Small Races and Big Races - (Part 3) Getting Good Timing

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)

Small Races - Can improve your time as well if it is well organised. 

In the past, when we ran races, somewhere in the 80s and 90s, it was usually the smaller ones that we were racing. I remember running National Day Runs or Jogathons and other Walkajog races. The races are usually free or you will have to pay about $5 to $10 to run the race. 

The races were usually organised by community centres. By running in these races, I was winning and coming in top 10 in junior races. There were prizes for that and they were quite lucrative. 

Even now, some races organised by the community centres have enabled one to do a personal best time in the long term. 

Over a period of time, I took part in races which involves a time trial. I used to do schools time trials on every Saturday. In my High School days, there were time trials conducted by some schools on Saturdays. This enabled me to get faster over time. 

The 5km MR 25 time trials organised at MacRitchie Reservoir, every 2 months once is also not bad at all. Over time, from 19min plus, I improved my personal best time to 16min 11sec, 5km respectively. Around that time, in Singapore Open I ran a race and came in fourth with a time of 15min 31sec on the track. Over time, as I was interested in doing well in the marathon and I shelved the idea of going below 16min time for 5km. 

Usually, I realised that the races organised in a marathon is big. So long you are a good runner, it really helps you to run in Big Races. I kept improving in running. Currently, I see that many of the races are such that it is too packed. There must be room for one to move around when one is running the marathon race. 

It is vital for one to choose a race that allows the space to move around during the race. If it is congested, it is important to shelve the race. DO NOT RUN RACES IF YOU CANNOT GET A PERSONAL BEST TIME OR GO NEAR A PERSONAL BEST TIME. In Sundown Marathon 2014, yesterday, I have heard from several people, which I will not name as the people want their confidentiality to be kept, that the race was too packed.

That is the reason why I plan out some time trials for  our group so that they can do a personal best time in 10km or 15km runs. Using a route that I kept measuring several times, I conduct time trials that allows one to improve the time trials on the track. 

By doing this, besides developing a number of runners, by doing our own group of Flexifitness valid time-trials we have got a current group of runners who can do sub-3hrs or near 3hours. I will enumerate some of the names of those who are excelling.

We have 

(1) Ashley Liew (PB 2hr 35min, 2013 Gold Coast Marathon), 

(2) Lim Thow Wee (2hr 48min, 2014 Paris Marathon), 

(3) Dr Benny Goh (2hr 57min, Stockholm Marathon) (4 marathons in sub-2hr 55min)

(4) Ernest Wong (2hr 37min, Hong Kong Marathon 2004), 

(5) Myself (2hr 24min 22sec, SEA Games, Chiangmai 1995)(2hr 49min, Stanchart 2008)

Those who can do between 3hr and 3hr 22min

We do have 

(6)Jonathan Kang (3hr 04min) (own effort as well)

(7) Jensen Toh (3hr 22min, Stanchart, 2013), 

(8) Moses Ng (3hr 17min, KL Marathon, 2013) and 

(9) Colin Chua (3hr 08min, 2013, Stanchart Marathon) (own effort and has joined us)

There are other runners whom I will not name here are capable of running a sub-3hrs. Today, I saw the person who is able to do it. 

This all shows that by proper planning, in time trials and running small races, those evolving in running can improve in timing before running in a race. 

Choosing a wrong race will make you waste your time, money and effort. Time and tide waits for no man. It is important to treasure time and to race properly and it is a good idea to do trials which are structured. 

Only, when I was doing well in races that I started not to choose minor races. One should note that winning races is not as important as compared to improving ones' time in running. 

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.