Ricky Quintana: That was a much better performance than last year.
Christian Wagner: Yeah, thank God. I didn't really have the greatest race last year, and I learned from it, that's for sure. I took it out slower the first lap and was just kind of waiting for it to string out. I just started picking people off after that.

RQ: You were kind of in the back. Was that part of your plan?
CW: For the first part of the race, I wanted to be in the back. I got knocked down last year being in that pack, so I tried to stay out of it and play it safe that first lap, and then just throw it out the last mile and a half. It seemed to pan out.

RQ: No doubts about your strategy? Did you maybe see anything that you could change?
CW: If I had to do it again, I probably would have gone out a little bit faster, but not too much. I pretty much gave it all that I could have today. I don't think I could have prepared any more. I basically did all that I could do today.

RQ: You had a monster track season last year after running Foot Locker. What about this year?
CW: I'm ready to go out and start running around in circles, that's for sure. I think I can run some good two miles and miles this year and lower my PRs a little more and see what I can do this year.

RQ: I know you do a lot of volume. Are you going to do any 5k efforts?
CW: My team doesn't really go anywhere where we can do 5ks. Other than that, it would be just a time trial on my track or something. We're not supposed to go outside a 200-mile radius of Indiana, or you have to forfeit two races or something. So we don't do any bigger meets like that, so I don't really get to. I probably would if I had the chance. I like the two mile, it's a good race.

RQ: Rudy Chapa. You're going to hear that name a lot this track season.
CW: He's a complete runner. I have a lot of respect for the guy. He's run some amazing times. They've obviously held for 30 years or so, I think. If I can come close to those again, or maybe a little under them, it would be a great honor.

RQ: Have you had an opportunity to meet him at all?
CW: I've only heard stories about him. I guess he's a lawyer of some sort. I just have real great respect for the guy, he's done a lot of great things.