Note:
If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)
By Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)
Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)
A Great Role Model to Follow - Mohandas K Gandhi
If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)
By Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)
Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)
A Great Role Model to Follow - Mohandas K Gandhi
It was the great Mahatma Gandhi, the one who got independence for India from Britain, to have influenced me in becoming a vegetarian. I saw a movie and read the book on Mohandas K. Gandhi. Over time, I realised that it was for a good reason. It was to practise ahimsa, non-violence through speech, thought and action. Hence, vegetarianism is more than just one becoming a vegetarian. I felt that at least this is one thing I should do in order to do something good for myself and the environment.
Apart from that from my own readings, I realised that our body, unlike the animals, are made to eat vegetables, nuts and fruits. Also, it was realised that fruits and vegetables have higher anti-oxidants than non-veg food, allowing injuries to be nursed fast. According to Helen Gilbey, my former lecturer from the then College of Physical Education, she told me that vegetarians will lack in some amino acids which will make them weaker. She also told that vegetarians will also lack in Vitamin B12. I was told that all essential needs can be found in a vegetarian diet.
Vegetarian - Starting of as a Vegetarian
Ten days before entering the Army, I became a vegetarian after knowing that meat is for the body and vegetarianism is for the mind. I was very convinced that I will be stronger rather than the mistaken notion of getting weaker. I wanted to control the pleasures of the sense, the taste. All the way, in the camp, I was a vegetarian and in fact, over time, I became strong as the food given by the Army was healthy and more complete. At that time, there were three vegetarians in the Pulau Tekong camp. While doing one of the tough Physical Training session, I came to a realisation that two of the vegetarians that I knew, a Chinese and an Indian trainee, collapsed to the floor after the training. I became apprehensive over this and was thinking whether I can cope Army training and being a vegetarian.
When I did the Physical Training session, I realised the session was very tough but manageable. I started to query about the two of the vegetarians' problem. Eventually, I found that the two of them did not like the vegetarian food served in the Army and over time started to get weaker and weaker. I found that they don't like the food. I found the Army food tasty because I was very hungry to think about taste.
Throughout my Army days, I remained a vegetarian. For the first year, I did not tell people about me becoming a vegetarian. I wanted to see whether I can control the sense of taste or not. For a year, I did not feel any urge to eat non-veg food and was not tempted to eat, even when a person that I am sitting and talking was eating non-veg food. Many started asking whether I am a vegetarian. I was mum about this until a year.
Finally, I declared to the world my state as a vegetarian. Even in the then College of Physical Education nothing could shake me from becoming a vegetarian. I was willing to renounce anything just to be a vegetarian. Also, at that time, I was training 70km per week running. I wanted to run the Singapore Mobil Marathon 1987. This was to ensure that my mileage training doesn't go down and to make me fear and hence train more mileage to compete in the marathon. Since there was no vegetarian food in the canteen, I started taking fruits, raisins, bread and biscuits.
Six months into training for the marathon, without doing any form of speed session, I was able to do 4 min 20 sec in the Inter-Varsity Track and Field Championships 1987. My fellow friend Ow Kok Meng, an old SJI boy, with a personal best of 3 min 59 sec for 1500m, came in first. Another of my training partner who came from USA, who has a personal best for 5km in 14 min 47 sec, came in second. At first I was in last position in the 1500m race. I decided to slowly move up beating one by one and finally ending 3rd. I had a very strong kick to the finish. This was an improvement from my previous race in the Army, where I did 4m 24sec in the SAFSA race.
A day later, I ran the 3/4 marathon and came in third, beating my club friends who have all along been specialising in the marathon. This gave me confidence to come in top 3 or maybe first for the race. My aim was to do a 2 hrs 59 sec, that's all. I also got some knowledge from Tan Choon Ghee, a former local marathon record holder, on his mileage distance training.
I decided to train as hard as possible while being a trainee teacher in the then College of Physical Education. I was only able to train at least 10km per day, while doing the sports activities of the College. My friends who were training 10km per day, Koh Kian Beng and Yin Yee gave up training running because of the tiring activities we had to go through as a teacher trainee. No matter how hard the training was, I will just push myself out of the campus and run to Macritchie Reservoir from the current CCAB and return. Sometimes, I had experiences of running dog tired throughout the whole 10km run. Hence, being reluctant to run because of tiredness, at times I had to muster up my will and determination to run. I knew that taking one step to run is nothing but will itself.
One thing is for sure, I was not falling sick and there was no injuries sustained. In order to attain my running goals, I was at all times focused in training. On Dec 1987, first week Sunday, I finally ran the marathon following Tan Choon Ghee. I kept him at a distance of 200m avoided him from seeing me. All I was waiting for was the last 5km to accelerate my pace. I passed by Ricky Khoo who was second at that time. I finally overtook Tan Choon Ghee at around the 3-4km mark. At that point of time, I did not know what my position was as I saw few Indian runners in front of me.
My only focus was only on Tan Choon Ghee. As soon as I reached the then National Stadium, I accelerated my speed to finish the race. After the finish, I was walking around aimlessly until Ricky Khoo, my compatriot, told me that I was first. He told me that he was second. Only when the press asked me questions, I knew that I was first and the champion with a time of 2 hrs 40 min. The runners, four of them who were in front of me were from Malaysia. The winner of the race was Nallayan who did 2 hr 31 min.
Note:
By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes to do marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners to do sub-4 hours for marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’ by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).
He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.
