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)
Dr Benny Goh - THIS IS WHAT I CALL 'LEAP OF FAITH'.
Breaks the Local Record for 84km Again
The time I saw him was after the 2008 Berlin Marathon. Dr Ben Tan (3hr 01min) and his wife, Daniel Ling( 2hr 49min), Anne Date (2hr 50min), Grace Chan (3hr 31min), Dr Benny Goh (3hr 15min) and I met at a pub (decent one) for dinner. It was Dr Ben Tan who told me that Dr Benny is his friend. Then the conversation went on to Dr Ben Tan who wanted to make the 3 years of impossible doing the marathon time of 3hrs 01min to possible do a sub 3hr. It was seen as the greatest challenge of his life and he was willing to slog to the fullest.
Daniel and I invited Dr Ben Tan to our training, only for the workout sessions, once a week. He consented to this. Then he asked whether Dr Benny Goh could join also. I wanted to say a no as I did not know much about him. I was told by Dr Ben Tan that Dr Benny is talented. In Berlin, Dr Benny did a 3hr 15min. Dr Ben Tan told me that with a mileage of 60km week only, Dr Benny did the time. I found his timing for the Berlin Marathon 2008 rather slow, even though mine was 3hrs 31min. As for my training, I had faith that everything was falling into place. Even though my time was slow, I realised that I was strong enough to do intensive workouts and improve very fast for the last two months, before the Standard Chartered Marathon 2008. It was because Dr Ben Tan's recommendation which made me to reluctantly say yes to the request. The reason was that I did not know much about Dr Benny Goh at that time.
Over time, we met for workouts each week, once. I found that Dr Benny improved significantly and I told him that he was capable of doing a sub 3hrs for the Standard Chartered Marathon 2008. Unfortunately, he made a mistake of volunteering the leading runners who were aiming to do a 3hrs 20min. He was carrying a balloon to lead these runners in order to set the pace. When he knew that I came in as a champion, with Daniel Ling and Dr Ben Tan coming in second and third, he felt envious of us. He was open about this feeling and we consoled him.
In the year 2009, Dr Benny left for Nagona Marathon 2009. He did it in a time of 2hrs 52min. Subsequently in Standard Chartered Marathon 2009, he came in third, which was just behind Ashley Liew, another of our training partner. Dr Benny later left for Boston Marathon and did 2hrs 50min and did a personal best time. It such a short span, Dr Benny was able to improve tremendously and despite his work as a dentist, he has become a successful marathon and ultramarathon runner in Singapore.
At present, Dr Benny is the local current record holder of the Sundown Marathon (84km). I got hold of him yesterday. He was still dog tired from the run. I was feeling very happy for him for he is our running mate, just like Lim Thow Wee, Dr Ben Tan, Daniel Ling, Ashley Liew, Amrit Singh, Brendan, Xander, Ben Lau and Thomas Ganzhorn (from Germany, with a recent PB - 5km in 16m 47sec, 15km in 53min 30sec, half - marathon in 1hr 18min and Std Chartered Marathon 2009 in 2hr 55min, first-time marathon run).
Recollection of the Sundown Race 2010 Training (84km)
Dr Benny Goh came back from the Boston Marathon 2010 in the mid - April and had to train for the Sundown Ultramarathon. He had asked me for advice and my advice was to rest completely for a week and the following week do cardio or non-impact training. He had no time to go for the cardio (gym). He did some runs of 8km runs on the second week, something of an alternate day training type. Then he was left with 3 weeks, which he was involved in moving his dentist office to another place. The movement took a lot of energy out of him. He did 70km training on the 3rd and 4th week, which I found that it was good for a 10km race. His VO2 max must have dropped significantly. On the last week, he had to drastically drop his training to 38km only. He did tell me that he did 38km, one-shot all the way run twice of the 5 weeks.
Despite these shortcomings, Dr Benny Goh ran the race. Until the 45km, everything looked smooth and he was going at a 7hr flat type of run. Suddenly, he got a cramp on his leg. From a conservative way of running, he became more conservative. At the 67km mark, while going 5m 15sec pace per km, he hit the wall. He had to stop for a moment and assess the situation to continue or not. He told me, "Why am I running this race? This is very painful, I am not going to run anymore". This was the same feeling he had last year also, but this time the feeling was much worse and it has appeared way earlier. He also told me that after some months this feeling usually vanishes. That was why he is back for more challenges.
Hitting the wall, Dr Benny was feeling like a zombie with no ability to do anything but was hoping that the race will finally end and he can go home. He was suffering throughout the run. However, he never give up the early returns of running 7hr flat pace for the earlier part of the race. He just kept going and going, having tremendous perserverance. He wanted to i'm/possible the race. The last 20km was a torture. It became worse after crossing each km of the last 20km.
As he was finishing, he became very happy and excited, even though devastated from the run. He bettered the time by a big margin of 9mins of his local record and come in first for the local section of the Men Open 84km race. Even though, he came in third overall, with two overseas runners in front of him, I call this a significant improvement from 7hr 36min record. As for me, as a friend of Dr Benny Goh, I call this feat 'A Leap of Faith'. Keep the faith, Dr Benny Goh!
At the end of the conversation, Dr Benny told me that he will challenge himself to do a 7hr flat for the next ultramarathon in the Sundown Marathon 2011. All the best, Dr Benny!
Faith Transcends Wisdom - I'M/POSSIBLE
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.
