Ritz or Webb?

I'd take Matt Withrow over either of those two.

Worst --> Best chance:

Webb, Goucher, Ritz

Hall, Gotcher, Arcinaga.

I love Meb but I just don't see him making the team.

webb remains a talent i am curious i give him most chance. It might sound stupid but he did beat rupp at the turkey trot race. And his talent is just phenomenal. If he does not get injured this year and can do 60 to 70 mile weeks an d crosstraining and maybe gain back some weight he has the biggest shot by far.

It's tough to say anyone has a lock on the marathon spot, except maybe Hall. The marathon is SO unpredictable. But the 1500 (and 5000m) has just been so strong recently, and Webb has not really raced consistently for a loooong time. So I'll have to go with Ritz. It'd be a much easier call if Ritz would go for the 10k, but I understand why he's choosing the marathon. Higher risk, higher reward. I'd love to see Ritz break the AR in the 10k, because he's certainly capable of it.

xcrunner710 wrote:

Hall, Gotcher, Arcinaga.

I love Meb but I just don't see him making the team.

Good call on Gotcher. He's a stud, and well capable of making the team.

Meb is a good racer, and back in what, '09, people were saying he was done, then he went on to win NYC Marathon. He's proven he can race well when it counts. His biggest challenge: staying healthy.

I think Ritz can take Hall's spot. At the least, one of the top 3 in the marathon will from McMillan's group.

Does anyone think Webb would try the marathon?

Webb also has a 3:48 mile under his belt. Now he is getting beaten by US runners he would of dismissed like flys in 2007. Now a handful of sub 3:35 guys stand in Webb's way at the national level.

Maybe Scott and Spivey could coach him. They are the last American born milers to medal in a world championships.

When Spivey broke 3:50 at age 30 was that the oldest 3:49 mile run by a runner who is not African.

Remember, both Webb and Ritz are injury prone. You have to take that into consideration.

To think that Hall won't be on the team is...wishful thinking for some...and stupid for others. Even on a off day he runs faster than any other "challengers". The US is very weak after Hall.

Ritz

joe9090 wrote:

Webb also has a 3:48 mile under his belt. Now he is getting beaten by US runners he would of dismissed like flys in 2007. Now a handful of sub 3:35 guys stand in Webb's way at the national level.

3:46 yo.

The thing about Ritz is that if he can make it to the starting line he runs well. He almost never totally bombs out. He also has proven he can get in shape fast. His build up for Beijing started very late due to injury and he was able to run his best competitive marathon to date in tough conditions. So my vote goes to Ritz, with Webb you never know what you are going to get.

Miky LM wrote:

Remember, both Webb and Ritz are injury prone.

Let's leave Alan's brain sprains (head case) out of the discussion!

Seriously, dude is probably the most high-profile head-case, biggest disappointment and most unlikely to live up to expectations.

Big deal, he ran 3:47 on a time-trial track. I ran 3:49 and 1:53, but one day in dual meet with no pressure I ripped off a 3:45... but never came close to that in a big race. The best guys I raced against ran their fastest in the biggest meets. I wasn't at the level where you race tactically -- in the 3:50s in college, you just run your balls off & the fastest guy wins.

Either you have a killer instinct or you don't. He would rather be at home knitting or sorting his button collection. I see a lot of myself in him, although my highs were never as high, and my lows were never as low.

RichBee wrote:

Let's leave Alan's brain sprains (head case) out of the discussion!

Seriously, dude is probably the most high-profile head-case, biggest disappointment and most unlikely to live up to expectations.

Big deal, he ran 3:47 on a time-trial track. I ran 3:49 and 1:53, but one day in dual meet with no pressure I ripped off a 3:45... but never came close to that in a big race. The best guys I raced against ran their fastest in the biggest meets. I wasn't at the level where you race tactically -- in the 3:50s in college, you just run your balls off & the fastest guy wins.

Either you have a killer instinct or you don't. He would rather be at home knitting or sorting his button collection. I see a lot of myself in him, although my highs were never as high, and my lows were never as low.

3:30.54 in a big meet to win.

The fact is, sadly, that Alan Webb is done-- he will never again run under 3:50 (maybe 3:53) in the mile, under 3:35 in the 1500. I was a huge fan of his-- I was/am a running nerd, like a lot of us; when that class of 2001 hit college (Webb, Ritz, Hall, etc.) I was sure they were going to change American distance running. To some extent, as they've all set American records, they have. But you also look at Webb and feel a lot of frustration-- I can recall 5 good races from him. 2 good 1500s, 2 great miles, and the Big Ten cross country meet his freshman year at Michigan... what is there to say? He's had a great career in some aspects, and in other ways he's been the greatest disappointment in American running history (went toe-to-toe with African runners as an 18 year old, and never quite managed it again). So who's going to make the 2012 squad? Ritzenhein-- who just last summer opened the door for other American runners (including Lagat) by breaking the enormous mental barrier of 13 in the 5k-- he's less talented than Webb, and has always been, but is twice the runner.

Are you comparing your 1500m time to webbs mile time?

outlaw wrote:

... He can get into shape quickly and can race well when it counts...

which Webb are you talking about?