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Ritzenhein, Dathan
- Qualified for the 2004 Olympic Team by reaching the A standard with a time of 27:38.50 at the Cardinal Invitational in May
- He is the second-fastest high school 5,000-meter runner ever
- Won the 2003 NCAA cross country championship for the University of Colorado, and in the spring of 2004 he became the fastest American-born collegiate 10,000-meter runner ever
- He will be running as a professional following the Olympics after giving up his remaining collegiate eligibility on June 21
- In 2001, he missed Gerry Lindgren's all-time high school 5000-meter (3.1 mile) record by less than a second at the GMC Envoy USA Outdoor National Track & Field Championships
- His dad began bringing him to the North Kent Running Club in Michigan when he was in 6th grade
- In 8th grade, he would run the same four-mile loop everyday in the dead cold of Michigan winter
- Played football and baseball before he started running
On running the same four-mile loop during Michigan winters when he was in the 8th grade: It was like a race everytime out and I never got sick of it. I would come in just gasping and anyone who knows what a Michigan or midwest winter is like... you will know that many times I did this in deep snow and howling wind chills of sub zero.
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Height: 5 7
Born: 30-Dec-82
Hometown: Rockford, Mich.
Resides: Boulder, Colo.
Sport: Track and Field
Event: 10,000 meters
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