Three-Time Champion Looks to Regain Title

By Scott Bush

One of the best cross country runners in U.S. history, Dathan Ritzenhein, announced his entry in the 2015 USATF Cross Country Championships Monday morning.

The three-time champion, who currently lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is healthy and racing well early on this season. He won the Campaccio Cross Country race on January 6, following that up with a third place finish in the short course race at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country meet.

In Edinburgh, Ritzenhein lost to two-time champion Garrett Heath, who he will face at the USATF Cross Country Championships, as well as reigning World Cross Country champion Japeth Korir of Kenya, but ended up beating 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop, world-class steeplechase runner Jairus Birech and sub-13 5k standouts Edwin Soi and Thomas Longosiwa.

Ritzenhein last ran the USATF Cross Country Championships in 2013, where he finished second, six seconds behind Derrick, who won his first national title and went on to finish tenth at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. In 2015, Ritzenhein has high hopes for a healthy and successful season. Along with his entry in the USATF Cross Country Championships, he also recently announced his intentions to race the Boston Marathon on April 20.

The USATF Cross Country Championships take place Saturday, February 7 in Boulder, Colorado. The race will be streamed live on USATF.tv and covered in a week-long build-up on RunnerSpace.com.