Friday Focus: Sam Ritz


Sam Ritz (Germantown Academy, PA) is the national leader in two events so far in 2015 - the 800m (1:52.81) and 1k (2:28.81). After a tough weekend at the Hispanic Games Mile (5th place, US #6 4:14.59 Mile), Ritz won the Millrose Trials Invitational Mile in 4:16.69 - closing in 1:57! - on Wednesday night to secure a spot in the New Balance High School Mile at the Millrose Games on February 14. MileSplit caught up with Ritz this week to find out more about the Columbia University-bound stud.

MileSplit: Congratulations on owning two US #1 marks this season!

Sam: Thanks.

Your 2:28.81 1k national leader was the first time you've ever run the event. How did you strategize for an event you've never run before?

I wanted to take it out under 2:00 for eight-hundred meters, then kick accordingly. Needless to say, the strategy worked (although there's probably a couple seconds to take off that time).

You ran both nation-leading times in December. Did you take a break after cross country or go straight into track training?

Took a day off after FL Regionals, then ran these races as speed-work for the mile. Ran a 4:14 mid mile on an undersized flat track outside Philly a week after Foot Locker (according to TFFRS, converts to a 4:11 low banked). It's part of a larger plan for winning championship races in both the winter and the spring.

You won the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Championship and finished 28th at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional in cross country this year. Did you close out your high school cross country career the way you wanted to?

I mean, that was a rough race for sure. Took out the first 400 in 63 and then the pack annihilated me by the first mile. But my season showed consistent improvement, and the kind of performances that could enable my college team's performance at the bigger races/stages we all strive for.

Sam Ritz, track runner, however, is still more formed and more confident that Sam Ritz, XC runner. It will take time and big racing risks, but I want to help the Columbia Lions get where we ought to be. That's what matters for cross.

Which do you prefer and why: cross country or track?

Track. Cross country's a war, wrought with ugly races won in ugly strides. Of course that's something to be appreciated and fought for. I work hard for myself and for my teammates. There's something noble about the process.

But Track's something else.

I just look at a track: the shape, the movements, the rhythms, they make sense to me. I know what to do with it. To call it poetry would undermine the serendipity of the feeling I have. You have to think of poetry, be inspired by something that outside of yourself. My passion for the sport comes from within. I don't need inspiration, it's just always there. It's an unending love for the sport that keeps me going.

If you could pick just one track event to run for the rest of your life, which would it be and why?

Mile. Like life, its peaks and valleys complement one another. There's never a perfect race. Just your wins and your losses.

You will join your brother, Ben Ritz, to compete for Columbia University next year. How did you make your decision and what factors drew you to Columbia?

I started off with a wide net; then narrowed my choices down to Stanford and Columbia (also seriously considered Harvard and Dartmouth). I'm genuinely thankful for the time and advice the coaches and personnel I talked to gave me. Each taught me something about what and myself the sport means to us all.

At the end of the day, however, I looked to the program that had been there, and would continue to be there for me. I knew I would be the best in a city that I loved, on a team that could use (and would be glad to have) a guy like me: A crazy, overtly passionate kid who's willing to take on tradition to make something new and special in a Lions singlet. I know what I'm capable of. I feel it in my bones. My future coaches Dan Ireland and Brian Chenowith know it too. That belief, and taking big leaps in the name of that belief, gets any runner to the highest possible level of competition.

It looks like the only event that Ben has you beat is the 3,200m. You've run 9:10, while Ben graduated with a personal best of 9:07 - do you have your eye on that time?

A sub 9 2 mile is a fairly accessible goal to say the least. It will probably occur sometime in the later winter/spring. Right now, however, it's speed-work and maintenance base mileage.

What are your goals for track? How do you want to close out your senior year?

Surprising the masses by winning big championship races. Penn Relays is a big one for me (and Sean McGorty's meet record of 4:04…) A big time (and win!) at the open Swarthmore 1500 meet nearby. The times will come (here's to the crazy ones.) But mostly, just getting good races in and having fun.

When's your next race?

See above. Then, hopefully, Boston Grand Prix.

Quick answers!

What's the last book you read?

Underworld by Don Delillo

If you could only eat three foods for the rest of your life, what would they be?

Fresh fruit of any kind, my mom's grilled chicken and beans and rice!

What do you want to major in at Columbia?

Major in American Studies, probably minor in Film

If you could go workout with any athlete (dead or alive), it would be...

I'm going with a few on this one! Bernard Lagat, Gabe Jennings, and my bros Ben, Owen, and Danny!

What is your greatest fear?

I just want everyone (including myself) to find a slice of satisfaction each day. If I can't do that, that would suck.

[Interview continued after Millrose Trials Invitational Mile win]

Congratulations on the win tonight!

Thanks!

How did you mentally shake off a tough weekend of racing at Hispanic Games?

Eh, you know. A race like that is fun until you're losing. I know what kind of shape I'm in (today kind of showed it) and the times I'm capable of will come with winning. In terms of shaking the loss off, I took off Sunday, did 16 x rhythm 200's at 29-30 with 100m jog on Monday, and then pre meet. If I've learned anything, life's too short for what if's and self-pity. Besides, there was another race in a few days! I had to wait months after last year's Nationals.

What was your strategy tonight and did you execute?

I knew I didn't want to lead until around laps 4-5, and I knew I then wanted to close fast (I was thinking a sub-2 800m and I closed in an even 1:57 (58.6, 58.6). So that worked. While I knew it would be slow if I didn't take it immediately (I was hoping for a 2:08-2:12), the race went super slow (2:18.) Which, while eliminating the hope for a eccentrically split PB, was fine by me.

How are you feeling looking ahead to Millrose?

Good, good. Fitness is on the rise. Basically just do what I did today in the last eight, and let a more fit group of competition take it out 10-12 seconds faster. Should be fun.

When is your next race? What event(s) will you run?

Tentatively doing a 1000 at the Armory Track Invite. Afterwards, Mile invites (quite possibly Boston GP and then Millrose).

Sam Ritz Athlete Profile