Andreas Almgren improved his Swedish record on the odd distance by almost three seconds, from 7.34,28 to 7.31,42.
It is in a month, in the World Championship in Japan, that the runner will be at his very best. This means that he is in a very tough training period right now. The last week he has run-trained 205 kilometers, to compare with the week before the Diamond League gala in Stockholm, when he set a European record on 5,000 meters.
Then I had 95 kilometers, says Almgren.
At home
He is not surprised about the record, despite never being so run down before a competition.
I know that I have a high quality and honestly, it was not a good record I had before. When I set it last year in Oslo, I was quite slow, he says.
In two-three weeks, I would probably have been able to go down towards 7.25. But now all focus is on in five weeks.
The GP competition was held at Turebergslöparens home arena Sollentuna-vallen.
I can see my parents' house from here. I would have done a tough session this weekend, so I could just as well come here and do it, means Almgren.
"Constantly anxious"
Andreas Almgren's running career has been marked by illnesses and injuries. The coming weeks, before the World Championship, will therefore be very tough for him.
I will just get through them, will be constantly anxious. If I'm going to meet a friend or someone in the family, I will ask "you're not sick, or met someone who is sick, or been in a large crowd?". It's like the equivalent of going into the USA and having to answer questions about being a terrorist, he says with a laugh.
