Ritz Pulls Out of Chicago Shamrock Shuffle with "Leg Strain"

This is getting ridiculous. If I didn't race every time I felt a strained muscle I would run 3x a year. It's a freakin' 8k, not a marathon!

In other news, michael jackson is dead

Future Headline:

Ritz passes gas,forced to withdraw from this year's race due to strained bung muscle.

"Regrettably, I won't be able to compete in this weekend's race due to a bung strain. I'm sorely (both me and my bung muscle) disappointed to miss out on this year's race, which is shaping up to be the most competitive edition ever, but I'm looking forward to coming back for the marathon on October 13th. I just need to stay away from the beans"

Ritz used to be one of my favorite runners but the amount of times he has dropped out of a race in the past 3 years is insane.

former fan of ritz wrote:

Ritz used to be one of my favorite runners but the amount of times he has dropped out of a race in the past 3 years is insane.

Alternate scenario: Ritz runs not feeling 100%, gets hurt, and the peanut gallery says "Ritz sucks! He's made of glass and always gets hurt!" People are never happy.

collegiate runner wrote:

This is getting ridiculous. If I didn't race every time I felt a strained muscle I would run 3x a year. It's a freakin' 8k, not a marathon!

Distance is not relevant F'tard. Even if it was a 400 a strained muscle is relevant if not more so.

always looking for a big payday......its his living....opts then to not risk injuring himself while running in smaller paying events. Pure economics.

always looking for a big payday......its his living....opts then to not risk injuring himself while running in smaller paying events. Pure economics.

If you run on a calf or hamstring strain, it's extremely painful and only gets worse. If he runs some stupid shamrock shuffle with a sprain, he'll probably mess up his leg so bad he'll wind up like Solinsky.

collegiate runner wrote:

This is getting ridiculous. If I didn't race every time I felt a strained muscle I would run 3x a year. It's a freakin' 8k, not a marathon!

I agree. I mean there is a point where racing is not good. But really, when guys were racing almost weekly to eke out a living of some kind they didn't let every little leg strain get to them.

These guys gotta start racing more.

former fan of ritz wrote:

Ritz used to be one of my favorite runners but the amount of times he has dropped out of a race in the past 3 years is insane.

why does Meb get a pass on all the races he pulls out of each year

Because he's 10 years older and I was expecting a retirement announcement for him LAST year. You're right to ask the question, but he's pushing 40 and not under the tutelage of the GREAT Alberto Salazar, with access to the world's best sports physicians and the best injury prevention methods.

Meb has also done things that Ritz never will so anything he does from now on is just gravy.

viva italia wrote:

former fan of ritz wrote:

Ritz used to be one of my favorite runners but the amount of times he has dropped out of a race in the past 3 years is insane.

Alternate scenario: Ritz runs not feeling 100%, gets hurt, and the peanut gallery says "Ritz sucks! He's made of glass and always gets hurt!" People are never happy.

You mean different people have different opinions? Ridiculous!

I must say that some people who post on this site have the collective IQs of tree stumps. No one here knows the extent of the injury. But even if it is slight, Ritz has Nationals, perhaps Worlds, and the Chicago Marathon coming up. No one in his right mind would risk those to run what is at best a minor race, and surely no one who has Ritz's history of injuries would do so.

I agree with you collegiate runner. "leg strain" is so vague it can mean a million different things. ritz gets "hurt" waaaaaaay too often. if it wernt for nike and all of the gadgets he get to use so he can run, he wouldnt be an elite runner. if he trained like and elite runner from the 70's or 80's he would have no career... period.

Montesquieu wrote:

I must say that some people who post on this site have the collective IQs of tree stumps. No one here knows the extent of the injury. But even if it is slight, Ritz has Nationals, perhaps Worlds, and the Chicago Marathon coming up. No one in his right mind would risk those to run what is at best a minor race, and surely no one who has Ritz's history of injuries would do so.

Agree. This was the right decision for a professional. He has to take the long view, long gone are the days where you just lined up to see who had the bigger balls and wasn't afraid to go out in a blaze of glory.

Track Fan 1979 wrote:

I agree with you collegiate runner. "leg strain" is so vague it can mean a million different things. ritz gets "hurt" waaaaaaay too often. if it wernt for nike and all of the gadgets he get to use so he can run, he wouldnt be an elite runner. if he trained like and elite runner from the 70's or 80's he would have no career... period.

If anybody trained like an elite runner from the 70's or 80's, they would have no career... because it's 2013.

collegiate runner wrote: This is getting ridiculous. If I didn't race every time I felt a strained muscle I would run 3x a year. It's a freakin' 8k, not a marathon!

And if Ritz trained/raced like you, he wouldn't be a three-time Olympian. I guess everyone makes their own choices.