Didn't see this posted yet, pretty bummed to read it. Was always a huge fan of his!
LRC update. Our analysis of his career is now up as well:
Didn't see this posted yet, pretty bummed to read it. Was always a huge fan of his!
LRC update. Our analysis of his career is now up as well:
Had some great results, junior world xc, 5000m sub 13, half marathon 60 flat. Always had troubles with inconsistency and injuries but when he put it together it was special.
I love this guy. He will be missed.
Amazing how he could come back from injuries.
Nice career.
Who had the best career of the Big Three?
Webb, Hall, or Ritz?
Castro Castro Castro wrote:
Had some great results, junior world xc, 5000m sub 13, half marathon 60 flat. Always had troubles with inconsistency and injuries but when he put it together it was special.
I recall LetsRun going crazy for his sub 13 closing in on Bekele and the world half race. I spiring performances.
Honestly thinking back to his first team he made in college I really thought he was going to be faster but never got past his injury issues etc to stay healthy and consistent. Really thought he would break 27 and be a 2:05/06 guy back then.
Castro Castro Castro wrote:
Castro Castro Castro wrote:
Had some great results, junior world xc, 5000m sub 13, half marathon 60 flat. Always had troubles with inconsistency and injuries but when he put it together it was special.
I recall LetsRun going crazy for his sub 13 closing in on Bekele and the world half race. I spiring performances.
Anyone have a good video of this race?
Amazing talent stuck in a body too fragile for it.
He achieved a lot, but could have achieved so much more.
Also gives impression of a decent human being.
Hope he will have a great success as a coach.
I'm sure there is an isolated video somewhere but the 5k starts at 1:09:30. Big Daddy Ritz!!!
He'll be back. They always come back. I hear Alan Webb is racing a 5k next week.
He’s one of my favorite runners. I wish he had stuck to the 10k-half marathon range, as he always seemed to get injured training for the marathon in these last few years. Even with all his injuries, he had one of the best careers in American distance running in modern times.
Breaking Dathan Ritzenhein is actually his full name.
Bekele always was the greatest. Also nearly 38 and still has the marathon WR to look forward to and Olympic gold. If it wasn't for covid we would have already seen it in London
We should celebrate Ritz's 5k AR as much as we celebrate Solinsky's 10k. Ritz is one of the greatest US runners of all time. Congrats to him!
Was a big fan until he joined NOP.
Unfortunately, being able to stay healthy is an important pillar of talent.
One of my high school idols. I watched that 2000 footlocker race between the Big Three so many times. Dathan accomplished so much at every level of the sport. He had a fantastic career. One can't help but feel he could've accomplished even more if he stayed healthy though.
I think the move to the marathon hurt his career. The big money from it kept him there, despite being more of a 5k-10k specialist. He would have had more success focusing on being a 10k beast whilst developing his kick as much as he could. Like a Paul Tergat type.
And like Tergat, cross country was his best event. 2 time FL champ, NCAA XC Champ. WJXC medalist. National XC champ. He should have gone to world cross more and really made an effort to win/medal.
Interesting to note that despite being a sub 13 5k guy and an 8:11 2-miler, he never broke 4 minutes for the mile! I bet he could still do that if he wanted to.
All in all a great career.
One the GOAT's in high school XC. He had a few great races. I've always cheered for him.
But ..
My problem with Ritz is that he acts like he never went to Colorado. He always plays up his Michigan roots. Never seems to cheer on Colorado or talk about CU runners at all. He should've stayed at Michigan if that was the case.
Wetmore helped make him
Sad to realize that I'm getting old watching the last of the trio retiring. Alan had the talent and a very good career, even though he never really was successful at the grandest of stages. Ryan had talent but an incredible ability to train and endure for so many years that he wore out his testosterone. And he had a couple of incredible marathons along the way.
But Dathan - while often injured - when he was able to race he was able to win against anyone. I think his talent level was simply the highest. It will be an interesting comparison between his successes and Ryan Hall's, but looking back on it now I think I would have to give that nod to Dathan. XC, Track, he was awesome. And in the marathon he wasn't too bad either (although not as internationally competitive at that distance).
Assume he'll still run local races and what not. Retirement just means retirement from running on a contract.
bartholomew_maxwell wrote:
Assume he'll still run local races and what not. Retirement just means retirement from running on a contract.
Exactly! He's a coach now.