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)
Kiplimo Chemirmir
Picture 1 - Kiplimo winning in a race
Some call him Kip, Kippy and others call him Limo. Kiplimo Chemirmir, who was born in Kenya and is based in the USA, is a runner who does good stretching as part of his training regime. He trains very hard and also has a system to make the body to recover fast. He believes that he can run from a middle distance, 800m to ultramarathon distances.
His time from 800metres and above are all fantastic. It will be good to know Kiplimo more from his interview. Let us find out more about this world-class athlete who has several personal best starting from 100metres. He has the aspiration to run in the London Olympics 2012.
Interview on Kiplimo Chemirmir
Picture 2 - Kiplimo Chemirmir after a half-marathon race.
What distances do you usually run in races?
Hahaha, this a tough question I always fail to answer this. All I can say is I run any distance from 800meters to 50k if you ask me how do I do that or how is it possible, I will tell you that it is possible because I don't believe in impossible. I train myself to face every challenge that any distance will throw at me and, above all, I believe that God has created me to be a Runimal. It is rooted in my heart and I can't set limits on myself for I believe that I can do anything that I set my eyes on and train for it. It is the same thing as in life it all requires one to prepare oneself for dreams, don't choose nor knows no limit.
What is your latest win and where? Can you inform us of the time that you have done?
My latest win was too hot to handle 15k and I'm hoping to win El Scorcho 50k tonight.
So far, I have competed in 20 races this year, won 9 of them, finished 2nd in 5 of them, 3rd twice, 4th once, 5th twice and worst of them, 9th once.
What are your personal bests for 100m 200m 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m steeplechase (if you have any), 5000m, 10km and half - marathon and marathon time (if you have any)?
My PERSONAL BEST'S are.
100 - 11:80s
200 - 21:33s
400 - 47:09s
800 -1:46
1500 - 3:40
1mile -3:52
3000 S/C - 8:51:10.
4km - 10:13
5000 - 13:38
8km - 24:18
10km - 29:22
15km - 45:51
Half marathon - 1:06:15
Marathon - 2:33:24 hoping to run 2hr 18min before the end of this year and see if I can. If not, I might go back to track next year. However, before I do that, I have aspirations to run the Boston marathon one day.
What is your age now?
I'm 27 years old now. Just turned actually :)
Are you married?
I am in a relationship with the most beautiful woman on earth. She is a tough long-distance runner. Her name is Rachel Lindner. Hope to marry her soon :)
Where are you staying now to do your training?
I'm based in a calm and beautiful city in Texas U.S.A - called Flower mound.
What are your important wins in the past 3 years?
Um, to be honest, I usually think all the races that I have won as important and very special, for behind every win, I leave a mark with my name with it.
Do you believe that training in a group is better than training individually?
Definitely 100% yes!
Can you tell us diet if affects training?
According to my experience, yes! It is because running is not just about waking up in the morning and storm out of the door for a run. In fact, running starts from the kitchen, what you eat is what you are, you eat healthily you will become healthy and perform better because your immune system has all the energy and nutrients that it needs to keep you going. But if you eat junk food, you will suffer, an athlete doesn't have to eat delicious food from the restaurant, cooking at home is the best way for everyone who wants good results for himself.
What is your long term goal?
My goal is to join the U.S Army and run for the U.S in 2012 London Olympics. I want to build a couple of classrooms for a primary school in my village where I come from, Kenya. Also, I would like to build a bridge that will help hundreds of kids to get to school in time during the rainy season. I would like to build a training camp for a handful of unfortunate talented runners and help them get a manager who will help them to travel to Europe and U.S to run and make money to support their families. Lastly, I would like to build a Children's home and Church in my village in Kenya. We don't have any as we have to use school classrooms on Sundays. :(
What is your advice to people who want to take running seriously?
Train properly, change your shoes often to avoid many avoided injuries, eat healthily, stay healthy, stay out of trouble, be discipline, have faith in what you do, don't give up even in a dare, do what you must to make things better, love what you do and you will never get tired of it, have a decent programme, find a training partner or a good and motivating training group, train hard as without giving your best of efforts you will never achieve anything and success will still be a dream-like to many who have failed for fear of pain. Never stop giving your best even when you don't perform well for there is always a second chance to make things right, if you fail to reach your expectations just go back to training and train hard and correct the mistakes. Believe in yourself. There is much you can do that you don't know yet. I believe God gave us a great talent and its our responsibility to nourish them. So friends with the efforts that you put in you can be anything you want to be, fast or tough. It is all up to you to decide.
Above all, never ever forget to pray, God is gets our attention through our prayers and our faith draws Him closer. The root that is in your heart and you will never be disappointed!
Why do you run?
I run for many great reasons but, above all, I don't run because I want to be famous or anything. I run for my life, I run to make my future better. You know in Kenya running is a job, we don't do it for fun, although we make it look like it is fun but deep inside we take it seriously, and to defy and overcome poverty and help my family, I have to run with my heart. When I was young, my mother taught me that life is not about oneself but it is about caring for others. If you set this example, many who will see you or come after you will be inspired and motivated to emulate you. Life becomes great when we all achieve. So you can see that I not only run for myself but I run for many who depend on me and have looked after me. This is why I run and there is nothing greater to me as I love doing this which brings more blessings to me :)
Do you like running or competing? :)
For me, as an elite runner, I like to compete because I want to win, that makes me a competitor.
What are the values very important in running?
Most enormous values of running is discipline. Running makes life great and the best thing about running is it will bring you many wonderful friends and with running you will get to visit places that you never dream you would ever visit. Once you become a runner, you will explore many amazing things that are not familiar to your heart.
I saw your training program. It superman effort to do that? Can you explain how you are able to do it?
First of all its about timing your feelings and know that it is the right time to do. It is because intense training like this is not something that you can just wake up and do. It requires a heart. This kind of training helps me to run any distance that I set my mind in with no fear or weakness, the training is very painful to even to mortal like me and without a great heart that has miles and miles of patience and perseverance, it won't be easy to wake up for it.
I like to do it with my heart than do it later, for I know if I do anything with my heart, physically it will be a little easy but still I will feel the excruciating pain of it, but after all its done, it will be good to go hard for the next 6 months, enjoying victories in the various races that I have to compete in. However, although I know that the training will help me stay on top shape, it doesn't mean I won't be training hard, training never stops for me.
''Runimal''
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 do a marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners do sub-4 hours for the 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.
