Chris Solinsky After Stockholm PR: "Now I've just got to finish it"

The American Record holder at 10K, Chris Solinsky, picked up another PR, at 5K, at the Stockholm Diamond League meet today. Finishing 4th in a race in which he was in it for a possible win until the final homestretch, the Jerry Schumacher-coached former Wisconsin Badger cut 1.13 seconds off his old best set in Oslo in May with his 12:55.53.

Solinsky was in swift East African company in a race which suffered some from uneven pacing in the early going. Four others in the top 7 set PRs. Kenya's Mark Kiptoo won with a 12:53.46 PR ahead of Ethiopia's Dejene Gebremeskel (12:53.56) and former world champion Eliud Kipchoge (12:54.36).

T&FN correspondent Jonas Hedman caught up with Solinsky right after the race.

Solinsky: I knew if I was competing in a race like this today, they were going to run like they did. I mean they were asking for a 12:50 pace so I knew if I played my cards right and stayed close towards the end I had a chance at the American Record.

T&FN: It was a 1-second PR?

Solinsky: Yeah, a 1-second PR; I thought I was 12:56. Any time you get under 13:00 it's a good race, and you know, the mission for me... Our workouts have been going really well, and if the opportunity presents itself to run the American Record or even in the 12:50 range, that's what we're shooting for. It's not so much about time, but more about just competing and being competent running with the best guys in the world because we feel like I'm at that level where I'm one of the best guys in the world.

T&FN: How's your shape now compared to a month ago in Eugene?

Solinsky: My fitness is about the same. The difference between now and Eugene is I'm rested. In Eugene I kind of was preparing for this, for August--for Stockholm here and for Zurich in two weeks. So, yeah, I was fit [at the Pre meet] but my legs definitely were not under me.