Stanford Rewind : Solinsky 2010
Stanford Rewind : Solinsky 2010
(Every day this week, in leading up to the 2011 Stanford Payton Jordan Invitational this weekend, we will be featuring a record set in a previous Payton Jordan race.)
Chris Solinsky used the 2011 Stanford Payton Jordan Invitational as an official coming out party.
Going into the meet, Solinsky had yet to become one of America's very finest distance runners. While he had always been a major player on the American distance running scene (a standout high school athlete from Stevens Point, Wisconsin and collegiate at Wisconsin), Solinsky hadn't broken 13:10 (13:12 PR) like a few others, and had never even run a 10k on the track.
Hard to believe now, just a year later, but going into the 10k at this meet last year, Solinsky wasn't the big name that everyone was looking at to break the American record. While it was assumed that he had an outside shot if everything came together, Solinsky was an underdog against more seasoned 10k runners like Galen Rupp, Simon Bairu and Sam Chelanga. (Sound familiar? A lot like Davila's situation at Boston last week.)
But it came together, and more, for Solinsky on a cool, calm night a year ago in the Silicon Valley. Racing with perfect tactics and absolute focus, Solinksy stayed on low 27-minute pace, along with Sam Chelanga, Galen Rupp and Daniel Salel for the majority of the race.
With about 900 left, however, Solinsky got antsy and started to push the pace. Rupp and Salel responded for the next 400 meters, but Solinsky turned it up a notch, dropping the pace to 27-flat pace. Unfathomably, he closed out in 11-12 seconds the last 100, to just dip under 27 minutes! In doing so, Solinsky smashed the American record by 14 seconds.
In what will long be remembered as one of the (or THE) finest 10k's ever run on American soil, Solinsky transformed himself from terrific American runner ... to Olympic and World Championship medal threat.
So sit back, relax and enjoy this 3-minute clip of Solinsky breaking it into BEAST MODE.
If you want to see what he was thinking ...
Watch more video of 2010 Stanford Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational on flotrack.org
Stay tuned the rest of the week for more historic Stanford Payton Jordan Invitational performances!