Ritz Running London

Giddy wrote:

When marathoning is your job, you can't afford NOT to run a big time marathon. The reality of the situation for a guy like Ritz, when he isn't in prime form is go through the motions...

"yea, absolutely, this is the best I've ever trained, I feel good, and I think if things go well, I have a shot at winning!"... before the race knowing full well it's a dog a pony show to make sure that there is hype....

then after the race, you get the real scoop "my 822nd metatarsal in my (insert some obscure bone) was ailing me from a freak injury that occurred one day when I stood up to get some lemonade..."

The goal here is for him to run well enough to make sure he gets appearance fees from other races and to be invited back and sustain a level of income, not necessarily to gun for the win.

When your job is running, you don't get paid to sit at home... the marathons pay much better than a 5k or 10k in Oslo or a British American dual meet in Edinburgh.

So, he has 14 weeks, my guess is that the same thing will happen... he'll say how well things went in his preparations and how he's hoping for a PR, he had some minor aches and pains along the way, but overall, he's content with his buildup... raceday comes, he runs 2:09:00 or 2:09:30 and was never in it, takes like 8th. After the race, you'll get your usual American response that a month prior he suffered a contusion in the muscle sheath behind (insert obscure bone here) while stepping on a curb walking into Starbucks, and how he's looking forward for a strong fall marathon.... the cycle continues...

The fact of the matter is, unless these guys want to sacrifice half of their yearly income, they just don't have a choice of not running and getting completely healthy... especially when he won't get paid for the trials or the Olympics.

It's shitty cycle... and while it must kill that guy to run for a top 8 spot instead of going for the win, he pretty much has to do it and hope the race ends up presenting him an opportunity to win instead of the other way around....

Best of luck to him.

Out-of-Wedlock-Danny wrote:

Giddy wrote:

When marathoning is your job, you can't afford NOT to run a big time marathon. The reality of the situation for a guy like Ritz, when he isn't in prime form is go through the motions...

"yea, absolutely, this is the best I've ever trained, I feel good, and I think if things go well, I have a shot at winning!"... before the race knowing full well it's a dog a pony show to make sure that there is hype....

then after the race, you get the real scoop "my 822nd metatarsal in my (insert some obscure bone) was ailing me from a freak injury that occurred one day when I stood up to get some lemonade..."

The goal here is for him to run well enough to make sure he gets appearance fees from other races and to be invited back and sustain a level of income, not necessarily to gun for the win.

When your job is running, you don't get paid to sit at home... the marathons pay much better than a 5k or 10k in Oslo or a British American dual meet in Edinburgh.

So, he has 14 weeks, my guess is that the same thing will happen... he'll say how well things went in his preparations and how he's hoping for a PR, he had some minor aches and pains along the way, but overall, he's content with his buildup... raceday comes, he runs 2:09:00 or 2:09:30 and was never in it, takes like 8th. After the race, you'll get your usual American response that a month prior he suffered a contusion in the muscle sheath behind (insert obscure bone here) while stepping on a curb walking into Starbucks, and how he's looking forward for a strong fall marathon.... the cycle continues...

The fact of the matter is, unless these guys want to sacrifice half of their yearly income, they just don't have a choice of not running and getting completely healthy... especially when he won't get paid for the trials or the Olympics.

It's shitty cycle... and while it must kill that guy to run for a top 8 spot instead of going for the win, he pretty much has to do it and hope the race ends up presenting him an opportunity to win instead of the other way around....

Best of luck to him.

Post of the year.

trialswatcher wrote:

Someone, help me out here. Malmo?

So, Ritz did not have enough base under him for NY, so says Alberto. isn;t he currently dinged up, too dinged to have run the Cross race?

Now he has about 10-11 weeks prior to taper? How is that going to work?

Plus, , so he runs the Marathon, then has to go easy for a period to recover at least some, then I would assume he is going to try and run something to qualify for Worlds in track I would hope, which are in July?

I just do not get the focus, and how it would work?

How is this enough prep for a major marathon given he just had to scratch?

I would think they would have reversed it, prep long and well for Track and Worlds, base up and prep for possibles in either that/or 2012 Marathon if they see having to stay in that event, which I do not at this point at all.