lolnooo wrote:
All of the following can be true:
1) The concept of an XC 5k national record across multiple courses is dumb.
2) People are overrating the uber-fast times from the RunningLane course.
3) NP’s track performances last week are better than any of Ritz’s HS track performances.
4) Ritz is the HS XC GOAT.
5) Colin Sahlman (and maybe others) is better than Ritz was on track and close enough to him in XC that he is a better HS runner than Ritz overall.
Now see, THIS is called critical thinking and applying logical thought. Two characteristics that the crazed Runninglane / NP fan bois have yet to display. The RL (not NP!) detractors such as myself can concur with #1-4. Absolutely.
#5 is where a bit of subjectivity sneaks in. You could say that, sure. But given the logic (“faster track times outweigh XC achievements”) you’re using, you could say the same for Hunter vs Ritz. Or German Fernandez vs Ritz. Or LV vs Ritz. And even Ches vs Ritz. Or Nico vs Ritz. They all put down more impressive HS track times. And from LV (~2010) onward, it is now an era that we all should be able to admit provides for and rewards (i.e. prestige) fast track performances for HS distance guys. Ritz had to qualify fir USATF senior nats outdoors. He wasn’t invited to any indoor pro meets, didn’t run any Stanford time trials in the spring, or get in the Pre Classic 2M.
Ritz is the HS XC GOAT because none of the runners above put down the type of extraordinary performances he consistently was able to do in XC. He won in dominating fashion AND set dominating records that stand to this day. His 14:10 is the best XC CR in history because there have now been 3 other XC national champions (4 titles- Moore, Fisher x2, Hough) and a few top 5/10 finishes at nationals for MI runners since then, and no one has come within :38. That’s incredible. Same for his 14:35 at Kenosha. Solinsky, LV, Futsum, Hough didn’t come close. His two winning FL times are 14:29 and 14:35. Then he finishes 3rd at WJXC at 8K. Then 4th at NCAA as a freshman, closing on the top 3 in the final mile. Then after close to a year off after injury, he runs for a few months and wins NCAA XC in his 3rd year at CU (beating Hall, who was starting to come into his own).
LV was as unbeatable as Ritz in HS. But not being able to take down Virgin’s record at Detweiller and coming up 10 seconds short of Ritz’s time at Kenosha makes it hard to give him the nod.
Ches is similar. Unbeatable as a junior and senior. Though he ran fast, he often would appear to run just to win. His 2 winning times at Balboa are fast, but several have gone faster. His later NCAA XC dominance was extraordinary, however.
Nico Young beat Methner handily at Nike, and went 7:56 indoors. Came up short on GF’s 14:24 at Woodward, however. He has finished 4th and 11th at NCAA XC now.
Hunter only won 1 FL title in a moderately-fast time after appearing to be going for the record.
GF never won a XC title. The 14:24 is his biggest HS XC achievement. Finished 11th at WJXC as an 18 year old freshman at OSU shortly after going 3:55 and 7:47 indoors. Went on to run 13:25 outdoors.
So put this all together… and consider how a few guys actually ran quite close to the NP guys at RL… and there’s only one logical conclusion as to who is the HS XC GOAT.