Alan Webb Vs. Robby Andrews & Curtis Beach at 800m on Sunday 5/6 - Who You Got?

Just talked to Duke Coach Norm Ogilvie, a self-professed LetsRun.com reader but not poster.

It came down to Michael Rutt and Robby Andrews and Andrews didn't have his patented kick. Andrews was right there with Rutt, not trying to come way off the pace, and just couldn't outkick him.

Duke decathlete Curtis Beach ran 1:56 and for whatever reason was never in the race. Coach Ogilvie said Beach had run the hurdles and done the high jump earlier.

I asked him how much distance work Beach does and he said he does nothing extra outside of decathlon training. Yet his 800m pr is 1:47.99 from earlier this year. Coach Ogilvie said even if Beach got it all right and ran 1:45 right it would be hard for him to handle rounds as he trains as a decathlete.

Coach Ogilvie said the crowd at the meet was much bigger than normal and that the local papers were showing interest in the meet and sent out reporters solely because of the 800m race.

So thanks to Duke for making this happen and coach Ogilvie for telling me to call him on his cell phone.

We've got about 5 other LRCers who said they'd chime in from the meet as well.

Results are now up:

1 Rutt, Mike New Jersey-N 1:46.86

2 Andrews, Robbie Unattached 1:47.11

3 Gonzalez, Christian New Jersey-N 1:48.60

4 Ledder, Billy Unattached 1:48.90

5 Clark, Stephen SR Duke 1:50.45

6 Webb, Alan Nike 1:51.05

7 Beach, Curtis SO Duke 1:56.57

-- Owswald, Sean-Pat Unattached DNF

if thats true, Rutt is close to his outdoor pr and this is his opener, right? this might be someone to watch out for, he's been on a good progression for the last few years and after watching him at world indoors he seems to know how to not only qualify but race. I like the guy, and i'm pulling for both him and wieczorek to do well this year. (any news on mark btw?)

andrews keeps getting a little quicker, second race and already down to 1:47 (he opened up last year a few weeks earlier than this with about the same didnt he?) looks like vig is trying to make sure he doesnt crap out at the trials like last year (andrews said in a video that vig told him he needed one more month and two less races to have been a factor)

webb, well its an improvement and if this is truly indicative of his speed ATM then he is just so aerobically strong in comparison to his 3:38. i'd take it as a positive to be so slow in comparison to his 1500m that he is able to run that fast off of so little speed. knowing webb though it was probably a bad day for him and they might really be deep into training right now so he probably doesnt feel to sharp currently to be able to run fast in an 800m. the webb train is still moving though.

"Coach Ogilvie said the crowd at the meet was much bigger than normal"

If what I saw on that video was a much bigger than usual crowd.....that is sad.

Robby Andrews auditions for the next season of Jersey Shore

http://www.flotrack.org/video/633466

ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

The first youtube video was pretty poor quality, but from the way Webb finished it looked like he either just packed it in or wasn't that tired, seeing as how he ran through the line and kind of just kept running.

That makes me think that he's anaerobically fit but just not completely sharp when it comes to speed.

Is Webb fooling us all this year and focusing on the 5000?

His 800 times this year are subpar for someone hoping to make the Olympics in the 1500, yet for a 5000 runner they are more than adequate.

Sure, I know he can get faster in the 800 as he gets closer to the trials, but I guarantee that Lomong, Centro, etc. could rip much faster 800s at this time.

Maybe he is fooling us all and he has some master plan to dominate in the 5000.

Here is the video I took - may be a bit better quality.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8TrSbPU_v4

DMVarea wrote:

The first youtube video was pretty poor quality, but from the way Webb finished it looked like he either just packed it in or wasn't that tired, seeing as how he ran through the line and kind of just kept running.

That makes me think that he's anaerobically fit but just not completely sharp when it comes to speed.

Insane Webbfan wrote:

Is Webb fooling us all this year and focusing on the 5000?

His 800 times this year are subpar for someone hoping to make the Olympics in the 1500, yet for a 5000 runner they are more than adequate.

Sure, I know he can get faster in the 800 as he gets closer to the trials, but I guarantee that Lomong, Centro, etc. could rip much faster 800s at this time.

Maybe he is fooling us all and he has some master plan to dominate in the 5000.

He's training through. Webb has been training through for a few years now; but this year will be different..

Webb will dominate the trials and then win the Olympic 1500M finals in London. You'll see. You'll see.

Some one get Weezy a red bull the guy looks too mellow at the start line.

Wallace gearman wrote:

Some one get Weezy a red bull the guy looks too mellow at the start line.

Lol this is def a good one for post of the day

Webb needs to take a chill pill at the start line.

Alright own up, who spiked Webb's gatorade with cocaine? That lad was bouncing on the start line.

Last I checked, Mark Wieczorek was winning cars on Let's Make a Deal...but I saw that episode a few months ago. Not sure what he's up to now.

Running in the Rain wrote:

Webb needs to take a chill pill at the start line.

I agree. He seemed really nervous.

Archimedes wrote:

Running in the Rain wrote:

Webb needs to take a chill pill at the start line.

I agree. He seemed really nervous.

He looks nervous and pretty tight. His coach should tell him to stop lifting weights. If he doesn't loose up, he will never run fast again.

Insane Webbfan wrote:

Is Webb fooling us all this year and focusing on the 5000?

.

He is fooling you all. He has no intention of running in the Olympics. He's training for 2013.

webby wrote:

Insane Webbfan wrote:

Is Webb fooling us all this year and focusing on the 5000?

.

He is fooling you all. He has no intention of running in the Olympics. He's training for 2013.

Kind of wondering if both of these could be true....

Hey I was at the meet.

Robby Andrews was really sweaty before the race and it was like low 70s/high 60s and a slight breeze and cloudy...so cool. Like he was sweaty enough that I was wondering if he had done a hard/long run beforehand. Also, after the race he was squating next to/hunched over a trash can for 5-10 minutes. So maybe his stomach was affecting him or something.

I saw Webb crack a smile right after the race, so I don't think he was terribly upset with it all. I talked to him briefly and he's all go with the 1500m. Definitely 1500. I asked him about the 5000m and he said maybe in the future. I think he said he wouldn't be running any more for the year (but he may have been responding to something else...he was kind of in a hurry to get going) He said that he needed to get a good 800m time to get a really fast 1500m time. So maybe he'll be in more 800s.

Overall though, Webb seemed calm and cool with the way things are going (though still knowing he needs to get faster). I have faith he's going to get where he needs to be.

All the best!