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Lead Stories: Monday, October 13, 2008

Dathan Ritzenhein: Putting Things Into Perspective
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #2)

Posted March 25th, 2008 at 9:30 AM by Dathan Ritzenhein

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Elite Athlete Blogs, Dathan Ritzenhein

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!

Hayward Field is finally complete and track season has officially started in Eugene! Yesterday my wife, daughter and I spent the afternoon watching the Oregon Preview meet. It was a great day. It was warm and sunny and just so nice to sit in the sun and watch instead of competing. It still amazes me at how much the community of Eugene, Oregon supports track and field. No where else would you find 5,000 fans who turn out for a season opener track meet. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the season brings. If this is the turn-out for the preview meet, having the trials here will be unforgettable. It will probably be like the Prefontaine Classic for 10 days straight.

With the trials just around the corner, the town is full of enthusiasm and pride. It really has made me look forward to having the Olympic Trials here in Eugene. Not only did the track get an update, the entire town seems to be sprucing things up as well. The trails are being groomed, new woodchips are being spread, and roads are being resurfaced. We live only a half mile from the Rexius Trail and every day it seems that more and more people are out running or walking on it.
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Dathan Ritzenhein: XC Champs, Alter-G & Olympic Training
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #1)

Posted March 12th, 2008 at 10:30 AM by Dathan Ritzenhein

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Dathan Ritzenhein

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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Podcast 88: KATHY BUTLER on the 2007 Chicago Marathon

Posted October 4th, 2007 at 3:45 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years BR Sportswear is closing out their line of high -quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

Episode 88 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast, the most listened to running podcast in North America, features my interview with former University of Wisconsin star KATHY BUTLER (who now competes for Great Britain) just days before she competes in the 2007 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

In the interview, Kathy talks about bouncing back from a DNF at last April’s Flora London Marathon, the keys to her success at Sunday’s Chicago Marathon, qualifying for the Beijing Olympics, and which events she’ll focus on in 2008.

Download the podcast to hear Kathy discuss these topics, as well as admiring the work ethic of runners like Bob Kennedy, wanting to compete in the 2008 World XC Champs in her hometown of Edinburgh, and how moving between America, Canada, and Great Britain has helped her to feel at “home” when racing in different countries, but also made her yearn for stability when she decides to eventually retire.

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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Kathy Butler
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 12.9 MB | Length: 18:49 MIN

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years Bill Rodgers Sportswear is closing out their line of high-quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

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