Running_Shots

Running Shots

Dathan Ritzenhein, Former super prep from Rockford, Mich. (01), and NCAA champion from Colorado fulfills early promise... to the senior elite with an American Record - 5,000m 12:56.27!!! (09)

As a soph, Ritzenhein (Left, 1998) took second at the state xc meet. Ritz became the second Junior to win the Foot Locker National title (M). As a senior, Ritz destroyed what has to be one if not the greatest Foot Locker class in history.

The junior internationalist clocked a then second-fastest 5000 time in U.S. prep history. His time of 13 minutes, 51.69 seconds ranks behind Gerry Lindgren's 13:44.0, set in 1964.

Weltklasse Zürich - Friday, Aug 28, 2009 - (Link).

Ritz's first lap was 59 and he was in last place. A viciously fast race early, the 15 man field was in absolute single file, with Ritz in last and in danger of losing contact of the field! (4:04 at 1600m - the front-runners were shooting for a 12:45 pace). It wasn't until 3000m when Ritz got out of last and for good and started passing people as runners ahead of him began to fade under the scorching pace. Ritz reached second at one point with eventual winner Bekele in sight, but was passed with about 150 meters left, finishing third behind 5,000/10,000 Olympic and world champ Keninisa Bekele of Ethiopia (12 minutes, 52.32 seconds), Ritzenhein's time of 12:56.27 broke the 13-year-old mark of 12:58.21 by Bob Kennedy (set at the same meet in 1996, Bob was 5th).

Ritz had run only 13:34.00 this year and had a previous PR of 13:16.06. From 13:16 to 12:56.27 in one race. From a marathoner in April to one of the world's greatest non-Africans ever on the track in the 5,000m in August.

Ritz is the fourth non-African to break 13:00 behind Kennedy, Germany's Dieter Baumann (12:54.70) and Australia's Craig Mottram (12:55.76).

Ritz is faster than: 5,000 meter world record breakers(L-R) Ron Clarke, Lasse Viren, Emil Puttemans (Pictured with Viren), Dick Quax, Henry Rono, David Moorcroft or even Said Aouita ran in their entire careers.

In fact, Ritz's time is faster than Haile Gebrselassie's 12:56.96 World Record from 1994...

... 8 DAYS LATER -September 4, 2009 --the IAAF Golden League Memorial Van Damme meet.

Matt Tegenkamp (Lee's Summit High School 2000- 8:57.23 3200m and 4:11.43 1600m, Wisconsin) followed up Dathan Ritzenhein's Zürich performance with another barrier-shattering run in the 5,000m. The Memorial van Damme 5,000m race was much different than the Weltklasse. Last week, the field went out in 4:04 for the 1,600. This week it was 4:11. Last week, Ritz was literally in last place and falling off the back, getting gapped with the brisk early pace. This week, Tegenkamp was tucked into the middle of the pack. Teg looked very good the whole race. His performance didn't seem spectacular, however, as he did not really kick anybody down at the end. However, he closed in 2:00 for his final 800m, with a closing 400m in 57 seconds. His time, 12:58.56, is less than 2/5ths of a second from the old American record. Tegenkamp is 7th -winner Bekele in 12:55.31.

The reputation of the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational as the place where records are broken continues... Chris Solinsky became the first non-African to run under 27 minutes with a time of 26:59.60.

Palo Alto (May 1, 2010) -Chris Solinsky, a 25-year-old Wisconsin native who was making his 10K debut, utilized his 3:37/1500m speed to break away from the four-man pack over the final 700 meters (Final two laps 60.0 and 56.2!) to record a historic win over Galen Rupp and two Kenyan challengers (Daniel Salel and Sam Chelanga) for a new American Record (Link to video).

Solinsky's new American Record slashes 14 seconds off Meb Keflezighi's 9-year-old American mark of 27:13.98 (also set at the Payton Jordan Invite, Stanford, 2001) and also surpasses Arturo Barrios' (R) North American area record of 27:08.23.

Although 31 African runners had preceded Solinsky under 27 minutes, this performance signals the feat is no longer their exclusive domain.

Chris Solinsky wins the NCAA Track title for 5,000 meters

Chris Solinsky American Record 10,000 meters!

Chris Solinsky (Stevens Point Area Senior High School 03)

Solinsky ran for the University of Wisconsin.

— Galen Rupp came to the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational to beat Meb Keflezighi’s American 10,000m record of 27:13.98.

Rupp, the former Oregon star who was the meet's headliner, led for most of the final nine laps.

Mission accomplished, Galen Rupp broke the American record in the 10,000-meter run Saturday night...

Unfortunately, he was in fourth place at 27:10.74.

Over the final 900 meters, in front of the packed bleachers at Cobb Track and Angell Field, Solinsky overtook Oregon grad Galen Rupp with two laps to go and won going away in 26:59.60!!

A U.S. breakthrough in the Mens 10,000 meters -A chronicle of the American Record progression (Starting at 30 minutes.)