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)
Reported By Marcel Sng
Saranniya Rajendran - First time doing 12km in 1hr 08min
Saranniya Rajendran,15, did not like the idea of running in the 6km Fun Run for Zoo Run on 17th Feb 2013.
She finally decided to try running the 12km run in the women's section. One of the reasons for this was that the 6km Fun had no competitive element at all and it would be run in a leisurely fashion.
She felt that people will not be motivated enough to run fast enough and challenge running with moderate or at least a steady speed pace in the leisurely Fun Run.
Although the 12km was considered too long for her, she was inspired to run at a moderate pace such that she could experience some form of competitive element in the race. There was no other race distance left for her run.
She ran a sub-6min pace per kilometre in the zoo during the 12km Zoo Run. She was happy to complete the race. I decided to interview her on this completion of the race.
As a reporter for Flexifitness, I decided to interview her to share this with others.
( Photograph - Courtesy of Tan Eng Howe, Montage Studios)
An Interview With Saranniya
What made you run this distance?
I don't mind running in 5km or 6km competitive race for women's open. However, the race distance was only for Fun runners. Hence, I decided not to go for the Fun Run and go for the 12km competitive run. I had no regrets running in this race, except that the organisers could have put a 5km or 6km for people of my age group.
(Photograph - Courtesy of Tan Eng Howe, Montage Studios)
How did you find the route?
I found the route interesting and it was not too difficult
Are you happy with your timing?
Yes, of course. Coach Rameshon told me that it was a good time, considering that I am very young. He told me not to put too much pressure on myself and go for a fast target. I felt better with his advice. He was more interested in my completion of the race.
Can you share with us on the race itself and your experience running it?
I think that I went out too fast. I should have been conservative on my race. Later on, I fell back too much such that my sister caught up. The last two kilometres were the most difficult for me to run. However, something told me to go for it. Also, my sister's presence in the race made me go all out for the last two kilometres. It was fortunate for my sister, age 13, to run side to side with me. However, she fell back at the last part and did 1hr 10min for the 10km race.
It was good but more could be done to improve the race. Young runners could run shorter races like 6km and put it as competitive, besides putting another race that is non-competitive.
What is your next target?
My coach has not gotten back to me on this yet. Perhaps I would like to focus on running the Energiser Run and the Great Eastern Run. I leave all these decisions to my coach.
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.
