Posted: February 10, 2006

Athletics: Ritzenhein Excited To Defend U.S. Cross Title

From David Monti

© 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

Dathan Ritzenhein, the reigning U.S. 12-K cross country champion, may have never run a race in New York City, but he's fired up to make his Big Apple debut a memorable one with a victory at the USA Cross Country Championships Presented by Gleukos on Feb. 19.

"I'm really excited to come to New York," said the NCAA record holder for 10,000m speaking on a conference call from his home in Boulder, Colo. He added that he's "always excited for cross country" which he described as his "favorite discipline in the sport."

Although Ritzenhein hasn't race in New York, he picked up a good feeling about the place when he watched last year's ING New York City Marathon on his first trip to the city. He had just won the U.S. 10-K road running title the day before, and flew to New York from Mobile, Ala., to watch the race. He liked what he saw.

"There's so much energy there," he said adding, "I think it's going to be a great meet. The fields are lining up really good, and we can send a great team to Japan."

Ritzenhein, 23, is itching to get back to the IAAF World Cross Country Championships to demonstrate that his 62nd place finish last year in St. Galmier was nothing more than an off day.

"That was pretty devastating," Ritzenhein explained. "I went into it with a lot of hype and a lot of buzz on how I would do. It was really the first time I had had a bad race (besides the U.S. Olympic Trials and Olympic Games when he had a broken foot). My performance in France last year was not indicative of my ability."

In last year's race he went out fast with the leaders, and the torrid early pace, combined with some foot problems, quickly took it's toll. "I had it in my head that I could go out with Bekele," said Ritzenhein. "It was kind of suicide. When you're not ready to out like that and it's 85 degrees."

To get to this year's championships in Fukuoka, Japan, in April he needs to place in the top-6 in New York. While that is nearly assured, to make it to the top step of the podium he'll have to beat key rivals Alan Webb, the country's #2 miler, and Abdi Abdirahman, the U.S. 10,000m champion. Webb, who is battling a chest cold after a traveling to Spain last month to run two cross country races, may not be 100% for the U.S. Championships. He's already surprised observers by bypassing the 4-K race which will be held the first day of the two-day meet to only run the 12-K. Ritzenhein, who said his aerobic base is better this year than last when he won by 14 seconds, will be prepared to face Webb no matter what his condition.

"I won't base my race off of him," Ritzenhein said, allowing one caveat: "Obviously, I don't want to be coming down the last 100m with him."

Abdirahman, who finished fifth in the ING New York City Marathon last November, has yet to enter a race this year. Ritzenhein has raced two of the tougher invitationals in Europe which he said gives him an edge: the Belfast International Cross Country, where he finished third, and the Visit Scotland Great Edinburgh Cross Country, where he finished fourth.

"I like to think I have lot more experience in top international races than a lot more people," he said "I think it's a little bit of an art form."

The USA Cross Country Championships presented by Gleukos will be held in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx section of New York City on Feb. 18 and 19. The New York Road Runners are hosting the event which will be directed by Mary Wittenberg, who is also the race director of the ING New York City Marathon. All the championship races will take place on the same 2 km loop. Spectators are welcome.

The event website is NYRR.org, and a listing of entries is located at USATF.org.

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