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)
The Sky is the Limit - Chamkaur Singh
In the Experiences of Intrinsic Motivation of my earlier article, one of the National Record holder of Singapore that I had mentioned is none other than Chamkaur Singh. As an aspiring marathon runner, in the past, I used to do my intensive speed sessions at Yishun Stadium. There, I met a young, aggressive and determined athlete who did several 200 metres repeats relentlessly until fatigue got hold of him. I did not see him a few years after that. Over time, this gentleman came back to training, running harder and faster and was prepared to do more intensive workouts and finally broke the long awaited 1500m National Record held by the great Sergit Singh which stood for more than 20 years. In the year 2004, he also brought pride to Singapore by bringing a bronze for the South East Asian Games in Vietnam. Let us find out more about this interesting person who is still training and setting his eyes on doing a sub 15min in Australia.
Q1. When did you start taking up running as a hobby?
I can’t really say that I took up running as a hobby. I guess I started a little bit of running during my secondary school cross-country days. I got a little involved in athletics towards the end of my secondary school days. By coming in 2nd in the 1989 National Schools' X-Country race, it gave me the added motivation to continue with athletics in my polytechnic days. Hence, I would say that I took up running seriously between Sec 4 and my 3-years in poly. However, with the help of running books, I was doing my own self-training. Over a period of time, as I was losing motivation in running and at the same time not improving in my times, I had to quit running. It was only in 1998, about 5 years later, that I wanted to give athletics another go and henceforth the passion in me started to grow. Furthermore, since then, I haven’t looked back.
Q2. What made you to take up running as a passion?
I believe it was after having a chat with Serjit Singh, the former 1500m National Record holder. Serjit was telling me his glorious days of running and how hard he had to train. Furthermore, he sometimes felt that he could have achieved more if he had someone to guide him. It was this that an eye opener that I don't want to be regretting later in life for not trying something that I really wanted to do. I always had the ambition of being the fastest middle-distance runner in Singapore and even had the desire to represent the country in the SEA Games. I remember competing with runners like yourself, Maran, Sara, Elango, Khoo Chin Poo, Tan Choon Ghee and Ganesan and including the Gurkha runners. You guys were really quick and I was inspired to be running just as quick.
Q3. Were you self-coaching or were there anyone coaching you?
I started off training by myself. I was training with a mate of mine, Jonathan. Back in the secondary schools days, he was a pretty decent 1500m runner. Hence, so we decided to train together for several years. In 1997, we had a training programme that we probably found from the internet and through some running books. We trained for approximately a year. However, the progress was found to be slow and we were not getting anywhere. By coincidence, over time, I met S.Pandian through a race that his company sponsored the team that I was in. I was lucky to be introduced to Mr. Patrick Zehnder by Pandian. In 1998, Mr Zehnder took me under his wings and he has coached me since then to 2009. I improved a lot and I learnt a lot from Mr. Zehnder. However, over a period of time, I felt that there was a need in me to train elsewhere with a group of runners who can run quicker than me. After much thought and looking at various options. I decided that Australia would be the country to go for my studies and training. I joined a club over there in Sydney and came under the guidance of Mr. Peter Good, who is the head coach for the club. I had been enjoying the training routine that Peter usually sets out for me. Also, because he has been coaching me for the past 10 years, he can sometimes predict how my body would respond in terms of recovery after certain sessions.
Q4. What was your best time in various distances when you were training in Singapore?
I guess you are referring to my 1500m time. My best time for 1500m was 4.00.72mins. My 800m timing was 1.56mins, 5000m was 15.36mins and the marathon was 2.58hrs. I don't think I did any 10000m or 10km.
Q5. What are your best timing in various distances when you were in overseas?
- 800m: 1.55.18mins – Perth 1999
- 1000m: 2.29mins – Sydney 2003
- 1500m: 3.51.56mins – Sydney 2001
- 3000m: 8.31mins – Sydney 2001
- 5000m: 15.03.56mins – Melbourne 2003
- 10000m: 32.03.78mins – Adelaide 2002
- half marathon: 75.05mins – Sydney 2009
Q6. How did you feel when you came in 3rd in 1500m during the 2003 Vietnam SEA Games?
Frankly, I was disappointed with my run because I faded badly in the last 200m. I could have understood if the pace was quick but I ran a 3.59mins. I have learnt over the years that I am one runner who can’t respond to a big kick. I must run a race that is pretty much on a target race pace. I remember doing a 1500m time-trial about 10 days prior to the race and I ran a 3.55mins which was quicker than the winning time. I was definitely happy about the bronze but I really wanted to hear the national anthem on the podium but it was not to be. I was feeling pretty pumped before the race, the body was feeling great and the atmosphere in the stadium was fantastic.
Q7. How did your family respond to your achievement in getting the bronze medal for Singapore during the 2003 SEA Games.?
They were really proud of me. It was great to see them and my relatives at the airport when I arrived from the games. It was quite a special moment for me as it was about 20 years ago, my uncle Paramjit (my mum’s brother) represented Singapore in SEAP Games for hockey. So I was the next one in the family to don the national colours.
Q8. Do you have any inspirational person who motivated you to break the local national record held by Sergit Singh for 1500m? What made you to break the record?
I don’t really have any person in particular for inspiration. Hmmm, I don’t think there was one thing or person that was the catalyst towards breaking the record. I guess I have always wanted to be remembered for my running and having a national record would be one way to signify that. Actually, I could still remember being told that I broke the National Record. It was a Friday night, the heats for the New South Wales State Championships. I remember travelling on the train to Sydney Olympic Park and was telling myself that if I ran a sub 3.57mins, then I should qualify for the finals. I wasn’t even thinking of the National Record on that night. In my heats, there were 3 guys who had a sub 3.50mins personal best and I thought that I could come in behind them in 4th which allows me to qualify. When the race kicked off, I remember being close to the front, waiting for the race to start the wind-up. I remember hitting the bell in 2.50mins and said to myself “Wow, I am feeling not bad here, I think I have enough to keep pushing the pace. If I can run a 63s in the last lap, I could get the national record”. I was in 3rd position at the bell and picked up my pace and started to overtake the guys at about 350m to go. I made a mad dash hoping, really hoping, that I could get my time under 3.53.1mins. To my surprise, I ran the race in 3.52.66mins and I punched my fist in the air and said “got it”. After the race, the guys in my heats asked me why I had pushed the pace when I was definitely going to finish in the top 4 position and I told them that I decided at the bell to go for the Singapore National Record. One of my friends at the race couldn’t believe that I was so casual about the whole thing. I guess I wasn’t expecting it and didn’t realize this at that point of time what it really meant. In my life, I always wanted to break the National Record but I somehow didn’t really believe that it would happen soon.
Q9. What are you doing as a career now?
I work as a software consultant in the finance industry. We build IT solutions for major retail and investment banks. A slightly different career to my electrical engineering degree.
Q10. Do you have any achievement goals in running that you are pursuing, even now? Do you have any future goals in running?
Yes of course, before ending my recent season finishing by end of March 2010, I was hoping to get under the 15mins barrier for the 5000m. I fell short of it and the fastest time I got for the season was 15.11mins. I had 3 attempts on the 5000m, and the timings were 15.11,15.12 and 15.21mins. This is my 2nd season back after my back surgery. The initial seasonal target was to run anywhere between 15.10min and 15.20min, since last season 5000m time seasonal best time was 15.35mins. At that time, my training was moving along really well and my coach thought that a sub 15.10mins was a realistic target. This could have made me get my sub 15mins for the second season if all the planets were in the right place. The good news is, although this season we focused on the 5000m, I managed a 3.57.06mins for the 1500m and 8.46mins for the 3000m. It is good to know that I can still get under the 4mins for the 1500m.
I have a few goals that I have yet to achieve. They were hindered due to my injuries and there wasn’t much training between 2005 to 2008. I had a heel operation in 2005 and a back surgery in 2008. I think my first goal is to get under the 15mins mark for the 5000m in the next season and hopefully get under 3.55mins for the 1500m. The 10000m is also on the cards if I can get my mileage back up to the 130km per week. I have only achieved a max mileage of 80-odd kilometers due to my back problem. When you want to compete in the 5000m, this mileage of 80km is not enough.
Q11. Do you see any difference doing training in the West and in Singapore?
Yeah, I think the biggest thing is the lifestyle and emphasing too much on performance. We in Singapore, tend to analyze too much with our training and I think we are definitely training too hardback in Singapore. I know it is hard to believe that but I hear some of the mates training back home, I find the sessions tough and sometimes wonder “Hmmm, I wonder if he could achieve the times?”. I get this feeling that we are thinking too much about every little aspect of our training. If one of our training session didn’t go well, we start to analyze and read too much into it. The other thing is the environment, over in Singapore, there isn’t a big running squad training together, so that makes it harder and of course the weather makes it harder too.
Q12. What advice would you give to any aspiring athlete in balancing studies and running well?
It is good to have realistic goals and don’t put too much on your plate, for example, you can't expect to do your studies and running well when you are also finding time to party. I guess if you can make sure that you are doing the essentials for your studies and not missing training. Hence, know that it is good to fit everything else around it. If you have to skip someone's birthday, then do it. This sounds pretty harsh but when you are really determined in achieving something, you must make sure you don’t leave stones unturned. I am not saying that you have to be super disciplined. I have also on occasion slip-up like having late nights and being hung-over but I still made sure that I did my training.
Q13. What advice would you give to normal Singaporeans who want to take up running as a hobby or for fitness?
Enjoy the running and don’t expect quick results whether you are doing it seriously, as a hobby or for fitness. It needs to feel easy and enjoyable and you want to come back to do more.
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.
