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)
Haile Gebrselassie's Talk on Excellence
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| Dec 2014, I met Haile at Sports Hub |
There are adages from many civilisations - Indian, Chinese and also our western counterparts - that it is good to gain knowledge from a wise person rather than to read voluminous of books. One will become well informed then on any knowledge that they are after.
I told that it is a must to see Haile, one of the greatest runners on planet earth, so that I can learn from him. Else, we have to keep taking a trip to Kenya and Ethiopia for knowledge in order to run faster.
When Haile was here in Singapore during December 2014, he met the coaches and athletes. He spoke on some important things during his stay.
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| Haile told us that it is important to run with proper technique |
I shall enumerate some points that I perceive as important to do well in running. Some of the points came from a conference that he was having with the press and some from the clinic that he gave at Kallang Practice Track.
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| Dynamic stretching is important for running |
Haile told that it is important to change the running technique as it can be disadvantageous to the runner himself. However, he told that changes must be made step by step and it should be done gradually in a smooth fashion. It should not be done abruptly.
He also mentioned that if the running technique is not easy to correct, he said that there are runners like Belayneh Densamo (Ethiopia) who ran a 2hr 06min 50sec and broke the world record. He said that Densamo was not running with a proper running style, especially with the hand technique. It was very hard to change.
My realisation is that it is vital to change the technique when a child is as young as 6 year old as the Central Nervous System will get connected with the muscle to form muscle memory. The technique can get corrected with 3 years or so. Early intervention is of utmost importance.
For injuries, he told that it is important to look at the shoe to see where the taper of the shoe is and one can correct ones running style and correct it.
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| Shoes - Look for where it tapers so that you know your mistake |
Haile showed some simple dynamic stretches for running.
People asked him on training and Haile told everyone that he has no off day. That means that he trained every day, even on Sundays. However, he told that he does only a session on Sunday, instead of 2 to 3 sessions of running per day, on other days.
People asked him on training and Haile told everyone that he has no off day. That means that he trained every day, even on Sundays. However, he told that he does only a session on Sunday, instead of 2 to 3 sessions of running per day, on other days.
As to the question on altitude, he says that it is important to have altitude training. However, he told us not to worry and told that it is good to do 20km extra to one's running if one wants to equate the altitude effects, to do well in running. This piece of news was very new to me and I appreciated him for this.
To the question on how to run faster, he chucked that one must go to Ethiopia to do it. Luckily, in the year 2004, I have been to Kenya, at least, to find out how real top world elite athletes train.
Although I have more to write, I believe that these are the most important points that he shared with us. We took photo after the clinic and I went back to my class to do an IAAF coaching course.
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.
