Solinsky moving up to marathon

Tyrannosaurus Rexing wrote:

It's really incredible how one injury could send him off course so much. And realize when I say that, that he's been saying that's he's been injury free for quite awhile. My point: it is one thing to have a single recurring injury that just won't go away, or that leads to many other injuries, ruin your career, but its quite another to have a single bad injury, then completely or 99% heal from it, and still not be able to get your mojo back whatsoever.

It's a bit different when that one injury is complete detachment of your hamstring from the bone and having to have it surgically reattached using screws and bolts.

pr100 wrote:

Solinsky is 6'1" and 165 lbs.

What's the best marathon time by someone that big?

Possibly he could lose a bit of weight...

2:08:33, I imagine.

To paraphase off something Canova said about Tergat in the past, "the guy in the marathon isn't Chris Solinksy, it's Chris Solinksy's older brother."

Maybe if he moved up 3-5 years ago, he would have a shot to do decently well, but I think he's going to the marathon because in his mind, it's his last chance at success...last kicks of a dying horse, if you will. Wasn't it Webb that was talking about the marathon last year?

Solinsky probably thinks he will do well but he has no chance at a 2:09. He's lost a lot of training time and confidence over the years, and his body size burns way too much fuel. He's not very competitive over 5k anymore, which he is better suited to, so I don't see him doing anything in a race over two hours.

I hope he runs well, but I see him collecting a nice appearance fee somewhere, cracking a 2:15ish in his debut before deciding it's not for him.

ugv wrote:

Coach Cookie wrote:

I'm sad to see him announce his retirement. I know he'll be doing great things once he accepts that he's retired.

Like what?

Posting on message boards about Salazar.

Makes sense financially and mentally is probably exciting for him.

His BMI is too high and his surface area to volume ratio is way too low. He'll generate too much heat, sweat too much and burn too much glycogen. He's the size of most 400 meter runners. If he actually wants to be competitive he should be racing the 800, but the hamstring prob wouldn't hold up. Basically, he's done and is milking it at this point.

^This. I wish him all the best, and I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but I imagine he'll fall well short at the marathon distance.

wasn't khannouchi a perfect example of someone who ran close to 2:04 and didn't demonstrate track speed?

hrunner2 wrote:

wasn't khannouchi a perfect example of someone who ran close to 2:04 and didn't demonstrate track speed?

There's a difference between demonstrating and being capable of.

Harry Carey wrote:

Just don't see it happening.

10k strikes me as the perfect distance for a guy of Solinsky's build and impressive aerobic capacities.

Since his injury, the half marathon may have become more of the ideal event for Chris, but I struggle to envision someone with a frame that large being in it with 6-8 miles to go in the full marathon.

I don't know about that. Think of Rob De Castella and Alberto Salazar. 2:08 marathoners. 5'11". Not little guys. I know Solinsky has been hurt a lot, and he's a couple of inches taller, but he has the talent. Remember, Ed Eyestone at 6'1". I'm not sure Solinsky can stay healthy, though. Running higher mileage he could lose some weight, which he'd have to. I wish him the best. Of course, Ryan Hall has been the only American runner to even come close to the best Africans in the marathon.

Isn't Ryan Hall around 6 ft?

Solinsky is 20 pounds heavier than Deek or Salazar were.

This is hilarious to read all of these biology-marathon experts. I'm not saying he's going to run 2:04, but based on his 26:59 I bet at the least he'll be sub 2:10 and for Americans that's pretty darn good.

But I'm not going to claim to know how his body type will affect him in the marathon because I'm not a know-it-all like people on this board. All I know is, the bigger the boy, the bigger the muscles and bones. As long as he fuels well and trains correctly, I don't see how he can't pop a decent one off.

In any event, he's still pretty hungry for winning it seems, and I think that's what matters most.

SMJO wrote:

Solinsky is 20 pounds heavier than Deek or Salazar were.

So?

Come on, if Teg who don't run no 10k can debut in 2:12, Solinsky can do similar. Anyhow his goal appears to be only to make an Olympic team. That's realistic.

SMJO wrote:

Solinsky is 20 pounds heavier than Deek or Salazar were.

Solinsky is not to big to run any kind of time. Seriously, you naysayers have been bringing up his weight and height throughout his entire career. Time after time he has done nothing but prove you all wrong.

He'll probably break the AR in his debut and cause the boards to break down.

coach bigfoot wrote:

This is hilarious to read all of these biology-marathon experts. I'm not saying he's going to run 2:04, but based on his 26:59 I bet at the least he'll be sub 2:10 and for Americans that's pretty darn good.

But I'm not going to claim to know how his body type will affect him in the marathon because I'm not a know-it-all like people on this board. All I know is, the bigger the boy, the bigger the muscles and bones. As long as he fuels well and trains correctly, I don't see how he can't pop a decent one off.

In any event, he's still pretty hungry for winning it seems, and I think that's what matters most.

He had a 4 month span where he was in 26:59 shape. Otherwise, both before and after he has always been a 13:15-13:30 type runner. When he ran 26:59 he was either lighter, on the junk, had recently fallen in love, or some combo of those.

It's just stupid to think he can do it if he tries real hard. What's the Nigerian record for the marathon? How about the Filipino record? Jamaican? Body type and physiology matters. He is straight ignorant to think he should run a marathon in rio. If it were held in freezing temps in the Winter Olympics....uh wait a sec.

If Solinsky wants an Olympic birth he should be doing XC Skiing. He has an ideal build for that! He would have a much better shot there.

Did you really just use "falling in love" as a reason for why he was running well? lol ooook

frisch's big boy wrote:

pr100 wrote:

Solinsky is 6'1" and 165 lbs.

What's the best marathon time by someone that big?

Possibly he could lose a bit of weight...

2:08:33, I imagine.

Who was that?

Coach Bigfoot wrote:

Did you really just use "falling in love" as a reason for why he was running well? lol ooook

It's one of the most powerful emotions. When people are in that honeymoon period it's not abnormal for training and racing to be exceptionally inspired, but that doesn't last.

He really does have the physique of a XC skier. It would be new to him, exciting, and much easier in his body.