Former University of Colorado runner Dathan Ritzenhein is moving from Boulder to Eugene, Ore., in hopes of injury prevention.
“We love Boulder, and the training there is great, but I’ve had impact problems,” said Ritzenhein, who has had multiple stress fractures and stress “reactions” that often precede them. “The trails are a little too hard. Being able to train in Eugene, where there’s multiple soft, wood-chip surfaces and the lack of stress from altitude will allow us to train more consistently.”
At the 2004 Olympics, Ritzenhein ran the 10,000 meters with a broken bone in his foot and had stress fractures in both femurs at CU, where he won an NCAA cross country title. Ritzenhein said he and his wife, Kalin, also a former CU runner, are sad about leaving Boulder.
“We love Boulder so much,” said Ritzenhein, who will become a father in September. “It’s just that we have to make a decision to do what’s best because you can’t run forever. You have to maximize the career you have in the short time you’re given.”
