Only 42 Faster Dathan Ritzenhein in 5K

pretty interesting to me that no one in the world has a personal best that falls between 12:39 and 12:46

Baumann wasn't a doper in is prime!

What about Soi, who finished just ahead of Ritz at Wetklasse

Dieter the cheater don't count

blahblahblahblah wrote:

pretty interesting to me that no one in the world has a personal best that falls between 12:39 and 12:46

Agreed. When I saw Ritz's 12:56 I thought "amazing race, but still almost 20 seconds off Bekele's WR." It's a much more impressive run when you realize it's within 10 seconds of all but 3 runner's best times ever.

d3 wrote:

Agreed. When I saw Ritz's 12:56 I thought "amazing race, but still almost 20 seconds off Bekele's WR." It's a much more impressive run when you realize it's within 10 seconds of all but 3 runner's best times ever.

It could be argued that Bekele, Geb, and Komen are (were) as far ahead of the rest of the world as Bolt is currently.

i think at one point gebrselassie held the world record at 12:41, either he did or daniel komen did, so i think that time has been run before, but it doesn't mean it was anyone's final pr.

it is still interesting though that the really super amazing distance runners, k. bekele, gebrselassie, and daniel komen are the only ones to ever break 12:40, but those kinds of stats are probably going to roll up in lots of events.

Ritz just ran faster then Geb did when he first took down the WR in 1994. Phenomenal run.

blahblahblahblah wrote:

pretty interesting to me that no one in the world has a personal best that falls between 12:39 and 12:46

I also find interesting how few have cracked 12:50 despite the record being 12:37. But then in the 12:50-12:59 range you have a (relative) ton of guys.

Conto wrote:

Ritz just ran faster then Geb did when he first took down the WR in 1994. Phenomenal run.

Gebs record = Groundbreaking (All barriers/races/creed, whatever)

Ritz record = Groundbreaking (But only for white American males)

Conto wrote:

Ritz just ran faster then Geb did when he first took down the WR in 1994. Phenomenal run.

Phenomenal run but...

When Bob Kennedy set the record in 1996 that Ritz just broke, Americans were 7 seconds closer to the WR than they are now.

In the 1500, women partiicularly plus Lagat and maybe Webb, we are right there. With long distance, the gap is growing. Also compare the gap from Geb to Todd Williams in the WCs in the 1990's with the gap to Rupp now. Not only is the gap NOT closing, the Africans are getting faster faster than we are.

I remember BK talking about how he was primed to break the 13 minute barrier in the 5k in 1996 and be one of the top guys. He did it but I think 8 other guys did it first that year.