Chris Solinsky's plan to secure a berth on the U.S. Olympic track and field team went awry late Monday night, and the former University of Wisconsin standout isn't happy about it.

One of the favorites in the 5,000 meters at the national trials in Eugene, Ore., Solinsky held the lead late in the race but faded down the stretch and was passed by Ian Dobson for the third and final spot with 100 meters left.

Solinsky wound up fifth after also being passed by Bolota Asmerom.

In a post-race video interview, Solinsky castigated himself for agreeing and sticking to a plan that included former Badgers teammate Matt Tegenkamp -- who qualified for the U.S. team by finishing second behind naturalized citizen Bernard Lagat, a native of Kenya.

Solinsky, who is known for being candid, said the plan was to start dropping 60-second laps on the final 1,200 meters. Solinsky would take the lead on the third-to-last lap, Tegenkamp would move to the front for the second-to-last lap, and then the last lap would be every man for himself. But Tegenkamp didn't move ahead of Solinsky until the final turn.

A synopsis of Solinsky's comments follows.

On the race strategy:

** "This is one of those times I should have improvised and not stick to the plan."

** "I don't know what happened to Matt. He must have been farther back. He never came up and helped."

** "That was one thing I was worried about when we came up with the plan was getting hung out to dry, and it happened. Whether it was his fault or not, I don't know."

What did you think when Tegenkamp didn't go by?

** "I just thought something was wrong with him. But I don't know what happened. Then when he came by with 100 to go, I tried latching on to him quick and there was just nothing there. I had nothing left in my legs. I do that too much to myself. I just kill any kind of kick I'd have in the last 200 meters, I take it out at the end of the race, like the last 1,000-1,200 meters."

The fallout:

** "Learn from it. Sucks to learn from it at this level, at this race, but I'm going to be learning from it."

** "I'm probably not showing as pissed off as I am right now to you guys, but I'll be using this this summer and next year."

** "It's easier to pick off someone in front of you then hold people off who have momentum when you're going backwards. ... This year, this meet, that was an incredibly stupid move and cost me a spot on the team. If I had to do it over again, I'd wait 400, 600 meters and go for a kick."

** "(I need to) get out of my stupid college mentality of trying to drop everybody, because I can't do that at this level."

** "I truly believed going into tonight that I was making this team."

** "I've got to learn to let races come to me and not force them. Like I said, it worked in college, but it doesn't do a damn at this level."