WEBB has already quit triathloning

I shouldn't be surprised. I really shouldn't.

Alan Webb: Most talented athlete to never give more than 2 years to one program.

Alan should consider coaching. I heard he's quite a character like Charlie Chaplin on mugworts.

Where are all those idiots who said he'd be a lock to make the Olympic team?

summerRed wrote:

Says alot about LetsRun.com that they promote this thread about America's greatest ever American-born miler . . .

Jim Ryun is America's greatest ever American-born miler. It could also be argued that Steve Scott had the better career. Matt Centrowitz Jr. is on his way to having a better career although I think Robby Andrews and Andrew Wheating are actually more talented than Matt.

I know it's not the point of your post but it is a fair criticism of Allan Webb that he didn't stick with any program long enough to make lasting progressive improvements. He definitely had a few major breakthroughs but they were very short lived.

I don't think Webb has had a lasting impression on anyone not coming of age while he was at his short but amazing peak. Too bad he didn't realize that his career was destined to be a short one.

I don't think Webb has had a lasting impression on anyone not coming of age while he was at his short but amazing peak. Too bad he didn't realize that his career was destined to be a short one.[/quote]

I can't speak for the rest of Gen X, but Alan Webb will NEVER be forgotten by me. Many thanks to Alan for the wonderful performances and excitement you generated.

There is a lot of "could woulda shoulda" to go around when discussing Webb's career. It would be fascinating to get together in full confidentiality with his former coaches to try to extract a lesson from his career, other than his amazing talent.

I think that Webb's sporadic training and racing situations and performances were duly noted by AlSal when developing Rupp, to the latter's benefit.

That was a good interview.

Webb has had a lasting influence and is still looked up to by the kids today and still front page news to track fans. Other runners past, present, and future have or will accomplish more, but that does not detract from what he accomplished even if his standout years were sporadic.

That said, the sheer arrogance of some on this board is unfathomable.

I thought this was really old news. Didn't he make this announcement after he had that bad crash last year? Maybe he didn't announce it but I thought Julia (his wife) alluded to it after the crash.

Webb, massively talented, but very complex individual... seems to me.

Consider this.... wrote:

I can't speak for the rest of Gen X, but Alan Webb will NEVER be forgotten by me. Many thanks to Alan for the wonderful performances and excitement you generated.

Second this. Between the generation of Webb/Ritzenhein/Hall/Tegenkamp (you could throw Solinsky in there too, albeit he's 1-2 yrs younger), they created a resurgence in running we haven't seen in a long time. They were all great from HS to pro level. It's a bit sad now to think 3 of the 4 are retired. I don't feel near the impact from any of the current 20-somethings, not even Rupp.

Yeah, he was done after the injury from that crash....the tiny window that had been open slammed shut. There are younger American guys who can run better than Webb is capable off now, such as Matt McElroy who the US should be focusing their future hopes on.

Webb ran 3:46.91.

In light of that, I don't care if he quit triathlons or if he likes bad Chinese food or if he's bald or whatever.

Webb is the fastest so he is the greatest.

Everyone hates on Alan for the same reasons we love him: for all his physical talent, he is neurotic and insecure -- in other words, a normal and imperfect human, just like us. Other elites, who have the ability to train consistently with singular focus and perform well both with and without high competitive pressure, just aren't as relatable or as interesting as Alan.

anotherrunner wrote:

I thought this was really old news. Didn't he make this announcement after he had that bad crash last year? Maybe he didn't announce it but I thought Julia (his wife) alluded to it after the crash.

Yes.

All this is is just media grabbing. He never succeeded at the elite level of Tri. The he got injured. It was over because it never really started.

Good luck to Webb on a future of coaxing or whatever.

Webb seemed to believe the magic was in him and hard work. It was but to run a Ferrari everything has to be tuned right and the driver needs to be smart with a great pit crew.

Webbs first coach ruined him by making him think he was special and being receptive to webs doubts at michigan. What Webb could have been with a steady progression was so much more than what he was.

Inexcusable to peak for the trials and not the game. On the coach.

Few careers will sparkle so bright yet cause so much wondering of what might have been.

Better for webb not to have got the AR high school record. He became a time chaser in training etc. never became a racer.

Webb is 33. Realizing he isn't going to make money as a triathlete and moving on is a very mature move. A lot of people hang on long past their time.

Also we have banned the RJ69 username and removed his posts. Thanks for bringing that to our attention.

summerRed wrote:

Says alot about LetsRun.com that they promote this thread about America's greatest ever American-born miler to their homepage, and there are currently two registered posts on the thread, one by

jewbacca

Do you have a problem with Jews?

jewbacca wrote:

I shouldn't be surprised. I really shouldn't.

Alan Webb: Most talented athlete to never give more than 2 years to one program.

I don't think I conveyed it very well, but Alan Webb's retirement makes me sad. It's one more quit in a long career of quits. I have always and will always respect Webb for what he did (I was a freshman when he ran his 3:53.... my holy Jew god, that was an exciting time to be a T&F fan), but I will also won't hesitate to dish out the criticism for his inability to stick with a program.

Of all people, a pro like Alan Webb should recognize the benefit of consistency and the foolishness of expecting overnight results. But he never got it. I shake my head in sadness over what could have been.