The Three reasons why I won Shrewsbury parkrun 2015 Male points table competition:
1-Strength Training & Recovery

Just running is not enough if you want stay injury free and run various competitions, overall body strengthening is a must and allow time for body to recover, make a weekly plan for training runs and gym workouts with rests in between, don’t do things randomly.

2-Consistency

You need to turn up every week if you want to finish in the top three spots of the annual points competition.

3-Persistence

Finishing in top 20 positions every week is definitely a requirement, so you need to push your limits every week no matter what, that’s why strength training and recovery are important, it’s only 5k but you are asking your body to push at full capacity for twenty minutes and that’s tougher on your body than a long steady run.

Here’s what a fellow personal trainer and colleague had to say  after I told him about my achievement, and insisted that I publish it :

‘Last week, Riccardo, owner of Rik Fitness and one of Purity’s affiliate personal trainers, won the points event for the Shrewsbury parkrun 2015 male annual points competition. Obviously, we are very proud of Rik, and this fantastic achievement. 

However he is also very humble and modest about this achievement, so to put this into perspective:

• The weekly run averages 280+ runners weekly

• Points based competition are about consistency finishing at the higher positions in any run

• There are regular runners from various local and regional running clubs, who compete at a high standard (Rik is not a member of any runnning club)

• Rik consistently ran approximately 19 – 20minute 5ks

 So how did Rik achieve such a feat?

Sitting down with Rik this morning and discussing the achievement, he revealed his secret:

 “The key is to remain injury free”

 The defining factor for him was that although he never came 1st in any parkruns that he has done, he turned up consistently and performed week in, week out.

Yet between this event, Rik has completed various other events, half marathons, 10k runs and other races, this year and for the last 4 years he has completed well over 1000km of running every year including 25 half marathons in 2014.

What does Rik do differently?

 As part of his training schedule, Rik includes strength and stability training. He focusses on exercises that strengthen and stabilise the knees, hips, gluteus and core:

 Rik also implements his recovery as part of his training schedule. “Recovery should be part of training. It’s a time for muscles to repair and develop. Recovery time is what allows me to consistently perform week in – week out”.

 “I’m 47 and I’m not getting any younger. I have had to make changes to my running training over time. But it has paid off; I haven’t had a running related injury in over 2 years, yet I’m doing more events and covering more distance than I have ever covered.”

 Rik has implemented his principles for running training into plans for clients, which have proven effective for them too. His clients have boasted better performances in their own runs and sporting performances, as well as feeling more comfortable and stable and achieving PBs in races. 

If you would like to speak to Rik to see how you can improve your running, don’t hesitate to contact him.’

(Gareth Connell, Head Coach & Director at Purity Lifestyle Studio in Wellington)

PS I must add that it helps also if the faster runners don’t turn up regularly  😀

RRR ( beep beep )

Website: http://www.rikfitness.co.uk

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Email: riccardo@rikfitness.co.uk