Ritz running Tampa Half and NYC Half

Average guy wrote:

kem wrote:

Got to collect that appearance fee. Well get the hype for the race, then withdraw due to "injury" Im always surprised when I see that he's on the starting line and actually finishes races theses days. Still sceptical that we will see him at the start line for Boston in a few months. The entrants for this NY half look good, cue Ritz withdrawing with a sudden injury..

You're an idiot.

Yes- I think the top runners would be more popular and would make more money if they ran more races to collect appearance fees.

If they were low key (for them) they would be glorified training runs- they would be in the public eye, getting headlines, and even meeting the people after the race.

Way to go Ritz!

Oh, like they did in the 80's?

Victorious88 wrote:

I loved what Ritz said after USA XC. It's all about getting out there and racing. Conditions aren't always going to be ideal. You may not always be at the top of your game. But you still gotta get out there and compete and work. That's what the sport is missing. Most top guys seem to only want to race when the planets are aligned and everything is absolutely perfect. Ritz didn't have to go run that 12K XC race and he said he wasn't even really prepared. But as a fan of the sport I'm damn sure glad he did run it.

THIS

Why wrote:

Raysism wrote:

There is zero chance Ritz is running sub-1:04 here on Sunday. It'll feel nice to me, but to him it will feel like a swamp.

Why do you not think he'll run sub 1:04? Just curious on why you think that. Not trying to call to out. I feel that there's a chance since he's almost back into normal training. He may not run sub 1:04 but it's not completely out of the equation at all. He's been doing very well in those xc races. I know the weather won't be great but I still think he'll have a decent showing. I'm predicting 1:03:45.

Sorry, just got back to this. The Gasparilla course is awful for a fast time. Even if he lucks out on the humidity/heat side (which he might this year), it's going to be dead into the wind one direction or the other. I'd love to see him run sub-1:04, but Bayshore in February has humbled a number of elite runners over the years (Hall, the guys last year, etc.)

I think I saw him out running this morning -- hopefully I get a chance to meet him. I think it's great that he's running a second tier race, even if the Gasparilla officials are too incompetent to take advantage of it.

what has ryan hall run on the course over the last couple of years?

Hall ran 43:23 when he was attempting the American record.

My money is on him being a DNS in at least 2 out of 3 (the Tampa 1/2, NYC half, and Boston). Not a hater, but his injuries make me sad.