Results of AVIVA Half-Ironman 70.3km Race (Part 2)

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)

Report By Marcel Sng

Picture 1 - Top 3 competitors in an International and local race for male and female

During the race, we saw Lim Thow Wee running fast part and finishing after Ashley had finished earlier on. We saw Ashley and chatted with him. He told us that Wong Ken Mun, who is also our friend, was also competing. It was nice to hear this. Coach Rameshon gave Ken Mun an interview as the latter was not able to run in Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon due to plantar fasciitis injury. With resilience, he came back from his good showing in the past running and did very well in the AVIVA race by coming in as the 13th local. This is a great achievement as he thought that he will have to take a long time to cure himself from the injury.

Picture 2 -  Ashley Liew, after the swim, did 3min faster than his previous best time

I was told by Coach Rameshon that Christian Stauffer, the French gentleman who did and completed 250km Sahara Challenge (2009) with fellow mate Dan Johnson and Mika Kume, will be completing the AVIVA 70.3km in the veteran category. We waited for him to finish. However, we were not able to see him. Later on, Coach Rameshon called gave him an interview. 

Picture 3 - Christian Stauffer, used this race as a preparation for Switzerland Ironman (full) race.

Interview 1
An Interview With Christian Stauffer

How was the race?

The race was good. 

Did you complete the race?

I finished the swim and bike but at the running portion, I realised that the pain at the hip was increasing over time. After a  while, I thought about the future race in Switzerland, a few months from now and decided to give this a miss and focus on the race by not getting injured.

How was the race organised?

It was organised well

What kind of target are you going for in Switzerland Ironman race?

I am hoping for a 12hr kind of time. It would be good if I can do sub-12 hours.

Why did you take part in this race?

It is to prepare for the future race in Switzerland and I am not that concerned about stopping in this race as the future race is very important for me?

  

Picture 4 - From down and out to success in AVIVA 70.3km race.

  

Interview 2 
An Interview With Wong Ken Mun

1) How was your 2.4km time?
I did it in 8:06. It was a test to gauge my fitness in the run-up to Aviva Ironman.

2) In the past, what was your time like?
Did not really keep track but I remembered it to be in the 8:30s to 8:40s.

3) What kind of training did you do to achieve this?
Lots of hill intervals at Old Upper Thomson Road and speed workouts in the Padang. Also, lots of cross-training such as sit-ups, pull-ups, weights.

4) How do you feel running the AVIVA tri in 5hr 19min?
The conditions (heat, humidity, hell) were probably the toughest I have encountered. But it was all well worth it at the finish line.

5) How did you prepare?
I was running about 40-60k per week, cycled 70-100k about once a week but swam only intermittently. But I did a lot of gym work to compensate and gain arm strength in the swim.

6) How were your splits?
Swim 1.9k: 46:43, Bike 90k:2:41, Run 21.1k: 1:46

7) What is your next target?
I will be focusing back on running and will be aiming a sub-3hr marathon this year. A sub 38 or even 37min timing at the TCS World Bangalore 10k in India is also a possible target.

www.runningcoachsg.com

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.