Welcome to the official blog of top U.S. distance runner Dathan Ritzenhein! Check back every other Tuesday for Ritz’s latest entry at http://dathanritzenhein.thefinalsprint.com/ as he prepares to represent the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics!
This past month has reinforced in me that hard work, dedication, and focus can really pay off. I wouldn’t say that leading up to the US Cross Country Championships I was 100% confident going into the race. My ultimate goal was to just make the team. For the past four weeks my training log resembled something of a rollercoaster. The highs and lows were dictated by the training my leg would allow.
After returning from a cross country race in Edinburgh, Scotland a few weeks ago, I noticed a slight pain in my IT band and lateral quad. At first it was minimal, and I was able to train through it with not problems, but after a grueling week of traveling it began to hinder my training. Fortunately, I had the Alter-G anti-gravity treadmill on which to supplement most of my training.
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Last week, the New York Road Runners hosted the second installment in a three part series of teleconferences about the about the November 2 U.S. Olympic Men’s Marathon trials in New York City.
In the second installment, the media had the opportunity to speak with NYRR CEO/President Mary Wittenberg and Coaches Keith Hanson, Brad Hudson, and Terrence Mahon .
Hanson is the co-founder and coach of Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, which has 13 athletes who have qualified for the trials. Hudson is the coach of Olympic Trials qualifiers Dathan Ritzenhein, Jason Hartmann, James Carney, and Ed Torres. Mahon is the coach of Olympic Trials qualifiers Ryan Hall and Mike McKeeman.
Mary: We consider the coaches the key component in a successful athlete’s career. There is no more important role than the role of the coach. At New York Road Runners, we believe that the coaches are key to the rise of an athlete. We believe they are critical as we head towards an even more successful sport.
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As part of the New York Road Runners’ unprecedented promotional and media build-up to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon race on Saturday, November 3, “Chasing Glory,” a seven-week series of web videos offering exclusive athlete and coach interviews and insight will premiere today on the NYRR website, it was announced by NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.
Leading Olympic Trials contenders Dathan Ritzenhein, Abdi Abdirahman, Alan Culpepper, Meb Keflezighi, Brian Sell, and Ryan Hall, along with top coaches Brad Hudson, Keith and Kevin Hanson, and Terrence Mahon will be among those featured in the weekly videos. Other segments will highlight behind-the-scenes footage of the challenging Olympic Trials course in Central Park, facts and figures about the race, and a glimpse of how the USA’s runners compare with those of the rest of the world.
The five- to seven-minute videos will be launched every Tuesday and Thursday from September 17 to October 26. The videos are produced by videographer Matt Taylor, whose other credits include “Chasing Kimbia” and “Chasing Tradition.” The videos will be supplemented by three text-based commentaries each week, written in conjunction with television analyst Toni Reavis.
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