FERGUS CRAWLEY OFFERS 5 SUGGESTIONS FOR A PERFECT 5K
One of the main exercises of the 2023 CrossFit Games was a 5K run, which tested the participants' speed and cardiovascular endurance in both the individual and team categories. But before the tournament began in early August 2023, world-class versatile hybrid athlete Ferguson Crawley explained how individuals might run a 5K even quicker.
In a video that he uploaded to his YouTube account on July 31, 2023, Crawley offered five suggestions for running a 5K more quickly. The athlete, who has accomplished feats like successfully lifting the renowned Dinnie Stones, is now working to decrease his mile time. Let's just sum it up this way: Crawley understands the staple run perspective.
1. Manage Expectations
Crawley suggested setting reasonable goals and expectations for what an ideal 5K should look like. Everyone’s limits and needs are different based on their personal fitness, life, and overall background, and it’s important not to compare one’s self to others. When in doubt, short-term goals supersede a long-term vision for running.
2. Spend Energy Wisely
Crawley recommended that in order to get the most out of running, one should make a careful strategy and keep a close eye on it over the duration of a single training week. Additionally, he mentioned that the Pareto principle need to be used, which states that eighty percent of the training should be simple, while twenty percent should be moderate or tough. During the course of a single week, Crawley suggested including three distinct types of running workouts: long slows to improve aerobic capacity, high-intensity sessions to improve top-level performance, and moderate sessions to improve endurance for 5K distances. According to Crawley, "easy" refers to an athlete who is able to get their heart rate up to between 70 and 80 percent of their maximum. Everything that is difficult is considered to be substantially beyond that barrier.
3. Strength Training
Crawley explained that general strength training can help runners understand how their body works while also improving their running gait. It should be a welcome accompaniment to well-rounded fitness. Crawley’s strength recommendation for enhanced running performance was heavy back squats, trap bar deadlifts, and any single-leg movements.
4. Commit to a Plan
There is a correlation between the amount of structure an athlete has for their running objectives and the likelihood that they will be able to include running into their ordinary routine. With a stronger concentration, it also makes it simpler to accomplish the infrequent goals that you set.
5. Turn Training Into a Social Opportunity
Crawley’s final bit of advice was that a runner shouldn’t isolate themselves from other people while training. Making friends and socializing can make achieving any running goals that much more gratifying. Crawley explained that he spent much of the past two years training by himself and that it took a toll. In 2023, he’s trained with more people, in turn adding more joy to his process.
