I always assumed Ritz was a rather soft runner. Always injured and collapses at the end of races all the time (Seriously, don't only girls do this?).
However, most people tend to think he is a "Tough" runner. No doubt is he a GOOD runner, but I'm unsure he is a tough runner. Just because someone grimaces and falls down at the end of a race does not mean they are tough.
What are other thoughts around here?
He is fragile like a baby bird.
Tough as in willing to endure pain and go all out. Yes. See Footlocker 1999 video or NCAA XC 03 if you need evidence of this, though it may be harder to see in recent years.
Tough as in able to endure endless amounts of training without getting hurt, it appears not so much. See the past 10 years of his running career.
As tough as they come!
It is very difficult to make a come backback late in a long distance race after you have been dropped running alone when the guys ahead of you are not slowing down. - Think about it.
Btw, Ritz's coach is another tough SOB.
Tough as nails. I was really impressed how he held it together when he fell from the lead pack on Saturday. And his pace didn't dip that far in those closing miles, about 5:13. Anyone who has bonked at the end of a marathon has to be impressed how he held it together to still get a PR and to nearly get 3rd place as Abdi started suffer.
Give us an example of a current male marathoner you would define as a "Tough" runner.
Big PR wrote:
Give us an example of a current male marathoner you would define as a "Tough" runner.
Anyone that wins a major marathon. Like meb.
He started his running for his marathon build up with an open wound in his leg and a vacuum hooked up to his shorts. I'd say that qualifies as tough.
If Kawauchi had been with Ritz at 35k and thrown in some of the killer surges he did in Fukuoka and Tokyo to break the guys there I think it's pretty likely Ritz would have snapped in half.
tough
Ritz is the softest runner on the American scene.
In fact he's almost a girl.
Hasn't done anything in a long time, always hurt, no definition, can't PR.
Not that it has anything to do with whether he is tough or soft, as his PR has yet to be defined as either in this thread, but he just ran a PR 5 days ago.
6'2" 200 pound muscle man wrote:
Ritz is the softest runner on the American scene.
In fact he's almost a girl.
Hasn't done anything in a long time, always hurt, no definition, can't PR.
This is obviously a joke. Ritz is tough as nails. Watch his high school footlocker races(and WXC Junior race). Also watch his NCAAXC championship. I probably don't have to mention when he was starting to close on Bekele for a second the last 800 of his 12:56 (watch that video, every time I watch it I think for a second that he's catching Bekele). Ritz is an incredibly exciting racer to watch when he's fit, he even was exciting to watch at the OT marathon trials Saturday trying to fight back those last miles.
Right here at about 6:15 in
joeinstl wrote:
He is fragile like a baby bird.
Yeah, lots of baby birds run under 13 minutes and finish 10th in the Olympics.
Ritz is far tougher than anyone posting on this thread.
nnrac wrote:
joeinstl wrote:He is fragile like a baby bird.
Yeah, lots of baby birds run under 13 minutes and finish 10th in the Olympics.
Ritz is far tougher than anyone posting on this thread.
9th place
coach bigfoot wrote:
6'2" 200 pound muscle man wrote:Ritz is the softest runner on the American scene.
In fact he's almost a girl.
Hasn't done anything in a long time, always hurt, no definition, can't PR.
This is obviously a joke. Ritz is tough as nails. Watch his high school footlocker races(and WXC Junior race). Also watch his NCAAXC championship. I probably don't have to mention when he was starting to close on Bekele for a second the last 800 of his 12:56 (watch that video, every time I watch it I think for a second that he's catching Bekele). Ritz is an incredibly exciting racer to watch when he's fit, he even was exciting to watch at the OT marathon trials Saturday trying to fight back those last miles.
Did he not just PR in Houston?
ritz is tough in a race, no doubt. One of the best racers we have.
But telling thing - if you go to you tube and search for 'dathan ritzenhein' you get all kinds of training videos and interviews...and one race. He has enormous talent and drive - his times and finishes show that - but he's got to race more and chain together some healthy seasons.
agip wrote:
but he's got to race more and chain together some healthy seasons.
You do understand that in his case those two things may be completely contradictory.
BS wrote:
agip wrote:but he's got to race more and chain together some healthy seasons.
You do understand that in his case those two things may be completely contradictory.
_______
ok.
put another way - for Ritz to get on a wc or olympic podium, he has to both race more and link together seasons. if he can't do one or the other, he might be best of the non-Africans again, but no medal.
I understand he is fragile, but I think he has to take a gamble and race more than 3 or 4 times per year if he wants to take the last step up.