ritz vs. cragg- nc's 5k '04

Amen to that!

Cragg sucks, you people are pretty excited about 13:16 or w/e. if he runs like 13:00, I'll start getting excited. Just to show you how jaded Americans are. It'd be like a 7th grader running 1:57 in the 800, everyone would go nuts. Cragg has a long way to go, like everyone else, it's not fair to the world athletes from Africa that run 13:00 consistantly for us to build up at 13:16 kid who's run it once. Get realistic.

j native- americans are jaded? what about the brits? they have nary a man to beat their best female marathoner! you do backflips for east when he runs 4.08 on a road mile! when you point a finger, there are three more pointing back at you. this of course, is assuming that you are english...excuse the rant if you are otherwise...

This whole notion that Ritz is the "gutsiest" runner is so subjective and unfounded. Cragg hasn't lost an individual race on the track since his sophomore year I believe when he was injured before outdoor nationals. He is an animal. He comes out and runs 1:55 for the first half of his 1600 leg on a dmr during his first race indoors when he is more than a month away from starting speedwork. He still ran 3:59. Tyson...7:38. SEC's 3k and 5k. Nats 3k and 5k over Willis and Ritz. Stanford...13:16 while balling all over everybody in his race. Didn't he run 12 and a half laps faster than anyone else ran 12 laps?

Also, I don't think Cragg really surged that much in the 3k at indoor nats. I saw the splits, and it's pretty much just consistent 60-61's for the last 2200 meters...unbelievable. However, he still had a kick to pull away (before he cruised in with the victory) despite setting the hot pace.

I would bet 200 dollars that Cragg wins the 5k/10k at nationals. He even told McD that he would do the 1500, 5k, and 10k for the points for the team. Cajones, gentelman...cajones.

I think we're seeing now that Ritz, as anyone who understands Wetmore, TRAINED right through indoors - no speedwork, big mileage, etc., while Cragg was sharp as hell - and only lost to him by a handful of seconds!

WILL Ritz beat Cragg in the 5k, I don't know. CAN Ritz beat Cragg in the 5k, a resounding HELL YES!!

No I'm no brit.

I'm an american, I was just saying that 13:16 although a decent time is nothing to get excited about, he beat everyone by half a lap, but the world record is over half a lap away from him.

gibb, excellent insight.

Ritz will definitely be within 5 seconds of Cragg should they hook up in Austin. Probably 2 of the top 5 all-time NCAA distance kings head to head in a race to the death with everything to prove. On a hot night in Austin, I gotta say 13:13 Cragg beats 13:15 Ritz. A race for the ages.

Cragg has shown the ability to dominate, I don't think he'll lose, although Ritz would put up a challenge, not sure if he can win the 5k. Even if he's in 13:20 shape

Even after Ritz' 10K, who's to say he can go much faster than his freshman 5K time right now? At the same time, maybe he's 10 seconds faster. It's too hard to tell, so until then Cragg has to get the benefit of the doubt.

....But if Ritz has signficantly improved, than the NCAA 5K promises to be the best duel in a long time.

The 10km could possibly be a duel as Cragg is not tested over that distance and although he is good I would argue he it is at the stretched side of his best distances , whereas Ritz seems better suited to the 10km.

But in all honesty the 5km should be won easily by Cragg

[quote]Cragg Advocate wrote:

Also, I don't think Cragg really surged that much in the 3k at indoor nats. I saw the splits, and it's pretty much just consistent 60-61's for the last 2200 meters...unbelievable. However, he still had a kick to pull away (before he cruised in with the victory) despite setting the hot pace.

quote]

exasctly that last 2200m in ncaa indoors was probably the most incredible thing that i ever saw;everyone in the whole arena knew that (after seeing the dmr) if cragg let it come down to a fast 800-400m he was screwed so he started throwing down the 60.5s;if ritz wants any shot at winning he will have to do exactly what cragg did to willis and that is simply run the legs off him. but i think that will be so hard to do. cragg was barely able to do it and he had the whole tyson indoor arena cheering for him; also remember the ncaa 5k last year where alistair trashed louis with a 1:57ish, 57 splits for the last 800-400m and that was with the hernia, wanna know how he was able to do that b/c he had to get 10 points to put the title out of reach going into the 4x4 so he did;

Cragg is a monster, he will not lose the 5k at nationals. Ritz will tire himself out leading the first 3k because no one else will want to(sound familiar)then with ohh i'd say about 600m to go BAM!! the race is over Cragg walks off the track as the winner and one of the best runners the NCAA has ever seen. Soon he will be a f***ing legend.