Could Webb trials Marathon????

Yeah, get on the Cytomel, crank out some 140 mile weeks and he's good to go.

Webb in his prime could have qualified any day of the week without training specifically for it.

Modern day Webb - no way.

One reason I think it's possible is his tri training. He's doing 2+ hour bike rides so he's used to moving that long. With marathon specific training he could have the required fitness by CIM or even Houston.

I don't think AW has any interest in this. He made the 2004 Olympic team in the 1500. There wouldn't be much satisfaction to simply make the trials in another running event. The marathon trials are relatively easy compared to the track races. A better question is, will he be a better triathlete next summer (and presumably make the US Olympic team) than he would have been a 1500/5000 runner had he continued training as a distance runner.

I would say Webb is not going to be anywhere close to the triathlete he was as a runner. He is not even listed on the ITU points standings.

http://www.triathlon.org/rankings

He is 86th i.n the World Triathlon Series rankings behind 8 (i think) other Americans.

(Good to see Kevin McDowell as one of the top Americans. He is famous in one way as the guyu who got leukemia and who Luke V dedicated world juniors to. Now Kevin is doing well.)

No way he makes the Olympic team.

If he had continued training as a runner, he was not going to make another Olympic team either.

luv2run wrote:

I would say Webb is not going to be anywhere close to the triathlete he was as a runner. He is not even listed on the ITU points standings.

http://www.triathlon.org/rankings

He is 86th i.n the World Triathlon Series rankings behind 8 (i think) other Americans.

(Good to see Kevin McDowell as one of the top Americans. He is famous in one way as the guyu who got leukemia and who Luke V dedicated world juniors to. Now Kevin is doing well.)

No way he makes the Olympic team.

If he had continued training as a runner, he was not going to make another Olympic team either.

I once went to Colorado Springs. There I met a man named Sam and someone told me It was a disappointing redneck town.

I'd say NO way... old web could.... BUT, Rod Dixon was able to race a great mile then run a great marathon. If Webb put his focus on the half, he could qualify at Houston. Doubtful though to see him hit the full standard. Maybe the old one from 2008....

Alan Webb has a ton of fast-twitch muscle fibers, far more than a typical good marathoner. This is quite likely why he is having such a tough time as a triathlete; even a 'sprint' triathlon is far longer than a 5,000, the outer limit of what a true fast-twitch runner is capable of running well off of normal training.

To become a passable marathoner and triathlete, he will need to do very specific work to train his muscles to behave more like slow-twitch endurance muscles. It requires a lot of long easy runs/bikes/swims, tempo efforts at specific heart-rate zones and very, very little work at faster than marathon pace aside from strides to stay loose and maintain form (and whatever the equivalent is in biking and swimming). There's a lot more to it, but the transition from a great miler to even a passable marathoner is very unusual, but not impossible.

I thought Webb had a bike crash and broke something. Is that wrong.

I see former IU All-American Sean Jefferson on those Tri rankings just behind AW.

I think a marathon for Webb would be a really long run at a slower than tempo run pace.

Running the trials marathon would just be for fun. The challenge, the process for qualifying, achieving your goal, then enjoying the competition. Low pressure situation, that could be an enjoyable distraction from the grind of Tri training.

If you go to Webb's site, his races and results page no longer even exists:

https://runteamwebb.wordpress.com/alans-races-results/

it clearly says he broke his scapula and ribs and that ended his quest for 2016 Olympic trials in triathlon

yes it is broken wrote:

If you go to Webb's site, his races and results page no longer even exists:

https://runteamwebb.wordpress.com/alans-races-results/

it clearly says he broke his scapula and ribs and that ended his quest for 2016 Olympic trials in triathlon

I forgot about that.

LV is the one who wrecked himself. AW is mostly still in one piece.

Webb's background is in swimming. That training translated well to the 1500m. You can't maintain that over-threshold effort in a marathon. The triathlon is an okay switch because of his swimming background, running career, and ability to simply draft in many bike races.

He probably should have stuck to 1500/5000 if he wanted success. I do like that he's still training at a high level, though.

Shoebacca wrote:

LV is the one who wrecked himself. AW is mostly still in one piece.

Webb's background is in swimming. That training translated well to the 1500m. You can't maintain that over-threshold effort in a marathon. The triathlon is an okay switch because of his swimming background, running career, and ability to simply draft in many bike races.

He probably should have stuck to 1500/5000 if he wanted success. I do like that he's still training at a high level, though.

From their website, NOTE the use of past tense, he is done:

"Alan competed in triathlon, representing USA in World Cup and World Triathlon Series for 1.5 seasons (2014-2015); his last race in Dallas ended his quest for competing at the 2016 Trials (bike crash at end of transition=broken scapula and ribs). He is now parent #1 of the Webb household- dad of Joanie to support his wife’s career, finishing his degree at Portland State (Econ) and coaching cross country at Westview High School."

If he went from the track to the roads, I think he could have definitely gotten a qualifier for the marathon trials. He has a 13:10 and 27:34 on the track for 5k and 10k. The majority of those going to the trials are slower than that on the track. He probably could have at least run 2:12 if he stayed healthy and laid off the weights (he probably used to race at 5' 9" and 135-40 and could easily come down to 130 with high mileage and no hard weight training).

Going from the triathlon to the marathon, no way. The shift from triathlon to running or the other way around is never easy. Ironman triathletes basically survive the marathon and do not really race it the way marathoners do. They are really closer to having an ultra marathoner's endurance. They are able to fuel on the move and maintain a moderately fast pace for a very long time. A marathoner is pushing the pace up much higher and is running too fast and for too short a time to be able to refuel. Triathletes are not training to deal with that.

The only Webb capable of qualifying for the Olympic Trials Marathon would be Caleb Webb, the CA state 2 mile champ last year and now Portland Pilot!

Wow, thank you for the clarification on his injury. Between that and LV I'm going to be the paranoid guy telling nobody to take up cycling.

Precious Roy wrote:

He has a 13:10 and 27:34 on the track for 5k and 10k. The majority of those going to the trials are slower than that on the track. t.

As in, damn near everyone going to the trials.