Ritz out of Denver half

Considering the trouble he had with his calf, I didn't find it logical to race the half at altitude, even if it was a few seconds slower than intended to pace. Smart move to pull out. Confused why he ever implied he'd do it to begin with.

ritz made a good decision, when he was asked to race, he probably thought this race is from competitor.com which had an outstanding field in philadelphia a few weeks ago, so this race would likely have a similarly strong field.

so if they can only come up with 65 minute and slower fun runners what is the point, to travel just to run a race he knows he will win by about 5 minutes, what is the point?

I don't know. Ask Meb. San Jose has worked for him.

How is it a good decision to dangle an appearance in front of about the 10 fans that follow this sport? Why can't Rupp or Goucher pace him similar to Smyth?

OTC is evil.

Meb needed to run a half like San Diego.

He hasn't raced much since Boston because of injury and needed to just get out there and get the feel of running a race.

Dathan ran the Great North Run, has been running/racing all summer. If the Denver half isn't going to help prepare Ritz for NYC, then there is no point in running.

Best of luck to both Meb and Ritz in NYC !!!!!!!

Afternoon Delight wrote:

I don't know. Ask Meb. San Jose has worked for him.

How is it a good decision to dangle an appearance in front of about the 10 fans that follow this sport? Why can't Rupp or Goucher pace him similar to Smyth?

OTC is evil.

Do you guys remember Ritz's pre-worlds-half training cycle? About two weeks out he did that monster 10mile tempo/uptempo run in basically the American record. People on here were extremely polarized, either blasting him/Salazar for going that hard or being really excited at the shape he was in. The Brojos put it up on the front page and said that Ritz was either going to run absurdly well at worlds or bomb horribly because of that workout. Guess how it turned out: great. So I get him wanting to do a very hard run this far out, and if he can simulate that better in practice--with workout partners there, doing it on the day and at the time when it works best for his recovery--why not do it there? OTC isn't evil, they just put athlete success ahead of everything else, with the possible exception of drug-ethics. I would think a high placing for Ritz in NY would be a lot bigger deal for the '10 fans who follow this sport' (BTdubs, people are people, and hence not 'that').

I don't really get his reason for pulling out...The article said he wanted 1:04-5 times to race with. I have a friend in Boulder with a 1:03 at altitude along with numerous other Kenyans living there they could get. Did he want an American?

You children are so naive. This has nothing to do with fitness level and everything to do with pharmaceutics.

Competitor wasn't going to pay your friend or any of those no-name Kenyans.

areusure? wrote:

I don't really get his reason for pulling out...The article said he wanted 1:04-5 times to race with. I have a friend in Boulder with a 1:03 at altitude along with numerous other Kenyans living there they could get. Did he want an American?