Capping Off The Year
by Dathan Ritzenhein | Oct 14, 2009 |
Winning a bronze medal at the World Half Marathon Championships wasn’t too bad of a way to end an amazing year. Going into the race I told myself that I did not want my 12:56 AR in the 5000m to be the highlight of my year. I feel like I accomplished that with my race this past weekend. The time and the place, however, were not the reasons why I think it was my best performance of the year. The thing I am most proud of is that for the first time in years I felt like I was “back”. I had lost the things that made me “Ritz” when I was racing and training. “Dathan” is who I am to my friends and family, and when I am off the track, but I evolved to the point where that alter-ego, “Ritz”, who was the toughest guy out there, was gone. That was what made me such a good racer, that was what made me interesting, and that was what pushed me every day. I had changed over time and last Sunday, I got that back. I was able to get up in the race, fight it out and establish myself. I feel like I set myself back up to where I needed to be. There were many points in the race when doubt crept in, but I was able to fight it back off.
When Tadesse took off and only myself and one other guy went with him, that was a big step for me. Then again with two or three kilometers to go, when I was really paying for going with Tadesse, I had to force myself to stay with it when Kipyego caught up to me. Even though I was outkicked at the end, I fought all the way and that really is why I feel that this was my best race of the year. I am also happy with my time even though I know I could have run so much faster on a different course with better weather and even pacing. It just means that when that is the primary goal, I will have all the confidence from this race to do it. Secretly, I wanted to run really fast, because I think I was capable of it, but those kind of times come when you really set it up for records and you just race the clock. The company I was in, though, and the difficultly of the course (considering we did not take advantage of the first two downhill miles) just proved to me that I was in shape to run super fast, so now I will just have to find the opportunity.
Fast times are not as important to me as big competitions, anyway. The biggest thing for me in the last few months is that I feel like I am back to where I always thought I would be, and that has me so excited for the next few years, the peak of my career. First up, though, my two-week break. I will keep you updated more often now since I have the computer with me. Until next time…
38 Comments for this entry
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Tweets that mention Capping Off The Year - Dathan Ritzenhein -- Topsy.com
October 15th, 2009 on 12:29 am[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Stubbs Management, Stubbs Management. Stubbs Management said: Ritz blog: Capping Off the Year: http://bit.ly/pQZ9u [...]
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Ellipses… for Oregon « Pigtails Flying
October 16th, 2009 on 10:17 am[...] England (in one hour flat, just 17 seconds off Ryan’s AR)… Check out DR’s blog post in which he shares his thoughts about what sets him apart as a competitor (Matty: your comment is [...]
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Ritz « RunWestchester
October 17th, 2009 on 10:04 pm[...] Ritz held tough, just being outkicked by Kenya’s Benard Kiprop Kipyego, 59:59 to 1:00:00. He said (thanks to TK), When Tadesse took off and only myself and one other guy went with him, that was a [...]
October 14th, 2009 on 9:04 pm
nice run Ritz. have a good break, and I will see you at the XC championships?
October 14th, 2009 on 9:37 pm
Congrats, man! We’re all proud of you. Take some well deserved time off and we can’t wait to see you tackle cross country in 2010. How exciting!
October 14th, 2009 on 10:27 pm
Hey Ritz, just wanted to say great job on your performance. I followed it online a bit this past weekend and was really rooting for you to pull off a huge upset. Your time and place were top notch. Excellent and exciting for a track fan like me! Thanks.
October 15th, 2009 on 2:43 am
Incredibly gutsy run! I’m sure I’m not the only who gets extremely passionate watching you lay down efforts like that. This is just the start of things to come Dathan!
October 15th, 2009 on 8:38 am
Hi
Well done on a brilliant run and season. I watched the race on TV from here i Ireland and when i saw you going with Tadesse i taught that maybe you were going to regret it-but I was so happy to see you hold it together and run a huge PB. I am really glad that the Africans are being tested hugely by some runners from the rest of the world. I have huge respect for the Africans but feel it good for the sport to see the rest catching up. Well done again. I currently am out injured for 3 months after my latest marathon and stuggling badly with IB band trouble. Your performance on sunday gives me great determination and i have to say that yesterday while out for a run(struggle) i was thinking of you and not Gebrselassie, or tergat or Bekele. In my opinion you have now joined the ranks of the greats not from Africa like Stefano Baldini.
Congrats
john
October 15th, 2009 on 10:16 am
First off I would like the join in the chorus of congratulations for an exceptional effort. It was the kind of guts and determination that will inspire many runners. But I know that is not the last time we will see “Ritz”. I look forward of the races to come.
p.s. I have a podcast about running on which I do a lot of elite news. (www.dumprunnersclub.com) I would be happy to send you a Dump Runners Club headband as an honorary member. Let me know.
October 15th, 2009 on 11:16 am
Congratulations on a fabulous race that will inspire a lot of runners. Enjoy your well deserved break. You gave us all an exciting ride in 2009. You are at an amazingly high level now going into 2010. Rest well, and be psyched up for what is to come.
October 15th, 2009 on 12:39 pm
Congrats on a solid race! You make us Michigan runners proud!
October 15th, 2009 on 7:07 pm
There is no doubt that Ritz is back and here to stay! Congrats on a tremendous season and the many more to come.
October 15th, 2009 on 9:39 pm
I literally ran around my house jumping and clicking my heels after i watched the world half marathon race. Now that “Ritz” is back i can’t wait to see your upcoming races; thanks for giving validity to all the bragging I’ve been doing on your part to all my xc teammates.
p.s. its great to see America right in there competing with and beating the East Africans finally.
October 16th, 2009 on 4:53 am
Ritz!
You ran awesome!
Regards,
Hungarian fan
October 16th, 2009 on 8:55 am
Hey Ritz, congratulations on a great season AND thank you for sharing so honestly about your thoughts about your training and racing.
October 16th, 2009 on 10:23 am
Another great, gutsy race! I watched it on Universal sports (almost) live. You came back so many times when I thought you had fallen off, espeically over that last 2k. Truly an amazing performance. Very inspiring. It’s a bit surreal to see an American up there battling it out with the Africans but it’s definitely a sight I think we’ll all enjoy getting use to over the next couple of years. Congrats on a superb 2009!
October 16th, 2009 on 3:13 pm
The “RITZ” is back. I’m proud of you man, and I am inspired as well.
October 16th, 2009 on 6:37 pm
Fantastic race.
I kept telling myself…OK, he’s done, but you’d keep fighting back!
Call it “Ritz”…or anything else that you want to, but it’s definitely “Guts”.
I can’t wait to see what you do next year. You’re definitely the vanguard of American distance running. Enjoy your well deserved rest.
October 17th, 2009 on 12:31 am
Ritz,
Way to go! I also felt this was your best race of the year. Your determination to stick with it was impressive and inspiring.
October 17th, 2009 on 12:33 am
Ritz,
I also felt this was your best race of the year. Your determination was inspiring and a honor to watch.
October 18th, 2009 on 2:06 am
Fantastic race. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next. Keep on rocking!
October 18th, 2009 on 1:34 pm
Great race. Really enjoyed seeing you run well and getting a medal at the WorldsL Looking forward to your Cross Country season.
October 18th, 2009 on 3:41 pm
congrats!
i like the theme – ritz as almost an alter ego.
i ask permission to say things like ‘putting on the ritz’ because i have used that to tell people to run like you and that that’s how competitors should run. i hope that is ok.
October 18th, 2009 on 3:47 pm
Congrats!
i hope you don’t mind, i have extended your alter ego sense of being the Ritz as a competitor.
i have told people they need to be ‘putting on the ritz’ when they compete – to emulate you and be as tough as they can and get everything out. i hope you don’t take offense to that.
October 18th, 2009 on 6:54 pm
Hey Ritz,
Regarding both your 5k AR and bronze medal at the half, just wanted to say beautiful running, dude. Both accomplishments are amazing … great year.
October 18th, 2009 on 7:17 pm
Ritz, tough as nails race!! Stay healthy, and motivated. Enjoy the family!!
October 18th, 2009 on 9:44 pm
I could see it in your last two races – the Ritz I followed around during this high school racing and on into college. I could see the Ritz in this last race. You looked fit and performed magnificently. Congratulations. Enjoy you break and the best to the years to come. You made American proud.
October 19th, 2009 on 12:59 am
Congrats Ritz! Great race.
October 19th, 2009 on 12:39 pm
Congrats on your great run at the half! You looked in great form. I’m sure you will come back even stronger once your rest is up and you start training again. We look forward to seeing you have awesome performances in 2010!
October 19th, 2009 on 8:08 pm
Very nice running, take it and run with it!
October 19th, 2009 on 8:17 pm
…so bloody fast
October 19th, 2009 on 9:11 pm
I was out of my chair, standing in front of my computer, pumping my fist in the air, at 5:45am for those last 3K. Everyone else in my house was sleeping so I was ‘silently screaming’ “Go Ritz Go!”-HUGE!
October 19th, 2009 on 10:56 pm
Just wanted to say congrats on an amazing season. Great to see your thoughts. Ive met you twice, had dinner with you in Beijing with Ludus Tours after your marathon and when you raced my friend Kibet in Toronto 5k this year. Those will remain awesome moments for a running fan. Your races this season have had me the most excited ive been about watching any runner ever
Keep her going…
October 19th, 2009 on 11:02 pm
Great Job Ritz! The next 2-3 years are gonna be incredible. Then maybe we see you again in the Olympics in 2012. Looking forward to it.
October 19th, 2009 on 11:08 pm
Ritz, its a pleasure to see you take your place on the world running stage. Its time for everybody to move over. No more assumptions about the lack of American distance runners breaking through. What you are doing is of course rockin fantastic on your own personal level, but its also very impacting for American runners spanning all ages, young and old. It changes the way we think about whats possible in life. You have in no small way, pushed through to the highest levels in the world running arena and we are all behind you! Have a very well deserved break with your young family. Cheers from Rockford, MI!
October 20th, 2009 on 11:57 am
Ritz is BACK!!
I like that. Cheers to you on a great season and best of luck in the future. You’ve got it!
October 20th, 2009 on 5:06 pm
Yo, incredible job! Just wanted to say you were a huge part of inspiring me to get serious about training when I watched you win Footlocker and read about the type of mileage you were doing when I was in 8th grade. I know you are inspiring more and more people with these performances.
October 21st, 2009 on 6:32 pm
if you take into account that most of the sub 60 guys ran 1 minute-ish abover their best, the performance time wise for me is in the 59:15-30 range.
i’m sure salazar and ritz know this…
October 22nd, 2009 on 6:24 pm
Hello from Russia!
Can I quote a post in your blog with the link to you?
October 23rd, 2009 on 12:11 am
Congratulations to you Dathan and also to Ritz for a well earned madal and a great race. Sometimes people forget there’s a difference between racing and fast times. Great job with both this year. Ps..A young physical therapist in training in Boulder says she still has the note you wrote to her years ago giving her encouragement! Boulder is proud of you!
October 30th, 2009 on 5:29 pm
Saw a rebroadcast of the World Half (10-11-09), congrats! I was rooting for you even though it was a replay! Best wishes – will keep following you!