Chris Solinsky
Encyclopedia
Chris Solinsky is an American
distance
runner
. Among his more notable achievements, he won eight state championships in high school and five NCAA
Division I championships at the University of Wisconsin
. He is the former American 10,000 meters
record holder with a time of 26:59.60 as well as the first non-Africa
n to break the 27-minute barrier in the 10,000 m. He is currently a professional runner for Nike
, Oregon Track Club Elite and KIMbia Athletics.
and he attended high school at Stevens Point Area Senior High
(SPASH). Solinsky dominated the competition after his freshman
year, winning the state cross country title three times. He won 11 state medal
s, eight state titles, led the nation in time on six different occasions, and earned four 1st Team All-American awards. He broke Wisconsin high school state records in the indoor 1600 m, the indoor 2-mile, and the outdoor 3200 m. He also broke state meet records in cross country and the outdoor 3200 m. His winning time of 14:41 at the 2002 Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships
gave him a 21-second winning margin, the largest margin of victory in the history of the meet. He finished his high school career with personal records of 4:03.80 (1600 m) and 8:43.24 (3200 m).
after graduating from high school in the spring of 2003. There, training under coach Jerry Schumacher
, he continued to improve as a national-class runner. The Badgers
were undefeated in Big Ten championships during Solinsky's career, sweeping the 2003-2007 cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field titles. Wisconsin
also won two NCAA team titles during those years (2005 cross country, 2007 indoor track and field), and finished as national runner-up three times (cross country 2003, 2004, 2006). As an individual, Solinsky earned four Big Ten individual titles, 14 All American accolades, and five individual national titles (2005 and 2006 indoor 3000 m, 2007 indoor 5000 m, 2006 and 2007 outdoor 5000 m). He also formerly held the Wisconsin school record in the indoor 3000 m and currently holds the record in the outdoor mile.
At the Badger Twilight Meet on May 6 (52 years to the day after Roger Bannister
broke the barrier for the first time), Solinsky and four other athletes ran a 1-mile race at the Dan McClimon track. Former Badger Matt Tegenkamp
finished first in 3:56.58 and Solinsky finished second in 3:57.80, both becoming the first to dip under four minutes
on Wisconsin soil.
Solinsky graduated from Wisconsin in December 2007 with Bachelor of Arts
degrees in history
and sociology
.
and KIMbia Athletics. Until January 2009, he continued to live and train in Madison, Wisconsin
under coach Schumacher. Since then, Schumacher and his athletes have moved to Portland, Oregon and have become part of the Oregon Track club. Matt Tegenkamp
continues to be his training partner. Solinsky failed to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics
in the 5000 meter run, leading most of the Olympic Trials
' last 1000 m but faltering down the final stretch.
Solinsky qualified for the 2009 World Championships
in Berlin
with a second place finish at the U.S. Championship
. At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
in Berlin
, Solinsky finished in 12th place with a time of 13:25.87.
On May 1, 2010, Solinsky debuted in the 10,000 meters at the Payton Jordan
Invitational at Stanford University, setting the American Record
in the process by fourteen seconds (bettering Meb Keflezighi's 2001 mark of 27:13.98) to run 26:59.60. The mark also surpasses Arturo Barrios
's North American area record of 27:08.23. He is the first non-African to break the 27-minute barrier for the 10000 meters. The 6'1", 160-pound Solinsky is also the first man over 6 feet and over 141 pounds to break the 27-minute barrier.
On June 4, 2010, Solinsky improved his personal best in the 5000 meters, breaking the 13 minute barrier by running 12:56.66 at the Bislett Games
. The mark was just .39 behind the standing American and North American record held by Dathan Ritzenhein
, however Bernard Lagat
improved upon both records by running 12:54.12 in the same race.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
distance
Long-distance track event
Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. These types of races are predominantly aerobic in nature and at the highest level, exceptional levels of aerobic endurance is required more than anything else...
runner
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
. Among his more notable achievements, he won eight state championships in high school and five NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I championships at the University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. He is the former American 10,000 meters
10000 metres
The 10,000 metres or 10K is a common long distance running event. As "10,000 metres" it is a track event, and appears in athletics events such as the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics; as "10K" it is a roadrace or cross country running event...
record holder with a time of 26:59.60 as well as the first non-Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n to break the 27-minute barrier in the 10,000 m. He is currently a professional runner for Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, Oregon Track Club Elite and KIMbia Athletics.
Early life and high school
Solinsky was born in Stevens Point, WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and he attended high school at Stevens Point Area Senior High
Stevens Point Area Senior High
Stevens Point Area Senior High is a high school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Stevens Point Area School District. SPASH is the second largest high school in the state of Wisconsin by population served...
(SPASH). Solinsky dominated the competition after his freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
year, winning the state cross country title three times. He won 11 state medal
Medal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
s, eight state titles, led the nation in time on six different occasions, and earned four 1st Team All-American awards. He broke Wisconsin high school state records in the indoor 1600 m, the indoor 2-mile, and the outdoor 3200 m. He also broke state meet records in cross country and the outdoor 3200 m. His winning time of 14:41 at the 2002 Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships
Foot Locker Cross Country Championships
The Foot Locker Cross Country Championships are a series of annual cross country running races held in various regions of the United States to determine the premier cross country runner in various age groups, but mainly serves to find the best prep cross country athlete in the country...
gave him a 21-second winning margin, the largest margin of victory in the history of the meet. He finished his high school career with personal records of 4:03.80 (1600 m) and 8:43.24 (3200 m).
College
Solinsky chose the University of Wisconsin–MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
after graduating from high school in the spring of 2003. There, training under coach Jerry Schumacher
Jerry Schumacher
Jerry Schumacher is an American coach for the sport of track and field, specializing in distance running. He has coached Olympic bronze medalist and the American women's 10k record holder Shalane Flanagan, the former men's American 10k record holder Chris Solinsky, the men's American two mile...
, he continued to improve as a national-class runner. The Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the collegiate athletic teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This NCAA Division I athletic program has teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and field, rowing, golf, and softball...
were undefeated in Big Ten championships during Solinsky's career, sweeping the 2003-2007 cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field titles. Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
also won two NCAA team titles during those years (2005 cross country, 2007 indoor track and field), and finished as national runner-up three times (cross country 2003, 2004, 2006). As an individual, Solinsky earned four Big Ten individual titles, 14 All American accolades, and five individual national titles (2005 and 2006 indoor 3000 m, 2007 indoor 5000 m, 2006 and 2007 outdoor 5000 m). He also formerly held the Wisconsin school record in the indoor 3000 m and currently holds the record in the outdoor mile.
At the Badger Twilight Meet on May 6 (52 years to the day after Roger Bannister
Roger Bannister
Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister, CBE is an English former athlete best known for running the first recorded mile in less than 4 minutes...
broke the barrier for the first time), Solinsky and four other athletes ran a 1-mile race at the Dan McClimon track. Former Badger Matt Tegenkamp
Matt Tegenkamp
Matthew Tegenkamp is a professional distance runner from Lee's Summit, Missouri. He is the American two-mile record holder, with a time of 8:07.07, set at the Prefontaine Classic in 2007....
finished first in 3:56.58 and Solinsky finished second in 3:57.80, both becoming the first to dip under four minutes
Four Minute Mile
Four Minute Mile is the first full-length album released by Kansas City, Missouri emo band The Get Up Kids.-Recording:The album was recorded in April 1997 on a budget of $4,000. It was produced by Shellac bassist Bob Weston in Chicago over the course of two and a half days. It was released by...
on Wisconsin soil.
Solinsky graduated from Wisconsin in December 2007 with Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degrees in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
.
Professional
Following the completion of his collegiate career, Solinsky signed a contract with NikeNike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
and KIMbia Athletics. Until January 2009, he continued to live and train in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
under coach Schumacher. Since then, Schumacher and his athletes have moved to Portland, Oregon and have become part of the Oregon Track club. Matt Tegenkamp
Matt Tegenkamp
Matthew Tegenkamp is a professional distance runner from Lee's Summit, Missouri. He is the American two-mile record holder, with a time of 8:07.07, set at the Prefontaine Classic in 2007....
continues to be his training partner. Solinsky failed to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in the 5000 meter run, leading most of the Olympic Trials
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events,...
' last 1000 m but faltering down the final stretch.
Solinsky qualified for the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
with a second place finish at the U.S. Championship
2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
The 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships took place between June 25–28 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The competition acted as a way of selecting the United States team for the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin later that year....
. At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Solinsky finished in 12th place with a time of 13:25.87.
On May 1, 2010, Solinsky debuted in the 10,000 meters at the Payton Jordan
Payton Jordan
Payton Jordan was the head coach of the 1968 United States Olympic track and field team, one of the most powerful track teams ever assembled, which won a record twenty-four medals, including twelve golds. He was born in Whittier, California...
Invitational at Stanford University, setting the American Record
United States records in track and field
The following are the national records in track & field in the United States maintained by USA Track & Field .Key:-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitude# = not officially ratified by IAAF...
in the process by fourteen seconds (bettering Meb Keflezighi's 2001 mark of 27:13.98) to run 26:59.60. The mark also surpasses Arturo Barrios
Arturo Barrios
Arturo Barrios Flores is a Mexican long-distance runner. He was born in Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal. Barrios finished in fifth place in the 10000 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He is a former world record holder at 10000 m...
's North American area record of 27:08.23. He is the first non-African to break the 27-minute barrier for the 10000 meters. The 6'1", 160-pound Solinsky is also the first man over 6 feet and over 141 pounds to break the 27-minute barrier.
On June 4, 2010, Solinsky improved his personal best in the 5000 meters, breaking the 13 minute barrier by running 12:56.66 at the Bislett Games
Bislett Games
The Bislett Games is an annual track and field event at the Bislett Stadion in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. It is sponsored by ExxonMobil and officially known as the ExxonMobil Bislett Games.-History:The first...
. The mark was just .39 behind the standing American and North American record held by Dathan Ritzenhein
Dathan Ritzenhein
Dathan Ritzenhein is an American long-distance runner. He held the American record in the 5,000 metres from 2009–10, when it was broken by Bernard Lagat...
, however Bernard Lagat
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat is an American middle and long distance champion athlete.Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya...
improved upon both records by running 12:54.12 in the same race.
Personal bests
| Distance | Performance | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1500 m | 3:35.89 | April 15, 2011 |
| Mile | 3:54.1 | September 20, 2008 |
| 3000 m | 7:34.32 | August 29, 2010 |
| 5000 m | 12:55.53 | August 6, 2010 |
| 10,000 m | 26:59.60 | May 1, 2010 |
Achievements
- 2006 Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete Of The Year
- 2006 Big Ten Outdoor Track Athlete Of The Year
- 2007 Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete Of The Year
- 2007 USTFCCCA National Indoor Track Athlete Of The Year
External links
- USATF profile for Chris Solinsky
- Biography from KIMBIA Athletics
- Wisconsin High School Boys All-Time 3200 m List
- Interview with mensracing
- Interview with Runners' World
- Interview with wisconsintrackandfield.com
- 2002 Nike Athlete of the Year
Audio interviews
- TheFinalSprint.com's 5/29/07 interview with Chris Solinsky before the 2007 NCAA and USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
- Teleconference interview with Former Wisconsin Badger teammates and current training partners Chris Solinsky & Matt Tegenkamp on June 13, 2007