June 15-17, 2001 at North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC

AOC pix page

Boys 2-Mile

Dathan Ritzenhein 3-peats in 8:44.43,
breaking his own meet Record,
but missing Jeff Nelson's national record


Fans reach out for Ritz after his last high school race.

by John Dye

Dathan Ritzenhein's last high school race came at the same track and same event where he burst on the national scene 2 years by winning the national championship as a sophomore. It was billed as an attempt on the HS 2-mile record of 8:36.3 set by Jeff Nelson in 1979. But with no serious competition and running alone after 100 meters, it was not to be. Ritzenhein remained 6th on the all time US prep list, with this effort equivalent to his 8:41+ 3200 meters a year ago at Dayton.

After the race, Ritz said Gerry Lindgren's 5k record (13:44.0 in 1964) is probably a more feasible goal, considering his year of long-distance training that included the 8k at the World Cross Country championships in March and a brilliant 5k (#2 on the all time list) at the Penn Relays in April. Since then, he was busy with 2-a-week meets for Rockford MI high school. He said that time might have been better used in speed work for the sake of the 2-mile record.

Ritz gets another shot at the high school 5k record at the USA Nationals this Friday 6/22 at Eugene OR, where he has the slowest qualifying time of the entire field.

BOYS 2-MILE

Lap
Split
Cum
Comment
1
67
Caught in traffic jam on 1st turn
2
64
2:09
50 meters in front already
3
65
3:15
all alone the rest of the way
4
66
4:21
5
68
5:29
crowd cheering loudly every turn
6
65
6:34
picks up the pace
7
65
7:39
8
65
8:44

Start: From right: Erik Grumstrup SD, Chris Solinsky WI, Kevin Davis CA, Dathan Ritzenhein MI,
Charlie Koeppen IN, Robert Smitson IN, Michael Kiter WA, Tim Moore MI, and Chandler Goodwin UT.

Ritz was buried in traffic immediately, but got free after 100 meters. Ritz said it probably cost him one second.

 

Below: By the stretch of Lap 1, Ritz already has daylight,
and he runs alone the rest of the way.

Right: Ritz picked up the pace
at the end of lap 6

The finish

Robert Smitson IN finished strong for second,
14 seconds after the hunched over Ritzenhein
.

Ritz takes refuge in a golf cart.

Ritz tells announcer Ian Brooks he can come back in the morning for the 4-mile relay and run as fast as it takes to win. "I'm in great shape this year."
Ritz meets the press

 

 

     PLACE ATHLETE NAME              YR HOMETOWN                  TIME      HT  

    ===== ========================= == ========================= ========= ==  

        1 Ritzenhein, Dathan        01 Rockford, MI              8:44.43 *  2  

        2 Smitson, Robert           01 Carmel, IN                8:58.95 #  2  

        3 Grumstrup, Erik           01 Black Hawk, SD            8:59.57 #  2  

        4 Moore, Tim                02 Novi, MI                  9:03.84 #  2  

        5 Kiter, Michael            01 Spokane, WA               9:04.00 #  2  

        6 Goodwin, Chandler         01 Pleasant Grove, UT        9:09.97    2  

        7 Maline, Matt              01 Herndon, VA               9:11.34    2  

        8 Millioen, Charles         01 Blue Point, NY            9:12.34    2  

        9 Elder, Chris              01 Cary, NC                  9:13.51    1  

       10 Esche, Matt               01 Waukesha, WI              9:14.28    1  

       11 Moulton, Patrick          01 Pelham, NH                9:16.25    1  

       12 McAndrews, Seton          01 Queensbury, NY            9:18.17    2  

       13 Jones, Chris              01 Coralville, IA            9:19.81    1  

       14 Dalpiaz, Brian            03 Sayville, NY              9:20.17    1  

       15 Ruiz, Bryce               02 Williamburg, VA           9:21.29    1  

       16 Solinsky, Chris           03 Stevens Point, WI         9:22.62    2  

       17 Marlowe, Kurtis           01 Richland, MI              9:23.79    1  

       18 Keally, Matt              02 Virginia Beach, VA        9:25.45    1  

       19 Glaz, Dan                 01 Palos Hills, IL           9:25.59    2  

       20 Ludwig, Adam              02 St. Joseph, MI            9:26.71    1  

       21 Henk, Mint                02 Braintree, VT             9:28.10    1  

       22 Fuqua, Scott              02 Birmingham, AL            9:29.98    2  

       23 Van Antwerp, Matthew      01 Oak Ridge, NJ             9:30.13    1  

       24 Prunty, Jared             01 Winchester, VA            9:33.90    1  

       25 Koeppen, Charlie          01 Carmel, IN                9:37.00    2  

       26 McConnell, Ryan           01 North Kingstown, RI       9:40.09    1  

       27 Davis, Kevin              02 Fresno, CA                9:49.86    2  

       28 Weaver, Austin            02 Brentwood, TN             9:51.27    1  

       29 Damony, Giles             01 Philadelphia, PA          9:53.35    1

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