Chris Solinsky broke thirteen minutes for the third time last night, at the Weltklasse in Zurich. This puts the Stevens Point, Wisconsin native in a unique position, as he is the only non-African runner EVER to go sub thirteen minutes over 5,000 meters three times in one season.

What was qualitatively different about Solinsky’s race in Zurich was that Solinsky was in the race with 1,000 meters to go, and he was battling Imane Merga for second with five meters to go: Solinsky is a racer. He was engaged.

Thirty years ago, in the pages of Runner’s World, Brooks Johnson wrote a piece about why
American distance runners were getting beat. They could not stay up
with the leaders, and when it came to kicking, they could not engage.

Lots of hard questions later, a whole new generation of coaches, track
clubs, and athletes, we are getting some of the answers. From Kim
McDonald with Bob Kennedy, to Jerry Schumacher with Matt Tegenkamp,
Chris Solinsky and Shalane Flanagan to Alberto Salazar with Galen Rupp,
Kara Goucher and Amy Begley, to Terrance Mahon with Deena Kastor, Anna
Pierce, Morgan Uceny, to John Cook with Leonel Manzano and too many others to mention. The torch is being
passed. Groups like Zap Fitness, Brooks Hansons, and Team Minnesota are
key to our success. Long term relationships like Coach Larsen and Meb
Keflizighi are key to athletes growing and coaches learning more about
their athletes. Those are the building blocks to the U.S. being
successful once again over middle and long distances.

While I was interviewing Brooks last weekend, he paid Alberto Salazar a
huge complement. Brooks Johnson said that what make Alberto such a
strong coach is that he encourages his athletes to do the things he did
not do to be a better runner: Plyo, swimming, bounding, stretching.

Kara Goucher told the assembled media in 2007, after her bronze medal
at 10,000 meters, that she was convinced that she had done everything
she could to prepare for Osaka, so she could just focus on the race.
Deep thoughts.

Think that US is not having influence on other teams? Look at the
success of UK Athletics Endurance group, with Mo Farah and Chris
Thompson going 1-2 in Barcelona. Farah ran
a brutally fast last 1,000 meters, in 2:25.44, and Thompson literally battled down the final
fifty meters to earn his silver. Ian Stewart, UK endurance mentor,
preaches hard work, altitude and focus. Coaches like Mark Rowland (for
Chris Thompson), embrace that theme. 

In speaking to Chris Solinsky the night after his glorious AR at 10,000
meters, I found a tired but thougthful young man. Chris noted that he
was not sure where he would be racing in 2011, 2012. He spoke of plans
through 2016-2020. He was enthused.

What a wonderful conundrum to have, running 26:59.96 for 10,000 meters
to start the season, and sub 13 minutes three times at 5,000 meters to
end his season. Solinsky is learning to race at the highest levels of
our sport. I am always of the sort that athletes should race at
distance where they have speed advantage, and for Solinsky, 10,000
meters may be it. But, it also seems to me, that Chris Solinsky will
run much faster, and entertain track fans for a couple Olympiads to
come! 

Solinsky in Stockholm, DN Galan, photorun.net. Number of sub-13 minutes 5,000m in a season, by K. Ken Nakamura Solinsky became the first Non-African to record 3 or more sub 13 minutes 5000m in a season. Number of sub-13 minutes 5000m in a season   Name Country Number of sub 13 minutes 5000m Year Kenenisa Bekele ETH 6 2006 Haile Gebrselassie ETH 4 1997 Salah Hissou MAR 4 1999 Benjamin Limo KEN 4 1999 Abraham Chebii KEN 4 2003 Vincent Chepkok KEN 4 2010 Daniel Komen KEN 3 1996, 1997, 1998 Salah Hissou   3 1996 Thomas Nyariki KEN 3 1997 Haile  Gebrselassie   3 1998, 1999 Assefa Mezegebu ETH 3 1998 Abraham Chebii KEN 3 2003 Kenenisa Bekele ETH 3 2003, 2008, 2009 Eliud Kipchoge KEN 3 2003 Isaac Songok KEN 3 2006 Tariku Bekele ETH 3 2010 Imane Merga ETH 3 2010 Chris Solinsky USA 3 2010