The Ritzenheins are in Portland
On December 10, 2000, Dathan Ritzenhein won the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, as he had in 1999. Dathan would go on to set the AR for the 5,000m (12 56.27), run a 27:22.28 for the 10,000m, 60:00 for the HM, and 2:07:47 for the marathon. This writer was fortunate to observe Dathan race since he was 15, seeing three of those four PBs. Dathan was a three-time Olympian (2004-10,000m, 2008-marathon, 11th and 10,00m in 2012).
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 31 – August 3, 2025
In 2012, I flew to Hengelo, the Netherlands, for two reasons: to see Haile Gebreselassie race his last 10,000m and to watch Dathan make a last-chance attempt to qualify for the Olympic 10,000m. Haile just missed the Ethiopian Olympic team, and Dathan ran 27:53, missing the Olympic standard by eight seconds. A month later, Dathan would make top 3 in US Olympic trials, but also achieve the Olympic standard (27:45.00) in said race. I always thought that was a terribly tough race for Dathan.
Dathan left Nike Oregon Project in 2016 to be closer to his family. In 2017, Dathan joined Hansons Brooks ODP, and in 2020, Dathan retired from elite competition.
That was not “the end of the story”, as one famous radio person would have said.
Dathan has been the coach of On running, beginning the club in July 2020. This writer interviewed all of Dathan’s athletes at the time: Joe Klecker, Ollie Hoare, Geordie Beamish, and Alicia Monson. I would later interview Olivia Markezich, Sage Hurta Klecker and Tsigi Gebrselama.
OAC athletes have delivered, with Geordie Beamish winning the World Indoor title at 1,500m (2024), and steeple Worlds (2025), plus Helen Obiri winning 2 NYC and 2 Boston marathons, plus Olympic bronze at the marathon. His athlete, Yared Nuguse, set WR and ARs at the mile, plus World Indoor bronze at 3,000 meters (2024).
Dathan Ritzenhein is an incredibly dynamic coach. His enthusiasm, drive and focus provides his athletes the confidence that they need to compete knowing that they have done all they needed to race well.
Now for the “rest of the story”, to quote Paul Harvey, the iconic radio announcer.
On Friday, December 5, I was sitting at the Hilton Portland, speaking with Mike Scott, photographer and Dathan walked by. He was being concerned father this weekend, as Addy his daughter (born 2008) and Jude, his son (born 2011) were both competing for the Niwot XC team, one of the finest teams in the country.
Dathan smiled when we chatted with him. ” I have to put on the Dad hat today.” I recall asking Dathan about how his children were doing today. Dathan is always thoughtful, and takes time with the media. As a coach of a global club, and the father of two promising young athletes, he is always being observed.
Dathan’s daughter Addy won the NXN in 2023. In 2025, Dathan’s son, Jude, a freshman, helped his team, Niwot take first team at 2025 NXN. Also in 2025, Addy helped her Girls team, Niwot, take second at NXN. Addy and Jude helped their high school team win the Colorado State meet.
Dathan and his wife, Kalin, have raised two wonderful children. I have not seen Kalin since high school, but you can see her influence in the two happy and confident young athletes.
I have a confession to make. I see Dathan at his age now in one eye, and at fifteen in the other, when I met him at the Foot Locker Midwest Regional in 1998-1999.
Our sport gives athletes a chance to challenge themselves and then, for some very special athletes, the chance to coach and give back.
This made me smile.
And now, as the late Paul Harvey would have said, “You know the rest of the story.”
#AddyRitzenhein, #JudeRitzenhein, #DathanRitzenhein, #NXN, #crosscountryrunning, #KalinRitzenhein,
To learn more about Dathan Ritzenhein, read thie great story by Devin Kelly and photos by Colin Wong:
