Q&A with 2023 Gatorade Cross Country Player of the Year Addy Ritzenhein

On Tuesday, Addy Ritzenhein was named the 2023-24 Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Player of the Year. Ritzenhein, who attends Niwot High School in Colorado, won the Nike Cross Nationals individual title in December and is just the second sophomore to win the award after Katelyn Tuohy in 2017. Tuohy, a four-time NCAA champion at North Carolina State who recently signed a professional contract with adidas, presented Ritzenhein with the trophy at Niwot High on Tuesday.

As a freshman in 2022-23 Ritzenhein was already among the best runners in Colorado, finishing 2nd in the Colorado 4A cross country state meet before placing 18th at NXN. On the track, she finished 2nd in the 1600 meters at the 4A state meet and won the 3200 meters. This past fall, Ritzenhein went up a level, winning the 4A state meet by 30 seconds and finishing 3rd at NXR Southwest to qualify for NXN. At the national meet in Portland, Ritzenhein overcame a 14-second deficit at 3k to spring the upset and win the individual title while leading Niwot to a runner-up finish in the team standings.

Running is in Ritzenhein’s blood. Her mother, Kalin, was 5th at Foot Lockers as a high school senior and a cross country All-American in college at the University of Colorado. Her father, Dathan Ritzenhein, was one of the greatest American runners of his generation, winning two Foot Locker titles in high school and an NCAA title at Colorado, setting an American record for 5,000 meters on the track, and making three Olympic teams. He now coaches the On Athletics Club professional team.

Gatorade made Addy Ritzenhein available for a brief interview on Tuesday, where she answered questions over Zoom sitting next to Tuohy. Here is the transcript of that interview, in which Ritzenhein discussed her breakout 2023 campaign, her goals for 2024, and emerging from her father’s shadow to create her own legacy.

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Ritzenhein and Tuohy (Courtesy Gatorade)

LRC: You had a great cross country season. Going into the fall of 2023, what were your goals and expectations for that season?

AR: I didn’t have too many goals or expectations for this season in particular, mainly progress from my freshman year. I definitely had some pressure from last year, but that helped me to be where I am this year, and I think that’s going to carry on through junior and senior year also.

What about going into NXN itself? Did you go into that meet thinking you could win? And if not, did it shift at all for you in the race?

I mainly focused on the team part of the race. I didn’t really focus at all on any of the individual part. If I had to say, I expected to get top-10 or something. But about 4k in, that’s when it started to fall into place, I’d say.

You had to make some decisions in that one because Elizabeth Leachman opened up that big gap. How did you manage to stay patient while she had broken away?

Throughout our training, we really practice not taking it out too fast and just really focusing on running your race and not focusing on somebody else. Progressing throughout the race really helped with my race plan. There was not too many big parts of it, I would guess, that really made or broke my race.

What about looking forward to 2024 and the track season? Do you have any big goals for this season?

Yeah, I have some pretty big goals. Nothing that’s going to put pressure on me or anything. Just mainly focus on myself and have a lot of fun.

Do you want to share any of those goals? Are they time-related or winning a certain race?

I want to break 10:00 in the 2-mile, and I want to place pretty good, I guess, at outdoor nationals and indoor nationals. But I’ll keep the specifics to myself.

There are a bunch of indoor and outdoor national meets. Have you decided which ones you’re going to target?

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We’re going to New Balance Indoor Nationals and Nike Outdoor Nationals.

Courtesy Gatorade

How closely do you follow professional running? Obviously your dad is a top pro coach. Do you get to spend much time around the On Athletics Club?

Yeah, I go to the gym pretty often. I don’t follow the rest of it too much. I just mainly focus on what my dad would tell me, just little stuff about what he sees. Nothing too deep though. I don’t focus too much on that.

Is there any particular piece of advice he’s offered you that you found effective?

Yeah, I would say “don’t fight the mud” really helped me at NXN. That’s one that I always remember.

(Interviewer’s note: The elder Ritzenhein knows a thing or two about mud. Check out this photo from the junior race at the 2001 World Cross Country Championships in Belgium, where Ritz earned the bronze medal.)

Both of your parents were outstanding high school runners. Naturally, people are going to be making comparisons to your own career. What does it feel like when people do compare you to your mom or your dad?

I haven’t really focused too much on that. I do get compared to my dad a lot, and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. But I feel like I have made myself known for who I am more now. And my dad’s definitely a big part of it but I think it’s more about me now.

Does pressure come with having the last name Ritzenhein in this sport?

Yeah, I’m starting to notice it more than the beginning of the season, especially at the bigger races. But I wouldn’t say I let the pressure get to my head. It’s not a bad pressure.

What does it mean to win this award, given the great athletes who have won it in the past — one of them who is sitting right next to you?

It’s truly amazing to be part of this whole journey with them too now. I can put my name on it too. Especially having Katelyn, she’s one of my biggest idols.

Talk about this Q&A on our world-famous fan forum / messasgeboard: MB: Addy Ritzenhein talks to LetsRun.com.

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Previous Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Players of the Year