2XU Race - Flexifitness Athlete Alan Fong Does 1hr 44min for Half - Marathon

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 M.Rameshon

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

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

2XU Half-Marathon Race - Team Flexifitness had 9 people running in the race, 4 did personal best time,

Picture - Alan Fong is very happy with his 1hr 44min for the 2XU Run

Flexifitness is proud to say that we have four runners doing their personal best time in the race today. Szerk, who had a former personal best time 2hr 00min did 1hr 56min, four minutes. It was his first-ever time doing this time. Roslyn did 2hr 14min, unofficially, today. She was very happy to message me on her progress. In the past, she did 2hr 23min. Alan Fong, was the best performer of Flexifitness for the day, for best improved, when he did 1hr 44min for the half-marathon race. Alan, in the past, did 1hr 47min. He just joined us very recently. I also realised that he has a lot of potential in him. The future will tell. The most important thing to remember is to train with commitment and determination.

Another three athletes did sub-2hr for the half-marathon race. Shireena, Charlene and Leong. Shireena told me that she did not train much after her return from Tokyo Marathon 2013, recently. Charlene told me that she wanted to do a simple long run during the 2XU race before her Amsterdam marathon in 2 weeks. She did 1hr 55min and she was pleased with this time as it was 2min faster than Army Half Marathon 2012. Leong, who had to go to the toilet just before the race told me that there were jams at some area and this slowed down the timing of the run. At some parts, the other forms of bottlenecks were formed and it prevented him from getting a good time. Anyway, Leong told me that he was happy and satisfied with the 1hr 58min in the half-marathon race. He is now confident of 1hr 58min.

Another runner by the name of Shantanu Shete, who is capable of doing a time of 2hr 05min lamented that he had a bad fall at the 1km of the race. He ran the race but was not able to do a good time as he had great pain at the ankle rare at the 17km mark. His ankle was also swollen on that day. I remember that the same thing happened to Tarandeep Kaur and she was not able to continue the race. Hence, Shantanu did a time of around 2hr 20min, around there.

We also have Lim Thow Wee, who did 2hr 55min 50sec, running this race to pace his friend to do a 1hr 30min. Fortunately, Thow Wee ran to pace and did not take the race seriously at all. 

In the 10km race, 52-year-old Ranjit did a personal best time of  58time, which was 3min faster than the Green Corridor Run. Ranjit was very happy with the training given by Flexifitness. He felt that the training has made him go to Genting and back to Singapore. He is hoping to go to Gold Coast Marathon and then do the Tour De France a week later. 

We will now interview Alan Fong and later on interview the rest of the runners who did personal best time on the 2XU Run.

Interview With Flexifitness Athletes.

An Interview With Alan Fong

How was the race route?

It was very good.

What was your time for the race?

It was a 3min improvement to my previous personal best. In the past, I did 1hr 47min. Today, with the training given by Team Flexifitness, in just a few weeks, my time went down to 1hr 44min. I just joined this group recently. I can improvement taking place and I can also feel that I am going to improve even more later on.

Are you happy with the time?

Yes, I am in fact, very happy with the time.

Was there any bottlenecks during the race?

Listening to your advice last Thursday, I did all that was needed to be done. It was a piece of last-minute advice that you gave me using your experience. 

Hence, everything was perfect on that day and I was able to do the 1hr 44min easily. I did not face any kind of problems and I really enjoyed the race. It was an easy race for me. The organisation of the race was very good.

If I say that you are capable of sub-3hr or even faster judging from your fats in the body and your conditioning, do you believe me?

I believe so, the only mistake I did in the past was to know you at a later stage in life and decide only now to join. Hence, I have delayed my sub-3hr target. After listening to you, I am very confident in getting my sub-3hr in time to come, just as how Lim Thow Wee and a number of them have got it.

What is your next target?

Sundown Marathon 2013, end of May. 

What is your age?

37 years of age.

Do you know that at this age many have a higher level of fats, but you have a fat rate of an elite runner?

I am glad to hear this. I just should have found a guide earlier on and I could have realised my potentials.

Do you think that there is a running revolution going on in Singapore?
Yes, I suppose so. Many people find running popular. I friends who do not run in the past have chosen running as a good activity to do. In today's race, it was found that 20000 people took part in it. 

How did you get a low-fat rate in the body until this age?

I was very particular about my diet and I am happy that it is helping me to improve faster now, as you are saying. It was worth the sacrifice to take care of my body that I will reap the fruits soon.

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.

My Gold Coast Marathon Preparation

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)

Gold Marathon 2013 Preparation -  It is less than 100 days to go.

Picture 1 - Gold Coast Marathon 2013 training has started last week.

Team Flexifitness confirms that 6 athletes will be going for the Gold Coast Marathon. It is the highest number from our group that is going to be sent and all are excited about the race.

While going there, I thought that it would be good at how I train for this race. I would like to share my running programme, especially for those who are 40 years and above. 

Why it is good to run fast when one is young?

One should know that it is good to do one's best when one is young, not when one is old. It was only when I reached 40 plus that I come to an understanding that is important to learn about the complicated things that we go through while going through the process called ageing. It is important to note that injury is a common thing that one will hear when one is old.

As for me, even at 48, now, I feel like I am 20 years of age. Recently, I have played badminton, soccer, captain's ball and floorball with the students and ran in the teacher's race and I don't get easily tired. Thanks to my younger days of running which is helping me now. 

However, when it comes to giving off one's best at 40, I have learnt to be extra careful at the same time in things like preventing myself from injury etc. To not to get injury after 40 plus is a skill if you want to stay in sports competitively. One's risk of getting injury is higher as one gets older. 

Since the Gold Coast Marathon is coming, I have learnt to slowly increase my mileage. With the recent knowledge that I have discovered, I have learnt to just train 30km in running for now and move up in mileage.  I am also using the method that George Gandy, our former coach at Loughborough University, used. It is called, 'less input and maximum output'. 

With doing minimal training, I am aiming for a sub -3hr 20min for the Gold Coast Marathon 2013. The only thing that I will focus on training will be the word called quality.

I may go for a sub-3hr for the marathon if everything goes well. In the marathon, if everything is perfect, I may go for a sub- 2hr 50min. How much lower I will go to a thing that I don't know. However, my main intention to go there is to guide Ashley Liew to do a personal best time for the marathon. I also believe that with diet manipulation of Carboloading, Lim Thow Wee may do a sub - 2hr 50min. 

One of Flexifitness runner, Thomas Ganzhorn, from Germany has done a 2hr 46min. In Singapore, Thomas did 2hr 55min in Stanchart Marathon 2009. I believe that Lim Thow Wee has done a 2hr 55min. This time, if everything goes well, he does like what Thomas has done recently in the marathon.

My training has begun for the last 100days before the Gold Coast Marathon.

I have just started training. For the last few weeks, I have been jogging on the hills. Total up and down was 4.8km for that day. I did this 8 days ago on a Friday. Yesterday, after running a 600m up and down once, I was doing cadence work at Delta Complex Sports Hall. On one Tuesday, the week before last week, I did a 400m x 20, averaging a time of 1min 48sec for a 4min cycle. As for all other days, I ran some 3 to 5km with 2 games played for 15min for last week. Last Saturday, I did a  1min 40sec for 400m x 10.

I hope that those who are going for the Gold Coast Marathon are training as well. Those who did not register, please look at this website for your participation in the race. Don't be late to make a decision to go to the Gold Coast Marathon. 

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.

An Interview With Lim Thow Wee - 2hr 55min 50sec Seoul Marathon 2013

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)

Lim Thow Wee - Next Chapter - Gold Coast Marathon 2013

Picture 1 - Lim Thow Wee and Dr Benny Goh, collecting the race pack

So far, with the inclusion of Lim Thow Wee, Team Flexifitness has five runners going for the Gold Coast Marathon race. I believe that people who want to do a sub - 2hr 50min will be able to do here.   

I have signed up for the marathon race and I am running as well. My aim is to do a sub-3hr time for the race, if I can do faster than that I will be the happiest person on earth. 

As for Lim Thow Wee, he would like to do a personal best time there. It is good that he is finally heeding my advice of coming with me for the race. Gold Coast is the best race ground for Lim Thow Wee. He has fortunately registered online for the race and he is more than eager to go for it. 

Picture 2 - Race Gear of Lim Thow Wee and the lucky number 47013

Ashley Liew, Ranjit and Norshida are also going for the Gold Coast marathon race. My prediction is that Team Flexifitness will be aiming for at least 2 or 3 people doing a sub-3hr. This is our target. 

In this race, I feel that Lim Thow Wee will do well as I recently found out that he did not take advantage of Carboloading. In a race, two things will help marathon timing. One which would help is the training which  involves diet as well. Another factor that will help in marathon is carboloading. 

It was only after interviewing Thow Wee that I felt that he may have done a 2hr 50min in Seoul Marathon with diet manipulation over the last one week. That is why I have been asking my group people to come with men when I am going overseas, so that I can monitor their food. They can ask me questions if they have any doubt about it. Carboloading knowledge is a simple knowledge for one to know and yet is a powerful tool to enable one to do a big personal best. If you manipulate your diet wrongly, it will not give you the desired result, eventually. 

Picture 3 - Supporter of Thow Wee's passion, wife Eliz Wong

My discussion with a number of people in Singapore shows that with good carboloading technique one can improve one's time towards the last portion of one's race by focusing on diet on the last one week of the race. One who ignores this will not be able to attain one's best in a race.

An Interview With Lim Thow Wee

What made you to achieve the sub-3hr finally?

In year 2008 I came in 10^th in the Stanchart marathon race with a time of 3hr 10min. Later on, in

2010, I did 3hr 02min for the same race. After that I did not do any serious marathon. Seoul Marathon 2013 was my first serious marathon after 2010 Stanchart Marathon. 

How was the weather there in Seoul? Were you prepared for the intense cold weather?

I was well prepared for 4 degrees. I prepared well with proper gears and wore proper clothings.

I remember that I took part in last year's race in New York where the temperature was 0 degree.

Picture 4 - Can you spot him? Thow Wee warming up before the start of the race. 

Do feel that weather has affected your race?

No. For me, anything above 0 degrees will not make my mind to complaint.That was how well I was prepared for this. I was mentally and physically prepared.

If the temperature was 10degees, would you have gone faster for the race?

I don't know about this. In Hong Kong, the weather was fine by I did 3hr 09 in year 2011.

What was your strategy at the start of the race?

4m 05s per kilometres was the key. I was hitting the timing nearly all the way. 

What was your feeling like during the race, half-way?

I did 1hr 25min at the half-way mark and felt very comfortable. At the same, time, it was a waiting game for me not to be overconfident. I was waiting for the 30 to 32km mark. I did not know what is in store for me.

How about carboloading, did you do any of this?

I did not pay particular attention to carboloading but I was loading 3 bananas per day on Friday and Saturday. I just took Korean noodle and nice nearly every day and avoided deep fried food. 

Which was the most challenging point during the marathon race?

It was the 30km where I had this great challenge that I had to conquer. At 35km, it was a real struggle and it was all the way, till the end.However, I remembered to keep channeling positive thought. Some things that you have taught me on mental training worked well for me. Visualisation really helped me a lot.

Can you further elaborate on your awareness of positive and negative thoughts during the race?

Yes, my focus was on every km, and I had to wait for each km to pass. I was thinking positive thoughts all the way. Along the way, somehow, I was aware of the negative thoughts. I had to resort to some biblical words to keep my mind and body strong towards the end of the race. I ensured that there is no space for any negative thoughts.

At which point of the race were you confident that a sub- 3 hr is possible?

At the 35km mark, I was becoming more confident. However, it was only after the 41km mark that I knew I can cross the sub-3hr mark. This made me very happy.

What message would you like to say for those who were near sub-3hr and were not able to do?

Don’t treat 3hr as a barrier. it is just a number digit. Once you have crossed the mark, you will realise that 3hr 00min and 2hr 55min are just digits away. There is actually no psychological barrier and it is just imaginary. We just create this barrier for ourselves that hampers us. It was a lucky thing that I pursued in my dream.

What was the reaction of your wife, friends and family friends?

They congratulated me a lot for this feat.

What is your short -term goal?

Gold Coast Marathon 2013. I am hoping to do a personal best time there.  

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.

Latest News - Tarandeep Does 10km in 47min 39sec in Madrid 10km race

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)

Tarandeep Does 10km Race in 47min 39min in Madrid Marathon with a new Personal Best time. 

Next Issue - An Interview With Lim Thow Wee

Picture 1 - Tarandeep Kaur in Team Flexifitness T-shirt.

Last year, Tarandeep Kaur was in good shape to do a new personal best time for the Stanchart Marathon 2012. Her speed endurance had improved. However, her hopes were dashed when she was getting injured, most of the time. After 25km, her mother called me to inform me of her condition. We had to make a decision to stop the running so that she could still run in future.

Although, she is still nursing some injuries currently, she ran and did well in the 10km Madrid race. We would like to feature these words of her in our blogpost as she is one of the most ardent runners in Team Flexifitness. I hope that this will inspire people who are injured most of the time to keep training while at the same time rehabilitating oneself also.

Picture 2 - Tarandeep, wearing her running number tag, with her friend

I naturally feel that there is still a lot of room for her to do well in running. 

From Tarandeep's Facebook

"My first race in Madrid, my first race after my disaster marathon last December. 10km race after a week fraught with injuries and bruises on my legs. 6km uphill and 4km down and flat. A personal best time of 47min plus (my goal was to finish the race injury-free) and super nice memories of great weather, no fatigue, nice crowd support and placing 23"

Picture 2 - Tarandeep Kaur, is 23rd in her category 

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.

Lim Thow Wee Shares his Experience of doing 2hr 55min 50sec in Seoul Marathon 2013

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)

Lim Thow Wee - Gives hope to those who are in their quest for a sub-3hr.

Picture 1 - Rameshon, Lim Thow Wee and Eliz Wong in Stanchart Marathon 2010.

I spoke to Thow Wee who was reluctant to have an interview session with me. He wanted to be a low profile person and wanted to remain humble. I told him that his story of how he was finally able to do a sub-3hr feat could help others in need of it to be inspired. This is a great motivational story. After listening to me, he was finally convinced to be given an interview. 

He has written to me about the race. It will be good for all to read and be ready for the next blogpost which will feature his exclusive interview that he had with me. 

Lim Thow Wee's E-mail to me on 23/03/2013

Dear Mr Rameshon, 

Just to share with you on my 5k splits:

0-5k: 00:20:43 4:09 pace
6-10k: 00:20:14 4:03 pace
11-15k: 00:20:14 4:03 pace
16-20k: 00:20:16 4:03 pace
21k: 01:25:57
21-25k: 00:20:30 4:06 pace
26-30k: 00:20:29 4:06 pace
31-35k: 00:21:29 4:18 pace
36-40k: 00:22:11 4:26 pace


Official Finish Time: 02:55:50

At the starting line, the temperature was 3.7deg. I was shivering and I didn't do any stretch, just some butt-kicks, knee-lifts and striding. But I only needed to endure for 15-20 min after depositing my race bag. I was thankful to be allocated in the first pen, pen A, just behind the elites. My hero, Yuki Kawaguchi was running too!

From start to 5k, my pace varied. I wanted to cruise at 4.05 but I took almost 5k to settle down at a fixed pace between 4min to 4:05 min.

From start to 30k, I felt very comfortable and varied my pace between 3:50 and 4:10s. I followed a group of 4 Korean runners from 12k to 25k as I could see that they were doing 4 min pace. After 25k, they slowed down a bit and I went forward with my run.

The hydration was very well spread out as I could drink 3 cups of Pocari in a row at the drink station every 5k. I took Powerbar gel on my fuel belt every 9k till 36k.

But from 30k onwards, I really felt lactate accumulating in my legs and dropped pace so severely. but due to the cold, I couldn't point out if it was my hamstring, quads or calf muscles. My target at 30k was just to keep running at least 4:30 pace as I felt like walking due to cramps n lactic. My mind flashed back to 2010 SCMS when I was on pace for sub-3h until 30k when I crumbled so badly to do a 3h 02min. I had to banish the bad memory by thanking God for every passing kilometre marking.

Seriously, my target till 30k was 2h50m to 2h52m as I felt very good. But after that, I told myself that I will just happy for a sub-3h.

At 35k, I knew I could get sub-3 hours even if my last 7k was 5 mins per kilometre. The clock showed 2h 24min. I was struggling a lot, I focused on a 4:30 per kilometre pace and my main target was in avoiding cramps, which will foil my attempt in getting a sub-3hr.

From 40k till finish, my target was still in preventing any oncoming cramps. After entering the Seoul Olympic stadium, we had to do a 300m on the track to finish. I opened up and did a 3:50 pace for the last 300m. I was contented that I have gone below the 3 hours psychological barrier! I am looking forward to my new marathon 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.

Lim Thow Wee - A Story of Resilience

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)

Picture 1 - Rameshon (right), Lim Thow Wee (Left) and Eliz Wong (right) after 2010 Stanchart Marathon

Lim Thow Wee started serious training from the year 2010. He came in 10th in the Stanchart marathon race with a time of 3hr 02min. In a way, he was happy that he was 10th, but he was still unhappy that he was not able to do a sub-3hr. I felt that in the long run, definitely, he will be able to do it. 

Picture 2- Ben Tan (left), Benny Goh (middle) and Lim Thow Wee (right).

It was at this time that a number of our runners have already done a sub - 3hr for the marathon, including Dr Ben Tan, Dr Benny Tan, Daniel Ling, Ashley Liew and Thomas Ganzhorn. 

 Picture 3 Eliz Wong, a firm supporter of Lim Thow Wee's chosen passion.

In Feb 2011, Hong Kong Marathon race, Lim Thow Wee did 3hr 09min. Hong Kong marathon had several hills that he had to overcome. 

Picture 4 - With a lot of struggle, still Lim Thow Wee could only come in 10th but not getting a time of sub-3hr. 

Thow Wee's training and races were coupled with injuries since then. He did well for some races later on, which ranged between 5km and 10km.

Nevertheless, he still wanted to run a sub-3hr as a life's mission. While he was currently conditioning well following a good and structured training programme, he joined us towards the last 3 weeks of the race. 

While focusing on speed, I realised that he was on target to do a sub - 3hr for the Seoul Marathon. Dr Benny Goh, the 84km local record holder for the Sundown Marathon, having done four sub-2hr 52min was going for a sub-2hr 50min in Seoul Marathon. They went to Seoul together. 

Dr Benny told me that he did 39min plus for 10km for the first part and was successful to hit the 15km mark at 1hr exactly. The pace he was going was for a 2hr 48min, just as how I ran in the 2008 Standard Chartered Marathon 2008 and attained 2hr 49min. In this Seoul Marathon race, however, he had some knee pain which came and made him pull out of the race at the half-marathon point. 

Dr Benny told me that he wants to continue running and would like himself not to be injured. I felt that this allows him to have the ability to run a marathon in 2 to 3 months time. In a marathon, if a plan does not work out, it is good to opt-out before one reaches the 30km mark, not towards the finish point of the marathon race. 

One must remember that the best to run a marathon is one or two per year, the most is three. 

As for this Seoul Marathon race 2013, the weather was 4 degrees centigrade and Lim Thow Wee was fortunate to do well after running several marathons unsuccessfully in the past. 

Currently, I believe that he is also capable of running 10km and half-marathon races well. 

This achievement is also for many to be informed that they are able to do it if they persevere in making their dream a reality.

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.

Ethan Oh (Part 2) - Improves 50m swim time from 38.05sec to 36.25sec

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

Ethan Oh - Developing to be versatile in running and swimming

Ethan Oh, after running Woodlands Waterfront 1.5km race a day before, took part in Singapore Sports School's swimming competition. The competition was for National Age Group Swimming Championships 2013. 

He was 8th position in 50 metres backstroke swim in last year's competition. In this year's race, we found out from the parents were just hoping that Ethan will be able to just improve on his time rather than improving in his position. The parents knew that by improving his timing, Ethan will be on his way to excellence in future. 

True enough, he improved the swim time from 38.05sec done last year to 36.25sec for this year's competition. The parents were overjoyed with the time and told us that they could feel that Ethan is getting faster after joining Flexifitness' Young Champions Programme and at the same time doing the swim training as well.

We decided to interview Ethan Oh on his competition Singapore Sports School, a day before yesterday.

An Interview With Ethan Oh

Were you nervous during the competition?

No, not so as this is my 4th time taking part in this competition.

What was your position in the race last year?
8th.

How about this year?
I was 9th. 

Are you happy with it?
Definitely, as I could see the improvement in my timing. In this race, there were about 3 foreign competitors taking part as compared to last year's competition where the competition had only locals taking part. In this competition, I was challenged to another level and I am happy with this.

What was your focus in this race?
My focus was on improving the time

How did your parents feel about this?
All they wanted from me was an improvement in time. They told me that I improved a lot based on today's timing. 

What is your next race?

I will be taking part in the National Schools' Swimming competition and in the Cold Storage Kids Dash plus in the POSB run as well. 

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.