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)
Death - Many deaths come from cancer and heart disease and least from running.
My own perception and experience - Heat Stress - One of the reasons for death
A study done in Singapore shows that people generally die of cancer, which has the highest rate, and from coronary heart disease, the second-highest, overall.
In a press statement on 15th April 2014, by Health Promotion Board, it stated
that the National Health Survey showed that 1.7million Singaporeans are having a
Body Mass Index (BMI) of 23 and above. It was also stated that these people are
vulnerable in getting obesity-related diseases like diabetes and heart
diseases.
That means many will die through cancer and heart disease and the chances of
dying from running a race is much less. The important thing to do is to do some
prevention strategies to avoid the situation of risk of athletes dying from taking place.
In my experience, from the past, I have heard of people dying from a marathon. A few years
back, when I ran the London Marathon, the weather went to 23 degrees
centigrade. It was also tough for me and Daniel Ling, an athlete whom I was training at that time (local first in Standard Chartered Marathon 2007), who was also my
working colleague. We found that an athlete actually died while
crossing the finishing line of the London Marathon. It was a sad incident for us.
In 2014, just recently, another man also died while crossing the finish line of London
Marathon. The weather was at 11 degrees when the race started and became
slightly warmer over time.
Somewhere in the early 1980s, I myself have been hospitalised by running in the race
which was hot and humid and I collapsed when it was towards the finish. My whole
body was going through a cramp situation. I was unconscious at first and then
conscious when I was in the ambulance.
In the hospital, I was not able to move my body for 2 days. I was given
sodium through an intravenous (IV) so that I do not suffer from hyponatremia. I
believe that I had a low level of sodium in my body. I was told to go home on the
third day.
From then on, I was very particular of not getting myself dehydrated running
in a hot and humid climatic condition. The
athletes whom I have trained from past to present also did not face this type of problem as I would always
advise them on hydration a day before the race and on the day of the race. I would advise the public to do likewise to avoid any form of heat stress and the chance of dying.
For race organizers, it is important to put races in cooler conditions so
that the athletes reduce the risk of
dying greatly and it also enables one to enhance performance in their timing. This needs
'the extra mile’ effort by the race organizers.
Anyway, there may be other reasons for death that can take place and I would
like to discuss this on my future blog post.
Nevertheless, my message to one looking to be healthy is to not worry too
much about death and to be informed on risk of cancer, heart disease and
inactivity could do and make a wise decision on keeping oneself fit and strong
by exercising to lessen the chance of death.
As for the marathon runner, it is wise to take precautionary
measures so that one could avoid death to the best of one's ability. I hope
that the future blog post will suggest one make informed choices on their
health before they embark on exercise programmes or to run any distance which
is of endurance in nature.
By Narayanan
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.
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.
