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)
5km - A sub-16min time - Going one notch up
Picture 1 - I knew that Ashley will definitely do a sub- 16min anytime soon after knowing his recent workout times
When I was training in the past, about 17 years of age, I used to see one of our fellow runners in Swift Club by the name of Ramasamy doing 16min 00sec for a number of times. At that time, I used to do a 16min 30sec. I used to think that doing a sub-16min is beyond comprehension.
Over a period of time, after serving my National Service, I came back to serious running when I joined the College of Physical Education as a trainee teacher. I was not able to run a sub-16min until I was a teacher at Clementi Town Secondary School. Before I finish my three years of teaching there, I did one 15min 51sec and an about three 15m 55sec to 15min 56sec in Singapore. I was usually coming in first and there was no competition for me.
At that time, I trained N. Ganesan, a former national record holder for 5km, who did 14min 57sec in Germany in the 1990s. Earlier on, I brought my time down to 15min 31sec in the Singapore Open 5km race, while I helped N. Ganesan to do a 15min 41sec in that same race. Later on, I went for my further studies at Loughborough University. Ganesan went under other coaches and finally did 14min 57sec.
Studying in England, I shelved the idea of running 5km races and concentrated in marathon purely. I did 2hr 29min in the London Marathon 1993 and four months later do a 2hr 28min in Berlin Marathon 1993.
What does a 5km sub-16min time mean
It simply means that one is no more running a schoolboys' race. A sub- 16 mins time for 5km means one may go through a physical burnout or mental burnout if one does not train without proper training, guidance and race preparation. If the training cycle goes wrong, one may give up running overtime. This nearly happened to me and N. Ganesan.
It is a point where one has to be independent enough to take care of the training cycle so that the mileage training and speed training are planned very well.
In my life, it is now good to see Ashley doing a sub-16min finally after relentless attempts to go down in timing. He is the second in line of my coaching career to do a sub-16min and I am proud of him. Many had given up for various reasons and to do a sub-16min needs a lot of sacrifices, especially time, money and effort.
Not only this but we have to be careful of recovery methods and it must be done properly. One should be vigilant about an injury. A sub-16min athlete will one day do a sub - 15min over time when one is running consistently.
I believe that without injury and with persistence in running, over time, Ashley has the potential of doing a sub- 14min 30sec in the near future. This is my take.
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.
