In 2006, American Dathan Ritzenhein made his half-marathon debut at the Great North Run. It was the stepping stone that eventually led to his runner-up finish at the Olympic Trials Marathon in 2007, his 10th-place finish at the Beijing Games - the best by a U.S. marathoner - and his bronze medal at the World Half-Marathon Championships last year. The 30-year-old spoke about returning to the race that sparked his road success and how it fits his preparation for the ING New York City Marathon in November.
You had quite an adventure before the World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham last year. Can you talk about what happened?
The lift (elevator) was about the same size as the ones here and there were eight or nine people in there and it got stuck. It was like a sardine can in there for an hour with someone in the back panicking. I made it out though and had a great race. If it happens again, I think it will be a great omen.
Two days later, you won the bronze medal. Did that experience play on your mind at all or affect your performance?
No. If it mattered at all, they were a little worried that we would run bad because of it. But if an hour on your feet is going to make the difference then I don't think you were ready for the race as it was. It didn't matter at all.
Were you surprised last year to finish on the podium, especially since all the Africans were there?
No. I was very confident going into the World Half-Marathon Championships last year. I had come off a great track season, running 12:56 for 5K six weeks before that. It gave me a lot of confidence, put me at a new level I think. (Zersanay) Tadese was there, and of course broke the (half-marathon) world record a few months later. I tried to go with him as long as possible but he was just a little too strong. I kind of got into a little battle for second and third place. I was just happy to compete. I ran one hour even and was hoping to run under an hour. In that race, it didn't matter so much. It was about trying to compete and finish as high as possible. It was a great step forward for me and I think I gained a lot more confidence that I can keep going up in distance. Hopefully I can continue that this weekend.
You made your half marathon debut here in 2006. Can you recall what the run from Newcastle to South Shields was like?
I have a fond memory here. I really wanted to run this race as a test of fitness for where I am at in my training for the New York City Marathon because I had run my first half-marathon here and had success, finishing third. It was a good step up in distance for me at the time. The course suits me pretty well. It is a fast course but it's challenging as well with a lot of ups and downs. I tend to do well on those kinds of courses. Hopefully I can keep carrying on where I left off last year. This will be a good test for where I am at because it is similar to New York. I kind of have two goals for this race: To see where I am at with the half-marathon and to see where I am in my training for these last seven weeks before New York.
You just became a father for the second time. Did the birth of your son Jude interrupt your training at all?
I took one day off, the day he was born. If that one day off hurts me, I won't blame it on him. It's been great. My wife, Kalin, is a real saint. I don't have to wake up with the baby or anything, so that's nice. She has done a great job. I have just been at home training, kind of getting back into it in Portland. I think we're going to go to altitude for the next five to six weeks before New York.
Have you ever raced against Haile Gebrselassie before?
I don't believe so. Haile's was probably one of the first big races that I watched during the 1996 Olympics. I was 13 years old and remember watching it. Haile and Paul Tergat were probably two of the first idols I had growing up as a runner. It's really going to be an honor to race him for the first time.
Is Haile the world's greatest distance runner ever?
I think so, without a doubt.
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