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

I agree about sticking wih Salazar and it is ironic that he left Salazar because he didn't coach milers because he would be faster in the mile had he just stayed put.

If I could give one piece of advice to Webb, it would be this:

Run more races in Tunisia.

This article makes him sounds like a 4 year old. Throws a temper tantrum over card games and piano recitals. Wakes his mommy (wife) up in the middle of the night to ask her about his body shape. And who is this coach? "oh just quit and give it up." and he times him on an iPhone? What a tool.

What The ? wrote:

This article makes him sounds like a 4 year old. Throws a temper tantrum over card games and piano recitals. Wakes his mommy (wife) up in the middle of the night to ask her about his body shape. And who is this coach? "oh just quit and give it up." and he times him on an iPhone? What a tool.

Agreed. Talk about the worst possible coach for a headcase...

"Have you considered quitting?"

"No!"

"Oh, good. That's great!"

I bet AW doesn't bolt awake at night in a cold sweat thinking about that conversation. I hope he gets into the 5000 all the same.

Interesting to me that Robby Andrews is not running the 800m. I know he had a big 1500m PR, but does he have enough experience in that event to make it through the rounds?

I remember reading a story about Ted Williams to the effect that he was so obsessed with baseball and hitting that it would have been considered mental illness except that he was such a great hitter that he made a great career out of his obsession.

Obsessive compulsions are what make a lot of people so good at what they do where a more easy-going person with a bit more perspective would give up and do something more reasonable or more likely to succeed.

I'm not saying Webb is a "headcase" or crazy or anything like that, but he obviously has an obsessiveness about running and the competitiveness that can make people great and that has worked for him in the past. You just have to figure out how to focus and direct that it a constructive way which Webb probably hasn't always been able to do.

I'm rooting for him in the 15. If he's bumping better qualified people to get into the 5 that's not how it should work.

Similar feelings - I'd love to see Webb come back for a few successful years (including an Olympic year) to cap his career.

But, like others, I have serious doubts about his mental preparation. Just one example that I saw in person: look at Webb in the 'set' position before the 800 at the Duke Twilight meet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8TrSbPU_v4

For Webb, who should be a seasoned pro, that should have been just a low-key, tune-up race at a college invitational. But he was so nervous and jittery that he was bouncing around like crazy before the gun and nearly false started. That doesn't look like a pro ready to make a comeback.

Disclaimer: I know Webb has made big improvements since this race. Just one observation of his early-season state of mind.

I cannot imagine a guy treating his pregnant wife in the manner described in the article for any reason, let alone over a game of Uno. That kind of volatility is not a laughing matter to me.

As malmo said earlier, that's not "competitive fire," that's being on tilt.

If I was one of Webb's competitors I would casually walk up to him 5 mins before the race, put a playing card in his hand, then go do striders.

Webb would be puzzled for a bit, then look at the card: Draw Four Wild Card!!!!!!!

If they allowed Goucher to run in 08 then they have to let Webb run. That was absolute joke that Goucher got to run, but of course we all know Nike owns usatf.

Maybe we'll see Webb lead with 4 laps to go then drop out only to claim afterwards he would have won the race, (kinda like Goucher did)

in anyevent GO WEBB

Goucher was 7th in 27:59. He didn't drop out.

You ppl are BAD fans (not talking to poster directly replying to). MOST CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL ATHLETES ARE PSYCHOTIC COMPETITORS. And Webb's a multiple U.S. champ, Olympian and record-holder, so he's in that group. You SHOULD be ecstatic that winning is so important to him and that he's so hungry. But you just bash.

right now, it's obvious that he is way too tense and neurotic about the running and that it is keeping him from showing his quality in races. I hope that he can relax a bit and be confident, because he can go farther than Robby Andrews in workouts. A breakthrough is going to come soon if he sticks with the program and relaxes the day of a race. Maybe the child will give him some perspective. If not at Trials, maybe some time this summer in Europe, he will hammer a race.

common wrote:

Agreed. Talk about the worst possible coach for a headcase...

"Have you considered quitting?"

"No!"

"Oh, good. That's great!"

I bet AW doesn't bolt awake at night in a cold sweat thinking about that conversation. I hope he gets into the 5000 all the same.

This was before Vig was Webb's coach, and he clearly said that it was just to make sure Webb was still invested in running. It's not like Vigilante is constantly berating the guy.

And to bash Webb for taking a low-level race so serious is horrible. He is a pro be gets paid to race. Then again, this board used to react to Gabe Jennings biking in Brazil, dropping out of Stanford (before finally finishing) and borrowing money, with praise. Be HAPPY that Webb's on himself. That's why he's a millionaire legend (inarguable) and you're not.

Webbs days with Razko will be remember as his golden years. He should have never changed coaches.

I think not making the 2008 Olympic team took the wind out of his sails. Ever since then he has never been the same runner. If he stays in shape he could finish off his career as a solid 3:53-55 miler. Maybe he has a few 3:35 1500 still in the tank.

I think he needs to run the 5000. Obviously, there are problems letting him in the race. But he is at this point a strength runner more than a speed runner, and would in my view be more competitive in the 5000 at the trials than the 1500.

The real issue to me is his 800 time. My guess is that he could improve a bit over his low 1:50's earlier this year and perhaps run 1:49. But to be competitive at the top of the US and at the international level, you simply have to be able to turn a 1:46 800 (if not faster). There's no way to stay with the intense kicks without the right kind of speed.

He has run around 13:10 in the past. I am not sure he can do that now, but he can still run a pretty decent 5000, and he won't be struggling with being able to run a 54 second last lap (or faster) in the 1500.

I wish him well.

I'm not bashing the posters who just want Webb to take it more easy. I'm bashing the ones who're acting like champ-level athletes (Webb's a multiple champ) are never over-the-top competitors and that Webb is crazy for it. They often are.

Despite being the US record holder for the mile the Olympic committee is not going to give Webb special treatment. The truth is he probably has a better chance in the 1500. If it is a slow tactical final he still could have a chance. Remember, with so many American 1500 meter runners going into the trails with the the A standard it could be a slow race.