Confidence and momentum building after fourth place in Boston

By Chris Lotsbom, Dyestat Editor

While most of the nation's top distance runners were competing in steamy Sacramento at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, three-time Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein led the American charge at the B.A.A. 10K in Boston. Placing fourth in 28:10, Ritzenhein tested the field through the opening three miles by leading and pushing the pace. All things considered, Ritzenhein was pleased with the result on a hot morning after splitting 14:12 at halfway. 

"It was like deja vu from last year," Ritzenhein said, referencing his fourth-place, 28:12 run in 2016. "It was the exact same race basically: same place, about the same time, led during the same parts of the race, and finished about the same distance back. I felt really good with it because it's way hotter than last year."

Post-race, Ritzenhein spoke at length about how the race and season as a whole has been a success thus far. His time in Boston ranks second on the US list, only behind his 28:06 PB at the Great Manchester Run in Britain on May 28 (he won that race). Injuries and distractions behind him, Ritzenhein is glad to just be racing and enjoying the sport. 

"I just feel good. I feel like I'm in a good place right now, feel good where my training is. Mentally, everything that's been going on, I feel good about. I'm happy. I'm training well, racing well. That's all I can ask for right now," he said. "It was tough tearing the Plantar fasciitis and stuff. You always question yourself if you're going to come back again, but I always come back every time, so I just try to be smart with my training, try to do the right things and not overdue it. I'm just enjoying racing and training right now. It's been good."

Defeated only by Daniel Chebii (27:58); Stephen Sambu (28:03); and Teshome Mekonen (28:06), Ritzenhein held tough on the sunny stretch from the turn around point at Boston University. He negative split with a 13:58 last 5-K.

"I held on well. I wanted to be able to go when they made the turn back onto Commonwealth Avenue [after halfway], but they separated just a little bit. I feel like I have one gear and it's that pace and that's just about it," he said.

"I really wish I could have stayed on them just a little bit around 4.5 to 5 miles... but I just couldn't switch that gear. I don't do a ton of really really fast work anymore, I do a lot of stuff at the pace we were running. It's just hard for me to change that gear I guess, but I'm happy with it."

Photo: Dathan Ritzenhein at the 2015 USA 5K Championships. Photo by Chris Lotsbom, all rights reserved.