18-year-old Dathan Ritzenhein works out at Rockford High School.NNS
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Dathan Ritzenhein, who went from teenage national phenom at Rockford High School to three-time Olympian and one of the greatest distance runners in the state as well as nationally, retired Thursday at age 37.
Here’s a look back at some of the moments and highlights of his running career through photos.
Dathan Ritzenhein holds a snapshot of himself and his father, Jerry, after they finished the 5k Start of Summer Race in Rockford. Dathan was in sixth grade at the time. It was his first competitive race and his time was 25:08. (Chris Clark/THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS) BPN
Dathan Ritzenhein works out with Rockford teammates Linsey Blaisdell, center, and Kalin Toedebusch ahead of the 2000 Footlocker Nationals. Toedebusch and Ritzenhein later married and now have two children.BPN
Dathan Ritzenhein, center, celebrates with 1600 relay teammates Ben Morris, left, and Dave Kubiak at the state championship meet in 2001. (Chris Clark/THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS) BPN
Dathan Ritzenhein warms up before the start of the Division 1 regional cross country meet at the Christian Reformed Recreation Center. Press Photo by James V. Shipley
Rockford’s Dathan Ritzenhein meets his fan club of Shannon McElroy, a Rockford High School freshman, ahead of a meet in Dayton, Ohio. “I heard about him when I was in the eighth grade, and I’ve been following him ever since,” she said. “I made the shirt last night to support him here.”BPN
Recent Rockford High School graduate Dathan Ritzenhein gives his cross country coach, Mark Nessner, a hug at the end of the celebration in his honor.BPN
Dathan Ritzenhein collapses into a golf cart after winning his third consecutive national title in the 2-mile run at The Adidas Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The meet, held at North Carolina State University, was the final end-of-season meet for high schoolers.BPN
University of Colorado’s Dathan Ritzenhein runs in the Big 12 championships. He won the 8,000-meter race in 24:11.
In this TV screen grab from 2004, Dathan Ritzenhein reacts after dropping out of the Olympic 10,000 meter race with six laps remaining due to injury.BPN
Dathan Ritzenhein celebrates after placing second in the U.S. Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon in 2007, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) APAP
Dathan Ritzenhein gets emotional after qualifying for the 2012 Olympics during the Olympic Team Trials at Hayward Field, in Eugene, Ore.LC- The Oregonian
Dathan Ritzenhein poses with a Chicago Cubs jersey in 2012 after he threw out the first pitch. He was in town to promote October’s Chicago Marathon. (AP file)
Nike Project distance runner Dathan Ritzenhein visited West Michigan as he spoke to an audience of about 450 West Michigan high school track & field and cross country teams and their coaches Cornerstone University in 2013.The Grand Rapids Press
Grand Blanc junior Grant Fisher, 16, named the 2013-14 Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, smiles as he listens Dathan Ritzenhein, who earned Gatorade Michigan Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors in 1999-00 and 2000-01.
Dathan Ritzenhein, having just moved back to Michigan, works with cross country campers at Grand Valley State University in 2014.MLive.com
Dathan Ritzenhein, now living back in Rockford, leads the pack during the 2015 Boston Marathon. He was the top American finisher and seventh overall in his first appearance in the race.AP
Dathan Ritzenhein catches his breath after he won the 40th Annual Crim Festival of Races in Flint in 2016.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com
Dathan Ritzenhein wins the 40th running of the Fifth Third River Bank Run in Grand Rapids in 2017 in his lone appearance in the 25k race.Neil Blake | MLive
Dathan Ritzenhein, left, runs with the leaders in the 2019 Boston Marathon. Ritzenhein finished 19th and the sixth overall American.AP
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Dathan Ritzenhein retires – ‘I’ve been blessed with an amazing, long career’