Galen Rupp ran a personal best on Thursday in Zurich, which was the 5,000-meter race he had targeted at the start of the season for a big effort.

And Rupp, who believes he can run under 13 minutes, has now reached 13:07.35. There is still a ways to go.

Alberto Salazar, who began coaching Rupp almost 10 years ago now, communicated from Europe that it was another rough close in Zurich.

“I just believe he needs to get stronger in order to utilize his speed at the end,” Salazar said. “I have focused so much on his speed, which was evident at the end of slow races, but in sub-13 pace races this year, he’s so tired by the end that he can’t used that speed to pick it up.”