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May-8-2008
Injury Forces Ritzenhein Out of Healthy Kidney 10K
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
Defending champion and event record holder Dathan Ritzenhein has been forced to withdraw from the 4th annual Healthy Kidney 10K scheduled for Saturday, May 17, in New York City.
"We're very disappointed not to be able to return to New York for the Healthy Kidney 10K," Ritzenhein told reporters on a conference call today hosted by the New York Road Runners, the founders and organizers of the race. "With a whole array of ailments, it hasn't come together in time for me to take on the great field that's been assembled for the race. Knowing that it might set back my preparation [for Beijing], it was with regret that we made the decision to withdraw."
Ritzenhein, 25, of Eugene, Ore., said that the injury to the third metatarsal of his left foot, which he sustained at the USA Cross Country Championships in February, has persisted. Ritzenhein also suffered problems with his iliotibial band and hamstrings and had been taking anti-inflamatory medications for six months. He and his coach, Brad Hudson, realized that they needed to back off his training to make sure he was going to be healthy enough to withstand the rigors of preparing for a major marathon during the summer.
"We just got to the point where we were trying to push through it," Ritzenhein added, the frustration clearly evident in his voice.
At last year's Healthy Kidney, Ritzenhein ran one of the finest races of his career, defeating two-time defending champion Craig Mottram of Australia and breaking Kenyan Paul Koech's Central Park record for 10 km. Clocking 28:07.2 (28:08), Ritzenhein broke Koech's record by two seconds and pocketed a special $20,000 bonus. He then graciously donated his $7,500 first place prize money to the National Kidney Foundation, the race beneficiary.
Ritzenhein finished second at last November's USA Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon in New York City assuring himself of a place on the U.S. team for Beijing. Although he plans to compete in the Olympic Trials for track in field in Eugene in the 10,000m on July 4, he doesn not plan to contest that event in Beijing.
In this year's Healthy Kidney 10-K Ritzenhein was to face 2006 ING New York City Marathon champion, Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil, and the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships silver medalist, Patrick Makau of Kenya. Both Gomes and Makau still plan to compete, and Ritzenhein's training partner Jason Hartmann and reigning U.S. 15-K champion Andrew Carlson are also slated to start the race.
Despite losing a big star for their event, the NYRR's CEO Mary Wittenberg was supportive of Ritzenhein's decision. "Dathan is a mega-talent and he deserves the chance to maximize his opportunity to get himself in the best possible shape for Beijing, said Wittenberg. "We are in full support of his decision."
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