RITZ 12:56 NEW AMERICAN RECORD!!!!!

The Waterboy wrote:

does that mean Hall should, after the NYC marathon or maybe one more, return to the track?

This is one of the best posts ive seen on this board in a long time. The blunt truth at its best. Well done sir.

barn burner wrote:

WOW.

Who legitimately saw this coming?

I posted a thread a week ago about this. But I predicted that it would be 13:05 conservatively.

Now the class of 2001 boys Hall, Webb, and Ritz each has one big AR (HM, Mile, 5K). That's nice & neat, don't you think?

Mr. Ethiopian, the drug-accuser types on Letsrun do not represent American distance fans as a whole. We would be in trouble if they did. Most of us are very proud of Ritz right now.

post-race interview with ritz is up! congrats to dathan!

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view_video/235529-2009-weltklasse-zurich/199908-ritz-video-interview-after-breaking-the-american-record-in-the-5k

No offence. But why do these people improve so much in such a short time when they go to these coaches?

He's probably embarrassed that he ran so quick.

hall does need to return to the track and improve his 5k/10k prs.

barn burner wrote:

WOW.

Who legitimately saw this coming?

Nobody legitimately saw this coming, not today anyway. Many of us believed that his colossal marathon base would propel him to new heights on the track with some refining, including taking down Rupp at Worlds. But I believe even the most optimistic prognosticators had backed away in recent weeks, months, years that he would ever crack 13:00, let alone be on the doorstep of a sub-12:55. Ritz told us he was in the best shape of his life, even better than when he ran his 8:11 two-mile, on his blog. He wasn't exaggerating.

He made a great decision to move back to the track. And he is making the right move to refrain from running another marathon until 2010 (unless NYC anties up). Hall could definitely learn from this. I hope to see Ritz mixing it up with the best at world cross next year (I'd love to see another American top ten or even top five finish, which we haven't seen in years) and setting even faster 5k and 10k PRs before taking it up in distance.

Smart man moving to Portland. I'm sure he has his eyes on becoming the first caucasian to break 27:00 and on Mottram's "white boy" record too. Rupp will be supremely motivated from this as well. Next year is going to be even more exciting than this year I believe. Are there seriously no more 10ks left in Europe this year?

ethiopian ;Thank you, Sir!!

Ritz, you've made this a great day. Congrats.

WTF?!?!

I was expecting a PR, but 12:56? Imagine what Ritz' career would look like if he had been training with Al Sal the last 6 years. Imagine what Webb is going to run next year.

Of course this raises the question of how someone can improve from 13:16 to 12:56, but I won't go into that right now.

pennywise de clown wrote:

Now the class of 2001 boys Hall, Webb, and Ritz each has one big AR (HM, Mile, 5K). That's nice & neat, don't you think?

Don't forget Teg

First off, Don't consider the thoughts of a few people on a running website message board as the consensus of all Americans. Secondly, don't criticize people for speaking their minds (even if it may be derogatory, or contrary to what you believe), they have the constitutional right to say what they want to say. Thank you in advance for not pontificating on Letsrun.com again.

seconded

I know there's a lot of time still, but who else is legitimately excited about 2012? Symmonds will be in his prime for the 800. Webb/Manzano/Lomong/Centro in the 1500. Teg/Solinsky/Fernandez/Derrick in the 5k, Rupp/Ritz in the 10k, and Hall/Ritz in the marathon. If the stars align, there could be serious brass coming our way.

Shut Up wrote:

don't criticize people for speaking their minds (even if it may be derogatory, or contrary to what you believe)

hahahaha so this guy as an ethiopian shouldnt enjoy the same luxuries of free speech on an internet message board as we do? go back to your ignorance teat and keep suckling. what a joke

Guppy wrote:

WTF?!?!

I was expecting a PR, but 12:56? Imagine what Ritz' career would look like if he had been training with Al Sal the last 6 years. Imagine what Webb is going to run next year.

Of course this raises the question of how someone can improve from 13:16 to 12:56, but I won't go into that right now.

As previously stated, Ritz ran 8:11 for two miles over three years ago. That loosely correlates with a sub-13:05 for 5k, which, frankly, was what I personally thought would be his peak. So, he's always had the capability. Now, he has had three years of consistent marathon training with some mind-boggling long runs like 24 miles closing the last several at like 4:50ish pace from what I've read. And he's had access to altitude tents, alter-G treadmills or whatever they're called, and fast teammates, etc. Throw in some sharpening workouts, and that's how you get there. Still a phenomenal run.

I never thought it remotely possible that this kid could crack 12:50, and I still don't, but it's scary listening to his video about how Salazar's going to work on his footspeed. Look what it did for Rupp.

He was 19 seconds behind Bekele's 5k world record. If Ritz could run 38 seconds behind Bekele's 10k world record, he would run 26:55.

Oh please... I don't trust it one inch, probably doping.

Sagarin,

Rationalize being wrong about it all you want. Ritz was doing 18 mile runs at 5:15-20 pace all through the last two yrs of high school. And I mean "all through" as in about 40 weeks a year.

He did stuff like this during summer, during XC, and during winter track and when he was prepping for WJCCC.

I have repeated it about 100 times over the last 10 yrs. Ritz was a 1:54/4:05/8:41 runner as a JUNIOR ... how many juniors over time have had PRs for all three that fast? Not Ryun, not Pre, not Virgin, not Lindgren.

He was a 13:44 runner as a senior. Had he not concentrated so strongly on getting the 5k HSR he would have had better PRs at 800/1600/3200 ... not records but better. Maybe the 2mile record.

I for one am not surprised and have never backed down off my assertion that he was CAPABLE of sub-13 and sub-27.

It seems like he ought to run the Brussels 10k. Seems like a slamdunk that he would run the AR, sub-27 would be tough, but he easily has that kind form right now.