I honestly think Ritz is making the right move if he feels that his best move will eventually be the marathon. It seems like his priority should be the roads if thats what he wants.
I honestly think Ritz is making the right move if he feels that his best move will eventually be the marathon. It seems like his priority should be the roads if thats what he wants.
[quote]you're on crack wrote:
Yeah he is. "trident" is on crack.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/20/sports/othersports/20sportsbriefs-ritzenhein.html?ref=othersports
Ritz is undecided as to whether or not he will run the Marathon Trials.
My guess is - he'll run it if Mary Wittenburg gives him another hug and kiss and $100k. But that's just a guess.
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In reply to luv2run:
The only reason for there to be a travel advisory in Kenya is that the American embassy there was bombed almost a decade ago. Mombasa is nowhere near the northern or eastern borders, which are a bit more dangerous (due to proximity to Somalia and the Sudan - genuinely nasty places to be, by the way). Kenya is probably one of the safest African countries to travel to.
As another poster mentioned, Mombasa is basically a resort town, or as close as you will get to one north of South Africa. The chief danger there is that you could get scammed or have a wallet stolen.
As for the climate - well, sure it's hot and humid. Have you tried to run in the summer in the Northeast, though?
In other words, I think that all of those (including the elites) who are wittering on about the dangers of Kenya are relying not upon any actual knowledge of Kenya, but on some sort of biased idea of the dangers in Africa. You might as well be saying that athletes traveling to Kenya are likely to be eaten by lions.
Yes, I think that an interview in a newspaper is definitely the most reliable source. You should go with that stance in life and you will be most successful.
trident wrote:
[quote]you're on crack wrote:
Yeah he is. "trident" is on crack.
----------------------------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/20/sports/othersports/20sportsbriefs-ritzenhein.html?ref=othersportsRitz is undecided as to whether or not he will run the Marathon Trials.
My guess is - he'll run it if Mary Wittenburg gives him another hug and kiss and $100k. But that's just a guess.
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Genius! I would do anything for Mary if she offered me $100k. Why the hell not? It's their job, they're professionals, and what's wrong with building a nest egg for when it's time to retire, especially since runners retire at like 35. Dathan is, what, 24? He's got a decade worth of World XC races in his future. I say, take the money when it's there and make a living.We should all be thrilled that runners are finally making money. Screw XC races in malaria-ridden countries.
trident wrote:
My guess is - he'll run it if Mary Wittenburg gives him another hug and kiss and $100k. But that's just a guess.
maybe I wouldn't be quite as violent, but i agree with most of this...one of the better rants on letsrun
Cheap Shot Charlie wrote:
Hey Joe,
The "cheap shot" is Ritz cashing the check that your USATF funds helped to pay for, then not going to Kenya. Ritz and his buddies are helping to trash the sport. At this point I say "fvck'em all" like most people, I'm pretty much done with watching distance events. Ritz just pi$$ed on all of the good vibes that were generated in Boulder 2 short weeks ago. Who is he to say that the team was "not as good" that little 5hitbag came in 3rd! Ritz has to cash in now because he's got nothin' left. When was the last time that he won anything outright? When was the last time that he won anything against anyone of consequence? Who the fvck is he to say 5hit? He has no speed in the last 400m for the 5k or 10k, Alan Webb - a miler - took him down in the 10K, New York kicked him to the curb, Hall, et al took him down in cross last year, Culpepper and Goucher took him out this year, Hall's 10K split was only slightly slower than Ritz's 10K Road Champs win, but Hall ran over 2x the distance, Ritz thought that he was going to medal at Worlds but he went out too fast, died then blamed his woes on his owie.
CSC
Agreed, that was a very good point. I have to say that I agree with someone's choice if they skip a race to prepare for a race down the road- London, Boston. But, when you skip a World Championship for another race a week later- it's bad.
On the flip side- it is their livelihood and keep in mind that it isn't a career like others- get a job at 25, work for 30 years and retire. Their careers as runners could end anytime. They do have to maximize their chances to make money.
So, that gets back to the pay for Boulder issue- it would be fair to say yuo get that paycheck if you compete at worlds.
"Having been to Kenya..." wrote:
"Mombasa is basically a resort town...The chief danger there is that you could get scammed or have a wallet stolen."
In November 2002, a jetliner with 261 people on board taking off from Mombasa's airport was the target of an unsuccessful attack using shoulder-lainched missiles.
Almost simultaneously, a hotel in Mombasa was attacked by a truck bomb. 12 people were killed, over 80 wounded.
No reports of whether these people were scammed or had their wallets stolen.
This is not to say that Mombasa is a shooting gallery like Sarajevo in the late 1990s, but like NYC, it's a generally safe city with a history of terrorist attacks, and it is understandable for people to fear going there.
I'm not arguing against having an opinion. And I see the logic, thopugh I don't necessarily agree.
But if someone's going to hurl dung at a guy, anonymously, calling it an "open comment" is entirely specious.
If anyone's really that incensed, then it's most beneficial to let him know face to face. You know exactly where he'll be on the morning of March 17.
Aside from a recent interview with the NY Times, Dathan, after being stomped on at NYC marathon stated he would not be racing another marathon for a long time, including the Olympic Trials marathon. Now, whether he changes his mind again and again, considering the mental acuity of his Starbucks intoxicated coach, I cannot possibly be sure.
I agree with you, Crack. Running's all about the money. There is so much opportunity in the sport to earn a good living, and it's good to see athletes making money in distance running, creating a nest egg, planning their retirement, etc. Let me count all Americans who earn a living on 1 hand, Dathan-Goucher-Culpepper-Gilmore - oh wait never mind that last one. He doesn't get shoes.
You're right again about not trusting the press. You can't trust the press, but you can trust an anonymous poster whose name is "You're on Crack" on a running message board.
I'm almost positive you're from Boulder, and that explains everything.
Excellent point. I add the AB to my first name just because my last name is so long.
The internet is a lot like the world of cb radio. Anonymity provides a lot of bravodo. Make your point, but do it visibly. Anonymity doesn't weaken the message, but it does weaken the messenger.
Back in my day...cough...I ran for the love of competing...I never made any money by running...But I still ran the best I could...cough...In fact, I once qualified and went to the World XC Championships...It was in Africa...I didn't even know there was such a place...cough...The course was muddy, I couldn't breathe in the thin air, there were ditches and big animals on the course...But I loved it!! These young hip runners nowadays...cough, cough...They have the fancy shoes, clothes and even dark glasses...They think they are fast and look tough...but they are NOT!! Back in my day, they would be called softies, lightweights, fancy feet...I tell ya...They are afraid to race against the best...
Old Man Moses wrote:
Back in my day...cough...I ran for the love of competing...I never made any money by running...But I still ran the best I could...cough...In fact, I once qualified and went to the World XC Championships...It was in Africa...I didn't even know there was such a place...cough...The course was muddy, I couldn't breathe in the thin air, there were ditches and big animals on the course...But I loved it!! These young hip runners nowadays...cough, cough...They have the fancy shoes, clothes and even dark glasses...They think they are fast and look tough...but they are NOT!! Back in my day, they would be called softies, lightweights, fancy feet...I tell ya...They are afraid to race against the best...
well said
trident wrote:
Aside from a recent interview with the NY Times, Dathan, after being stomped on at NYC marathon stated he would not be racing another marathon for a long time, including the Olympic Trials marathon.
I think 90% of runners say they'll never run a marathon again after completing a marathon. At least I do every time.
trident wrote:
Now, whether he changes his mind again and again, considering the mental acuity of his Starbucks intoxicated coach, I cannot possibly be sure.
Caffeine has been shown to increase mental sharpness.
trident wrote:
I agree with you, Crack. Running's all about the money. There is so much opportunity in the sport to earn a good living, and it's good to see athletes making money in distance running, creating a nest egg, planning their retirement, etc. Let me count all Americans who earn a living on 1 hand, Dathan-Goucher-Culpepper-Gilmore - oh wait never mind that last one. He doesn't get shoes.
I didn't say it was all about money. I said I want some. Of it. Money, that is.
trident wrote:
You're right again about not trusting the press. You can't trust the press, but you can trust an anonymous poster whose name is "You're on Crack" on a running message board.
Yes, but I should trust someone who names themselves after a coffee shop? Is that where you were when you posted all these posts? Or do you really like gum?
trident wrote:
I'm almost positive you're from Boulder, and that explains everything.
Almost is not good enough. Unless you want to say that I am almost from Boulder, which would be more accurate than saying you're almost positive that I am from Boulder.
Now I'm not "almost" positive you're from Boulder. I'm positive. "Positive" meaning "certain" or "without doubt" or "undeniably assured", etc. Especially considering you seem to know a coffee shop in Boulder called "trident" - I'm not a cracked-out elitist hippy sipping organic Rooibos herb tea quibbling over the letters to the editor section of the Daily Camera, pondering the groovy yet unexplained social phenomena known as the "CU student body/
Football team" and the renegade city council druggie DUI fiend Richard Polk or the ever-enduring idiocy of Boulder District Attorny Mary Lacy or the evolution of the Croc stock in the market place, etc.
You're an example of the reason so many people, who actually know Boulder, move away from Boulder, as I did 7 years ago. And no I'm not referring to the Trident bookshop in the west end of Pearl St. I'm a classical mythology buff.
Caffeine does in fact stimulate mental alertness, untill you begin directly injecting into your brain, as Hudson seems to do on a daily basis. That's just not healthy.
I totally agree with Sean it's not about money. Most people who post on here talk a big game and like to complain about the top Americans not running. I would like to see what they would do if for their job they were asked to go to Kenya and there was:
1. The real chance of Muslims protesting and stopping the event you were going to.
2. Atheletes from Kenya have been kidnapped recently (oh by the way an American would be a big target also)
3. You need lots of shots, need to bring water and you probably will get sick anyway.
The Americans show up and compete at The World Track and Field Championships and at the Olympics. Events that are held in places that at least you can drink the water.
Take out the "Muslim" part and insert some other group and the same could be said for any border town, tourist town, etc. in Mexico or South America.
You really need shots if you go to or come from Tijuana or anywhere in Mexico, but we need domestic help, so we look the other way. Kenya is probably more civilized than most of Mexico.
Ritz and the boys are pu55in' out.
They get booed the next time I see them.
Regarding Trident being a crackhead, unless he is the one who coaches those boys in Boulder, then it is doubtful.
1. The real chance of Muslims protesting and stopping the event you were going to.
2. Atheletes from Kenya have been kidnapped recently (oh by the way an American would be a big target also)
3. You need lots of shots, need to bring water and you probably will get sick anyway.