Is it ironic that the most injured (Ritz) of the "Big Four" from HS class of 2000 is still going strong?

KoQ wrote:

Who were the big 4?

Ritz, Web, Hall and ?

Kenenisa Bekele ?

Ritz understood the magnitude of his run, thus the double blessing to god... what a great run, don't ever remember seeing that race. What a beast. If he had the modern Salazar coaching with the emphasis on closing in sub-53" he may have upset Bekele that day.

injuhd wrote:

I don't think it is ironic. The others actually had at least 1 significant defining race. Ritz hasn't yet so he can't retire yet. Makes sense.

The 12:55 out of the blue?

Tegs, Solinsky, 2001, 1999, 2002, whenever, whomever, but the point remains. The only other guys who are left are Meb and Bernie, and those guys are superfreaks.

How about when he was 3rd at World Cross Country Juniors, when he took bronze at the world half marathon champs, or when he set the American 5k record? Those seem like defining races to me.

He didn't have testosterone or religious problems

I believe that in an interview quite a few years back, he said he will never stop running/competing, even when he's in his 40s and 50s, or something to that effect.

KoQ wrote:

Who were the big 4?

Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer

Johnny T. wrote:

stress reaction wrote:

stress reaction > In dentistry, the pressure of the upper teeth against the lower.

Also, a state of physiological or psychological strain caused by adverse stimuli, physical, mental, or emotional, internal or external.

I wasn't asking for a definition, Webster. Just implying that he didn't really have a stress reaction. Just needed to lay low for a little while to avoid some testing like at the Prefontaine Classic that he and Rupp happened to miss this year.

Have none of you ever had a stress reaction? You have some pain in your leg. So instead of just ignoring it, you get an X-ray, and it shows that there is some inflammation type activity in the bone. It hasn't turned into a stress fracture yet, so you can take it easy for 1-2 weeks to let it heal. Why would this not be a plausible explanation for Centro to miss some races earlier in the season?

This is one of the best troll jobs I've seen in a while. "Meb and Bernie are the only ones left"

Webb's race was the mile, and statistically, your career at that distance is done by what ... 30, 31? You're lucky to continue beyond then at an olympic level.

Hall went to the marathon and rocked it for about 6-7 years. Very few people are able to last longer......and this latest issue with the testosterone certainly didn't help him for longevity.

Ritz, injured and therefore better rested, has some help. But he was also a 3K/5K specialist who also did well as he moved up in distance. Debuted in teh marathon in 2006, but I think he's only run 7 marathons total? Perhaps I am missing one in there? But he still has a few more in his legs before he's tapped.

Ritz is an inspiration. He comes up with good marathons like his 2:07 in Chicago and 2:08 in Boston.

Based on this run in England, there is a good chance his best marathon is yet to come. I hope he can avoid the cramping issue.

It's cool and interesting that his 5K is notably faster than Rupp, on the other hand, look at Rupp's solid 2014 campaign over 5K, and his '15 5th place at worlds, and I'd say his 5K resume is ahead of Dathan's.

Some posters suggest that a healthy Ritz could take on Rupp in a marathon and do well. I agree he'd do well, but beating him? I doubt it.

Oldschool Thrash wrote:

KoQ wrote:

Who were the big 4?

Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer

Why is there no "like" button?!

Is Deak the 4th?

Lada wrote:

Oldschool Thrash wrote:

Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer

Why is there no "like" button?!

2004 - Rupp, Withrow

2003 - Solinsky

2002 - ?

2001 - Webb, Ritz, Hall

2000 - Sage, Dobson, Teg, Rohatinsky

1999 - Torres brothers

A few good turds wrote:

injuhd wrote:

I don't think it is ironic. The others actually had at least 1 significant defining race. Ritz hasn't yet so he can't retire yet. Makes sense.

American Record in the 5000m would seem to be a defining race/performance, wouldn't it?

To you and everyone else saying that, no. Ritz has had good performances but no WINS. If he had won that 5000 and set the record then that would have been in. Off the top of my head, I can't recall him EVER winning a significant elite race. Hall had his marathon(s). Webb set a mile record, beat an international field and a sub 3:28 guy in a 3:30 race. Ritz doesn't have anything really like that does he?

lol big 4

Consider this.... wrote:

Or is it BECAUSE he has been injured so much that he's still able to go strong (not burned out).

The injuries prevented him from overtraining syndrome, which has the effect of burnout.

brogan1 wrote:

2004 - Rupp, Withrow

2003 - Solinsky

2002 - ?

2001 - Webb, Ritz, Hall

2000 - Sage, Dobson, Teg, Rohatinsky

1999 - Torres brothers

Who was in 2002?