Moving Forward
by Dathan Ritzenhein | Jan 21, 2012 |
After a week of reflection, the sting of the Olympic Trials Marathon has settled into a desire to get out my track spikes! For me, the demons of 2011 have finally been exorcised. In the moments right after the race, it felt almost like a new wound being inflicted by having come so close to making the team after such an incredibly difficult time. The hardest thing for me, right after I crossed the line, was that I had put everything into that race, and it was almost like slow motion watching it slip away in that final 200m home stretch.
Having spent an agonizing six months without running, and another three months in limbo, not knowing if my leg would heal in time to be ready for the race, I was amazed at how quickly my body responded to training and how good of shape I was able to get into in the final months of the training. That was one of the reasons why I was so confident going into the race; my training had gone so well at the end. If I wouldn’t have had such great workouts in the final two months I might not have been so hard on myself right after the finish.
After having some time to look at how far I have come, I really am much less disappointed with how I did. I am still not happy with the outcome, but I think the best part is that I am back! I now need to focus on recovery, staying healthy, and look to the future.
So going forward, what does it all mean. The fitness is there, the desire is there, and my mind is now focused on not only making the Olympic Team in the 10,000m, but being as ready as I possibly can this summer. I looked at the schedule and the year is eerily similar to 2009. I ran 2:10:10 in London, after five months of training, four months later I ran 12:56 and six weeks after that I won a bronze medal in the world half-marathon championships. About four months from now is the Olympic trials in the 10k and six weeks after that is the Olympic Games. I am fitter than I was back then and have come off this marathon much better. If I can take the same path as I did then, I will be ready for anything this summer!
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January 23: Geoffrey Mutai Actually Loses … Baddeley and Martinez Win Swift Armory Miles … Who, If Anyone, Will Kenenisa Bekele Run for? … Ritzenhein Wants to Get His Spikes on … Shalane Flanagan in Indiana … Plus a Chat With
January 23rd, 2012 on 3:54 am[...] Dathan Ritzenhein Is Anxious to Get His Track Spikes On Ritzenhein was understandably distraught after being the fourth guy in a four-man race to pick three spots for the 2012 U.S. Olympic squad in the marathon. "In the moments right after the race, it felt almost like a new wound being inflicted by having come so close to making the team after such an incredibly difficult time," says Dathan Ritzenhein, who had been coming back after a truly gruesome Achilles tendon wound "The hardest thing for me, right after I crossed the line, was that I had put everything into that race, and it was almost like slow motion watching it slip away in that final 200m home stretch," he reflects. But on the plus said is the fact that after all his down time, he writes, "I was amazed at how quickly my body responded to training and how good of shape I was able to get into in the final months of the training." He understands I now need to focus on recovery, staying healthy, and look to the future …. The fitness is there, the desire is there, and my mind is now focused on not only making the Olympic Team in the 10,000m, but being as ready as I possibly can this summer." More [...]
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January 23: Geoffrey Mutai Actually Loses … Baddeley and Martinez Win Swift Armory Miles … Who, If Anyone, Will Kenenisa Bekele Run for? … Ritzenhein Wants to Get His Spikes on … Shalane Flanagan in Indiana … Plus a Chat With
January 23rd, 2012 on 4:25 am[...] Dathan Ritzenhein Is Anxious to Get His Track Spikes On Ritzenhein was understandably distraught after being the fourth guy in a four-man race to pick three spots for the 2012 U.S. Olympic squad in the marathon. "In the moments right after the race, it felt almost like a new wound being inflicted by having come so close to making the team after such an incredibly difficult time," says Dathan Ritzenhein, who had been coming back after a truly gruesome Achilles tendon wound "The hardest thing for me, right after I crossed the line, was that I had put everything into that race, and it was almost like slow motion watching it slip away in that final 200m home stretch," he reflects. But on the plus said is the fact that after all his down time, he writes, "I was amazed at how quickly my body responded to training and how good of shape I was able to get into in the final months of the training." He understands I now need to focus on recovery, staying healthy, and look to the future …. The fitness is there, the desire is there, and my mind is now focused on not only making the Olympic Team in the 10,000m, but being as ready as I possibly can this summer." More [...]
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January 23: Geoffrey Mutai Actually Loses … Baddeley and Martinez Win Swift Armory Miles … Who, If Anyone, Will Kenenisa Bekele Run for? … Ritzenhein Wants to Get His Spikes on … Shalane Flanagan in Indiana … Plus a Chat With
January 23rd, 2012 on 4:31 am[...] Dathan Ritzenhein Is Anxious to Get His Track Spikes On Ritzenhein was understandably distraught after being the fourth guy in a four-man race to pick three spots for the 2012 U.S. Olympic squad in the marathon. "In the moments right after the race, it felt almost like a new wound being inflicted by having come so close to making the team after such an incredibly difficult time," says Dathan Ritzenhein, who had been coming back after a truly gruesome Achilles tendon wound. "The hardest thing for me, right after I crossed the line, was that I had put everything into that race, and it was almost like slow motion watching it slip away in that final 200m home stretch," he reflects. But on the plus said is the fact that after all his down time, he writes, "I was amazed at how quickly my body responded to training and how good of shape I was able to get into in the final months of the training." He understands I now need to focus on recovery, staying healthy, and look to the future …. The fitness is there, the desire is there, and my mind is now focused on not only making the Olympic Team in the 10,000m, but being as ready as I possibly can this summer." More [...]
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January 23: Geoffrey Mutai Actually Loses … Baddeley and Martinez Win Swift Armory Miles … Who, If Anyone, Will Kenenisa Bekele Run for? … Ritzenhein Wants to Get His Spikes on … Shalane Flanagan in Indiana … Plus a Chat With
January 23rd, 2012 on 7:31 am[...] Dathan Ritzenhein Is Anxious to Get His Track Spikes On Ritzenhein was understandably distraught after being the fourth guy in a four-man race to pick three spots for the 2012 U.S. Olympic squad in the marathon. "In the moments right after the race, it felt almost like a new wound being inflicted by having come so close to making the team after such an incredibly difficult time," says Dathan Ritzenhein, who had been coming back after a truly gruesome Achilles tendon wound. "The hardest thing for me, right after I crossed the line, was that I had put everything into that race, and it was almost like slow motion watching it slip away in that final 200m home stretch," he reflects. But on the plus said is the fact that after all his down time, he writes, "I was amazed at how quickly my body responded to training and how good of shape I was able to get into in the final months of the training." He understands I now need to focus on recovery, staying healthy, and look to the future …. The fitness is there, the desire is there, and my mind is now focused on not only making the Olympic Team in the 10,000m, but being as ready as I possibly can this summer." More [...]
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January 23: Geoffrey Mutai Actually Loses … Baddeley and Martinez Win Swift Armory Miles … Who, If Anyone, Will Kenenisa Bekele Run For? … Ritzenhein Wants to Get His Spikes On … Shalane Flanagan in Indiana … Plus a Chat with
January 23rd, 2012 on 10:33 am[...] Dathan Ritzenhein Is Anxious to Get His Track Spikes On Ritzenhein was understandably distraught after being the fourth guy in a four-man race to pick three spots for the 2012 U.S. Olympic squad in the marathon. "In the moments right after the race, it felt almost like a new wound being inflicted by having come so close to making the team after such an incredibly difficult time," says Dathan Ritzenhein, who had been coming back after a truly gruesome Achilles tendon wound. "The hardest thing for me, right after I crossed the line, was that I had put everything into that race, and it was almost like slow motion watching it slip away in that final 200m home stretch," he reflects. But on the plus said is the fact that after all his down time, he writes, "I was amazed at how quickly my body responded to training and how good of shape I was able to get into in the final months of the training." He understands I now need to focus on recovery, staying healthy, and look to the future …. The fitness is there, the desire is there, and my mind is now focused on not only making the Olympic Team in the 10,000m, but being as ready as I possibly can this summer." More [...]
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January 23: Geoffrey Mutai Actually Loses … Baddeley and Martinez Win Swift Armory Miles … Who, If Anyone, Will Kenenisa Bekele Run For? … Ritzenhein Wants to Get His Spikes On … Shalane Flanagan in Indiana … Plus a Chat with
January 23rd, 2012 on 10:45 am[...] Dathan Ritzenhein Is Anxious to Get His Track Spikes On Ritzenhein was understandably distraught after being the fourth guy in a four-man race to pick three spots for the 2012 U.S. Olympic squad in the marathon. "In the moments right after the race, it felt almost like a new wound being inflicted by having come so close to making the team after such an incredibly difficult time," says Dathan Ritzenhein, who had been coming back after a truly gruesome Achilles tendon wound. "The hardest thing for me, right after I crossed the line, was that I had put everything into that race, and it was almost like slow motion watching it slip away in that final 200m home stretch," he reflects. But on the plus side is the fact that after all his down time, he writes, "I was amazed at how quickly my body responded to training and how good of shape I was able to get into in the final months of the training." He understands, "I now need to focus on recovery, staying healthy, and look to the future …. The fitness is there, the desire is there, and my mind is now focused on not only making the Olympic Team in the 10,000m, but being as ready as I possibly can this summer." More [...]
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Dathan Ritzenhein Is Anxious to Get His Track Spikes On | News
January 31st, 2012 on 3:15 pm[...] not only making the Olympic Team in the 10,000m, but being as ready as I possibly can this summer." More This entry was posted in Racing. Bookmark the [...]
January 23rd, 2012 on 3:32 am
[...] Dathan Ritzenhein Is Anxious to Get His Track Spikes On Ritzenhein was understandably distraught after being the fourth guy in a four-man race to pick three spots for the 2012 U.S. Olympic squad in the marathon. "In the moments right after the race, it felt almost like a new wound being inflicted by having come so close to making the team after such an incredibly difficult time," says Dathan Ritzenhein, who had been coming back after a truly gruesome Achilles tendon wound "The hardest thing for me, right after I crossed the line, was that I had put everything into that race, and it was almost like slow motion watching it slip away in that final 200m home stretch," he reflects. But on the plus said is the fact that after all his down time, he writes, "I was amazed at how quickly my body responded to training and how good of shape I was able to get into in the final months of the training." He understands I now need to focus on recovery, staying healthy, and look to the future …. The fitness is there, the desire is there, and my mind is now focused on not only making the Olympic Team in the 10,000m, but being as ready as I possibly can this summer." More [...]