ohio_miler wrote:
Flagpole, there is this guy named Alan Webb, have you heard of him? Some guys tell me he might be in Ritz's league. I vaguely recall a 10k last spring and superiour 5000 and 1500 pr's...
Oops. I meant to add "in cross country". You're right, Webb is clearly in Ritz's class, as are a couple other US runners, but in CC, Ritz and Tegenkamp are it for now as far as I can see -- Hall is close, but only when he's ON -- as has already been stated, he's not always ON.
Something else to remember...for the first time in ages Ritz for the most part has been stress fracture free for a long time (at least for him) this could result in huge prs this year if he stays healthy.
Flagpole Willy wrote:Hall is close, but only when he's ON -- as has already been stated, he's not always ON.
Well....whereas that may be true! you can say the same for Ritz and even Webb in a slightly different way....They are only close to hall....when they are healthy! So whereas hall has been up and down....So has ritz and webb but due to injury.
You make a valid point. I guess really that in my mind, Hall is way more up and down than the other guys, and it seems to not usually be injury related, so I don't know what to make of him. Pretty much if Ritz is healthy, he performs well.
mrr82 wrote:
Flagpole Willy wrote:Hall is close, but only when he's ON -- as has already been stated, he's not always ON.Well....whereas that may be true! you can say the same for Ritz and even Webb in a slightly different way....They are only close to hall....when they are healthy! So whereas hall has been up and down....So has ritz and webb but due to injury.
Flagpole Willy wrote:Ritz and Tegenkamp are it for now as far as I can see
You really aren't thinking too hard before you post.
Tegenkamp's last few XC races, off the top of my head:
Dec 2005 Club Champs (1st)
Nov 2004 NCAA Champs (11th)
Oct 2004 Big Ten Champs (3rd)
What here tells you he's a world-beater? Nothing. Don't get me wrong, I'm massively excited for what Tegenkamp has the chance to do down the road, but to call him out as one of the top two cross country runners in the US is inappropriate at this time. The most recent entry on his cross country resume is almost six years old. He could be great at cross but isn't at the moment.
To discuss American cross country runners and not mention Adam Goucher is wrong.
Sean Middleton wrote:
The most recent entry on his cross country resume is almost six years old.
To clarify, by this I mean the last cross country race that would allow someone to predict a great cross country career ahead of him. Of course I mean Tegenkamp coming 5th in the Jr. race in 2001.
chuck d wrote:
yeah, that 13:04 in 2006 sure wasn't progress. neither were those PRs over a mile and two miles.
Woops.... I meant the 2006 season. Not 2005.
Teg is a one season wonder. He won't break 13:10 again in a long while.
Flagpole Willy wrote:
Hall is close, but only when he's ON -- as has already been stated, he's not always ON.
Webb's proven to be a world finalist caliber runner, while Teg's (13:04) ability to mix it up with the best this season, and Ritz with his flashes (pending good health), seem capable as well. But will Hall ever have the tools to stride it out with the elite African runners in a WC track or XC race?? He's maybe in better shape than the rest, but he resembles a runner in fabulous base/hill phase shape, who doesn't have his gears tuned yet.
chachapstick wrote:
Teg is a one season wonder. He won't break 13:10 again in a long while.
Make sure that you come back on here this summer and admit how ridiculous that prediction was!!!
I beg yr pardon sir ! if Ritz flip-flops from running marathon..track, road races, and XC, god bless him, he will just fade after 3or4 years. keep my words, I am speaking out of experince with great long distance runners from across the world kenya and Ethiopia in particular.