightly, but other muscles dominate → 2 points
✅ Good glute contraction, but other muscles help → 3 points
✅ Strong glute contraction, but only on one side → 4 points
🏆 Strong, isolated glute contraction on both sides → 5 points

Watch these videos to learn more glute activation and strengthening strategies

Your Total Score—How Ready Are You?

🔴 Less than 10 → Now you know what to focus on, don’t waste another moment!

If your score is less than 10, it’s clear that there are several key areas in your running technique that need immediate attention. Here’s what you should focus on to improve:

  1. Cadence: A cadence of less than 170 steps per minute is a sign that you might be overstriding and/or overusing your calf muscles. Overstriding leads to inefficient running form, as it increases braking forces and makes you expend more energy. Aim for a cadence between 175-185 steps per minute. A good way to improve your cadence is by using a metronome app and learning to run in time with the beeps. Start by gradually increasing your cadence by 5-10% until you hit the 175-185 steps per minute range.
  2. Posture & Running Form: Poor posture, like a hunched back or head jutting forward, can lead to increased fatigue and poor running efficiency. Ensure that you’re standing tall, with your hips in line with your body. Focus on keeping your chest open, your core engaged, and your head neutral (not jutting forward). A great drill is to imagine a string is pulling you upward from the top of your head. Use video feedback if possible to check your posture regularly.
  3. Foot Landing & Strike: Landing with your foot too far in front of your body is called overstriding, which leads to wasted energy and increased risk of injury. This should naturally improve when you start focussing on standing upright and keeping your cadence in the correct range. You can also think about “taking short steps” when you run. Don’t worry about whether you are forefoot striking, midfoot striking or heel striking, just worry about taking short steps and your foot will look after itself.
  4. Glute Activation: Weak or inefficient glutes can lead to overusing your quads and hip flexors which often lead to sore knees! To activate your glutes better, incorporate some glute activation exercises before every run. Watch these videos to learn more – https://app.streek.run/how-to-activate-and-strengthen-your-glutes/

Action Plan: Focus on improving your technique in each of these areas. Incorporate strength training into your weekly routine, especially targeting the hips, core, and glutes. Stretch regularly, especially your hamstrings, hip flexors, and calves, and use foam rolling to release tight spots. 


🟠 10–15 → The marathon is possible, but you’ve got work to do.

If your score is in the 10-15 range, you’re on the right track, but some improvements can make a big difference in your performance. Here’s what you can do to level up:

  1. Cadence: Your cadence might still be lower than ideal. Work towards increasing your steps per minute to the 175-185 range. The best way to do this is through consistent, mindful practice. Use a metronome or a running watch with cadence tracking to monitor your progress. 
  2. Posture & Running Form: You’re likely doing well with your posture but could still benefit from some adjustments. Work on keeping your body upright. Check your head position—make sure it’s not jutting forward. Core strength plays a big role here, so incorporating exercises like push ups, bridges, and dead bugs will help keep your posture strong and aligned.
  3. Foot Landing & Strike: Your foot landing is probably not too far off, but you may be landing slightly ahead of your body. Focus on bringing your feet more underneath you. A good drill to practice is running with a slightly shorter stride and quicker cadence. Think about landing with your feet beneath your hips.
  4. Glute Activation: Weak glutes may be holding you back from achieving optimal running efficiency. Begin each run with some glute activation exercises . If you’re still not feeling your glutes working properly then watch these videos for some specific activation exercises – https://app.streek.run/how-to-activate-and-strengthen-your-glutes/Action Plan: To move forward, make sure you’re adding strength training to your routine. Focus on exercises that improve your posture, running form, and glute activation. Gradually start to add speedwork (intervals, fartleks) and tempo runs to build endurance and running economy. Also, consider working on your hill running and strength-based drills.


🟡 15–20 → You’re in good shape, but refining your technique will make you faster.

A score between 15 and 20 means that you’re on the right track with your running, but there are some small adjustments you can make to become faster and more efficient. Here’s how to improve:

  1. Cadence: You’re likely already close to the 175-185 steps per minute range, but refining this further will help you run with less effort and greater efficiency. Aim to maintain that quick turnover even as your fatigue increases during long runs.
  2. Posture & Running Form: Your posture is probably quite good, but there’s always room for improvement. Regularly check in on your form, especially as fatigue sets in during the last few miles of your long runs. Practice running with a tall posture during different intensities to ensure you stay aligned when you need it most.
  3. Foot Landing & Strike: You’re landing fairly well, but there’s always room to fine-tune your foot placement. Practice landing under your body, not ahead of it. If you’re still struggling with overstriding, work on reducing your stride length slightly and focusing on increasing your cadence.
  4. Glute Activation: Your glutes are likely functioning well, but you can always improve their efficiency. If you haven’t already, start incorporating more glute-focused strength exercises. Additionally, focus on activating your glutes during every run to ensure they stay engaged throughout the duration. Watch these videos for some specific glute exercises –  https://app.streek.run/how-to-activate-and-strengthen-your-glutes/

Action Plan: You’re in great shape, but now you need to sharpen your technique. Incorporate hill reps, strength training, and tempo runs. These will not only improve your running economy but will also get you ready for the pace you’ll need on race day. Consistency is key—continue to work on refining your form, especially when fatigued, and keep challenging yourself with interval and speed work.


🟢 20–25 → Nice work! Now focus on hill reps, strength training, and consistency to level up.

If you’re in the 20-25 range, you’re in excellent shape! To continue progressing, you just need to maintain your current routine and add a few elements to push your performance to the next level:

  1. Cadence: You’re likely hitting a solid cadence of 175-185 steps per minute already. To maintain it, keep focusing on consistency. Regularly check your cadence to make sure you’re not slipping into longer strides, especially when tired.
  2. Posture & Running Form: Your posture is strong, but continue to maintain good form under fatigue. It’s easy to start slumping when you’re tired, but try to stay upright, especially when hitting those last few miles in your long runs. Consider doing posture drills in your warm-up and throughout your run to reinforce this.
  3. Foot Landing & Strike: Your foot strike is already strong, but you can always work on increasing efficiency by ensuring you’re landing lightly. If your cadence is on point, focus on keeping your foot landing under your body. Continue to work on maintaining a soft landing even during long runs, where fatigue could cause form breakdown.
  4. Glute Activation: Your glutes are likely in good shape, but continue to include exercises that target this area, especially in your strength training sessions. Incorporate single-leg exercises like single leg squats or step-ups to target each side individually and build unilateral strength.

Action Plan: Continue with your current training but now add specific race-prep elements. Incorporate hill reps, speedwork (fartleks, intervals), and finish some of your long runs at marathon pace to get ready for race day. Focus on staying consistent with your strength work, and be sure to stretch and foam roll to avoid injury and maintain mobility.

🚀 Join the Marathon training plan now. It will show you how to incorporate all these techniques into your training and get you to race day feeling fabulous.