'09 Zürich m5000 (Ritz AR 12:56.27!)

[dukehjsteve]

Well Bob Kennedy had an interesting day. He loses his AR, and his wife announces she is running fior Mayor of Indianapolis next time around.

[lovetorun]

Yeah, hope Ritz's recovery from his Berlin 10,000m is sufficient for him to get a PR...maybe something around 13:10-12.

Wow...as you can tell by my "hope he can" time above, I'm thrilled...Ritz on a break through...hope he can stay healthy, and keep going!

[jkjoregon]

Flotrack post race interview up...

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage ... -in-the-5k

[Dutra]

I haven't seen anything on the web today as I just got in from a HS football game.

If someone would have told me Ritz either would run or ran 12:56 I wouldn't have believed him.

What an unbelievable run and improvement for him. He also didn't get dragged on in the back of the pack. He beat some guys.

[tm71]

wow, why didn't ritz run the 5k in berlin ? he could have finished 3rd.

[DrJay]

If you missed the live coverage on Universal sports, here's the link to their video archive...the entire meet! Go to the 2 hour mark to watch Isi's WR vault. The 5K starts around 2:04 or so. Well worth a lokk, at least watch the last 5 laps or so. Ritz really RACED those last few, even moving into second with about 500-600m to go. Eyeballing it with 3 1/2 laps to go, he was 8 sec behind KB, so closed 4 sec faster than him over the last 1400.

Gosh darn, I was so excited I forgot to include the link!:

http://www.universalsports.com/mediaPla ... &sid=13055

[Peter Michaelson]

On the IAAF tables, 12:56 is about the same as 27:02 for the 10000. Presumably, Ritz is better at the 10000 than the 5000. Another AR coming and maybe first American under 27 minutes for 10000?

[lovetorun]

No doubt Ritz can do 27:00 or under...the key for him is to remain (relatively) injury free.

[gh]

We bought Ritz a beer in the bar; he was so pleased that not long after the race he got a call from Bob Kennedy--another class act--offering congrats for breaking his AR.

[SQUACKEE]

One of the great moments in American distance running. In the year 2009 you dont see a American 5k dude mixing it up in the top3 in a G.H.event. WOW.

12:56? :shock:

[malmo]

On the IAAF tables, 12:56 is about the same as 27:02 for the 10000. Presumably, Ritz is better at the 10000 than the 5000. Another AR coming and maybe first American under 27 minutes for 10000?

Actually there is no evidence that he's better at the 10k than the 5k. His best performances have been at 300m-5000m and tails off as the distance gets longer.

[DrJay]

With that kind of leap, does anyone reckon he has a 12:49 in him someday?

[DrJay]

With that kind of leap, does anyone reckon he has a 12:49 in him someday?

Wow, maybe not. Ritz's is 114th all-time performance. There are only 20 performances, by 10 men, under 12:50.

[malmo]

With that kind of leap, does anyone reckon he has a 12:49 in him someday?

Wow, maybe not. Ritz's is 114th all-time performance. There are only 20 performances, by 10 men, under 12:50.

So?

[jules]

Good on ya Ritz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!