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)
In the past, when I was training in Singapore, usually I did not take holidays, especially during November and December period. It is known as a crucial period for runners who aspire to do well. My experience is that, after doing the November/December training, usually, there is this energy in me to take the year easily by being very relaxed. People told me that rarely I get angry. I believe that it came from my running pursuit.
I have seen many who go for holidays for a longer period of time, during the November and December holidays. After the holidays, I found that they tell me that they had been very busy travelling and they hardly had time to rest, and, in fact, recover, during the holiday. When they come back from holiday, they narrate to me that they actually need another holiday to recover from the holiday that they had spent.
Hence, I feel that running can be a good way to relax from life's stress. Two months of easy running does make you quiet and to go within oneself to feel peaceful and appreciate life. Maybe, the oxygen in MacRitchie Reservoir makes one think better. My desires were less, to the point that I did not feel the lack of something is making me sad.
When I was training seriously at secondary four, while I was in St Joseph's Institution, even when my mother argues with me, I tend to give in to her argument. Before that in much younger days, I used to argue my way out and she got tired out at the end of the day. Basically, it made me be an observer, like an out of order vending machine, not to entertain in argument as it really can sap one's energy. I became from a noisy person to a silent person.
Another important point of November and December holiday training is that, usually, I felt myself improving throughout the year. Ganesan and I were not National Record holders in the past, however, we were aspiring to be one in the future. No one knew that we could do it. We did not know also but we were believing in ourselves, and we finally achieved it. It is important to believe in oneself that one can do it. That is the first starting point of improving oneself in running.
Also, a point to note is that Ganesan and I will always keep discussing running and nothing else. It was all about how to improve and what food to take etc. Ganesan came from East Payoh Secondary, and he went to Singapore Technical Institute. Then, my friend Thomas Tan from Ngee Ann told me that it would be good for N. Ganesan to come over to his Polytechnic. My friend was a Sports Officer at that time. I shared this with Ganesan and he was very happy and he was yearning to improve in his academic pursuits as well. Sports gave him an opportunity to improve in life. He got in finally. In Polytechnic he did 15m 06sec for 5km. Later on, he went to Loughborough University and did his degree. Eventually, he became a Physical Education teacher in Bukit View and right now he is doing his Masters Programme in NIE.
Hence, running helped both of us in studies.
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.
