INJURED SOLINSKY ALMOST BEATS LAGAT AND DESTROYS RUPP!

The title of this thread is hilarious. The problem with the message board posters is either they believe a career is defined by PRs or by major championships. Right now PRs don't matter for these two guys. Because at the WC everyone is going to be able to hang in on what will probably be a modest pace. So it comes down to finishing speed and that my friends is what wins medals at the WC and Olympics. I would rather have a gold medal from the olypics or WC than have a PR under 27 in the 10k and sub 13 in the 5k. Heck a silver or bronze would be better than a cool PR. Webb has cool PRs I bet he would like some cool medals to go with them. I for one am happy to see home grown runners coming up to challenge for a major medal. I love lagat and I consider him an American but solinsky and Rupp are homegrown. Last thing to note is that there are probably only two medal spots open in the 5k if a healthy lagat shows up. The guy is a great racer and has shown he can run off a fast and slow pace. Why does he win so often well rupp and solinsky its because he has amazing finishing speed. Which it looks like those two guys are working on and seems to be coming around for them. Good luck to them all.

to OP i wouldnt call 1.9 seconds exactly destroying rupp, especially since there was the 10k the night before. and he never said he was injured, he just cited some hamstring issues that he didnt want to aggravate, so he was cautious and pulled out of pre 10k. and lagat did have his 1500m semi the other day (albeit, slow, but thats still 2 races to solinsky's 1, same goes for rupp)

The important question people should be asking is does this show that Lagat, Solinsky n Rupp are ready to win in a kicker's race? Or are they still some way from Bekele's closing 4:57 2000m in that epic Beijing 5000m?

ya..... wrote:

Solinsky, who just weeks ago pulled out of a 10k citing calf issues, bounces right back to push a hard pace in the mens 5,000 tonigh. After a pedestrian 4:39 first mile, Solinsky and Teg cranked out the next 4 laps in around 4:10 and then sub 60's for the last 3, with Lagat barely edging him and Rupp fading.

I'd like to agree with those that have suggested that two seconds is not big 5k victory especially after Rupp won the 10k less than 24 hours earlier.

But in 2010 Solinsky was better than Rupp. (Maybe if someone other than Rupp had lead those last few kms in Stanford we might be saying something different at 10k, maybe. But certainly in 2010 Sol>Rupp.

In 2011, what do we have? Solinsky: an indoor 3:54 mile, a very early outdoor 5k in 13:10, a 3:35 1500 and a slow championship second place with a big kick down.

Rupp: a cross country loss to Farah in the snow in Edinburgh, an indoor AR at 5k 13:11, a half marathon in 60 mins, a slow championship victory with a fast last 800, a slow championship third with a big kick down when tired.

So far this year I'd be inclined to suggest that Rupp's performances are superior, although Solinsky has won the only head-to-head race.

In my opinion the jury is still out in 2011. The verdict will be handed down in Monaco and Daegu.

Personal attacks will be ignored, sophisticated discussion welcomed.

I'm happy for him. I think he's great and unfortunately, people can't just be happy for him. Her broke 27:00 for the 10k prior to this and is working towards winning races. Good for him and good for us. He beat Rupp and that was good for him today. It doesn't matter what Rupp ran the day before. Today, in this race, Solinsky won.. Solinsky still has a faster PR and he is pushing USA distance running in the right direction.

*Faster PR in the 10k. He beat him in a 5k tonight and that's great. Let's not forget the terribly slow 10k from last night. Rupp pretty much only ran the last mile so a 5k the next day shouldn't be that trialing. But I'm happy for him because he did what he needed to do and he won. Good for him. Good for both of them. It is okay to be happy for both of them.

Barefoot Bushman wrote:

Rupp: a cross country loss to Farah in the snow in Edinburgh, an indoor AR at 5k 13:11, a half marathon in 60 mins, a slow championship victory with a fast last 800, a slow championship third with a big kick down when tired.

add: 3k pr for rupp... his last 3k of the 5000 was 7:38.x, the night after winning the 10k title...

my experience wrote:

Solinsky gets second in a 5k.

Rupp gets 1st in a 10k, then 3rd in the 5k.

Rupp > Solinski.

And injured? What? He is coming back from a severe case of vaginitis?

At least Solinsky doesn't need to look like a ninja to get attention when he runs.

Most elite runners including marathoners carry some small injuries into races. The goal of the trials is to get runners who will aim for a win and not just to represent the States. To do that we need runners who have the calibre to hung at any pace and be able to kick off it if and when necessary. Thats what the east africans will do. However, if Solinsky pushed the pace like he did in the 5k trials, I have no doubts at all that all East Africans will kick past him around 150 m before the bell and he would be so disheartened he might end up finishing among the last