Ricky's Notes and Quotes - Boys

by Ricky Quintana

All eyes were on Chris Solinsky. He was the one everyone had picked and no one would dispute that after his third place finish in hot humid Orlando last year. His stock rose significantly when he spoke of the ease of his training in recent weeks and he was very fit.

The walk through the previous day had a lot of people talking about running conservatively the first mile.
So when the runners began, it was not shocking that the pace slowed going down the first hill. The runners, backed up entering the path, were greeted with dust and wood chips flying into their faces. Also, as seen in the girl's race, runners were jostled as they tried to maintain good position.

The runners ran with restraint approaching the first mile. Trafeh and Jesperson, then Debole took turns leading as the pack remained relatively intact. Solinsky and Trafeh ran two abreast, then came Curtis, Debole, and Araia, then Wes Smith, and Fennel. They reached the mile in 4:43.

The leaders remained the same going up the hill, but after it began to flatten out and the runners prepared for the descent, Solinsky began to string out the leaders. He was followed by Smith and Araia, Trafeh, Curtis, Fennel, Rupp, Jesperson, Debole, and Mack. The Midwest pack formed with Solinksy, Araia, Smith and surprising Heath leading the second loop. Curtis followed another 3 meters back.

Going into the two mile, Solinsky began to open some daylight over Araia and Smith. The two mile was reached in 9:37 and as planned, Solinsky began to assert himself. His gap grew on the descent. Araia and Smith teamed up behind him with Curtis, Keino, Heath, Debole, Trafeh, Jesperson and Hassen following.

Solinsky was all by himself leading up the hill the second time. He was cheered on by his greatest fan, "Pre," who held a big yellow sign, " Go! Rocket Go!" and yelled encouragement to his "boy." Another ten seconds back was Wes Smith who was running fantastically. He too charged up the hill with zest. Araia followed another two seconds back. The south was having a good showing as they were led by Curtis and Keino. Another two seconds back, a huge pack followed. Debole, then Jesperson, Trafeh, Haji and Hassen.

In the end, Solinsky extended his lead tying the third fastest time ever run at Balboa park. Smith held onto second. Curtis's last ditch run was able to nab Araia. Debole was able to pass Keino.

Here is what they said after the race:

Chris Solinsky

" Before I saw the course, I wanted to be under 9:20 for two. Once I saw the course, I decided to sit back a little bit on the first loop. Then  I tired to push hard as hard as I could once I got to the two mile mark. When I got to the top of the hill during the second mile mark, I didn't' think I had it in my legs, but luckily I had enough of a cushion on the down hill and that got me started again.
My original plan was to be under 4:35 and 9:20. That would have gotten me in a lot of trouble here. I would have eaten it on the second loop. I tried to play it safe the first loop and then pound the second loop.
I felt really, really comfortable the first loop. It felt like I was just out for a jog. That made me feel really really good."

Bobby Curtis

" I went out relaxed. That second mile, that mulch killed me. Coming to the last 400, I just put a little kick together and ended up getting third. I'm kind of disappointed, but I ran pretty well. It's not a big deal."

On catching Nef

" I almost had to catch him because he's been talking lot of trash lately. I know if he'd have beaten me, I wouldn't have heard the end of it. Seeing him the last 100, I pretty much knew what I had to do."

Matt Debole

" It went pretty well. It felt as though no one really wanted to take the lead. Talking with everyone before the race... one of our captains told us that no one leading through the first 800 has ever won. I'm sure that was on everyone's minds because when we got to the first 800, everyone just held back. I had a kick today. I don't know where it came from. I was praying during the race and hearing people cheer and stuff, it really fired me up for that last 800. I picked some more people off. I think I got fifth. I would have been pretty disappointed had I gotten anything but top five.

Last year vs this year

" Even throughout the season, I felt more in shape. At regionals, even though I got second with a slower time, I felt more in control. When I came out here, I felt a lot more confident, having more experience and everything. This race, this year felt like it was a lot harder course and everything. I feel really really happy with it. I wanted to improve on my finish from last year. God, to make All-American, you know. I accomplished both those goals. I'm really really happy. I'm ready for the day to keep on going. I can't wait for the rest of it."

Steven Hassen

" It went good. I basically.... seriously, I wish I could have run the second part a little faster, but the second time I hit that hill, it was pretty hard. I thought I did well. Congratulations to Ryan Deak. He's a great runner. I didn't see him except for once. I passed him at two and miles and I passed him back He's really tough. He was able to battle back and get me. Honestly, I feel a little bad about that, but I think I ran a pretty good race."

Kippy Keino

" It went well. That hill, the last go around just took it out of me. I just had to settle in and try to finish in the top fifteen and I got  fifteenth so that was good. It was a tough race. It was a good race. It was very competitive. I was glad to have that competition.
It was a well designed course. I liked it. It took the best out of you. The best guys who had it, who were on the top of their game came out well today. I was happy. I was pleased with my performance even though I didn't  do as well as I wanted to. I thought everybody did well. I'm happy. I'm just glad to come out here and do what I can. It was a good experience for me."

Wes Smith

" It helped having a group of mid west people running up there. We were packing it really well. I knew who they were so I knew I could run with them. It helped a ton having all those guys up there to run with me. That's what really led me."

On not being mentioned as a favorite

" I don't know if I was considered by many as on of the top guys coming in, but I knew I could run at their level. I was out here to really prove myself. I've been training hard. Out here is the place to shine. It's the biggest of them all. That's what I geared towards the whole year.

Ryan Deak

"It went good. We went out a little faster than I wanted to, but everyone else did. I wanted to go out at 4:50. We went out in 4:43. Then, I hit somewhere around 9:51, 9:52. So basically, I went 4:43, then 5:11and ended up running 15:21 or 15:31 which is what I expected to run. It's about twenty-two seconds difference from McAlpine. Teddy Mitchell ran 14:58 at McAlpine and then ran 15:21 here. That's what I wanted to do, somewhere around 15:20."

On the toughness of the course

" It's a little tough. That second time going up that hill, it seemed like you were walking up it. It's expected. I like real cross country courses. It's expected to be a little harder than people think it is. When you get here, you think, it' not that bad. Then, you're dying at the end and it gets harder and harder. The course gets you.

On his fast finish

" Yeah [on catching Hassen] and Pifer who is going to Colorado. I wanted to relax on the up hill and then kick from the highest point so I could get the momentum going again. That's what I did. The last five yards before the hill I did and just killed myself in the straight away."

 On his placing

" Yeah. I'm happy. That's what I expected. From tenth to 12th or 13th. So I'm happy."

Wayne Solinsky (Chris' dad)

"Ultimately, that's what we were hoping for. He did all the work he needed to do. It came down to, like I said to him, this race is 90% mental. We wanted to come at it with a good mental attitude. We've always talked about coming at it aggressively. It was his to take. It was his to give. If you look at it confidently enough, with all the training he's done, confidence, the mental aspect is the main part of the race. He did good."

On his pep talks to Chris before the race

" Once and a while, he'll get down on himself and start to think negatively or semi defeated. There were a few times that I had to actually get on him pretty stern and say " Hey, you've done all the work. Get your head on straight and say let's go." Because it is all mental. 90% of the race is mental.
You have to look at the competition I'd tell him and he'd say 'Well, I don't know if I can run with them or whatever.' I'd tell him that he's waited for this all year long for someone to push. Think of it as an advantage,  not as a disadvantage. You have to go at it with an aggressive attitude because the mind set, like I said, is very powerful.
'Hungry dogs hunt harder,' I've always told him. If you look at it aggressively enough, you're going to get your own initiative and drive going. That's the course we've always taken. He appreciates it when he starts to look at that way."

On telling his son to make a decision between soccer and running

" We could see that he had a lot of talent. He had some really good rewards at a young age for not even running. I used to say to him, ' What would you do if you ever practiced runs?'
I was  a runner in school too and I lived on a dairy farm. I was allowed one sport a year. No matter what, you got one sport. I wasn't ever able to practice like Chris has been able to practice. I wasn't able to tap into my potential and ability I really wanted him to get as far as it could take him because he had a lot of talent.
Once you saw what he could do, the rest is history. He got the confidence. He liked doing it and you saw what he could do. Once he got the killer desire installed, which is a little tough at first, the fire lit, and the rest took care of itself.

On Chris' determination

" From the sophomore year on, he's been really aggressive as far as his goals. He sets his goals up long before the season and just about hits every goal every time. He strives to do it. He doesn't set  them just as a dream. He sets them as a goal. He works hard to achieve each and every goal. It's his drive. If he would finished first last year, he would have gone for the record. To be honest, that's what his goal was today until he walked over the course and he said ' I'm going to go out a little slower over the first mile, rather than take it right away. Maybe that was enough to caution him, but a win is a win and we'll take it."

Lauren Jesperson

"The start of the race, I felt pretty good and comfortable. I got out to a good start. I don't think I was going out too hard. I was just with the rest of the group.
I started feeling real tired in the middle of the race. I started fading a little bit mentally. I tried to regroup going up the hill, the second time, but I just didn't have it in me. I gave it 110%. I don't think I had the race I should have had.
I'm not thinking of any excuses or anything, but I've been trying to think of ways I could prevent this from happening again, but I think that the way the west has their region the week before on a really hard course may have a lot to do with it.
I think my situation with coaching put  added stress which isn't really needed. And I think I put a lot of pressure on myself. I probably didn't put enough faith in my abilities coming into this.
I think  I've learned a lot and I look forward to running for Stanford next fall.

Nef Araia

" It was everything I expected, but just a couple of places back. It was pretty hard. I love this course a lot. Everybody always says that if you run it a couple of different times, you have different winners, but I'll say Chris will be winning it more than not.
I tired to throw everything I had at him and  I felt I ran to my full potential which I've never done before. I guess it's time to go up another level in training. Chris is tough and I'm ready to compete."

On being kicked down the last mile

" I've been outkicked so many times, I didn't even know. I wanted so hard to think that I could relax and not have Bobby catch me, but in the back of my mind I knew that it could happen. So I just pushed and pushed and he got me right at the line. I don't know. I'm not upset. I can't be.
Yea [happy with his race]. Somewhat. I know there is room to improve. And that's what makes me happy about it.

Mohamed Trafeh

On his performance

" Actually, yes. This is my level. I had to fast the whole month of Ramadan. I couldn't peak because of that month. This is the right time to peak after eating for a week. I feel strong because I have all my nutrition back.

On the west regional

" Actually, I was tired the first 1000 meters. I started cramping up a bit at the mile mark. I just tried to stick with the group. I'm lucky I made it."

How he felt this week

" Yeah, I felt good. I could have done even better if I didn't have to fast for that month. I could be peaking more. Ramadan stopped me from peaking. "

On Ramadan

"From sunrise to sunset we fast for 14 hours. from 4:30 to five o'clock. Ramadan is tough, but it keeps you healthy too. I'm healthy already. When I'm doing my workouts, I have to fall back a little bit. I run slow then fast. I get tired quick. I wasn't doing what I was supposed to do during my workouts. "

On his lack of experience and his expectations

"" Yeah, I've only been running for two years. My goal is to win next year. That's my goal."

Bob Deak (Ryan's dad)

" I was just talking with James and  15:21 on this course is actually equivalent to the best time Steven and Ryan have run. They ran to their fitness. I have no complaints.
You want a higher place, but coming in, I looked at the times from McAlpine and the times from 1979 that the kids have run. I figured that Ryan and Steve could run about 15:20. I would consider that an "A" race and they ran a 15:21.

On the course and race strategy

" No, I don't know [if he had problems with the course]. It may have looked that way. The trails  out at Maclay are not easy. He ran a mountain race this summer, five miles straight up, and he came in first. People think he doesn't have experience on hills, but he does. We have a five mile loop and the last mile is 800 meters up hill.
I noticed that he got bumped around physically by some of the bigger guys. I saw it more than once. In that group he was in, they ran like Europeans. I can't complain.
Ryan's in 9 flat shape, Steven's in 9 flat shape. Pifer and 9:01, Kippy Keino ran 9:03, so they really ran right to their fitness."

Bob Cooke aka " Doctor Bob" ( a fan who traveled from Florida with his son Kyle, a runner for Holy Trinity in Melbourne, FL, just to watch the Florida runners run)

" I tell you. I'm really really proud of the guys from Florida. All-American status. Number 12 and 13. I'm just so proud for Steven and Ryan. I know how much work went into this point. They've worked their buns off all year. It's really a testament to their dedication and their programs at Vanguard and Maclay. I'm really really proud of them. On behalf of the state, I would like to congratulate both of them."

Why he traveled so far

" I'll tell you, I'm here for a couple of reasons. My son is running now and I wanted him to experience an event of this caliber. Secondly, I had the time to come out here this weekend so we just made a family event out of it. And third, I wanted to come out and support the guys. I really did. I wanted to  come out and cheer them on today. I cheered them on at the state  meet. I've been following them all year. I figured I may as well take it all the way to the end and  see it all the way through. Come out to San Diego and have a great weekend.
And I tell you, Ricky, it's been a great great weekend. If the guys back in Florida, could see the event that goes on out here, that's put on by Footlocker, it's really something else. It's something, runners in the state, guy and girls, to should shoot for.
It's going to be here for the next three years and I'm hoping to come back.

On  what struck him about the event

"  The camaraderie. The fact that they have four different teams and it's a very team oriented event. Even though, they have some great individuals out here and they're all shooting for number one, I think that they have four teams that are cheered on by NIKE professional athletes, gives it that real cross country feel.

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