Richardson was pre-listed by Gold Coast and traded to the Roos after a breakout year with North Ballarat in the VFL.
The 23-year-old also juggled fatherhood and a plumbing apprenticeship in 2010, but thrived with football as his sole focus at the club's 20-day high-altitude camp in Utah last month.
Having turned in a solid effort in the club's first time trial in late October, Richardson held off Lachie Hansen and Levi Greenwood to win Thursday's run at Princes Park in under 10 minutes 30 seconds.
Richardson said the benefits of the last four weeks helped him slash a minute off his previous best time around the 3.2km course.
"The Utah trip, the high-altitude training ... [and] the AFL work has helped me and the running's coming easy," he said.
"We're all getting PBs, so it's not just me. I think the environment and AFL full-time training and ... the culture of the club just makes you want to run hard for them."
Richardson said he would aim for an AFL debut early in the season and had the subtle backing of coach Brad Scott, who described the half-back as a "blank canvas".
"He's naturally very good [aerobically], but he's got a lot of work to do and he knows that," Scott said.
"The great thing about Cam Richardson is that he's got a great desire to improve. His thirst for knowledge is second to none."
Scott said he was pleased that Richardson and former Eagle Ben McKinley were able to join their new teammates in Utah, and that the camp would be a very strong platform for the summer program.
"It was a resounding success," Scott said.
"The guys got a hell of a lot out of it [and] they trained extremely hard. More importantly, their attitude to training was outstanding and something that was new to me.
"Those camps are designed to be arduous, they're designed to be testing and I expected them to struggle a lot more than they did."
Captain Brent Harvey, who remained in Melbourne with a handful of teammates, said he had noticed a massive improvement in the squad upon its return.
Second-year defender Jamie Macmillan, midfielder Daniel Wells and forward Aaron Edwards were among those who also performed strongly in the time trial.
"It's mind-blowing where they are. [Today]'s times are way in front of this time last year," Harvey said.
Harvey added that the full benefit of the camp should be seen in two months' time when the club prepares for its NAB Cup campaign.
TIME-TRIAL RESULTS
1. CAMERON RICHARDSON
2. LACHLAN HANSEN
3. LEVI GREENWOOD
4. JAMIE MACMILLAN
5. MYLES SEWELL (Permission to train)
6. MATTHEW O'DWYER (Permission to train)
7. ANDREW SWALLOW
8. BEN WARREN
9. STEPHEN CLIFTON (Permission to train)
10. DANIEL WELLS
12. RYAN BASTINAC
12. AARON EDWARDS
13. SHAUN ATLEY
14. BEN SPEIGHT
15. SCOTT SHERLOCK (Permission to train)
16. MATT CAMPBELL
20. MICHAEL FIRRITO
20. KYLE HARTIGAN (Permission to train)
20. SCOTT THOMPSON
20. MARCUS WHITE
