Stories On Waiting, a Waste of Time

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 Marcel Sng

True stories on waiting

Waiting is a waste of time -

I met a runner who joined in our 2.4km running improvement and fitness programme. He has been with us for nearly 3 months plus. I was told that he has been doing training for several years and was not able to improve the time for the 2.4km run time to below 14 min. He is now 30 plus years old and reaching 40 in a few years time. 

When Coach Rameshon asked him on his training, the former asked the latter on what was the training in the past about. The newly enlisted runner told that he has been doing sprint training and was hoping that he could improve the 2.4km time. The athlete felt that the best way to improve the 2.4km time is to train speed. Thus, the athlete, all the more, felt that it is wise to train sprint training for several years. Coach Rameshon found that after doing sprint training for several years the athlete felt that he, at last, had to seek professional help in order to improve the endurance time, after losing all hope in running faster for 2.4km. 

When asked on why he did not seek help in the past, the runner told that he thought that he still has time to improve in running. This is what I call waiting. I feel that by doing this one's youth will go and the body's ability to recover will not be as good when one gets older. 

What I believe is that time and tide do not wait for a person. It is good to do a very good time, especially at a very young age and not when one is older. Youth is the best time to do a very good time as one will not be prone to injury as compared to their old self. 

As for me, as the author, luckily I did not waste my time and I did an 8min 22sec for the 2.4km run test in school. I had to do 9 months of structured training to do this. My previous time was 10min plus.
 

When I heard the story of this athlete, although he has been improving in running recently, I felt that this athlete could have improved much earlier if he had not waited and instead should have engaged professional help. What is supposed to be achieved in 10 years could be achieved in a year's time? We should expedite in progressing in our running time by cutting down our target to a  year instead of prolonging it for 10 years or more by simply waiting. 

There is a heavy price to pay for waiting. Time will not be in the hand of the athlete. Hence for me waiting is not an option!

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.