Ritzenhein won the U.S. Cross Country Championships in the 12K for his first senior national title. He made his marathon debut in the 2006 ING New York City Marathon, finishing 11th place with a time of 2:14:01. Ritzenhein finished 2nd with a time of 2:11:07 in the 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials, which placed him on Team USA for the Beijing Olympics. At the 2008 Olympic Marathon, Ritzenhein was the first American Runner to cross the finish line, finishing 9th with a time of 2:11:59. In January 2009, Ritzenhein placed 2nd at the U.S. Half Marathon Championship. Three months later, he set a personal best at the 2009 London Marathon, finishing 11th in 2:10:00. In the January 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials, Ritzenhein ran a personal best 2:09:55, but placed 4th, narrowly missing a spot on the US Marathon Team behind third-place finisher, Abdi Abdirahman. On the evening of June 22, 2012, Ritzenhein placed third in the US Olympic Trials in the 10K and successfully achieved the Olympic 'A' standard of 27:45.00. On August 4, 2012, at the 2012 London Olympics, Ritzenhein finished 13th in the 10,000 meter finals with a time of 27:45:89.
National Running Award Recipients Browning Ross Spirit of the RRCA - Chuck George Chuck George has been a leader in the production of running events in the greater New Orleans metro area for close to 40 years. Through his organization, RRCA member the New Orleans Running System (NORSI) Chuck has put on over 1,000 races, including the annual Jazz Half Marathon, Armadillo Dash Trail Run, and Laketown Distance Festival. In doing so, he has become an industry leader in event production and his knowledge and experience have made him a valuable resource. This is a role Chuck embraces enthusiastically, making himself available regularly to provide ideas, assistance and recommendations to other running event organizers. Throughout his time in the sport, Chuck has also been a staunch supporter of the Road Runners Club of America, serving on the Board of Directors in the early 2000s, advocating for programs like the Championship Event Series and Race Director Certification, and donating countless race entries to the silent auction. Outstanding Club President - Hans Wong Elected in February, Hans initially set about asking board members past and present to meet for a SWOT analysis to shape the agenda for the Houston Striders moving forward. However, with the onset of COVID-19 not long after, Hans deftly pivoted to helping the club not only survive but thrive in these challenging conditions. When COVID-19 spread, Hans was the first club president in Houston to institute safety precautions, eventually ceasing in-person activities, with clear guidance communicated to the membership over email and on social media. Hans directed volunteers to host virtual workouts, encouraged virtual engagements and created team-based virtual challenges with online tools later replicated by other organizations due to their success. Amazingly, Hans also found time to focus on other important club items unrelated to the pandemic, drafting and overseeing the deployment of a club volunteer appreciation program and improving the impact of the club’s scholarship program. Hans’s focus on maintaining a
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