Promising season openers are always enticing - and record attempts are certainly nothing to scoff at - but nothing gets track fans on the edge of their seats like a meet-ending battle royale with Olympians toeing the line against race-sharp collegiate stars. Let's start this Weekend Review at the annual FloTrack Husky Invite at the University of Washington, covered live, and sponsored, by FloTrack:

FloTrack Husky Invite - Seattle, WA
While the wind and rain was whipping outside, the annual FloTrack Husky Invite came to its zenith just after 5pm with the final heat of the men's 3k. Betting lore rang true as the whopping ten collegiate runners, who ran NCAA auto-qualifiers (including Matt Centrowitz of Oregon, Sam Chelanga of Liberty, and German Fernandez of Oklahoma), proved that you should never "bet against the field," even if your thoroughbreds are none other than US Olympians Alan Webb and Ian Dobson.

A scintillating final 400m featured eventual winner Tim Nelson of Nike battling Saucony's Garrett Heath (who was eager to ride on his younger brother Elliott's earlier success winning the 5k). Alan Webb, who confessed a late entry into the race, hung within striking distance throughout, but came up short in the final straight (alternate track level video here). Check out FloTracks exclusive coverage of the event, and make sure not to skip fan favorite Sam Chelanga's extended interview (with Valentine's Day name dropping!).

In earlier action, American 10k record-holder Chris Solinsky ran a world-leading mile time in the hardest way possible, from the front, leading the race from 600m in all the way through to the tape. Solinsky, coached by Jerry Schumacher in Portland, Oregon, dropped training hints and finally revealed his winter/spring racing plan in an exclusive post-race interview.

Not to be outdone, eight women raced hard to dip under the NCAA auto-standard in the 5k. Top honors went to Jackie Areson of Tennessee; she was able to hold off Alex Kozinksi of Oregon (with Kozinksi running a school record). Sophomore phenom Jordan Hasay, also of Oregon, dueled against first-year professional Brie Felnagle in one of the fastest miles of the season. Canadian Malindi Elmore electrified the crowd with one of the most bold moves of the night, leaping out to nearly a 100m lead early in the final heat of the women's 3k.

American Indoor Record at the Armory - New York City
It isn't often that a broken American record gets second billing, but when you get it done as often as living-legend Bernard Lagat (US Indoor record holder in the 1,500, mile, 3k, 5k, and now 2-mile), that is just the case. Paced by Robby Andrews (FloTrack's 2010 Kick of the Year Winner) and Russell Brown (New Balance Grand Prix mile champion), and cheered on by legions of fans, Lagat chopped an astounding five seconds off of Doug Padilla's 21 year old record with a smoking 8:10.07.

High school standout Lukas Verzbicas, gunning for Gerry Lingren's long-standing 46 year old high school record, came up just short with a 8:43.24 clocking (still good for third-fastest all time).

Top Notch Collegiate Marks - Iowa State Classic and B.U. Valentine Invite
FloTrack favorite Riley Masters of Maine broke 4 minutes for the mile (3:58.17) for the second year in a row at the B.U. Valentine Invite, but he was outdone by Binghamton's Erik van Ingen (3:57.17) in a stunning waterfall finish that had five runners crossing the line within 1.7 seconds.

Gabriele Anderson opened her season with a convincing 4:35.17 mile win over Heather Hampf (4:37.76) at the Iowa State Classic.

EuRupp - Düsseldorf, Germany
Galen Rupp began his indoor campaign with an impressive 13:21 5k and cemented himself as one of America's most consistent performers (he now holds 3 of the top 5 indoor 5k times). Rupp's well-honed speed (check out his recent Workout Wednesday) was no match for 17 year old Kenyan Isiah Koech, who ran a jaw dropping 12:53.29. That mark stands as the fourth fastest indoor 5k of all time, a mark bettered by only three legends: Kenenisa Bekele (5k world record holder), Haile Gebrselassie (former 5k world record holder), and Daniel Komen (3k world record holder).

On Sunday, Koech went on to run a world junior indoor best time in the 3k (7:37.5) at the lowkey Indoor Flanders Meeting.  Look out for Koech at Worlds this year in Daegu!