Nice Alan Webb Profile in Washington Post: He's Trying to Get into Trials in 5000

dean moriarty wrote:

He's not a "headcase" - he's a high achiever under immense pressure with no margin for error. Our top runners have all done weird stuff by layman's standards- Ritz smashing his foot doing insane indoor track workouts, Hall sprinting around the city barefoot after losing a race, Solinksy flipping out about Galen, Galen doing all his weird Galen stuff... on and on. Even the runners that seem to be even keel have their dark moments.

I'm glad that Webb is honest. If you've ever truly cared about your running, you feel for athletes when they struggle. For the many of us that have been hurt and didn't know what was wrong, it's hard to read stories like this but makes you root for this guy even more. Good luck to Alan Webb!

"Galen doing all his weird Galen stuff..."

Galen doesn't do any weird Galen stuff. You want to see weird behavior?

Visit this message board.

Otherwise you make some good points.

You make good points. Asking for open-mindedness / compassion on this board is a long shot though.

A Duck wrote:

You make good points. Asking for open-mindedness / compassion on this board is a long shot though.

Compassion? What does that mean in this context? Are you trying to tell us that compassion should play a role in who takes part in the Olympic Trials? Of course, we can have compassion for Alan Webb, but that almost implies that he is some sort of a victim. Do you think he's a victim?

That Uno story should be freaking you guys out. I am a huge Alan Webb fan but that makes him sound like a child.

Hugh Grant wrote:

Galen doesn't do any weird Galen stuff. You want to see weird behavior?

Visit this message board.

Otherwise you make some good points.

Agreed. He seems preternaturally single minded, perhaps a little cossetted, but not "weird" for a world class distance runner. If anything "boring", not "weird". But boring guys run fast.

If my six year old flips out after losing a game of UNO, I have him sit on the stairs alone for a few minutes, so he calms down. For a 29 year old man to do what was reported is embarrassing, and should be taken as a sign of weakness, not competitive "fire".

His wife is a saint to put up with that childish crap. Good practice for motherhood, though. It's like having a puppy.

I have personally known 2 US olympic distance runners. They were both equally competitive. Couldn't play a casual game of cards with either of them. They got so pissed losing that it inevitably ruined the whole evening. I think it's partly what seperates good from great.

I crap on Alan Webb as much as the next guy around these parts. But I really do want to see him go to London. I have no reason not to want success for the man (man child?), I just don't see it happening realistically.

My 2 cents: If he runs the 1500 at the OTs, he won't get the A and won't finish top 3. The meet won't be suited for a fast time, and Webb simply does not have the kick to finish top 3 anyways. Alan, go for the 5k. It's a desperation move, but it might be the only way you go to London. You won't be able to outkick Galen or Lagat, but 3rd place is a possibility. 4th place might even do it for you if Galen opts not to run the 5000 in London.

common wrote:

If my six year old flips out after losing a game of UNO, I have him sit on the stairs alone for a few minutes, so he calms down. For a 29 year old man to do what was reported is embarrassing, and should be taken as a sign of weakness, not competitive "fire".

His wife is a saint to put up with that childish crap. Good practice for motherhood, though. It's like having a puppy.

I agree with this sentiment. The piano recital and UNO examples are displays of immaturity from a 29-year-old man.

I used to be that way. But when I realized that I couldn't get everything I want and win all the time, I shifted my personal philsophies towards enjoying life rather than being pissed off half the time. Plus, nobody enjoys being around a supercompetitive person that is a sore loser. People like happy, positive people. Just think about what folks you enjoy spending the most time around.

“It’s like, I’ve done really well, I had a great year in ’07, ’05 and even ’04. But it’s like, if you miss one little cycle, it’s all magnified, and everybody thinks you’re horrible.” -Quote from article

Well that's funny, if I recall '04 was an Olympic year.

If he's dropped 17 pounds this year then it's clear that he came to Vigilante significantly out of shape.

Dude, he looks lean in those pics. Honestly in better shape than I can remember. I really wonder if he really is on the edge of making a real comeback to the truly elite level.

For what its worth, I think he should get a spot in the 5k heats. I really think he'd have a shot at top three.

Re: Rupp, sleeping in an altitude tent in high school is pretty weird, as was punching speed holes in his jersey for an extra edge... among other things. But obviously I'm not saying that to disparage Galen, just make the point that elites are competitive on a level the rest of us don't understand. Some people want to label Webb a "head case" when he's just thinking the way that most elites think. We'd all be "head cases" if we had to beat Lagat, Lamong, Wheating, Centrowitz, etc etc to avoid having our lives judged a complete failure and a waste of talent.

target field size 24

currently ~30 runners have declared they want to run and 6 more have a couple of days to declare AND they ALL have shorter times that Webby- I guess he'll throw things pout and hold his breath until blue in the face.

Can Chaplin get away with bumping the fieldsize to 40 or will he just give webb a straight up special circumstances entry? No to either I'm betting on not seeing webb in the 5000m.

lets all just pray for this sad webby man and hope that he brakes 15 minutes. Hopefully he does not bring out the roids and runs an American record.

I've said for years that the number 1 thing Webb could to do to improve his performance is to get a good sports psychologist to help him get rid of whatever negative/self-defeating program that seems to keep running in his mind.

Sports psychologists are seen as a key to great performances by many pro athletes across all sports. They can help you reach your full potential. From Armstrong to Tiger, they all make use of SPs.

I really think Webb would have been better served by sticking to AlSal and a very detailed, regimented, training plan, but I know many others disagree. I think his current coach is exactly the type of coach he does *not* need.

Whatever event we see Webb compete in, we will see a poor performance, that is a fact.

As a fan of the sport it would be very cool to see Webb in the mix in the 5000. That is the event I and many others felt he should have switched to years ago. As an athlete I find it hard to root for him to be put in the trials without a qualifying time.

As a fan of the sport it would be very cool to see Webb in the mix in the 5000. That is the event I and many others felt he should have switched to years ago. As an athlete I find it hard to root for him to be put in the trials without a qualifying time. If he had been a former 5000 champ and was rounding into shape from an injury like say Goucher his last time I would have more sympathy. But just realizing he isn't that great in 1500 and trying to switch to the 5000 at the last moment is too little too late.