“I’m really happy with where I’m at. I know my races haven’t been as good as I would have liked leading up to (Moscow), but my training has been great. We’re really just starting to rest now. I think the time is going to be perfect by the time Moscow comes around.”

Galen Rupp has high hopes for himself as he prepares to double at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow. The first challenge ahead for the Olympic 10,000-meter silver medalist will be the men’s 10,000-meter run on Saturday evening.

One week after his Oregon Project teammate Mo Farah became the sixth fastest 1,500-meter runner in history, Rupp dropped down in distance for the men’s mile at the London Anniversary Games. Although he set an outdoor personal best, Rupp did not raise too many eyebrows placing fifth and just holding off a surging Jordan McNamara for the top American spot. 

The men’s 10,000-meter field includes 35 men, which is nine more than last year’s Olympic final. Six of the top ten finishers return with Farah and Rupp being the only medalists back from London. Farah believes he is the favorite in the men’s 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter races. Where does Rupp stack up against the competition one year after capturing the first medal in the 10,000 meters since Billy Mills won gold in 1964.

After a winter where Rupp just missed the American indoor mile record, the silver medalist has managed to compete and in some cases win, but not totally impress in the process. 

5,000-Meters
- Paced the Oxy HP Meet 5K after finishing second to Will Leer in the “B” section of the 1,500. 
- Finished sixth at the Prefontaine Classic in 13:08.69 after a pushing with a late effort in the final 250-meters. Training partner Dathan Ritzenhein was ahead of him at the bell lap.
- Finished second in 14:54.91 to Bernard Lagat in a very slow final at the U.S. Championships in Des Moines.
- Ran a season’s best of 13:05 to finish sixth at the Monaco Herculis Meet. Felt tired afterwards and did not speak to the media.

10,000-Meters
- Won his fifth national title in Des Moines by running 28:47.32. His lone 10,000-meter race of 2013.

A new face to the 10,000-meter distance may bump Rupp from second place on the podium stand. Ethiopian Dejan Gebremeskel is all in for the 10,000 meter distance after winning a bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships and silver medal at the London Olympics over 5,000 meters. The 23-year-old has the world’s fastest time after running 26:51.02 at the Folksam Grand Prix on June 27.

Don’t count out the other Ethiopians. Abera Kuma has the second fastest time in the world after finishing second to Gebremeskel at Sollentuna in 26.52.85. Imane Merga was third in that same race and third in the world with his 26:57.33. 2011 World Champion Ibrahim Jeylan took Farah by surprise in Daegu, but the chances of that happening again are slim, since Jeylan has not raced since placing fourth in the Birmingham Diamond League 5,000-meter race. He was five seconds back from Farah at the finish line.

In the Daegu 5,000-meter final and at the Olympics last year, Rupp has been one to follow Farah when he decides to unleash speed going into the last 500-meters. Sitting down with site editor Mitch Kastoff, we picked up on one common trend in Farah’s races – he never loses once he takes the lead. (Ex: Daegu 5K, Olympic 5K, Olympic 10K, Birmingham 5K, etc.) The exceptions to this theory are of course the losses at the 2013 Prefontaine Classic and the Daegu 10,000-meter final, where Farah made his move too early. If Rupp wants to win, he has to do more than just play the cat-and-mouse game of following Farah and aggressively take the lead instead. If he can’t do that, settling for a spot on the medal stand seems more likely.

Americans Not Named Galen Rupp
Dathan Ritzenhein’s recent race tactics show him wanting to be one of those racers to push Farah for a fast race. He was the top American going into the bell lap in Eugene and passed Farah (against his teammate’s orders) in London 3,000-meter race. In what is most likely his last race on the track wearing a Team USA uniform, Ritzenhein may not be a medal contender, but he has 2009-like confidence to contend for the top American finish. If he beats Rupp, his track career comes full circle as the top American on the track. If he medals, it is the storybook ending.

As for Chris Derrick, this the first of many World Championships for him. His mission may just be to make more of a name for himself among competitors.

Rode the bus with Mo Farah today. He asked me when my race is, so I can tell he sees me as a big threat.

— Chris Derrick (@CDerrickRun) August 8, 2013