On March 24, 2013, Ben True put together one of those dream races in a distance runner's life, and took sixth in the World Cross Country Championships. On a tough course, with cold, snow, a tough hill and terrible footing, True, along with Chris Derrick, finished in the top ten and lead the US team to the silver medal, and a huge upset of the Kenyan WC team, which finished third. 

Ben True is a distance coach's dream, with a background in cross country skiing, cross country running and track and field. Last year, in 2012, Ben ran Personal bests at 3,000m (7:44.1), 5,000m (13:20), and 10,000m (27:41). 

Interveiw courtesy of RunBlogRun

Mattie (Bridgmon) Suver graduated from the University of Oregon as an All-American.  She currently trains with the American Distance Project in Colorado Springs and holds PRs of 16:02 in the 5K, 32:59 in the 10K and 1:13:14 in the half marathon.  Mattie attended the inaguaral RunPro Camp in 2011.  Her recent accomplishments includes being the 2012 US Club Cross Country Champion and female winner of the 2012 Rock 'n' Roll Dallas Half Marathon.

 

Dathan Ritzenhein announced last week that he would be running the Bank of America Chicago marathon in the Fall of 2013, just like he did in 2012. His personal best of 2:07.47 gave him the proof that yes, he, Dathan could run a good marathon. He will also be running the Shamrock Shuffle, on April 7, 2013, also produced by the Bank of America Chicago marathon.

After a year that included just missing the US marathon team, where he finished fourth, then, making US team at 10,000 meters, and then, a fine marathon in Chicago, Dathan Ritzenhein took some time off at the end of the year and is just rounding into shape. His second place at the US Club Cross Country Championships, after a battle with Chris Derrick, shows that he is on the right path for 2013. 

RBR, # 1.Tell your me about your plans to run the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2013?

Dathan Ritzenhein: I am so excited to get that word out there. The anticipation was tough, I am no longer feeling  like being a secret agent. It is nice to announce it and get it out early. The marathon was great to me last year. Finally, at the Chicago Marathon, I had something good in the marathon. I found the winning formula at Chicago.

RBR, #2 What did you learn from your experience in Chicago in 2012? 

Flagstaff, AZ - May 15, 2012 - Amy Van Alstine comes from Midland Park, New Jersey, where she attended Midland Park High School and graduated with personal bests of 5:09 for 1600 meters and 10:57 for 3200 meters.  She went on to compete for University of Richmond in Virginia, earning multiple Atlantic 10 Conference Championships, NCAA Championship berths (2010 Cross Country and 2011 Outdoor Track), and All-America honors.  She holds school records in the 1500, 3k, and 5k and the conference meet record in the 1500 and was the 2011 Atlantic 10 Track and Field Athlete of the Year.  She holds personal bests of 4:19.38 for 1500 meters and 15:42.67 for 5000 meters.

Boston, Massachusetts – February 24, 2012 - Devotia Moore hails from Jamaica, New York.  She attended Townsend Harris High School, where she competed in a wide range of events: 400m, 400m hurdles, 800m, 1500m, 3,000m, 5,000m, 2,000m steeplechase, and cross country.  After finding her niche in the 800m her junior year, she chose to continue her career at Duke University where she majored in International Comparative Studies.  The 2011 All-American (Indoor DMR) and Duke record holder ran a personal best of 2:03.45 and was a part of Duke University’s 4x800m relay team which won the Championship of America at Penn Relays in 2011.  She now trains in Boston with the Boston College Eagles and races for the Greater Boston Track Club.  Most recently, she took 11th at the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, NM.

Eugene, Oregon – June 21, 2011 – Bridget Franek is from Hiram, Ohio, where she attended Crestwood High School and won four state titles (4x800, 800, 1600, 3200) her senior year at the  2006 Ohio State Track & Field Championships.  As a prep, she also competed in soccer, basketball and swimming.  While at Penn State University, she was a 10-time NCAA All American and set six Penn State school records - in the 3000 steeplechase, the mile, the indoor 1600, the indoor 3000, the 4 x 1500 and the DMR.  She also won the NCAA Division I title in the steeplechase in 2010 and while she was still a Nittany Lion, she finished third at the 2009 USA Track & Field Championships to earn a spot to run at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships.  After graduation last summer, Franek joined the Oregon Track Club Elite, which is based in Eugene.

Austin, Texas - June 8, 2011 - Scott MacPherson, a native of Plano, Texas, returned to his home state after running collegiately at the University of Arkansas to join Team Rogue to start his professional running career.  As an Arkansas Razorback, who graduated in 2010, Scott was a three-time All American who competed in events that included the mile, 3000 meters and the steeplechase as well as cross country.  As a prep at Plano High School, he ran 4:12 in the mile and 8:54 in the 3200 meters and was a two-time Foot Locker cross country qualifier.  Team Rogue, a relatively new training center, is based in Austin.

Minneapolis – Feb. 28, 2011 – At the University of Minnesota, Heather (Dorniden) Kampf was a nine-time All American and the highest decorated Gopher women’s track athlete. By the time she graduated in December 2009, she was the only Gopher who had competed in every NCAA Championship in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track during the time she was at the University. She was also an NCAA Indoor Champion in the 800 meters.