Trials 10k: Sol/Teg vs Ritz/Rupp

Rupp, Ritz, and someone else not named Solinsky or Teg.

Why? Because I believe Teg will do the 5k, and I think Solinsky must still be going through a tough time training.

Go check his tweets. Lots of stuff about God, Faith, things will get better, etc. Reads to me like he is desperate to get back to his 2010 form and his body won't let him.

(I have no ill will towards CS...just a feeling I have from his tweets)

He did a decent job closing on Bekele in a 10k once. And he won Footlockers twice and NCAA XC Nationals. Also when he broke the AR for the 2 mile. And last week when he closed on the leaders in the Trials marathon. But yeah, he does always close badly.

I think that to make the team in the 10,000, you will have to be able to go sub 27--not that that will be the time in the trials, but you'll have to be in sub 27 shape. As I type this out, it doesn't sound crazy at all And to make the team in the 5,000 you will have to be able to go sub 13. I think all of this is pretty amazing, whoever makes the team.

dean moriarty wrote:

He did a decent job closing on Bekele in a 10k once. And he won Footlockers twice and NCAA XC Nationals. Also when he broke the AR for the 2 mile. And last week when he closed on the leaders in the Trials marathon. But yeah, he does always close badly.

Not too bright are you?

Nobody said that Ritz was not a great runner or that he has not had some impressive successes. The discussion was regarding closing speed (aka what is his kick like?).

Did he win Footlockers using a devastating kick?

How about when he broke the AR for the 2 mile?

Sorry my good chap but gaining on those who are dying at the end of the race by maintaining a relatively even pace (examples: closing on Bekele - who was surely quaking in his spikes, closing on the leaders in the Trials marathon) is an entirely different matter than the topic which has to do with throwing down a 54 sec last lap to win a 10k.

Please invest the time to learn about the sport before posting.

Thanks.

Teg will try to nail a guy from behind.

Since Ritz's best two miles is 8:11.74 and Bob Kennedy ran 8:11.59, I'm fairly certain Ritz never broke the American two mile record.

1. Rupp

2. Ritz

3. Curtis

4.Trafeh

5. Bauhs

6. Solinsky

7. Moran

Deespest 10,000 trials ever?

1.Solinsky

2. Ritzenhein

3. Rupp

Despite Galen being the AR Holder, Ritz and Solinsky are still better runners than he is. IMHO. They will beat Galen if all 3 of them are in the same race.

If Ritz and Solinsky were in that 10k with Bekele and Rupp, I think they could have beaten Rupp. But I might be way off base.

Teg doesn't run no 10k fool

I know. You are all morons. Obviously Teg won't do the 10k after he got lapped in the 10 this year by Rupp. He's been 4th at Worlds and has run 1258. He used this year to get strong and he'll be back to running fast 5k's this season.

Bauhs, Curtis, Meb, Abdi, Trafeh, Nelson will be the darkhorses in the 10k. I think the team will be Solinsky, Rupp, Ritz. In that order.

The 5k will be Lagat, Teg, Bumbalough.

I am just checking, has Solinsky race more then the one 10K were he set the record ?

I know it was wicked fast but that does not guarantee an olympic team spot a year and a half later. I will go with the three time national champion Rupp, with Ritz and Abdi in an upset 3rd over Chris, if he is healthy.

Salazar didn't have any leg speed but he out-kicked the shit out of people. I'm not sure Ritz can be THAT strong, or feel THAT good at the end of a 10k with the field we have now - but I certainly wouldn't question his leg speed.

But yes - this field is sick. No one has even mentioned Aaron Braun who would have been in the thick of things in 04/08.

Will Torres be trying to qualify in the 10k? Not sure how he's doing after the injury or his race plan.

TGH PDX wrote:

I will go with the three time national champion Rupp, with Ritz and Abdi in an upset 3rd over Chris, if he is healthy.

Why would Abdi run the trials 10,000?

I'm not making fun of you. I honestly wonder if there is some reason you see him doing this.

Yeabutt wrote:

Closing speed? Ritz? What channel have you been watching? Out of Teg, Sol, Rupp, Lagat and Ritz Ritz has by far the least closing speed.

Great. Maybe he will be forced to take the race out hard and we won't see the P#SSYPACK tactics of USATF last year.

if derrick runs the 10k he may be the spoiler for a top 3 spot. he's only run at usas once which was last year after three 10k/5k doubles (pac-10, region, ncaa). not sure if he's schedule will change much this year but he's a year older and a year stronger. the guy has only run about six 10ks on the track, 4 of which were last year. with his ability to perform at big meets he could be a threat.

he's PR is currently 28:26, but i don't think many would disagree he has the ability to go under 28:00 and if he's there with a mile to go he could be dangerous. if you look at the stats for the winner and third place runners at the US Championships over the last 12 years I'd say his odds are pretty good.

US Championships 2000-2011:

winner ave time - 28:07.1

third place ave time - 28:20.3

US Championships (excluded "off years" where this was no team to make - 2002, 2006, 2010)

winner ave time - 28:03.4

third place ave time - 28:18.9

US Olympic Trials (2000, 2004, 2008)

winner ave time - 27:46.7

third place ave time - 28:04

The one catch is that Derrick will most likely have to hit the A standard at the Payton Jordan Invite!

The thread has been all over the place. Not specific to closing speed.

Lets get back to the original point , tactics , who will be that final group ?

For the original start of the post , tactics in trials are up to the individual , his coach , depth of field , climatic conditions etc.

Make the team.

Rupp has risen to a new level above all other americans over 10k this past season. Teg showed well at WC , Scott B. and Bobby may have trouble with Ritz and Sol in the mix if they are healthy in June.

In the end it should be a excellent 10k final to make the team.

Seriously. I think Teg has a decent chance. He did pretty well last year considering all the time off in 2010 and never having run the 10K. If he builds off of that he could be a force this summer while Solinsky has to recover from his injury.

Much of what happens in this race depends on Solinsky's health. He still isn't training with the rest of his group. If he is able to get health and get some good training in, does Shumacher put him in the 5 or the 10, or both. I don't think he puts Teg and Solinsky in the same race. Also, even though he ran well, I didn't get the feeling Teg was in love with the 10. Rupp, Ritz and Solinsky are my choices, with Baughs and a few others (Mack, Pudeskra, etc) in chase. I'm thinking Legat, Teg and Derrick or Heath in the 5.

The 5k will be Lagat, Teg,and ??? Most likely the third guy will be Bumbalough, Jager, or Curtis. Lomong could move up. Vaughn could also run the 5k. I don't know if a collegiate could realistically make the 5k team. Especially if it's fast. Heath, Bayer, Derrick, Fernandez would probably have the best chance.