 |
DyeStat Michigan
Dathan Ritzenhein:
America's Greatest Hope
in Distance Running?
an Internet interview
by Jake Klim [email protected]
Every once in a great while there is a high school runner that turns the heads of everybody that follows track and field. There was Jim Ryun, Steve Prefontaine, Gerry Lindgren among the few, but the new millennium brought three new names onto the national running scene -- Don Sage, Alan Webb and Dathan Ritzenhein. Sage cranked out a 4 minute mile and an 8:45 deuce, Webb a 3:59.9 1600m relay split and Ritz�well Ritz has taken running to a new level.
Many consider the Rockford, Michigan native to be the next
"Pre" and "America's greatest hope in distance
running" but the 
modest
'Ritz' explains that comparing himself to Prefontaine is simply
"stupid." "It's cool to be thought of in the same
sentence as him, but I don't think it is right to compare" Ritz
explains. "I'm my own person and that's how I should be thought
of. If you have seen the (Pre) movie, than it's just like he
says when they're comparing him to Jim Ryun, 'I'm gonna be the next
Prefontaine'. That is a good line to sum that up." Ritz would like
to think of himself as one of America's hopefuls declaring "I know
I can improve." He also states that there are others on the running
scene as well that should not be overlooked in the least bit, "Jorge
Torres, Franklin Sanchez, (Jason) Hartmann, (Alan) Webb and (Ryan) Hall. I'm
sure many people will come out of nowhere too" (Hartmann was
Ritzenhein's former high school teammate).
After capping off his high school cross country career with a repeat
title at the Footlocker National Cross Country 
Championships
at Disney World, Ritz looks forward to the spring where he will attempt to
break both the national high school 2 mile and 5000m records. Although he
wishes not to give exact goal times, the quest to break Jeff Nelson's
8:36.3 2 mile remains one of Ritz's personal dreams. Let us not forget
about the seldom run HS 5000m, a record held by Lindgren since 1964. Ritz
ran 14:13 last spring in an attempt to qualify for the Olympic trials
(13:47), far off Lindren's National record of 13:44 but a state record
nonetheless (he split 3200m at 8:52.5). Ritz claimed the race was "on
the worse day possible." This past fall though Ritz blasted a 14:10
5K at the Michigan Cross Country State Meet. If he can run 14:10 on the
course then�?
Before spring naturally comes winter, and Ritz hopes to qualify for the US junior cross country team in February by finishing in the top 6 (Winter Nationals, Vancouver WA, February 17-18). If he fares well in the 8k race he is bound for Dublin, Ireland to represent the red, white and blue. He has been putting in a great base and does not plan to run many indoor meets, an exception being Nike Indoor Nationals.
Perhaps one of the greatest questions running gurus have is how 
Ritz
will fare on the collegiate level. Many are anticipating an unprecedented
freshman year for the young Ritz. Some predict him to even win the 2001
NCAA Cross Country Championships. "I definitely DON'T feel that I
will be the one to beat at nationals next year. I have to prove myself on
that level first, although I think I will be fine." Then adds,
"I think that I have a great chance of placing extremely high next
year but that is a long way off. Although I feel that the extra miles will
help me because I'm a strength runner and I am very confident that I
have as good a chance as anybody to be in the mix to win."
Ritz sides with many coaches and running aficionados when the subject of mileage comes up. Ritz believes the secret to his success lies with (to quote John L. Parker) 'trials of miles'. After running 90+ over the last summer he will increase to give or take 100 mpw for the upcoming summer. "I handle mileage fairly good" Ritz explains. "I think that some people should run more mileage than others (depending on your body), but I think that most people could definitely do more. I think that benefits of quantity are overlooked." Ritz greatly admired Gerry Lindgren for running his infamous 150-mile weeks and rumored 250-mile week, something extremely gutsy for a marathon runner let alone a high school 5k runner.
As many already know Ritz will be heading to Colorado next fall to join twin superstars Jorge and Edwardo Torres as well as New Jersey native Steve Slattery. "Colorado was the perfect fit for me" Ritz declares "Once I took my visit there I didn't need to take anymore. The team is awesome. They are so much fun, but when it comes time to work it's all business, which is what I like. I am excited to see what I can do when I have the training that the coach will put me on". Ritz's other options included Michigan and Oregon but in the end it was Coach Mark Wetmore that persuaded Ritz to attend the school.
"He and the assistant JD are awesome. They know their stuff. Wetmore was just cool and easy going and his workouts are what I need. If you look at the crop of runners they get it is amazing and I think that for the next few years we will be a force to be reckoned with."
Ritz plans to study secondary education with a major in history.
Finally a question asked by so many runners to so many other runners; cross country or track, which is your preference? Ritz does not have a preference. "I like the aspect of cross country because it's more challenging, but I feel more at home on the track, plus I can always jump in the 400 or 800 and get some good competition."
It is miles down the road but what does Ritz think about running after college? He ponders the question of going to the Olympics then states "Hopefully after college I will have a good running career and be on the world level." This writer agrees.
Dathan Ritzenhein's Personal Bests:
10,000m - 30:52? (Road race last summer)
5,000m - 14:10 (XC), 14:13 (track)
3200m - 8:41
1600m - 4:05.9
800m - 1:54.9
400 - 54.4 (He says with a laugh)
Ritz is interviewed by Ian Brooks at Foot Locker Outdoor championships in Raleigh, June 2000.
All photos by DyeStat
Return to DyeStat Michigan page
