Chris Solinsky leaving Portland - accepts coaching gig at William and Mary

rojo wrote:

but it's ahrd)?

So like when he runs does he aerobically feel totally untaxed and his leg simply won't move?

So like when rojo writes, is his brain totally untaxed because it isn't being used?

Neuroscientists, please respond because it is pretty interesting.

Agree,seems like it would be a great recruiting tool but it didn't happen.

It is a great physical and psychological challenge to attain a high degree of fitness as you age without a serious injury. Once one makes the decision to coach, and you put your heart into it, I doubt one would have the time or energy to devote to training at a high level.

As a journalist, why doesn't rojo pick up the phone and call Solinsky? He can get first hand info on the state of the leg and aerobic effort.

Ed Moran was an assistant coach at W&M for several years, finishing as high as 4th at USATFs in the 10k. He also ran that pretty good marathon debut in like 2:12 or 2:13 and change at the trials while coaching, but we haven't heard from him since.

rojo wrote:

The question I have is when he's running is he even tired? THink about how big his aerobic engine it. 26:59. Last week, he didn't even break 30:00 at Beach to Beacon. THat's basically 30 seconds a mile slower than his AR.

You're forgetting he hasn't trained anywhere near the level he did for a year straight in 2009-2010. He was at his absolute peak, killing his workouts and running big mileage. He doesn't sniff those times in practice so while his pump's potential may still technically be there, his lungs ain't.

William and Mary has been a good stepping stone for a lot of coaches, not just Gibby, and Gibby did not build a great program, he inherited it. W&M has qualified as much for NCAA XC Mens Champs as much as any school except for the top 5 in the past 20 years.

Look at the list of W&M runners and coaches and where they are now.

Drenth

Gibby

Dunn

The runnersworld article mentions that his Nike contract is up at the end of 2014. He's probably just jumping the gun so he's not unemployed after 2014.

Can't imagine he will be payed more than $30-40,000. I believe the salaries are available from LR in an earlier thread. I think they are even in spread sheet format.

Ugh! Welcome to the real world.

whoa i thought the same thing when it was originally mentioned. that pic is crazy.

rrrrererer wrote:

I saw someone mention this in an earlier post, and i thought it was typical letsrun hyperbole, but it's not. photo at the RW link someone posted above:

one other thing is certain from that photo: CS is nowhere near as lean as he was in 2010...dude was fit w/super low body fat %. looks not as lean + bulkier up top in terms of muscle in this pic.

big kat wrote:

whoa i thought the same thing when it was originally mentioned. that pic is crazy.

rrrrererer wrote:

I saw someone mention this in an earlier post, and i thought it was typical letsrun hyperbole, but it's not. photo at the RW link someone posted above:

one other thing is certain from that photo: CS is nowhere near as lean as he was in 2010...dude was fit w/super low body fat %. looks not as lean + bulkier up top in terms of muscle in this pic.

He looked the leanest in 2011. It was amazing. He ran well the first half of that year, but I wonder if that had to do with getting injured so badly, trying to force his body fat % dangerously low.

Americans are always so stunned when athletes retire. ESPN still can't believe Tiger Woods has faded and that he's 38 years old. Colin Cowherd is just shocked that Tiger is struggling. Heck, Mickelson is 40+. Twenty-nine by running standards isn't old, but it isn't young, either.

Solinsky will always have his sub-27. Good career, sounds like a decent guy. I know nothing of W & M's "glory years" if they ever had any, but I hope Solinsky does well.

Injuries happen and careers end, usually not how the athlete wants it to end.

People shouldn't be stunned that a runner is injured and moving on in his life.

It amazes me how quickly it all ended for Solinsky.

4 years and two days ago - on August 6, 2010, he ran 12:55.

Earlier that year, he became the first white man to break 27:00.

Now at 29, he's moving on to college coaching.

He talks about the 2016 Games but is that possible (i started coaching at 29 and planned on training, but never really did. Admittedly he's the assistant but it's still hard)?

Unrelated to that, a question I have is when he's racing nowadays, "Is he aerobically tired?" Think about how big his aerobic engine it. 26:59. Last week, he didn't even break 30:00 at Beach to Beacon. That's basically 30 seconds a mile slower than his AR.

So when he runs does he aerobically feel totally untaxed and his leg simply won't move? Or is he having to use so much energy push his body with his damaged leg that it is very taxing?

It's interesting to think about from a physiological standpoint.

Any ideas?

I've always thought that it's impossible to run when injured. Your body just doesn't perform well. Even if there is no pain, your body won't produce.

Physiologists please respond.

How can a 26:59 guy struggle to break 30 when they are only 29?

Yes, I know Webb lost it quickly but it's all pretty interesting.

Wondering in the West wrote:

Americans are always so stunned when athletes retire. ESPN still can't believe Tiger Woods has faded and that he's 38 years old. Colin Cowherd is just shocked that Tiger is struggling. Heck, Mickelson is 40+. Twenty-nine by running standards isn't old, but it isn't young, either.

Solinsky will always have his sub-27. Good career, sounds like a decent guy. I know nothing of W & M's "glory years" if they ever had any, but I hope Solinsky does well.

Injuries happen and careers end, usually not how the athlete wants it to end.

People shouldn't be stunned that a runner is injured and moving on in his life.

Great speech but there is no implication that he's retiring.

Im still baffled as to why he hasn't really made it back yet. He looked like he was coming back into form when he ran a 13:23 last year at Stanford, and I thought, he'd at least be back into the the 13:10-15 range this season. It may be that he lost so much strength during his time off for injury, he can no longer handle the high volume of Schumacher, and gets easily fatigued trying.

I wish him the best, and really hope the change in scenery can help him make some sort of dent in US running again.

rojo wrote:

So when he runs does he aerobically feel totally untaxed and his leg simply won't move? Or is he having to use so much energy push his body with his damaged leg that it is very taxing?

the way i think about it why you can't run desired race pace X for distance Y is either:

1) you are well capable of running pace X buy you are out of shape and can't maintain it

(so biomechanically fine & able to put out the power, but not aerobically fit)

2) you just can't run pace X comfortably because pace X-1 (race pace for a shorter distance) is VERY taxing.

(you are fit & have a big engine, but a weak chassis & can't move the parts in a way to put out the power)

has to be the latter, but losing 30s/mile for 10K is ridiculous.

He hasn't lost 30 seconds/mile. He ran 29:00 on the track so that's about 20 seconds/mile. You have to compare track vs. track.

im an azzhole wrote:

If it were such a lousy place for running, then how did Gibby build such a successful program there?

He did it by making making all of his runner adhere to a high mileage and high intensity program, then hoping that he had 5 runners left at the end of the season.

Oh, and he also threw tantrums and kicked people off the team whenever he caught them drinking alcohol. I'm pretty sure even of age runners as well... although maybe someone else can confirm or deny?

Annual Bests

Event Result Venue Date

1500m 3:46.55 Kortrijk (BEL) 12.07.2014

3000m 8:00.46 Oordegem (BEL) 05.07.2014

5000m 13:50.23 Heusden-Zolder (BEL) 19.07.2014

10,000m 29:05.41 Portland (USA) 14.06.2014

10 km Road 30:02 Cape Elizabeth (USA) 02.08.2014

25 km Road 1:16:43 Grand Rapids (USA) 10.05.2014

PERFORMANCE PLACE DATE

2013 13:23.62 Palo Alto, CA 28 APR

2011 13:10.22 Melbourne (OP) 03 MAR

2010 12:55.53 Stockholm 06 AUG

2009 13:18.41 Walnut, CA 17 APR

2008 13:18.51 Heusden-Zolder 20 JUL

2007 13:12.24 Heusden-Zolder 28 JUL

2006 13:27.94 Eugene, OR 21 APR

2005 13:37.55 Carson, CA 24 JUN