When did YOU give up on Alan Webb?

I've never understood what the backlash is against this young man.

He's the best US miler (perhaps only second to Lagat) and all he gets are tonnes of criticism.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.runwashington.com/archive0209/images/news/AlanWebb1500m07prelimMediaDW.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.runwashington.com/archive0209/features/USAtrackAlanWebb07.html&h=300&w=306&sz=48&tbnid=kDeVHCwAF5k_sM:&tbnh=115&tbnw=117&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dalan%2Bwebb&hl=en&usg=__-_CnQxySKByyjqEBT8OtaIbtluU=&ei=a91aSvaeL83BtweMosCaCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=7&ct=image

Interesting to see how many admit they gave up on him before his great year in 2007. That's good 'cause a lot people said he would never break his HS PR.

Bailing out of the final at this year's USATF wasn't a good sign to me.

I still think he'll get the AR in the 5000 before he is done.

Having a fresh attainable goal could get him re-focused.

No racing tactics, no peaking. Just going after a time and when he's ready he can just go for it.

I gave up on him when he chose to run for Michigan.

I gave up on him when Steve Magness joined the group.

By the way, Magness, if you are out there, I feel for you tremendously. I have been in your shoes. You are looking for a career-ending injury to justify walking away from the sport. Stop rationalizing, and if you know you can't do it anymore, don't. You looked tremendously out of shape and heavy in Belgium. You have my sympathies, but keep your head up and best wishes. Trust me, you don't want a career-ending injury.

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Ricardo the Great wrote:

After the Olympic Trials.

It was just so over by then.

Me too. Oly trials.

I havn't and here is why...

if he doesn't redeem his season this year he will hit bottom and that is where he can stage a come back.

Sometimes it takes a horrible season to make you re-examine what you are doing, how you are doing it and who you are doing it with.

A guy who has been stripped of all of his pride and accomplishments can make a fierce competitor when he comes back because he is running for himself and has gained a renewed raison d'etre and can destroy the young guns. Now a lot would have to happen for him to do something like that, but I think if this season is a no show like it has been thus far and he decides that he still wants it he can reinvent his running and become stronger for it.

I gave up on Webb, when I thought it was time to jump on the letshate bandwagon.

OBX wrote:

Not that the Salazar group is the end-all be-all. But uprooting himself from his (presumably) comfortable routine and casting his lot with SOME elite training group would show some fortitude and maturity - both of which he seems to lack. The upside, though, is that the only person standing in his way is himself. In short, if he wants to maximize his potential (which is still huge), it seems he'll need to grow up before he grows old.

After two consecutive disappointing seasons, Alan Webb has decided to split with long-time coach Scott Raczko and leave his hometown of Reston, Va., to be coached by Alberto Salazar in Portland, Ore.

"Two weeks ago Alan called asking me to become his coach," Salazar said. "To be honest I was completely surprised by it."

Bully for you, AW. For those about to rock, we salute you!!!

OBX wrote:

Bully for you, AW. For those about to rock, we salute you!!!

Wow! Great news!

Does that mean that Alan Webb reads letsrun?

I gave up when he ran that 12 flat 100 down the back stretch at Beijing and then faded horribly in the last 100 - an immature and undisciplined move. He needs to take advantage of the Nike sport psychologist and gain a little honest insight...and lose some friggin' weight!

When that diary of his leaked and we found out he eats big macs every day.

I'm not a bandwagon type fan so I never gave up on him.

Here is to seeing Alan back on top.

I haven't given up on Webb and I won't.

After he ran 3:46 for the mile. I knew it would be all downhill from there.

1982

Off the Grid wrote:

The guy is competitive w/ KD/Symmmonds *and* Abdi/Rupp in their respective specialty events. He is obviously extraordinarily talented (physically).

But he CLEARLY does not think so right now. And if you do not believe it, all the talent in the world cannot help you be a champion.

W, I've learned over time that you are almost always spot-on with your analysis of things, but this is the clearest explanation of Webb I've seen in two years of message boards and USA Today stories. Kudos. Hopefully the new training setting will allow him to get that confidence back, at which point he will potentially be a major factor in London.

Never really was a fan of Webb. I always rooted against him when put against other U.S. Runners. He doesn't have a contagious personality. I always liked Ritz and Hall better. You know what would be the ultimate; If Hall joined Salazar's group as well. (Highly unlikely)