Ritz as an all-time improver to an AR

[gh]

Wonder when the last time was that somebody went from No. 23 on the all-time U.S. list to the American Record holder?

[jb]

It's not an official AR, but Bob Kempainen was #25 on the US marathon list with 2:11:03 prior to running 2:08:47 at Boston in 1994.

Had Shalane Flanagan ever run a 10K prior to her 30:34 AR at Stanford last year?

[gh]

Such stats can get a bit dodgy, of course, when you deal with people who move up or down in distance to an event that has always been in their wheelhouse but they just haven't tried it much/at all. Ritz, on the other hand, had a trio of sub-13:20 performances before this year. He was anything but unfamilair with the event.

[exdrake]

Didn't Salazar set AR in his first marathon?

[ed gee]

Rodgers had a faster time on the point to point Boston course.

Any idea if a US male 5000 meter runner has been so far down the all-time performers list when setting an AR?

Ritz was #43.

In comparison, Maree was ~#3 when he ran 13;01; Pre was #4 performer when he ran 13;22 at the '72 OT.

Not sure where MacDonald, Centrowitz, Salazar and Kennedy stood on the all-time performers list.

[ed gee]

On another note, I was pleased to see Ritz set an AR in the 5000.

It certainly could make up for just missing Lindgren's 5000m HS record by less than a second and the US junior record by less than two days, ie December 30 birthday.

[malmo]

Re: Ritz as an all-time improver to an AR

Wonder when the last time was that somebody went from No. 23 on the all-time U.S. list to the American Record holder?

Greg Fredericks?

[kuha]

Interesting. The writeup on Fredericks' 28:08.0 race (72 AAU) says that he was "a novice" at 10,000--it was his first effort at the distance... It also makes it sound as if he'd only run one serious 6m (28:23.8 at the '71 IC4A). He was a known quantity at 5000, however, with a very good 13:34 behind Pre at the NCAA.

[malmo]

To suggest that Greg's 13:34.0 at the1972 NCAA was "very good" is an understatement.

AR progression at 5k.

13:22.8 Steve Prefontaine-3 09 Jul 1972 Eugene OR USA
13:29.6 Steve Prefontaine-2 29 Apr 1972 Eugene OR USA
13:30.4 Steve Prefontaine (OR) 03 Jul 1971 Berkeley CA USA
13:32.2 George Young (AZ) 15 May 1971 Bakersfield CA USA
13:33.8 Gerry Lindgren-2 25 May 1968 Modesto CA USA

[KevinM]

I know it's indoors and therefore a whole different (and lesser) ball of wax, but what had Buerkle done in the event before his mile WR?

[cubop]

How about Lindgren's 12.53.0 3 mile in Seattle?....I think it was 1966....IF it had been a 5000m, he surely would had clocked under 13.20.

Just thought I throw that in.....If Ritz, Tegenkamp, Solinsky, Rupp et al keep improving, some of us may get to see another 1964 again.....a lot more difficult now than then, though.

[ed gee]

Lindgren had run at least 13;04 prior to the 12;53 and had a 13;17 HS best in '64.

[kuha]

To suggest that Greg's 13:34.0 at the1972 NCAA was "very good" is an understatement.

Precisely right: it was an understatement, as anyone familiar with that period would know very well.

[malmo]

Re: Ritz as an all-time improver to an AR

Wonder when the last time was that somebody went from No. 23 on the all-time U.S. list to the American Record holder?

Come to think of it, I set an AR on my first try. So that would be unranked to #1 in just over an hour.

[Zat0pek]

Re: Ritz as an all-time improver to an AR

Wonder when the last time was that somebody went from No. 23 on the all-time U.S. list to the American Record holder?

Come to think of it, I set an AR on my first try. So that would be unranked to #1 in just over an hour.

Pretty sure the same is true of Hall, though his was in just under an hour.

I'm also curious about KevinM's question concerning Buerkle.