 He qualified for the team but appeared to be hurting badly after the race, leading some to question his fitness heading into the IAAF World Cross-Country Championships April 1–2.Ritzenhein was diagnosed with walking pneumonia after the USATF national cross-country championships and forfeited his spot on the US team.He again competed against Alan Webb in a 10,000 meter race at the Cardinal Invitational at Stanford University on April 30, 2006.