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)
Sub - 2 hours - Will this ever happen? Read on.
Picture 1 - Sri Chinmoy predicted that the world record will be sub-2hrs overtime.
The Late Sri Chinmoy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Chinmoy), who was Olympian Carl Lewis' guru, wrote in a book which stated that the world marathon time will get faster over time to the point that it will cross the sub-2hours barrier. Sri Chinmoy, at around age 70, was, in fact, able to carry dignitaries, with one hand. He showed this feat many times to the world. Sri Chinmoy, himself, was able to do an amazing incredible thing that one may say, " It is impossible". Once a newspaper article showed him carrying the then Singapore's top bodybuilder Fantomein Ali, with just one hand, lifting him up fully. Sri Chinmoy had followers who broke several world records. His organisation also had several ultramarathon races going in the USA during the 1990s. Some world records were set in races organised by his group. I was one of those inspired by Sri Chinmoy.
Picture 2 - Sri Chinmoy - Always believed in exercise and yoga
Somewhere in the early 1990s, I read Sri Chinmoy's book about running. He answered several of my questions on running and how to train, improve, and how to become faster etc. He inspired me greatly on why a runner does not have to be a non-vegetarian. He wrote too of the diet to take if one wants to do well etc.
At that time, I knew that the world record holder was Belayneh Dinsamo from Ethiopia, who ran in the Rotterdam Marathon in the year 1998. Belayneh Dinsamo did 2hr 06min 50sec and broke Portuguese Carlos Lopez's world record of 2hr 07min 12sec, which was set on the year 1985.
In the year 1993, when I was studying at Loughborough University of Technology, I did not think that the world record set by Belayneh Dinsamo will be broken. Many felt that the time set was incredible and that it will be impossible to break the 2hr 06min 50sec barrier.
Then, in the year 1998, Ronaldo Da Costa, from Brazil, amazed everyone when he ran and improved the world record to 2hr 06min 05sec, in Berlin Marathon. Shortly after, Moroccan Khalid Khannouchi broke the world marathon record to 2hr 05min 42sec in the Sept 1999 Chicago Marathon. Khalid became a USA citizen later on and he improved his time to 2hr 05min 38sec, his second time breaking the world record. He did this in the London Marathon in the year 2002, Sept.
I thought that from here onwards there will be no more world records to be broken, as it was getting harder to run faster. Then came Paul Tergat of Kenya, 5 times World Cross-Country Champion appeared and he ran in Berlin Marathon, in 2003, September, and did 2hr 04min 55sec.
Picture 3 - (left to right) Daniel Ling, Khalid Khannouchi and I, about to run London Marathon.
Although Paul Tergat had many incredible wins in the World Cross Country races, I still felt that no one will be able to break the world record from then on.
Picture 4 - Haile Gebreselassie and Paul Tergat, great world athletes
Subsequently, Haile Gebreselassie from Ethiopia, who had broken several world records between 1500m and half-marathon races, ran in Berlin Marathon 2007, Sept, and set the world record to 2hr 04min 26sec. Haile switched his races to 10000m to the marathon. His main focus was half-marathon and marathon races.
Picture 5 - (left to right) Rameshon, Haile Gebreselassie and Daniel Ling
From that point, Haile had several ups and downs in marathon races. His success came later to him again. With confidence in bringing the world record further, he answered to the question of a reporter on whether he can do a sub-2hr 04min barrier. He told, "I will show you!". When I was running to complete in the Berlin Marathon 2008, I heard from the announcement that Haile had broken the world record to 2hr 03min 59sec. Haile was commenting to the massive crowd on his incredible feat. That was fantastic.
However, I did a time of 3hr 31min that year. I was a bit disappointed in the race that year. It is still fresh in my mind now.
After September, with the inspirational story of Haile, doing a sub-2hr 04min, I decided to do The Standard Chartered Marathon in the year 2008. In that race, all three of our group runners - consisting of myself, Daniel Ling and Dr Ben Tan - came in first, second and third, respectively.
I did 2hr 49min at the age of 43 years of age and that was the time that Dr Ben Tan, third in the race did his sub - 3hours with us.
Picture 6 - (left to right) We three were first, second and third, with Daniel Ling (2nd), myself (2nd) and Dr Ben Tan (3rd) in Standard Chartered Marathon 2008.
As for the story on progressive world records broken, I felt that the way the world record was broken were thought-provoking. I was very surprised that the world record was still going to get better and better over time. 3 years later, Kenyan Patrick Makau showed that the impossible world record set by Haile could still go down. He ran in the Berlin Marathon, Sept 2011 and he did 2hr 03min 38sec. In the year 2013 year, the world record was broken again and it went down to 2hr 03 min 23sec. The record was done in Berlin Marathon, Sept.
When we minus the world record for the marathon of 2hr 06min 50sec (the year I read that Sri Chinmoy declared that the world record will one day be sub- 2hours) from 2hr 03min 23sec, this gives you 3min 27sec. From the time, I read Sri Chinmoy's book in 1990 till now, the time has improved to 3min 27sec. If we minus the same 2hr 03min 27sec, from the now existing time, it means that in a few years time, there is a possibility of the marathon time going down to sub-2hours time. Then we can say that Sri Chinmoy's prediction was correct.
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.
