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)
Paul Thompson
Picture 1 - Paul Thompson and I, after a 12km run at MacRitchie Reservoir. (Courtesy of Mr Lawrence Ang, Anglo Chinese Sch)
Currently working in the USA
The Joe Kleinerman 10K was the final race of the New York Road Runners team points series for 2010, the same day as Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon race. It was held in sub-freezing weather with winds gusting to 24 miles per hour. However, a yearlong battle in the men's 40+ division was won on this last possible opportunity by Warren Street, who edged their rivals Urban Athletics to take the yearly championship. One of the runners who ran for Warren Street in the 40+ team race was Paul Thompson. His team emerged as champions.
Picture 2 - Rated 2nd in the US and UK in 2010 RANKING for 40-44 years of the age group for the half-marathon (2010 New York City Half-Marathon 1hr 09min 09sec.)
A Meaningful Meeting With Paul Thompson
On 19th September 2010, I met Paul Thompson for a 12km run. We ran together and chatted. The Salomon Trail Run was also taking place on that day. Both Paul Thompson and I are 40+ and still keeping ourselves fit in order to keep away from sickness and diseases. We discussed on relevant things before Paul left Singapore for the US, where he is currently working.
Injury
I found that Paul has my type of ITB problem and hence he has reduced his mileage by 50%. At the same time, he is helping some people in realising their potentials by coaching. He told me that he feels a sense of achievement training them and some of them are doing very well.
We also discussed on running problems nowadays which tends to be ITB problem. It is a new problem. I shared that new shoes nowadays tend to correct the wrong running style. However, this makes some of the muscles, especially, maybe the abductors, to become weaker, hence making us to have tight and weak ITB. I told him that barefoot running is the natural running style and we are going back to where we had started.
We realised that the ITB problem can lead to a meniscus tear and ligament to be torn. Anyone who want themselves not to be injured should focus a little more attention on stretching and strengthening. Right now, Paul has been doing icing of the ITB area and do some stretches to loosen the muscles there. Once Paul's injury gets better, he wants to go back to his usual mileage again.
Age 30+
Paul shared with me that it was at age 30+ that he took up running seriously. During teenage years, and as a young adult, he was not that serious in running. After 30 years of age, I can clearly remember Paul doing 1hr 08min in half-marathon in Singapore, where our own local champion was doing 1hr 17min for the run. That run, for me, was phenomenal and it is still vivid in my memory.
I told Paul that after doing 2hrs 24mins 22sec achievement for the marathon race during the Cheingmai, SEA Games 1995, I had been coming in first in Singapore long distances races (5000m onwards until the marathon distance) in all the local races and found things less challenging and at the age of 29+ decided to give up on serious running. I also told him that it was after quitting of serious running that, a few months later, Paul came to Singapore to race. If Paul had been in Singapore earlier, this would have given me the motivation to run and improve in running, especially my personal best times.
Coaching
Paul was giving his suggestions to me that our organisers should organise races during cooler times of the day and not during hot hours. I told him that the cross-country times of the past were 1 minute faster. Right now, the times are 1 minute slower. He told me that if the races are held in the cooler part of the day, the timing of the athletes, as a whole, will improve. Paul lamented that some of the races that he had seen starts at 3pm/4pm, where the performance will definitely be hampered rather than improvement in performance.
Rene Hererra, the Philippines runner, who is 4 times winner of 3000m steeplechase race in SEA Games (2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009) was able to come in first in Singapore Open Track and Field Race (9min 12.92sec). However, he showed his disappointment he had over the timing as it was far away from his PB and cited to me that the hot sun was the cause of him not to do well even though he won the race. In Asian Games 2010, in Guangzhou, recently, he came in 8th doing a time of 9min 02.93sec, so much better than Singapore Open timing.
Astrand and Rodahl (1970), foremost researchers in Exercise Physiology, have stated that it is not a good idea to put races in the hot afternoon as dehydration will take place. Dehydration means performance impairment, which is shown in nearly all studies. Paul found that nothing much has changed in the track and field arena. In the Controllability Dimension of Sports Psychology, on the things that can be changed, this is something that an athlete cannot do anything about and are not in control.
Rene Hererra, the Philippines runner, who is 4 times winner of 3000m steeplechase race in SEA Games (2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009) was able to come in first in Singapore Open Track and Field Race (9min 12.92sec). However, he showed his disappointment he had over the timing as it was far away from his PB and cited to me that the hot sun was the cause of him not to do well even though he won the race. In Asian Games 2010, in Guangzhou, recently, he came in 8th doing a time of 9min 02.93sec, so much better than Singapore Open timing.
Astrand and Rodahl (1970), foremost researchers in Exercise Physiology, have stated that it is not a good idea to put races in the hot afternoon as dehydration will take place. Dehydration means performance impairment, which is shown in nearly all studies. Paul found that nothing much has changed in the track and field arena. In the Controllability Dimension of Sports Psychology, on the things that can be changed, this is something that an athlete cannot do anything about and are not in control.
The YOG races in Singapore and Malaysia races of SUKMA were all held in cooler times of the day allowing many athletes to do many personal bests.
So far, if you look at the half-marathon and marathon time of the race usually the start is during the cooler times of the day for Army Half-Marathon and the Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon 2010, respectively. However, Paul feels that more needs to be done for the track during the cooler part of the day.
So far, if you look at the half-marathon and marathon time of the race usually the start is during the cooler times of the day for Army Half-Marathon and the Singapore Standard Chartered Marathon 2010, respectively. However, Paul feels that more needs to be done for the track during the cooler part of the day.
Salomon Trail Run
After our easy run, we went to watch the Salomon Run. Paul told me that he could have registered and run in the veteran category and win the race. The first runner coming in was a Gurkha Regiment runner. After seeing the race, Paul and I left MacRitchie Reservoir. I told Paul since he is an accomplished runner, who has raced in Singapore for a long time, to provide answers to my interview questions for the benefit of our athletes. To this, he chuckled and said, "Of course", and gladly came forward to offer answers to the interview questions.
Reference
Asian Games 2010 Results
1 Tareq Mubarak Taher BRN 24.3.84 8:25.89
2 Kamal Ali Thamer QAT 12.11.88 8:26.27 SB
3 Ali Ahmed Al-Amri KSA 28.12.87 8:30.96 SB
4 Zakaria Ali Kamal QAT 25.3.88 8:38.71
5 Tsuyoshi Takeda JPN 22.1.87 8:41.26
6 Elam Singh IND 21.2.82 8:47.34
7 Wu Wen-Chien TPE 9.6.77 9:00.80
8 Rene Herrera PHI 24.5.79 9:02.93
Picture 3 - Rene Herrera, Rameshon, Thangavelu (former SEA Games gold medalist) and Yong Liang. Singapore Open race and Asian Games are warm-up races for the upcoming SEA Games for Rene
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.
2 Kamal Ali Thamer QAT 12.11.88 8:26.27 SB
3 Ali Ahmed Al-Amri KSA 28.12.87 8:30.96 SB
4 Zakaria Ali Kamal QAT 25.3.88 8:38.71
5 Tsuyoshi Takeda JPN 22.1.87 8:41.26
6 Elam Singh IND 21.2.82 8:47.34
7 Wu Wen-Chien TPE 9.6.77 9:00.80
8 Rene Herrera PHI 24.5.79 9:02.93
Picture 3 - Rene Herrera, Rameshon, Thangavelu (former SEA Games gold medalist) and Yong Liang. Singapore Open race and Asian Games are warm-up races for the upcoming SEA Games for Rene
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.
