Ritzenheins is located in Portland
On December 10, 2000, Dathan Ritzenhein won the Foot Locker Cross Country Championship, as he did in 1999. Dathan would go on to 5000m (12 56.27) AR, run 27:22.28 10,000m and 7:40m for 10,000m, 7:4, 60:00m. marathon This writer was lucky enough to watch Dathan race from the age of 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, Netherlands, for two reasons: to see Haile Gebreselassie run his last 10,000 meters and to watch Dathan’s last chance to win the Olympic 10,000m. Haley just missed the Ethiopian Olympic team, while Dathan ran 27:53, missing the Olympic standard by eight seconds. A month later, Dathan would make the top 3 at the US Olympic Trials, but also meet the Olympic standard (27:45.00) in said race. I always thought it was an awfully tough race for Dathan.
Dathan left the Nike Oregon Project in 2016 to be closer to family. In 2017 Dathan joined Hansons Brooks ODP and in 2020 Dathan retired from elite competition.
It was not “the end of the story,” as one famous radio personality would say.
Dathan was the coach of On running, which launched the club in July 2020. This writer interviewed all of Dathan’s athletes at the time: Joe Klecker, Ollie Hoare, Jordie Beamish and Alicia Monson. Later I will interview Olivia Markezic, Sage Hurta Klecker and Tsigi Gebrselama.
OAC athletes have enjoyed success, with Geordie Beamish winning the 1500m (2024) world indoor title and the steeplechase world title (2025), plus Helen Obiri winning 2 New York and 2 Boston marathons, plus Olympic bronze in the marathon. His athlete, Jared Nuguse, set the WR and AR in the mile, plus a World Indoor bronze in the 3000 meters (2024).
Dathan Ritzenhein is an incredibly dynamic coach. Her enthusiasm, drive and focus gives her athletes the confidence they need to compete knowing they have done everything they needed to do to have a good race.
Now for “the rest of the story,” to quote iconic radio host Paul Harvey.
On Friday, December 5th, I was sitting in the Hilton Portland talking to Mike Scott, the photographer, and Dathan, who were walking by. He was worried about his father this weekend as his daughter Addie (born 2008) and Jude his son (born 2011) were both competing for the Niwot XC team, one of the top teams in the country.
Dathan smiled when we talked to him. “I have to put on the dad hat today.” I remember asking Dathan how his kids were doing today. Dathan is always thoughtful and makes time for the media. As the coach of a global club and the father of two promising young athletes, he is always noticed.
JSerra High School, San Juan Capistrano, CA
March 4, 2023
Dathan’s daughter Addie won NXN in 2023. In 2025, Dathan’s son Jude, a freshman, helped his team, Nivot, take the first team in the 2025 NXN. Also in 2025, Addy helped her Girls team, Niwot, finish second in NXN. Addie and Jude helped their high school team win the Colorado state meet.
Dathan and his wife, Kalin, raised two wonderful children. I haven’t seen Kalin since high school, but you can see his influence in two happy and confident young athletes.
This made me smile.
And now, as the late Paul Harvey would say, “You know the rest of the story.”
#AddyRitzenhein, #JudeRitzenhein, #DathanRitzenhein, #NXN, #crosscountryrunning, #KalinRitzenhein,
For more on Dathan Ritzenhein, read a great story by Devin Kelly and photos by Colin Wong:
