Lots of skeptics of his RunningLane 5k XC "record" said his track times would be the final judge of how he stood against the greats. Clearly, there is no way Ritz would ever take Colin on track. Even in a 5000, Colin's speed gives him the edge.
Colin and Ritz are not in the same league on the track. 1:48/3:56/8:33 are way faster than Ritz ever ran.
I give Ritz the edge in XC still, but not by a ton.
I know Ritz's World Junior XC bronze is legendary but at this point I would give Colin the edge. It's different eras so we'll never know but I know on the track in a 5000 meter race Colin would eat him alive. I don't think XC would make all that much difference. Still, at this point, there's no more reason to doubt Colin's time at RunningLane.
Colin and Ritz are not in the same league on the track. 1:48/3:56/8:33 are way faster than Ritz ever ran.
I give Ritz the edge in XC still, but not by a ton.
I know Ritz's World Junior XC bronze is legendary but at this point I would give Colin the edge. It's different eras so we'll never know but I know on the track in a 5000 meter race Colin would eat him alive. I don't think XC would make all that much difference. Still, at this point, there's no more reason to doubt Colin's time at RunningLane.
How could anyone doubt his time at Running Lane? Lex Young has run 13:43 this spring. How much faster would Colin be than him?
I know Ritz's World Junior XC bronze is legendary but at this point I would give Colin the edge. It's different eras so we'll never know but I know on the track in a 5000 meter race Colin would eat him alive. I don't think XC would make all that much difference. Still, at this point, there's no more reason to doubt Colin's time at RunningLane.
How could anyone doubt his time at Running Lane? Lex Young has run 13:43 this spring. How much faster would Colin be than him?
Sahlman would have given Rupp's 13:37 a real run. If he traveled around Europe running 5,000s like Rupp I say low 13:30s. Lex will rewrite the 5,000 record next year regardless.
These comparisons are so stupid. Let's just stop it. It's impossible to say what Ritz or Webb or Ryan or whomever would have done with the wealth of knowledge and technology we have today. They're all great runners. Leave it at that.
Agreed on the stupid comparisons. The results this Spring prove nothing. Ritz was training 5K his entire Senior Year Spring for the 13:44...Lex was doing the same. Colin has been mile training ever since end of XC. But seriously, no one could ever predict Colin eventually at 12:56 for 5K....way to early to see that upside. Its all about who Colin chooses as his coach going forward.....and if Sean goes pro with Colin and maybe Lex, its a whole different ballgame than coaching a HS program. But he is a quality coach at least.
As far as Ritz and the 13:44, I was at that race, and I can tell you it was a pedestrian pace for a large part of the race...it being for a Nationals title. Bob Kennedy era still. Ritz was just trying to key off people like Jorge and Matt Tegankamp instead of running his race. He was very capable of sub 13:40 at that point, easily.
Super shoes, he could have run 13:34. That 2001 5K nationals race was a really slow pace for a kid trying to beat a long standing 5K record with very little high level racing experience.
Super shoes, he could have run 13:34. That 2001 5K nationals race was a really slow pace for a kid trying to beat a long standing 5K record with very little high level racing experience.
Colin is better overall and probably would’ve beaten Ritz in XC. Gerry Lindgren would’ve beat them both.
Ritz spent his entire senior focused on beating the 5k record. Lex Young — had an injury and still ran 13:43 weeks ago. Ritz ran his time in June.
In any case, Ritz/Webb ushered in a new era of distance running. What I will say, and this is not bc of super shoes but just due to era & expectations is this: if you put Ritz on Newbury Park, he’s their best runner at 5k. But in terms of who actually ran better in HS, it’s Colin.
I still think GF was the most talented distance runner we’ve ever seen — but unfortunately, he maxed out on both ability AND fragility.
Super shoes, he could have run 13:34. That 2001 5K nationals race was a really slow pace for a kid trying to beat a long standing 5K record with very little high level racing experience.
Colin is better overall and probably would’ve beaten Ritz in XC. Gerry Lindgren would’ve beat them both.
Ritz spent his entire senior focused on beating the 5k record. Lex Young — had an injury and still ran 13:43 weeks ago. Ritz ran his time in June.
In any case, Ritz/Webb ushered in a new era of distance running. What I will say, and this is not bc of super shoes but just due to era & expectations is this: if you put Ritz on Newbury Park, he’s their best runner at 5k. But in terms of who actually ran better in HS, it’s Colin.
I still think GF was the most talented distance runner we’ve ever seen — but unfortunately, he maxed out on both ability AND fragility.
Agreed on the stupid comparisons. The results this Spring prove nothing. Ritz was training 5K his entire Senior Year Spring for the 13:44...Lex was doing the same. Colin has been mile training ever since end of XC. But seriously, no one could ever predict Colin eventually at 12:56 for 5K....way to early to see that upside. Its all about who Colin chooses as his coach going forward.....and if Sean goes pro with Colin and maybe Lex, its a whole different ballgame than coaching a HS program. But he is a quality coach at least.
Many coaches have the ability to train distance runners and Sahlman’s future will be a function of avoiding injuries and physical maturity rate. There are many runners that have had outstanding post-HS careers that weren’t coached by Brosnan and with a wide variance in mpw totals, over distance pace and focuses for intervals.
Ritz spent his entire senior focused on beating the 5k record. Lex Young — had an injury and still ran 13:43 weeks ago. Ritz ran his time in June.
GF = German
Unfortunate that Ritz chose a tactical 5K at Nationals to try to beat the record. He was in incredible shape, but in those dog days of elite US distance running (2001), there was just no legitimately fast 5K opportunity before USATF. There was no one capable of running under 13:20 that year in this country. Teg was a brand new pro, and an aged Bob Kennedy was still the king of that race. Ritz was forced into probably the WORST type of race possible for him at that point to run under 13:44, and he still nearly broke the mark.