Honestly, what is wrong with Webb?

He peeked early in life, crushed high school. And as quick as he came on the scene he left it and like many is grasping to hold on to a life that is no longer kind to me.

I can't explain it, it happened to me in a span of about a month. One day im running 1:05 half marathons the next month I can't break 55 for 10 miles and it just gets harder and harder to hold on.

Though I can still pop off 6 min miles 10 years later that's it for me. All done.

I was never elite and don't know Webb but it seems like this is a similar thing. A couple key injuries you never really come back from, marriage, etc. one day you wake up and it's over.

His testosterone levels are dropping ridiculously fast because he's almost 30.

This is what happens when you are a white male. Deal with it.

he is no longer on PEDs.... oops did i say that out loud?!

People, talent does NOT go away. Stop worrying about Webb, he will be just fine.

I was at the Armory in January when he ran is first race back. He made a tactical error on the last lap (which he admitted in interviews) but, honestly, he looked pretty good for a guy who had been off with injury, surgery, and such. 1:55.02.

But, it's 3 months later and he's running about the same--1:54.17--this time outdoors.

He's being coached by the same guy who had Leo and Robby. It does NOT add up that Vig can't coach middle distance. Just like Tyson Gay's progress is not what he originally expected with recurrences that have caused him to take things slower, I have to believe:

(1) Alan is not healthy or his physical condition is restricting how he can train; or

(2) Vig is intentionally taking things cautiously to avoid a recurrence, and Alan doesn't like the lack of progress.

You would have to be in his camp to know what the situation is, but even if he will never be able to get back to 1:43/3:30/1:46 (which is what I think), the progression we have seen so far does not make sense for a 100% healthy athlete. I do NOT think he's 100%.

He has African Sleeping Sickness

I'd guess Webb isn't that far from 100% - the big problem is that his 100% now is a lot lower than his 100% of 5 years ago. Talent most surely does go away - its taken by the ravages of time. Without, um, "assistance", this is what happens, sooner rather than later. Webb deserves a ton of respect for that.

I only hope Vig isn't training him like a 21 year old, but like a 29 year old going on 40.

Seen it all before wrote:

I can't explain it, it happened to me in a span of about a month. One day im running 1:05 half marathons the next month I can't break 55 for 10 miles and it just gets harder and harder to hold on.

I was never elite and don't know Webb but it seems like this is a similar thing.

Well, I don't know, but a 2:10 marathoner is usually considered elite.

He sucks.

You were one of those people who thought Stember was going to break 18 in the 5k, weren't you?

poppp wrote:

People, talent does NOT go away. Stop worrying about Webb, he will be just fine.

He is like you said, peaked too soon. Like some of those great Kenyans that come on the scene for a few years...run fast then slowly diminish. Except he is attempting to fight through it.

He should have just gone pro straight out of high school, kept up with razcko and then call it quits

The dude has some jacked up endocrine system - early maturation, early peak, early decline.

The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long.

Webb's performances are curious. If he and his coach know he is not in shape, ill, etc., why race if they know the performances will be bad? Since he is training with Robbie Andrews who I would assume could run around 1:46-1:48 right now (1:44 or better later in the season) and assuming Webb isn't a workout rabbit and runs the same sessions or close to it as Andrews, my Monday morning quarterback guess is it is a mental issue. As it has been well documented, Webb does have mental performance issues, especially when he doubts his fitness, coaching, etc. Maybe he is done, I don't know. But if he isn't he better get his act together quickly as time is running out for the Trials and I am sure Nike won't be sponsering him much longer if these poor performances continue. I wish him the best of luck finding the answer, if there is one.

Coach , agreed he is off. My guess Vig is as you suggest trying to pace the comeback to peak at the trials. The pressure point is getting the qualifying time out of the way , he may loosen up at that point and we may see some progress.

Hopefully Vig understands this is not the same athlete of past and his biggest coaching challenge will be getting Web to believe in himself once again and have confidence in Vigs program.

Anyone considered the fact that he might be holding back in races for a specific reason? You know, hold back now, get an idea of racing, then perform well at the Olympic Trials? It seems that not giving 100% in a race is a concept unfamiliar to many athletes here.

Distance Maniac wrote:

Well, I don't know, but a 2:10 marathoner is usually considered elite.

Is a 1:05 half a 2:10 marathon? No, they are two different events? There are conversion calculators in existence, and they also say a 1:05 half is much slower than a 2:10 marathon.

t94bell wrote:

Anyone considered the fact that he might be holding back in races for a specific reason? You know, hold back now, get an idea of racing, then perform well at the Olympic Trials? It seems that not giving 100% in a race is a concept unfamiliar to many athletes here.

this is possible...but unlikely. The only thing I can think of is to get AW used to running in a pack, and to help him with strategy. Like Jenny B Simpson would run race simulations with the men last year to get her thinking more about strategy. (brilliant, that is, by the way, and she ran a perfect strategic race in Daegu)

But really...can anyone really believe this is AW's plan?

Possible, but he will need to run will enough in a race to get to the trials. If he runs Mt. Sac, he has to be trying to get the trials qualifier. Could be Vig wants him to get use to racing again, but doesn't want it to get in the way of training. He puts him in lower key meets and makes him do a workout before hand and tells him to just do 90%. Once his workouts show he's ready to race then he'll let him go 100%. That's what I hope is happening....

t94bell wrote:

Anyone considered the fact that he might be holding back in races for a specific reason? You know, hold back now, get an idea of racing, then perform well at the Olympic Trials? It seems that not giving 100% in a race is a concept unfamiliar to many athletes here.

At this point I have great doubts that he will qualify for the Olympic Trials.