My Experience Running in Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon 2013 - 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)

By M.Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)

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

Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon 2013

Currently, Jensen Toh is definitely faster than me. He should be doing 37min/38min plus for his 10km races. He has improved a lot, although he needs to improve more over time. 

In the marathon race, he has trained very well. I believe that he could do at least 3hr to 3hr 15min. Ultimately, he did 3hr 22min 22sec. I have this feeling in me currently that he may be able to do a sub- 3hr any time soon. We will plan that in the near future. 

In this race, I was expecting him to run with me and then, perhaps, at about 8km onwards, he could move up and go forward, while I gradually move back.

In our own time Flexifitness time-trial, he has an 8km time of 30min 33sec, with a 1km speed of 2min 53sec. Mine right now is 31min 34sec for 8km and 3min 04sec for 1km. In the past, before he joined us he was doing 34min for 8km. He has made great improvement recently which was not seen a few months ago. He is also a disciplined and determined runner who is meticulous about diet and training.

During the Standard Chartered Marathon race in the morning, we started off the run, when the elite group went off first.  The second group, where we were in, started off a minute later. 

I believe that we ran a 4min for that kilometre. We ran from Orchard Road and then turned to Penang Road. After Penang Road, Ramasamy, the former national record holder (personal best time - 2hr 36min) faded away from us. Later on, a number of them started overtaking us. 

I was thinking that we were running slow, even when I was running well at Hill street. After seeing some groups moving in front, I started to move upwards and was thinking of catching up with them, as I thought that I was running slower. At that point, I did not want Jensen to push and come with me and then fade away later on. I felt great from 3km mark onwards. After reaching the 6km mark, I was not able to hydrate myself well and this actually affected my race later on. Only after 9km onwards, I started focusing my attention to drink at every 3 to 5 km mark, along the marathon route. 

I saw Mok Ying Ren, Ang Chee Yong, Derek Li, Swee Tiong, Ramesh, and about another 6 athletes overtaking me at the 13 to 14km mark. I was not interested to follow them as I was keeping to my pace. I was really scared of the last 10km of the race as the 'hitting the wall' effect might come in.

I did 20min at 5km and 41min at 10km, and at 15km I did 1hr 02min. It was a very good pace. However, here I felt a muscle strain at 15km mark. After that, I waited for Jensen to join me. The muscle strain was getting worse until I reached the 21.1 km mark in 1hr 32min. At that point, I was feeling a little good as I felt that I need to run less than 50% of the route. When I made a u-turn, I felt that Jensen is quite a distance away and I was maintaining my pace and was feeling ok. At around 23/24km mark, I felt a tremendous surge of energy and I started running faster during the run, focusing on my attention on hand and leg running technique. It really helped me a lot.

While doing that, somehow I felt that Jensen will sure overtake me. It was my conviction and was my hope as well. When I reached around 29km/30km, I saw Swee Tiong getting cramps. At 31km mark, I saw Ramesh caving into cramps. At around last 6/7km mark, Ang Chee Yong, the runner up for 2011 and 2012 Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon local men open, was also getting into some problems. I cheered him on to keep going. I believe that the 21km to 31km of hard ground-pounding, running on the pavement must have impacted on their legs such that the calves are not able to take the beating. 

In total, I myself nearly got about 4 cramps. I prayed to God to prevent this cramp. Somehow the cramp disappeared. At some points, I got cramp near the groin area. I was concerned to finish the race. Even at the last 2km and last 1km, I got the groin cramp coming up. It worried me a lot and my pace was getting slower. Whenever I speed up, the cramp started to come. I told myself to keep praying. As soon as I did that nothing happened and I carried on, reminding myself to slow down a bit so that I can complete the race with a decent time. 

I reminded myself that if I get a cramp and if I got to stop, then pulling over will become the next option. 

I told myself to complete the race. Towards the end, I was happy to see a number of people cheering for me, especially the Flexifitness group and my former Hwa Chong Students. The latter group saw me and cheered me loudly to me, to go for it. I went for it and did 3hr 11min 17sec. Over time, I was given 3hr 10min 17sec as the actual time taken to complete the race. 

After completing the race, I was hoping that Jensen was just behind me. I waited while walking. The officials told me to go forward. I waited for Jensen at the t-shirt collection area. Still, I could not manage to see him. 

I met Ganesh, who did 3hr 10min in Gold Coast Marathon 2013, in July. He told me that he did not do well as expected and did a few minutes away from his personal best time. I also met Hoong Wei Wong, winner of Sundown Ultra -Marathon 2013, who has a PB of 3hr 03min. He told me that he was more than 10min away from his PB.

I was telling Ganesh that I am waiting for Jensen at the t-shirt area. Ganesh left to other parts of Padang.  Later on, I had to move to the Flexifitness Group and we were talking about the race. I was hoping to find the athletes from Flexifitness who ran the 10km/half-marathon/marathon race.

After some time, Jensen came and told me that he has done a personal best time. He was hoping for a better time. I told him that many did not do well. That may have made him feel at ease. I told him that he needs more experience in running as well and that he is about to do sub-3 hrs in a marathon in the near future. In short, it was good news for me to hear that he has completed the race in a decent time. 

I told him that about 4 African runners, predominantly male Kenyans, from their appearance, stopped during the race. Another runner to stop was a female elite runner, judging from her physique. 

Later on, Jensen and I went to the Esplanade for a discussion on our race and the next step to take. When we were back at the Padang, we made a decision to go back home to rest. 

As this is Jensen's personal best time, I told him that it would be good to interview him for other people to benefit and progress also. Jensen and agreed to this without any hesitation. 

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.