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)
Picture 1 - Bernard Lagat - The Superman of IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup in Split (Croatia) 2010
Around the year 1992, when I was pursuing my Physical Education and Sports Science degree at Loughborough University of Technology, I came across a book on Biochemistry in the library at the university. I was reading about studies done on lactate, ventilatory threshold and heart-rate intensity. In one of the chapters, Peter Snell, the former 800m great and Olympics gold medalist gave his comments on distance running. In that book, he stated that the physiological demands of an 800m runner are different from a 1500m runner. A 1500m runner is vastly different from a 5000m runner. This is also evident when you compare a 5km runner with a 10km runner.
Peter Snell, a former New Zealand athlete living in Texas, was himself an Olympic gold medalist for the 800m in Rome (1960). He also ran in the Tokyo Olympics and won gold medals in both 800metres and 1500metres. He was an athlete of New Zealand coach Arthur Lydiard. Snell got his Honorary Doctorate for his work as an Exercise Physiologist from Massey University. Hence, Snell from his knowledge and experience, as an Exercise Physiologist and a runner, knew that the demands of running different distances and the great challenge it poses to the human body while running.
Picture 2 - Peter Snell was a protege of Arthur Lydiard system of training.
Peter Snell, a former New Zealand athlete living in Texas, was himself an Olympic gold medalist for the 800m in Rome (1960). He also ran in the Tokyo Olympics and won gold medals in both 800metres and 1500metres. He was an athlete of New Zealand coach Arthur Lydiard. Snell got his Honorary Doctorate for his work as an Exercise Physiologist from Massey University. Hence, Snell from his knowledge and experience, as an Exercise Physiologist and a runner, knew that the demands of running different distances and the great challenge it poses to the human body while running.
Picture 2 - Peter Snell was a protege of Arthur Lydiard system of training.
This physiological demand of an 800m runner is 60% anaerobic and 40% aerobic. For the 1500m runner, the physiological demand is 50% aerobic and 50% anaerobic. For the marathon runner, the physiological demand is 98% aerobic and 2% anerobic. Hence, we see that as the distance of the race increases, the aerobic demand increases. Likewise, as the race becomes shorter than 800m, for examples, 400m, 200m and the 100m, the anaerobic demand becomes more predominant.
In the past, Emil Zatopek, the Czech long-distance runner, was able to win the 5000m, 10000m and marathon gold medals in the Helsinki Olympics in 1952. It was an incredible feat for him to achieve that. Similarly, if we can remember, in 1972 (Munich Olympics) and 1976 (Montreal Olympics), Lesse Viren, the 'flying finn' was able to win gold medals in both 5km and 10km races in the Olympics.
Pic 3 - Emil Zatopek the Winner of 5000m, 10000m and marathon in Olympics
Pic 3 - Emil Zatopek the Winner of 5000m, 10000m and marathon in Olympics
Other than these races, it was very rare for other top runners to achieve performances where there is a victory in two events. Recently, in 2007, in the World Athletics Championships in Osaka (Japan), Bernard Kip Lagat came in as the 1500m (3min 34.77sec) and 5000m (13 45.87sec) champion. That feat was also seen this year as Bernard Lagat won the World Cup title race for 3000m (7m 54.75sec) and 5000m (13min 58.23sec) in Split, Croatia. He was the only one who could to do this feat in the IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup.
It is a heroic effort to win in the two events, like what Bernard Lagat had done, as the training for any two different long distance events become a great challenge to a coach or runner when it comes to planning a training program. The workouts are different and the mileage training is also vastly different.
Many, like Sebastion Coe (1500m) or Haile Gebrselassie (10000) were able to attain two gold in different years for the same event and not for different events. Sebastion Coe trained from young to run the 800m and 1500m in world-class races. In the Moscow Olympics (1980) and Los Angeles Olympics (1984), he attained the gold medals only in 1500m, even though he was the reigning world record holder for 800m race, all the way from the year 1981 until Wilson Kipketer, the Kenyan Born Danish, broke the record in 1997. Likewise, Haile Gebrselassie won the 10,000m gold in Atlanta in the year 1996 and Sydney in the year 2000, even though he was a multiple world record holder for 5000m and 10000m once. He is now the current world record holder in the marathon in Berlin (2008) with a time of 2hrs 03mn 59sec.
An Incredible Feat By Bernard Kip Lagat
Thus, in this World Cup title 2010, running in the 3000m and 5000m, Bernard Lagat achieved a great feat which he had achieved in the year 2007 as well. He won gold medals in double events.
2007 World Athletics Championships in Osaka - 1500m Race
2007 World Athletics Championships in Osaka - 5000m Race
In the IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup in Split, Bernard Kip Lagat also showed brilliance in running strategically and tactically and becoming a champion eventually. He is known for the right time to kick and win in a major race. In most of the races, it looks like there are odds against him, however, he usually triumphs as the champion, eventually.
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.
