I'm not bashing him. I don't know anything about his current health. But isn't his best performance the 10k he ran in college? I know he ran a few seconds faster last spring, but that was after becoming a professional runner. Wouldn't his 10k from college, and even his NCAA win rank as his best performances? I wish him well and hope he reaches his goals.
I would say his 3rd place at world junior xc would be his best performance.
I second the World Junior finish. I also was in the stands in Eugene for his near miss of Lindgren's 5K, pretty impressive.
How many of you believe Ritz has been a better runner post-Olympic and BH-coached vs. pre-Olympics Wetmore coached?
I believe that. You are correct.
I think his USATF cross win was impressive. He ran away from that field.
I really think it's his 3rd place finish at the Great North half marathon. He finished only 20 seconds behind Ramaala and beat some really solid competitors.
13:27 as a true freshman in college was absolutely stunning. Who else has approached that?
Sagarin wrote:
13:27 as a true freshman in college was absolutely stunning. Who else has approached that?
I like Ritz but let's face it 13:27 as a true 19 1/2 year old "true freshman" isn't all that impressive.
All time US Junior list
13:32.0+ Gerry Lindgren (WaSt)........7/10/65
13:38.39 Franklyn Sanchez (Gtn).......3/31/01
13:39.6 Steve Prefontaine (Or).......7/16/70
13:40.8+ Prefontaine............4/25/70
13:44.0 Lindgren (WaHS)........6/ 4/64
13:44.6+ Garry Bjorklund (Mn).........5/30/70
13:44.70 Dathan Ritzenhein (MiHS).....6/22/01
13:45.0+ Lindgren (WaHS)........8/15/64
13:45.2 Don Clary (Or)...............4/17/76
13:45.4 Lindgren (WaSt)........8/ 7/65
13:47.8 Alberto Salazar (Or).........4/ 9/77
13:48.39 Jim Hill (Or)................5/10/80
13:48.3 Thom Hunt (Az)...............6/14/77
13:48.5 Alan Scharsu (PennSt)........4/26/79
Fair enough, but WHAT Americans have gone faster at the age of 19?
None
They say its your birthday wrote:
All time US Junior list
13:32.0+ Gerry Lindgren (WaSt)........7/10/65
13:38.39 Franklyn Sanchez (Gtn).......3/31/01
13:39.6 Steve Prefontaine (Or).......7/16/70
what happened to this Franklyn Sanchez guy? Sandwiched between Lindgren and Pre in the year 2001 really stands out.
shouldn't there be a G Rupp in there?
They say its your birthday wrote:
All time US Junior list
13:32.0+ Gerry Lindgren (WaSt)........7/10/65
13:38.39 Franklyn Sanchez (Gtn).......3/31/01
13:39.6 Steve Prefontaine (Or).......7/16/70
13:40.8+ Prefontaine............4/25/70
13:44.0 Lindgren (WaHS)........6/ 4/64
13:44.6+ Garry Bjorklund (Mn).........5/30/70
13:44.70 Dathan Ritzenhein (MiHS).....6/22/01
13:45.0+ Lindgren (WaHS)........8/15/64
13:45.2 Don Clary (Or)...............4/17/76
13:45.4 Lindgren (WaSt)........8/ 7/65
13:47.8 Alberto Salazar (Or).........4/ 9/77
13:48.39 Jim Hill (Or)................5/10/80
13:48.3 Thom Hunt (Az)...............6/14/77
13:48.5 Alan Scharsu (PennSt)........4/26/79
So what you're saying is that no 19-year old Americans have ever run as fast as Ritz's 13:27, but you are saying that it wasn't an impressive performance given his age?
Until he turned pro, every race was his greatest performance.
What about last year's 10k w/ Webb
or the Great North Run
Could have been NYC until the last 2k
Withrow 13:35 as a true frosh
Withrow is shit right now. And that 13:35 is STILL slower than the 13:27 Ritz ran....by kind of a lot. Look at it this way.....Ritz ran as a freshman what Solinsky ran as a redshirt junior.
Collegiate 10K AR, followed by his Big 12 win, jet-lagged double...which of course led to his demise prior to the oLYMPICS. Impressive, just not incredibly smart.
how about 13:16
beating a fit hall, dobson, goucher, and being pretty damn competitive with a guy who went on to run 13:04 that year
A 13:27 as a 19-year old freshman is unparalleled, simply put. The American-born collegiate record of 27:38 is as well, though that may come under fire later this year. His NCAA XC win coming off minimal training and beating one Ryan Hall in the process would have to be right up there, but I still think that 13:27 was phenomenal.