Hi folks--
This article appeared in the local paper today--perhaps some of you remember Rick from his earlier
running career--in any case, he's still running very well now, at age 53.
Happy reading,
Jean in VA
dailypress.comdp 95174sy0oct21,0,3880066.storyOpen ↗ BIG FAT
BONUS: Platt has run wild in injury comeback
By Ed Richards Daily Press
October 21 2003
Rick Platt of Williamsburg jokes about one personal record he set last year. And it had nothing to
do with the 53-year-old running guru setting another age group record. It had everything to do
with weight.
He gained 15 pounds - "all in the stomach" - and got up to a lifetime high of 1531/2.
It wasn't that Platt, who normally weighs 138-to-140, was going on fast-food runs. Instead, the
pounds started adding up when he had to give up running from the beginning of March to the middle of
May with an adductor muscle strain in the groin area.
That led to an off year racing, but he's more than made up for it in 2003.
"It's been a very satisfying comeback year, better than I expected after the injury," said Platt,
who is back down to his normal weight. "At times, I was wondering if I was ever going to be able to
get back to the level I wanted to be."
In March, Platt gave a quick indication he'd fully recovered by winning his 50-54 age group in the
Shamrock Sportsfest 8K in a time of 29 minutes and 16 seconds. Two weeks later, he won the
50-and-over class at the Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond in 36:30.
Since then, it's been one successful venture after another, topped by his showing in two majors -
the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach Aug. 31 and the Army 10-Miler in Washington,
D.C., Oct. 5.
"They were my best back-to-back peak races since 2001," the 1972 William and Mary graduate said.
In the Rock 'n' Roll race, which attracted more than 17,000 entries, Platt ran 1:22:27 to blow
away 377 finishers in the 50-54 age group by close to seven minutes. He also finished an
impressive 60th overall.
In his first Army 10-Miler, Platt finished second in his age group of 543 runners in 59:04.
"That was by far my best race of the year," said Platt, the president of the Colonial Road Runners
of Williamsburg since 1989.
In CRR races this season, the 5-foot-8 senior running machine has been unbeatable in his age group,
winning eight consecutive races. The last time he lost a CRR race to someone in his age group was
Bill Alto at the Ford's Colony 5K last September.
Platt, who said the best race of his career was finishing eighth in the Marine Corps Marathon in
1977 in 2:23:55, has enjoyed his most success since joining the masters 40-and-over ranks. For
example, he finished as the No. 1 master in the Pomoco Group/Hampton Coliseum 5K from 1994-97.
He also has held several state age group records, including the 5K for the 45-49 ranks (16:14), the
5K for the 50-54 class (16:51) and the 10K for the 50-54 group (34:50).
Platt, who drives a 1991 Honda Civic with the license plate Run Fast, is well known for his
knowledge of the sport and runners from the area and other parts of the country.
"He knows running inside and out and is like an encyclopedia of information," said Jim Goggin of
Williamsburg, a longtime running rival and friend. "He can quote you information about what somebody
ran five or 10 years ago, when and where they ran it, and what their time was."
Platt has kept tabs on runners through the years because the sport has also been his livelihood. He
was senior editor of Running Times from 1977 to 1985, then since then has been one of editors of
Road Race Management, which is both a monthly newsletter and an annual directory for everything
connected with road racing. He also promotes races through his business, Run Fast Promotions, writes
racing articles for the Virginia Gazette, and has recruited elite runners for prize-money races.
Platt, who has been fortunate to avoid longtime injuries, takes pride in the fact that he's into his
fifth decade of running seriously. And he's never gotten tired of it.
"I enjoy it as much now as when I was a teenager," he said. "I plan to be racing at 80 years old,
and perhaps still be setting Virginia age group records."
Ed Richards can be reached at 247-4645 or by e-mail at [email hidden] Copyright © 2003,
Daily Press
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"If you are going through hell, keep going."
Winston Churchill