Official Dathan Ritzenhein Thread

GVSU

Just a kid wrote:

GVSU

GTFO

WTHNUIL

donezo. intermittent flashes of bright brilliance (AR 5k, world half marathon champs, world xc champs) mixed with overtly pervasive periods of injury and overtraining.

One of the most talented American distance runners of all time. Injury prone and was held together for the last 5 years with Nike smoke and mirrors. Will be considered a favorite to make the 2016 Olympic Marathon team even though he will not have done anything significant in the previous 3 years.

truth detector wrote:

One of the most talented American distance runners of all time. Injury prone and was held together for the last 5 years with Nike smoke and mirrors. Will be considered a favorite to make the 2016 Olympic Marathon team even though he will not have done anything significant in the previous 3 years.

Nike must have some good smoke then since his personal bests from 5k-marathon and only senior medal have all come in the last five years, give or take a couple months.

casual commentary wrote:

truth detector wrote:

One of the most talented American distance runners of all time. Injury prone and was held together for the last 5 years with Nike smoke and mirrors. Will be considered a favorite to make the 2016 Olympic Marathon team even though he will not have done anything significant in the previous 3 years.

Nike must have some good smoke then since his personal bests from 5k-marathon and only senior medal have all come in the last five years, give or take a couple months.

are you implying that the medal from the world half is anywhere near the value of a medal from a real WC (outdoor track, for example)?

Nope, not at all. But when your competition is the world record holder for the distance, a medal isn't half bad.

casual commentary wrote:

Nike must have some good smoke then since his personal bests from 5k-marathon and only senior medal have all come in the last five years, give or take a couple months.

All those personal bests were from Hudson's training. Was he with Nike back then too?

casual commentary wrote:

Nope, not at all. But when your competition is the world record holder for the distance, a medal isn't half bad.

Okay. I'll grant that that was a great performance to cap a monster year...possible that truth detector was excluding it as it occurred at the end of the 2009 season, so 5 years being the 2010-2014 seasons, he hasn't accomplished much in that time other than a couple of mediocre (by world class standards) marathons.

Bring Back the 880 wrote:

casual commentary wrote:

Nope, not at all. But when your competition is the world record holder for the distance, a medal isn't half bad.

Okay. I'll grant that that was a great performance to cap a monster year...possible that truth detector was excluding it as it occurred at the end of the 2009 season, so 5 years being the 2010-2014 seasons, he hasn't accomplished much in that time other than a couple of mediocre (by world class standards) marathons.

He has accomplished a hell of a lot more than pretty much any other american distance runner other than galen or meb.

He's pretty good.

casual commentary wrote:

He has accomplished a hell of a lot more than pretty much any other american distance runner other than galen or meb.

The goal isn't to be good compared to other Americans. It is to be good compared to the test of the world.

casual commentary wrote:He has accomplished a hell of a lot more than pretty much any other american distance runner other than galen or meb.

since '09? I'll take Martinez, Simpson, Flanagan, Solomon, Symmonds, Lagat, & Jager just off the top of my head. Hall has been pretty sporadic, but his marathon record of 2010 & 2011 is still better than anything Dathan has done in that time. Looking it up, I think Ritz has won only a single national title in the past 5 year (2010 XC).

Not trying to discount his career...he was a great runner, but I think his time passed a while ago.

oood wrote:

The goal isn't to be good compared to other Americans. It is to be good compared to the test of the world.

So how are you compared to the rest of the world?

Et tu wrote:

oood wrote:

The goal isn't to be good compared to other Americans. It is to be good compared to the test of the world.

So how are you compared to the rest of the world?

Devilishly handsome

Just don't understand him. Not too long ago he was doing all of his training on grass because of his injury history . Now in his preparation for Philly he runs a 20 mile tempo run followed 2 days later by a session on what looks like an asphalt surface . This session consisting of 4 x 3k. Seems he has learned v little about managing his injury problems . Any decent coach would have advised that this was unwise.

Bring Back the 880 wrote:

casual commentary wrote:He has accomplished a hell of a lot more than pretty much any other american distance runner other than galen or meb.

since '09? I'll take Martinez, Simpson, Flanagan, Solomon, Symmonds, Lagat, & Jager just off the top of my head. Hall has been pretty sporadic, but his marathon record of 2010 & 2011 is still better than anything Dathan has done in that time. Looking it up, I think Ritz has won only a single national title in the past 5 year (2010 XC).

Not trying to discount his career...he was a great runner, but I think his time passed a while ago.

Sorry,american MALE distance runner, and I don't consider symmonds or jager to be distance runners. I agree that his time has passed, but the last 5 or maybe 6 years were his prime. Saying he has been held together by smoke and mirrors during that time discounts what he has accomplished.

You don't consider a 13:02 5K guy to be a distance runner? Thats some logic.