One of the greatest high school Cross Country runners of all-time, Dathan Ritzenhein won the Footlocker National Championships an impressive two years in a row. While attending the University of… ...More about Dathan
Thank you for sharing your talent and inspiring me with such amazing performances. You make art out of running.Huge thank u from your biggest fan!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing your talent and inspiring me with such amazing performances. You make art out of running.Huge thank u from your biggest fan!!!!!!!!!!
Taz posted August 26 at 6:05pm.
Congratulations Ritz! I guess those sessions in that chamber really helped your performance. Perseverance and hard work really pays. Wish you the best in your future races.
Anonymous Coward posted August 25 at 10:26pm.
He's yummy.
Goober posted August 25 at 9:49pm.
Dathan, bravo is all I can say. What a run. London will be a hell of lot better conditions as you come into the prime of marathoning life. I see a medal in your future, I see a 2:06-2:07 at some point, and you deserve it. Enjoy the time in Michigan.
Wayne posted August 25 at 2:22pm.
How come Hall and Ritzenhein didn't try to work together instead of running solo in no-man's land?
Biff Minion posted August 25 at 12:01am.
I know im in better shape than you so you dont hurt my feelings.
Biff, you try running a 2:12 olympic marathon in those conditions. He gave his all he just didn't have it yesterday, No one can be "on" every single race of there life. everything you just said just made you look like an idiot sorry man :(
Rob Jackson posted August 24 at 11:18pm.
I feel you biff, after 20 minutes I knew it was over. I left the finish line and went back to the nude bar.
Kick001 posted August 24 at 10:53pm.
Look forward to seeing Dathan in London with some serious medal around his neck next time! Just before the Olympic Marathon went to visit a friend of by wife, she directed me to do my run down the White Pine Trail; next thing I knew I was in Rockford! What a beautiful place. Anyways, it added a little extra excitement to see where Dathan started, then seeing him run a great race in Beijing just a few days later.
BKG posted August 24 at 10:08pm.
In some of his interviews, he mentions he uses AccelGel by the makers of Accelerade. I would imagine once he found what worked for him, he called up and asked them for sponsorship.
Cross 2008 posted August 24 at 8:52pm.
Can the flat that Ritz had on be good for X-C terrain?
Ryan posted August 24 at 4:48pm.
Nice job Ritz, especially given the physical problems that hit.
he should get sponsored by whoever made the gels, i mean they actually saved him..
Bill posted August 24 at 3:46pm.
Great race you and hall did great moving up and can't wait to see what how you do in the future.
Michael Ward posted August 24 at 1:37pm.
We are so proud of you and your efforts....Folowed your career from Rockford days. Keep up the running
BKG posted August 24 at 1:16pm.
I really applaud how our guys raced in the marathon. No one expected really anything under 2:12 to win. They trained accordingly to that. Overall, I think 2012 we will be five times better as an entire track and field team, some things, well alot of things happened this Olympics that were accidents, injuries, miscues, etc. I feel we came through overall, you can't solely listen to the cookie cutter announcers like Costas, etc, who in the words of Vig "don't know Sh*t about track and field." Keep Eyestone, and a few others, but I would have liked Toni Reavis, Todd Williams, people like that instead of some of the people NBC supplied.
Wish I could have seen more. NBC had 1:45 minutes of commercials during the race it seemed.
Now at 2:00 on Sunday, unlimited coverage of glitter covered girls throwing hoops in the air... So millions of people run marathons every year, and would be interested in the Olympic race. How many spend their days rolling in glitter with their friends and throwing hoops everywhere??? Maybe the 80+ year old audience is a lucrative one?
I'm just recovering from my morning run, getting ready for session #2 around six, appreciating the gutsy race you guys ran, and deciding whether or not I should bring hoops and glitter on my evening run to attract more attention to the sport so that in 2012, the whole thing can be televised!
GREAT RACE GUYS!!!
Outstanding job! It is very exciting for our young runners to have a role model like yourself. Thanks for doing all these interviews it is great insight into the world of elite running.
Huge Ritz fan. Good question at the end, Mark. Ritz used to down on himself so much if he didn't win the race. His interviews used to be no fun to watch. This has totally turned around. Awesome run, Dathan. We are so very proud that you represent the USA.
A New Fan posted August 24 at 8:51am.
I'm really excited for what Ritz will do in the future, I just hope he stays healthy.
I got a few good laughs from that Chinese kid in the background checking Ritz out.
Second what Mark says. I guess I'll have to watch all the Flotrack coverage when I get home.
Cushmace3 posted August 24 at 5:32am.
Wow can't believe they held on to that pace. At least the two that did. Topn10 by both Ritz and Ryan is great. Different mode, was very pleased with Shannon Rowbury. Good last two days regardless of what NBC would say. The tide is turning. We are not done yet.
Billyerd posted August 24 at 4:15am.
i enjoyed the guy who kept creeping in the back( the fellow wearing black )
Ritz after the Olympics
Then, he came back at 3:30. What a creeper.
Wish I could have seen more. NBC had 1:45 minutes of commercials during the race it seemed.
Now at 2:00 on Sunday, unlimited coverage of glitter covered girls throwing hoops in the air... So millions of people run marathons every year, and would be interested in the Olympic race. How many spend their days rolling in glitter with their friends and throwing hoops everywhere??? Maybe the 80+ year old audience is a lucrative one?
I'm just recovering from my morning run, getting ready for session #2 around six, appreciating the gutsy race you guys ran, and deciding whether or not I should bring hoops and glitter on my evening run to attract more attention to the sport so that in 2012, the whole thing can be televised!
GREAT RACE GUYS!!!
I got a few good laughs from that Chinese kid in the background checking Ritz out.