Ritz's specialty is cross country yet he's not going to Kenya.
I had figured he would go if anyone would (besides Abdi who didn't make it), as cross is his specialty, he said he was planning on going beforehand, and I bet he if anyone is one of the guys with a lot of financial incentives in his Nike contract for doing well at World Cross.
Instead he's running the 8k. The fact of the matter is (sure the weather and vaccinations in Kenya adds to the situation but a lot of these guys skip Worlds no matter where it is), for these guys to fly across the world to get their asses kicked in for little or no money can quickly lose its appeal, when the alternative is to fly halfway across the country, get a guaranteed appearance fee (thousands of dollars),plus prize money, and have the shot at a $25,000 American record bonus.