Riitta Ristikangas is a retired special education teacher whose days are now filled with training, spending time with her grandchildren, other hobbies and visits to her summer cottage. Competition trips also bring joy, new places, friendships,and  a sense of community to her life.

Living in Joutseno, Lappeenranta has become an important hometown for Riitta. She especially appreciates Joutseno's wonderful cross-country skiing trails and jogging paths, Joutsenohalli and its good library services. She is particularly proud of Peltolatu, saying that similarly impressive trails can only be found in Lapland. Her husband and long-time coach, as well as her running club, Joutsenon Kullervo, are also important parts of Riitta's life and her connection to Lappeenranta.

Running has been part of Riitta's life for many years. She has run regularly throughout her adult life and practised orienteering for around 20 years. She has been running half marathons since 2015 and full marathons since 2019. What fascinates her most about running is challenging herself and improving her own times. Her achievements have required enormous dedication, countless kilometres and determination. Riitta has won several World and European Championship titles, as well as numerous Finnish championships. Through her success, she has also helped bring recognition to Lappeenranta.

Riitta's determination has carried her through difficult times, too. After suffering a brain haemorrhage in December 2025, she made a remarkable recovery. Starting with just ten-minute sprints, she was back competing in a half marathon in Málaga by March and ran a full marathon in Milan the following month. She believes her excellent fitness played a major role in her recovery..

Through her own example, Riitta hopes to inspire as many people as possible to get moving. Being active does not mean having to run a marathon – even a small step towards a more active everyday life matters.

Riitta's message to the people of Lappeenranta:

“You don't have to run marathons to be active. Getting up from the sofa and stepping outside is already a great way to get moving.”

Something people may not know about Riitta, according to Juoksija magazine's age-graded marathon statistics, Riitta ranked second among women in 2026, immediately behind Alisa Vainio. The statistics include all women who have run a marathon during the year. This is an achievement that Riitta is especially proud of.