Coming out of the Boulder Valley is senior Addison Ritzenhein. Representing Niwot High School, Addison is gearing up for another record breaking fall cross country season.
Fall XC 2024: Last fall, Addison continued her dominance on the cross country course, winning every
regular season race and solidifying herself as the Colorado state champion. She set a Colorado
state record on the Norris Penrose Events Center course with a blistering time of 16:54.7.
In the postseason, she finished 2nd at NXR and 5th at NXN. Coming off the previous 2023 XC season as the Nike Cross Nationals champion, Addison shared her perspective: "Throughout my 24-25 season, it was definitely a bit of a static season for me. I definitely hoped for more out of my season, but I was happy to have a healthy season and prepare more for this season. I had some high goals last year, but I think it's okay to have an off year and shift my focus and goals to this year now. I hope to build off of what I did my sophomore year and try not to put too much pressure on myself, however I am definitely motivated a lot this year and excited to see what I can do for my final year. I really want to focus on state and NXN." (Pictured above: Ritzenhein winning the Sweepstakes Division at Desert Twilight, Photo Credit: Tim McDonald).
Last fall, Addison claimed the crown as the top cross country runner in the state; this fall, we are eager to see where her tremendous drive and determination will take her.
Training Insight: As Addison has continued to improve throughout her high school years, her training has evolved
along with her growth. We caught up with Addison to get more insight into her preparation. "My
training has developed a bit this year now that I am a senior. My coach takes a very smart
approach to our training and he really prioritizes building off of what training has looked like in
previous years. I really enjoy doing longer runs and tempos, so that is often incorporated into
my training a bit. I did sprain my ankle over the summer, but I got back into training pretty fast.
Since then, everything has been very exciting, and it feels so good to be getting back into
shape."
Training takes up a large portion of Addison's days, but she also enjoys a variety of hobbies. When she's not running, she likes spending time with her friends and teammates. Addison says, "I enjoy being active, like going paddle boarding or swimming. I really love traveling as well, so I love exploring around Boulder with my friends whenever I can in my free time." Pictured above: Ritzenhein running at the Nike National Cross Country Championship, Photo Credit: Jen Jardeleza).
Looking Ahead: As the fall 2025 cross country season gets underway, we are excited to see Addison open her campaign. With years of experience finishing 2nd, 1st, and 1st (with a course record) at the past three state meets, this senior season for Ritzenhein is sure to be a memorable one.
Alongside her individual goals, Addison is also eager to see what her team can accomplish. "We have very high goals as a team and we are in a very good place in our training. Our athletes are very healthy and we have a ton of incoming freshmen that are eager to train! We are hoping to qualify for NXN and from there we are just excited to see what we can do."
Looking ahead, Addison is committed to running for Northern Arizona University next fall, an incredibly prestigious program. After her visit, she knew it was the perfect fit. "I really love being around the team and they made me feel so welcome there and the coaches are very dedicated to the team, which is something very important to me." Ritzenhein is excited for her future in the sport and is determined to take her talents as far as possible.
We cannot wait to see all that she accomplishes. "I have no idea what is in store for me, but I would love to run professionally, as it is something I really enjoy."
