Alan Webb - Doesn't look good

Sagarin wrote:

A couple of early road races to test one's fitness are hardly a harbinger of things to come. Webb will be ready on the track when it actually matters. That said, I would bet against him medalling at the Olympics. Let's make sure he gets to the finals first, and then we can begin speculating.

I rest my case.

me thinks that this criticism of webb was a bit more appropriate in 2002 when he was getting worked in college.

webb has proven he is a player on the world stage. whether or not he can do it when it counts is to be seen

could it possibly be a GOOD sign that he is not winning right now in the same sense that Ryan Hall got worked at the US 10k track champs last year and then romped at the marathon olympic trials

just a thought

Running 1.43.xx, 3.30.yy and 3.46.9z, nobody can seriously claim he is a 2nd-tier runner. Read that statement again and you realize how silly it is.

He has been more inconsistent than many other world-class runners and peaked too early last year. But a 2nd-tier runner?

No.

pointer outer guy wrote:

what happened at the world championships - when does it start to mean squat?

C'mon malmo - he has no racing skills, it's obvious.

He won a Paris Golden League 5000 and the US Champs last year with a fabulous final run in each.

His racing skills have improved. Still not the best.

But getting smoked in the Carlsbad 5000 in not due to racing skills. It's either 1) lack of fitness 2) illness or 3) confidence/mental problems.

Actually I'd look at it more as a 1:43 800 guy with 800 to go. But, as stated elsewhere, it's an early season race from a guy with other more important goals.

Come on guys, do people get worked up when their baseball team has a horrible spring training? No, because it doesn't matter because the players are still getting in shape.

Same idea, important races are still a little ways away. Relax guys. It goes without saying that some of you want to see Webb fail, but don't project on him. He ran 3.30.54 last summer and outkicked Mehdi Baala, no small feat. Give him credit, so he ran bad at Carlsbad and the US 8K Champs. I'm willing to chalk it up to him training through these races. Remember, he didn't start killing it last season until they lowered the amount of intervals he was doing per workout. (I believe they said from 10,000 down to 8,000 meters worth of intervals).

USATF, Paris and Osaka were not mile races, dummy

Drake-No compitition what so ever

Reebok-Very good tactics

USATF-Also good

Paris-His best race of the year tactically

American Record-No compitition apart from "the ghost of steve scott". Scott shouldered Webb twice and spiked him once during the race.

Osaka-I would hardly call this race 'flawless', but I think his tactics (at least in the final) were ok

Name 5 terrible races each for Bekele, Geb and El Guerrouj

Is it really a coincidence that El Guerrouj was world champion for 1997/1999/2001/2003? And even when he had a bad race in Sydney he still got second.

He gets too pumped up both before and after races

wejo wrote:

But getting smoked in the Carlsbad 5000 in not due to racing skills. It's either 1) lack of fitness 2) illness or 3) confidence/mental problems.

aren't racing skills just the manifestation of fitness, health, confidence and mentality?

MarathonMind wrote:

Actually I'd look at it more as a 1:43 800 guy with 800 to go. But, as stated elsewhere, it's an early season race from a guy with other more important goals.

Yeah, like Mo Farah doesn't have more important goals than the Carlsbad 5000....I'm pretty sure Webb isn't the only one taking the Olympics more seriously than a road race.

Wejo and others - are you guys forgetting that Webb really struggled in the qualifying rounds at the world champs last year? Some were posting about him not even making it into the finals - all despite having the fastest or (one of the fastest) times in the world last year - then the wheels came off.

In the minutes after his eighth-place finish in the 1,500m final, American mile record holder Alan Webb expressed frustration with his race, particularly the way he dropped from the lead into eighth in the final homestretch. (As one reporter said, "[Webb] was in the right places right up through 1,400m.") Webb's assertion was, "I wish I could learn a lesson from that, but I learned nothing. I got nothing out of it."

Webb is a great guy and he is fast, but he appears to lack the mental skills when it comes to being in a tough spot where he isn't the ringer. Malmo, admit it - given nearly equal talent , a guy like Webb would be an easy target.

Webb spent too much time in HS being #1 and being able to win by 50 meters. He is very talented and very fast, but doesn't have the racing mentality. This mindset is only developed by getting out there and racing - not dropping out when things get tough. It is very obvious that there is a pattern beginning to develop.

Malmo - if Webb were a stock, you can't tell me that you couldn't read this pattern.

You make a good point. Webb wins and he acts like he just won the mega millions.

El G wins and it's like, cool, just like I expected.

pointer outer guy wrote:

DNFing a 5K against b-team runners ...

Oh... maybe he was tired because he ran Carlsbad the same day. I\'m pretty sure you weren\'t referring to Carlsbad in the first instance because based on the above quote that would REALLY show you have NO idea what you are talking about.

I agree that these early season flame-outs are almost an encouraging sign. In years past Webb has come out and run some blazing times in April and May, and then when the Olympics or WCs come around he can't bring home the bacon.

So these past two disappointing performances may either mean that he's going to peak at the right time for a change, or this entire season will be a complete bust. Either way is better than getting your hopes up for a medal and then seeing him get smoked in the homestretch. This year he's either going to get his act together and win a medal or he's going to have a really terrible season and we can just shrug our shoulders and focus on other athletes.

1) Everyon is blowing this out of proportion it isnt that big of a deal.

2) Webb does seem to panic and I would say run too aggressively in major championships. If anyone disagree watch his World Championship 1500 where he exploded for 100 meters in the middle and died soon after or this years 1500 world champ. race where he obviously was terrified of not being at the front the whole way and it cost him.

Webb is a GREAT runner but I still dont think he has learned to let the race come to him and trust his fitness.

Wejo the Us champs 1500 was a time trial with a tired Lagat and inferior runners. His racing tactics had nothing to do with anything.

pointer, you sound like a disappointed father talking about his son....hurts doesn't it? Heay, my father use to say stuff like that hoping it would motivate me.

I hope it works for Alan.....

admit it or not we live virariously through our running heros.....I hope Alan can get to the mountain top!

Love ah Alan Webb!

I can't imagine the pain he is going through

WTF? What are you talking about dude?

obviouser wrote:

pointer outer guy wrote:

DNFing a 5K against b-team runners ...

Oh... maybe he was tired because he ran Carlsbad the same day. I'm pretty sure you weren't referring to Carlsbad in the first instance because based on the above quote that would REALLY show you have NO idea what you are talking about.

vastly over-rated? he holds the american record in the mile.

second tier- (see above)

decent race- "decent"? see above plus paris.

if i had the time (maybe malmo will do it)i would go through the last year of other top tier runners. you have maybe 2 or 3 who seem to be always on. everyone else has ups and downs. alan might have higher highs and lower lows than other runners, but part of that is because he is watched so intently so everything is noticed. if kipchirchir gets beat by komen no one notices.

you can't be on all the time.

I agree. You people say that he runs fast in April and May, but can't run fast in August. So then he doesn't run fast in April, so you say he can't run fast in August? make up your minds.

So long as he doesn't mentally kill himself, this race shouldn't reall mean anything. He'll be fine. Not saying he's going to medal or anything, but he'll be fine.

SFM - it isn't the same group of people.