Teg, Is he for real???

[jello]

This guy seems to be very candid and "down to earth". Some good reading and hope that he remains this way even if he gets more famous! Good luck to Matt, if he can stay healthy, he will be our best shot in the coming years in distance events.

[26mi235]

Yes, he's like a real person. It is interesting that both Tegenkamp and Ritzenheimer have had some breakthroughs [maybe one more for Ritz if he can place well at NYC marathon] the promising showing with their surprise 3rd/5th placing a World Champs XC Junior race (behind bekele?).

He runs around town just like the rest of us (when he isn't racing in Europe...). He does have good training partners here in Solinsky, and the rest of the UW team, Bairu, and other post college guys (saw the Downins last week, etc.).

[Zat0pek]

He runs around town just like the rest of us (when he isn't racing in Europe...). He does have good training partners here in Solinsky, and the rest of the UW team, Bairu, and other post college guys (saw the Downins last week, etc.).

I think this is always a difficult question for a talented post collegian: whether to stay put in the same town with the same coach and training partners, or make a move.

Take two guys, Teg (7:34/13:04) and Christian Smith (1:44/3:38). Both produced great performances under their college coaches. Do they stay where they're at under the if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it theory, or do they move to a "professional" group on the theory that it is better suited to running at the next level?

Webb moved, then moved back, and got outstanding results under his high school coach. Ritz, on the other hand, moved to Brad Hudson's professional group and is having the best, fastest (27:35/1:01:26) and most injury-free year of his career.

Usually no clear answer to this.

[KevinM]

I think this always a difficult question for a talented post collegian: whether to stay put in the same town with the same coach and training partners, or make a move.

Smith was fortunate enough to make his leap to world-class (sub-1:45) prior to leaving the collegiate umbrella. I think that guys who are "merely" national class upon graduation (Teg included) would have a tougher decision to make in their search to make the leap.

[26mi235]

I am guessing that Tegenkamp thinks that he and Jerry have figured out where to draw the line and how to move it upward. With his success this year it is hard to argue. Even Ritz's it thin by comparison unless he does well at NYCM, which could well happen. Then we would have the blossoming of the promise from their great World's Junior XC race (3rd and 5th).

My guess is that Teg will not contemplate a change for two years unless a 'series of unfortunate events' transpires (10-year old humor hidden there). Jerry will have to be working overtime to handle the pros in addition to the college crew (which is the standard issue in these cases). However, if he succeeds with Teg, Bairu, and Solinsky it will probably make quite an impression on star HS seniors.