Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein Moving Back to Grand Rapids Area

Published by MLive.com on May 9, 2014

Dathan Ritzenhein, who began his running career as a standout at Rockford High School, will be coming home to finish it.

The 31-year-old three-time Olympian said Friday he plans in June to move with his family from Portland, Ore., and back to the Grand Rapids area.

“It’s something that’s always been in the back of my mind, and it would only get harder to come back as our kids get older,” Ritzenhein said. “And no matter what, I always wanted to come back to West Michigan and Grand Rapids area.

“I don’t think I would have been happy if I didn’t come back. This is really where my heart is.”

His wife, Kalin Toedebusch, is also from Rockford. The couple has two children, daughter Addison (6) and son Jude (3).

Ritzenhein, who is here this week for the Fifth Third River Bank Run, said he will continue to train for competitive racing this fall, but it will be in Grand Rapids. The rest, he said, remains unchanged. He will still be sponsored by Nike, run with the Oregon Project and work with longtime coach Alberto Salazar.

“They just want to see me succeed,” Ritzenhein said of his relationship with Nike. “I’ll be happier here, and I’ll do better here.”

With the move, Ritzenhein said he will serve as a volunteer assistant with the Grand Valley State distance runners under the direction of coach Jerry Baltes. That, he said, will allow him to work with athletes - something he want to do more of in the future- and also train at the Kelly Family Sports Center on the GVSU campus.