"Four years after making my debut in New York City, I'm ready to come back and restart my marathon career with a new appreciation for the event," said Ritzenhein (left, PhotoRun). "I'm older, stronger and less naïve, but I have even more desire to come back and try to win this amazing race. Winning the ING New York City Marathon will not be easy, but I know I have a chance to do something incredible on November 7."
Ritzenhein, 27, who is coached by three-time New York City Marathon winner Alberto Salazar, has been sidelined for much of this year with nagging injuries and a stress fracture in his right foot, but he is optimistic that he'll be at full speed by race day.
"I've stayed in shape through running both outside and on the Alter-G treadmill, and I've cross-trained very hard, so my fitness level is good," said Ritzenhein. "I just need to get in some solid, consistent and specific training and I'll be in great shape."
Ritzenhein joins a men's professional field that is shaping up to be among the best ever, featuring fellow U.S. Olympian and defending ING New York City Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi and world marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, who will be making his New York marathon debut.
"Another one of America's finest distance runners will be joining us on the streets this fall," said Wittenberg. "Dathan is back after his injury and is poised to have a truly great race. We know the streets of New York are ready to welcome him back."
Ritzenhein, of Portland, OR, also ran well in New York at the 2008 Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon, in which he finished runner-up and made the Olympic team. He went on to finish ninth at the Beijing Games. In 2009, Ritzenhein set his marathon personal record in London, where he finished in 2 hours, 10 minutes. Also in 2009, he took the bronze medal at the World Half-Marathon Championships in a time of 1:00:00.
Ritzenhein has had a strong career on the track and the cross country course as well. He is the reigning USA Cross Country champion and also won in 2005 and 2008. He finished sixth in the 10,000 meters at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin, and he held the U.S. 5000 meter record at 12:56.27 until it was broken this year by Bernard Lagat.
Ritzenhein and his wife, Kalin, are expecting their second child by the end of this week. They have a 2-year-old daughter, Addison.
The premier event of New York Road Runners, the ING New York City Marathon is one of the world's great road races, drawing nearly 105,000 applicants. The race attracts many world class professional athletes, not only for the more than $600,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and a worldwide broadcast reach of 330 million. As any one of the more than 830,000 past participants will attest, crossing the finish line in Central Park is one of the great thrills of a lifetime. For more information, visit: www.INGnycmarathon.org
