"Because I was injured I never really got myself into top shape, and because I wasn't in great shape I kept getting injured," he says. "It was a vicious circle."

This past summer, Rittenburg returned to the Great White North, planning to train, but his back acted up in a meet and he took off the next three months. This fall, he began training slowly and carefully with emphasis on getting himself into running shape rather than working on the throwing and jumping events that aggravate his back.

Being in good running shape is one of the keys to Rittenburg's success. His half-mile background and gritty determination and endurance make the final running event one of his best.

"It's a real psychological advantage to know that I can make up ground in the final event. It keeps me from getting discourage if I fall behind early."

Versatility seems to run in the Rittenburg family. Pete's father Bob Rittenburg ran for the Harvard track team from 1951-1955, and in the Yale meet of his senior year, the elder Rittenburg scored 26 points by nabbing four first places and two seconds. He also won the Bingham award for the class of '55 and gained election to the Harvard Varsity Hall of Fame two years ago.

The younger Rittenburg does not mind the fact that there is no one event in which he truly excels. "The variety keeps me motivated," he explains. "Inevitably you will have peaks and valleys. If you get discouraged in one event, you always have another one where things are going well."

Rittenburg's biggest obstacles are time and injuries. There never seems to be enough time to train for all 10 events, and because of his back injury, he must be wary every time he competes.

If he can stay injury-free, Rittenburg does not rule out the 1988 Olympics. "If I make it through spring decathlon schedule without injury and it seems like I have a shot, then I would consider them [the Olympics]. After graduating, I would like to go out West or South where I could train all year."

If after this spring things don't look that optimistic, Rittenburg would characteristically take it in stride. "If things don't work out, I'll just hang it up, and say I had fun."