Almgren ran 10 km road in 27.20 in Valencia on Sunday and broke the Swedish record by 37 seconds in the first race at the distance.
– I have had thoughts about “tian” even before and it was reinforced today. I got a taste. It was a nice distance to run and there is a lot of outtake at 10,000 meters, says Almgren, who will soon be going to a high-altitude camp in the Sierra Nevada.
In a month, a half-marathon awaits, and in two months, a high-class 10,000 meters in the USA, where the idea is that Almgren will make an attack on the qualifying time of 27:00.
– The dream limit of 27 minutes should not be impossible. I should be able to run faster on the track than on the road, thinks Almgren, who does not intend to run anything 1,500 meters before the Olympics in Paris this summer, but concentrate on races between 3,000 and 5,000 meters. He’s not worried about losing speed with that scheme.
– You can train to get the 1,500 meter capacity out and don’t have to compete over the distance.
High sprint capacity at slow races
Despite a personal record of 3.32.00, Almgren opts out of the 1,500 meters because there is such extremely tough competition in the event and that it is chance-like with trials, semi-finals and finals, while there is a final directly in the 10,000 meters.
He believes a championship race of 10,000 meters might suit him well.
– Victory times of just under 28 minutes, as has been the case in several championships, should suit me quite well. If it’s slow, I have a high sprint capacity.
It is SOK that has the final say on whether Almgren will get an Olympic ticket, where 5,000 meters are also included in the plan.
– I am better than ever right now, so it feels promising, says Almgren.