What was the last performance by a US born distance runner better than Ritz's 5k?

gfdgdfg wrote:

thats not a good comparison as marathoners run less races per year than 5k runners and 1500m runners, Gebrselassie has run much more 5ks than Marathons for example.

A ranking of PBs is a better indicator:

Hall's Marathon PB= #25 on the all-time list

Hall 1/2 Mar #22

Webb 1500m #26

Ritz 5k ~#50

Kastor Mar #5

Flanagan 10k #17

Slaney 3k #16

Kennedy 3k #33

Interesting list I had forgotten about Flanagan. I would have put her on top of the list Aug 2008 vs Halls Apr 2008. I agree PB # is a better comparison but either way both lists show that Dathans time is really good but not really on par with a lot of other American performances of late, which i would not have guessed.

Since some people are saying women's races aren't a good comparison, how about a shout out to Joanie's '84 Olympic Marathon win, or for that matter her qualifying for it just 17 days after arthroscopic surgery. Pretty incredible.

Personally, I don't think that's the best thing before Ritz, but pioneers should get extra credit. Amazing to think it was only 25 years ago.

If we are talking about the greatest, and not the last, the 3 greatest clearly are, due to the OG's being the Big Enchilada:

1. Mills 10k 1964

2. Schul 5k 1964

3. Ashenfelter 3kSC 1952

Olympic GOLD says it all.

trailrunner66 wrote:

the 3 greatest clearly are,

1. Mills 10k 1964

2. Schul 5k 1964

3. Ashenfelter 3kSC 1952

Olympic GOLD says it all.

lol @ ashenfelter over wottle.

Lagat almost catching Bekele in Berlin to take silver in the 5000m. Great effort.

Veteran wrote:

Dave Wottle Olympic 800 1972 (greatest race ever?)

Billy Mills Olympic 1000 1964 (greatest race ever?)

I really do think these are the two greatest races ever, from an American perspective. Ritz's doesn't compare, just because he didn't win. And, it wasn't the Olympics.

BUT, in terms of surprise and excitement.. yesterday's race was way up there.

'64 and '72 sure were good times for US fans.

'72 Olympics: Frank Shorter

1. US Record 27:58 in heats of 10K

2. US Record 27:51 in finals of 10 K

3. Wins marathon

ummmm, no. wrote:

trailrunner66 wrote:

the 3 greatest clearly are,

1. Mills 10k 1964

2. Schul 5k 1964

3. Ashenfelter 3kSC 1952

Olympic GOLD says it all.

lol @ ashenfelter over wottle.

Since when is the 800 a DISTANCE event ? Not the case. lol at you.

Ritz's run is less impressive than Hall's half or Webb's mile by statistical comparison. However, his race was more compelling as he ran down almost an entire field of sub 13 Africans subsequently breaking a Letsrun hero's (BK) long-standing record.

He could be a flash in the pan. I congratulate him, and hope he finds consistency running under 27 and 13 minutes.

His race is also one that proves that sometimes the best way to be competitive is to run in whatever manner results in the best time...even splits. I preach this to my HS runners...but never get very far. Hopefully this pumps them up!

"What was the last performance by a US born distance runner better than Ritz's 5k?"

Lagat medals at WC.

Ritz's 5k performance ranks him 43rd all time.

Webb's 1500 performance ranks him 25th all time (excluding Ramzi).

While the impressiveness of Ritz's 5k certainly speaks for itself, I think recent domination of the longer distance events by Africans highlights its singularity among a primarily non-African fanbase, perhaps unfairly.

Just my two Forint.

'72 Olympics: Frank Shorter

1. US Record 27:58 in heats of 10K

2. US Record 27:51 in finals of 10 K

3. Wins marathon

This thread is about US born runners. Duh.

trailrunner66 wrote:

If we are talking about the greatest, and not the last, the 3 greatest clearly are, due to the OG's being the Big Enchilada:

1. Mills 10k 1964

2. Schul 5k 1964

3. Ashenfelter 3kSC 1952

Olympic GOLD says it all.

Then Joan's win and OR (which stood for a while) takes it.

Lincoln MD wrote:

Dan's 8:08 comes to mind.

Dan's 8:08...not even close. That's 15 seconds off the WR in an event where the best of the best don't run. BK was 10 seconds off the current WR when he went 7:30 in the 3k, a record unbeaten by the best of the best.

Salazar's 2:08.13

Canada wrote:

Salazar's 2:08.13

Are we counting drug cheats (well, ones who've been caught)?

I guess black americans don't count on Letsrun?

Johnny Gray 1:42.60 with an Oly Bronze in 1992. Mark Everett's world bronze.

on the runs wrote:

12345 wrote:

There have certainly been "equal" or better performances on the women's side. Hall's sub-60 half and 2:06 marathon certainly, but if we confine ourselves to TRACK, we've got Webb's 3:46, and that's about it for a long time. Brian Diemer comes to mind (Bronze in the steeple in '84).

Everyone seems to forfet Kenah's bronze behind Kipketer and Téllez in 1997, and then his 1:43.38 in Zurich.

I was thinking "distance" as in "1500 and up," but if we include the 800, we can't forget about Johnny Gray's bronze at Barcelona!

not the last greatest performance, but one that is mentionable as a great american distance performance is rudy chapa's ar of 7:37 (1979)...i remember reading about it as a junior in high school when a buddy of mine brought to school a 1" x 2" clipping from the back page of the l.a. times (the day in results)...i believe chapa was just a junior at oregon at the time and wasn't far off of rono's wr of 7:32. what was he, all of 20-21 years of age? this guy's career was cut way too short due to his foot problems...heck, his 28:32 in h.s. was pretty impressive, too. just an amazing talent and such promise with those great early marks!! still one of my favorite all-time runners.