DATHAN RITZENHEIN
Dathan Ritzenhein is an American long-distance runner. He held the American record in the 5,000 metres from 2009–10, when it was broken by Bernard Lagat. He attended the University of Colorado Boulder and Rockford Highschool. He is a three-time national cross country champion with wins at the USA Cross Country Championships in 2005, 2008 and 2010. He now competes professionally for Nike. Ritzenhein was a standout runner at Rockford High School in Michigan and the University of Colorado at Boulder. He was part of the stellar high school class of 2001 that also produced American mile record holder Alan Webb and American half-marathon record holder Ryan Hall. On May 9, 2014, Ritzenhein announced that he would leave the Nike Oregon Project to move closer to his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although he left Portland, he is still sponsored by Nike. Dathan plans to continue coaching; he hopes to attract talent to Grand Valley State University in Michigan.
AMBER TROTTER
Amber trotter attended Ukiah H.S. and shattered records as a senior. Trotter, the California state champion who has dominated every cross country race she's been in all season, did it once again on Saturday, winning the Footlocker Cross Country National title at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. She posted the second-largest margin of victory in the meet's 22-year history, covering the 5000-meter in 16 minutes, 24 seconds, to capture her first national title. She eventually decided she didnt want to go to school for running but rather than academics and quit her running career. She is now involved with clinical pyschology.