runningcoachsg: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Going Vegetarian (Part 2) - Meaning of Compassion

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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)

Going Vegetarian - Compassion towards animals

They claim their move to vegetarianism in 20089 came from a realisation that most meat-based food items are processed and a growing awareness of "how the livestock industry operated".

"As we progressed, we discovered so many different plant-based food sources which we would not have if not for turning vegetarian. Also, our understanding of the ethical considerations extended to the dairy industry, which could very well be worse than the livestock industry, and we decided to stop consuming dairy products as well," reveals Mr Gangasudhan who turned vegan in January 2010.

As their search for vegetarian nutrition didn't throw up satisfactory results, they launched a free online magazine on the topic in August 2009. A year later, demand was so high that they started printing it. Today, 3000 copies of VegVibe are distributed free from over 80 locations across Singapore.

The best argument for vegetarianism, says Mr Gangasudhan, is the fact that there is no longer a need to argue for it. "Many people are already aware of the benefits at the casual level and make a conscious effort to reduce meat and increase plant-based food in their diet anyway," he says.

For Singaporean yoga teacher Balakrishnan Matchap, it was a routine incident at work that inspired a turnaround in his dietary preference. While working at the Singapore Zoo as a zookeeper, he saw an injured racehorse being put to sleep with a captive bolt gun.

"With complete trust, it meekly followed its handler to its own demise. Watching this made me realise how we humans use and abuse animals for our own vanity, without a proper understanding of the pain these sentient beings go through every day for our sake," he says, in support of his decision.

But was the changeover difficult? Not at all, says Mr Balakrishnan who during the initial stages read up on nutrition and carefully observed his body's response to the change in diet. He has been vegan for 16 years now and feels mock meat varieties available in many restaurants across the island help vegetarians and Non-vegetarians Bridge the "divide" and dine together.

In Mr Balakrishnan's words, vegetarianism is not just about dietary preference. It is about compassion living and treading lightly on this planet, sharing resources by taking not more than needed. And the powerful thought that three times every day when you sit to eat, you’re making a positive impact both socially and environmentally.

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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.

Pramod Kukanur - Person Initiating This Blog (Part 2)

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Pramod Kukanur - Exercise is My Hobby

I spoke to Rameshon that I am leaving Singapore today, at mid-day. My wife is here as well. I have told Rameshon to definitely come down to India to my place during future holidays.

I have shared with people on my past and what I did to reduce my weight from 86kg to 75kg. I hope that many can benefit from my experience.

I remember that, in the past, I used to eat late. I was told by Rameshon that by eating late our metabolism will slow down and we can, over time, become overweight. In fact, in the past, I used to sleep very late. Rameshon told me that studies and research have shown that by sleeping late our metabolism will slow down a lot and we will gain weight significantly over time. He told me an old adage, "Early to rise and early to sleep will make one healthy, wealthy and wise."

He also told me that a lot of difference to a sportsman. No matter how hard a person train, the sportsman is definitely not going to do well in running, when he or she is advancing in timing for a particularly long-distance race.

As a vegetarian, I have no preference for Chinese, Indian or Western food. I was suggested to some food that was sold in the Chinese Vegetarian and I enjoyed those food here. It is near Hoy Fatt Road. There were altogether 3 shops but now there are only two. I saw a variety of food in the Chinese vegetarian shop and chose to take soupy stuff and vegetable items. Even as a vegetarian, I knew that some Chinese and Indian vegetarian shops sell food that has a lot of oil in it. I was careful with this.

It is because of avoiding late-night food that I dropped in my weight and now I am back to normal. I hope that all expatriates here are careful with food. Fast foods are usually not good for the body and we have to be careful of it.

Lastly, I would like those expatriates working here all the best and be healthy and happy while you are working here.

Pramod Kukanur

Hubli, India.

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By Narayanan

Monday, May 30, 2011

Caster Semenya - Wins 800m in Dakar

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By Rameshon

Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)

Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)

Semenya - 20 Year Old South African winning the 800m Grand Prix 2011 at Dakar, 28/05/2011

Video 1 - Semenya doing a 1min 55.45sec in Berlin 800m for Women (2009)

800m Womens Final Berlin Winner Caster Semenya - 2009 IAAF -

Caster Semenya, a South African by origin, a world reigning champion, who recently had been cleared from gender dispute, ran her fastest time, 2min 01.77sec and won the women's 800 meters race in the IAAF World Challenge Dakar Grand Prix held in Senegal on Saturday, 28/05/2011.

Semenya dominated the race from start till the end in her first international race for this year. Her timing was more than half a second faster than her previous best set this year.

The 20-year-old Semenya is believed to do a better time in Daegu, South Korea, which is predicted to fall on August 2011. Semenya did 2 min 01.77sec and ran the provincial meet in South Africa held in March, this year. Her personal best time is 1 min 55.45sec, which she may be looking forward to bettering it over time. She looks set to go below 2 min this year. Next weekend she is running the Prefontaine Classic in USA, Eugene, Oregon.

Since her gender controversy that sidelined her for some time has been cleared, she can now run peacefully and run under women category. Semenya had a niggling back injury in the past toward the end of the season of her 2010 season which caused her to miss the Commonwealth Games. She is much fitter now, judging on her progressive performance recently, coming with a season-best time in the world this year.

Video 2 - Clearing of her gender issue.

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By Narayanan

Going Vegetarian (Part 1, Tabla Paper - 22/05/2011)

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By Sandhya Iyer

TABLA NEWSPAPER - GOING VEGETARIAN

I took up vegetarianism at the age of 18 because of the motto practised by Mohandas K Gandhi, the peaceful freedom fighter who got freedom for India, in the past. He practised Ahimsa. It simply means non-violence through thought, speech and action. One way that I believe that I can be at least friendly to the environment was by becoming a vegetarian. Also, Ahimsa forms the highest mode of living in dharma (righteousness). Next comes speaking the truth and doing the right thing, coupled with thinking sincerely.

The day before yesterday, I saw the Tabla Paper, which has a coverage of Indian community reading this paper, published by SPH. I read this interesting article and thought that this will interest others. Hence, I decided to put this in my blog so that people can live in a healthy manner.

Why Vegetarianism by Sandhya Iyer

On one of the walls of the Ananda Bhavan restaurant in Syed Alwi Road are these words... the strength of an elephant, the stamina of a camel, the power of a horse, are all sustained on a vegetarian diet. Beside it is a quote from Mahatma Gandhi which highlights the similarity between the physiological features of humans and herbivores in stark comparison with those of carnivores.

While that may be the perfect form of advertising for a vegetarian restaurant, it does drive home a point to the rest of the non-vegetarians out there: That man can live on a vegetarian diet.

From the era of Gandhi, a firm vegetarian, to the present fast-food generation, the logic of vegetarianism has undergone many variations. As a religion-based concept or an act of compassion towards animals, the issue has always evoked never-ending debate between its propagators and those who can't do without mean and fish.

Today, with health awareness and environmental concerns demanding attention in our fast-paced lifestyles, vegetarianism has assumed a different connotation - as a healthier option and a step towards a sustainable future.

The Vegetarian Society of Singapore's president George Jacobs feels the current stress is on reducing meat intake (basically red meat) He feels that many non-vegetarians organisations participate in "veggie Thursdays" and more non-vegetarians are happy to have occasional vegetarian meat.

Veganism, or a plant-based diet, is another strand in the trend, one that revolts against dairy farming practices that are said to be cruel. Mr Jacobs says many people who are vegetarian for spiritual reasons may not be aware of the "health problems caused by dairy products, the environmental destruction caused by modern factory farming practices and the hell that cows and hens endure before being sent for slaughter after a greatly shortened life".

Green activist Bhavani Prakash has another point to make: That vegetarian doesn't automatically mean healthy. "We have to cut down our consumption of sugars, fats and dairy products. It's a myth that we need a lot of milk to absorb calcium. We can get calcium from where cows get theirs - directly from greens. So lots of fresh green veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds coupled with good exercise and stress management are the way to good health," she opines.

Despite all this "advice", are meat lovers giving up their steaks and turning to leafy greens and dale?

Singapore -based nutritionist Sheeba Majumdar, a vegetarian, believes that "going veg" can be a real test of resolve for non-vegetarians. "It is hard for someone to turn vegetarian as it has not been their traditional food and it is tricky to be able to balance your meals, especially when you are starting from scratch or from a typical western diet exposure, "she says.

However, that hasn't stopped some Indians in Singapore from converting to a vegetarian lifestyle.

Young Singaporeans "converts" Gangasudhan and Halimah Illavarasi are so passionate about vegetarianism now that they have also become self-styled agents of change. "They publish VegVibe, a magazine which blends the parallel philosophies of environmentalism, animal welfare, health and nutrition along with vegetarianism.

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By Narayanan

Kenyan Wins Sundown Marathon 2011 (28/05/2011)

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)

Sundown Marathon 2011 Results

The marathon race (42.195km) that was flagged off at 10pm, last Saturday. In the race, more than 25,000 runners took part in the 10km, the half-marathon and the full marathon for men and women. The fastest time of the day was posted by Richard Habeya, 20, for the full marathon in the men open category of the Sundown Marathon. He finished the race on Sunday morning with a time of 2hr 53min 15sec. Results of top 3 for men and women open are given below.

Marathon Results

Men

1. Richard Habeya 2:53:15
2. Ahmad Lamchannak 3:09:10
3. Morgan Lim Zhi Hong 3:16:38

Women

1. Sumiko Tan 3:23:16
2. Susan Jemutai Chepwony 3:29:05
3. Kari Elliot 3:31:19

Other Race Results:

Men’s 10KM
1. Jacky Ong 39:00

2. Kumar Kumar 39:55

3. David Stevenson 41:18

Women’s 10KM
1. Vivian Tang 39:07

2. Jenny Lundgren 39:38

3. Carine Rossouw 42:44

Men’s Half Marathon
1. Anthony Seakins 1:22:35

2. Aldrich Lim Jing Hong 1:24:14

3. Philipp Kurath 1:27:49

Women’s Half Marathon
1. Catherine Louise Holme 1:36:04

2. April McKenna 1:38:38

3. Trudy Fawcett 1:39:04

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By Narayanan