Dismal race for Webb (1:51) ... he's done

Derek Smalls wrote:

NFW wrote:

I don't think his performance today is in any way indicative of what he is capable of with 6-12 months of solid training.

What the f@3k has he been doing for the past 2 years?

Healing injuries???

Agree !

Thread is sideways.

I was not aware Webb declared himself a 800 meter runner.

The base period he is in now is just that , he's not in racing form.

He has a new coach , a new approach and a period of adjustment.

Webb will not be as fast , yes we do slow down with age and race accumulation. He though may become stronger and smarter. He has a shot at a sub 27 10k , sub 13 5k. His basic leg speed will make him a threat against any american at 5 and 10k over the last "800".

Wow, this thread is ridiculous.

I don't really post too often these days, but I just can't resist.

It's not so much the 1:51 time that bothers me, it's the way that Webb looked in the race. He just never looked like he was competing. He didn't respond while getting passed and he seemed to be running at the same effort level the whole time.

Now it's definitely possible that this 800 comes during a high mileage phase of training, but I would still expect a better performance. I've never run anywhere close to 100mpw, but then again, I also never tried to race an 800 when I was in my base mileage phase.

Basically, in my opinion, if Webb was actually racing, it was a bad result. If he is just training through, then the 800 was a bad decision. Either way, things don't look great.

Also, since it seems to matter, I ran 1:50.

ya everyone whos running 1.51 out there in the world should just hang it up because its so slow and everything. You are a tool my freind.

Actually imho - the rather boring conclusion from Webb's run is that it was a bit disappointing but not the end of the world.

i agree!

OhTeeSee wrote:

A couple of things.

1) This is a bizarrely bad thread, and I find myself hating Gray Matter.

2) 1.52 is not a great result for someone who has run 1.43. Racing tired costs parts of seconds, or a second or two at worst. Starting a build-up 'fresh' as Webb is thanks to his enforced lay-off fitness should come back pretty fast even on 40-50 miles a week a 1.43 man should be able to run ~1.47. Also isn't he blessed with 47sec type basic speed? Makes 56 sec splits look a bit silly.

In saying this, Webb has phenomenal endurance too so can potentially still run very low 3.40's or below off even that poor of an 800.

You don't run 1:43 withoug doing A LOT of speedwork. Webb is doing NO speedwork right now. Forget the 3 years past 1:43, forget the 800. Webb has been doing a watered down version of Rupps workouts (5000 stuff), so unless you think Rupp is about to run 1:45 then why would you think Webb is ready for 1:47?

I know Webb is a lot faster naturally than Rupp, but with a few years off from the 800, and long time off from any speedwork he's coming from further back then Rupp on speed.

At best Webb is in shape for a 7:50-7:55 3000 right now and he'll be transitioning into 3:37-3:38 1500 as he applies speedwork and benefits from this 800.

I'd love to listen to Albertos simplistic reaction to this race. I'd bet it would be something to the sound of:

He has done no speedwork, he was simply blowing out the tubes and the time was not important, and they care less about it than the next workout.

After not racing for two years, I gotta think this is a good result. For a guy like Webb, 1:52 is promising. I think he could break four after a couple weeks of sharpening and considering some of his bad seasons this would be a decent result. He will be back. I bet 99% of you running experts couldn't run 1:52 iif you trained all your life for it.

1:50/1:51 was the hoped-for target.

Welcome to Let'sBashRunners.com !

didn't augustine choge run 1:50 earlier this year in an 800?

Two reasons for his race today:

Sal told him to take it easy or he is done.

If the first is the reason, Webb's balls fell off. Why would Sal tell Webb "we are going to make your comeback race a joke that is 9 secs off your PR, everyone is going to doubt you and it will all be on camera"? It makes no sense. If Sal gave him splits it would at least, AT LEAST, sub 1:50. And even if he told him to go run a 1:52, Why in the hell would Webb listen? If my coach told me to run a joke time and I got in the race and the others took off it would impossible for me to hold myself back. Reason one is just not plausible.

So this means that only option two is left, he is done, finished. Blagovich's career has more life left in it than Webb's. I don't know if it is mental, physicall or both but I do know he is done. He will come up with some lame injury in the next month then slowly slip out of the public's eye.

Let me get this right. Webb's been training with Rupp, a 5k/10K guy under Salazar who is not known as a mid-distance coach and he ran a sluggish looking 1:52 800 at a low-key meet after 2 years off and now everyone wants to write him off for good. Really now?

BMC Parliament Hill - 14 Aug - Results

Men 800m A

1 1.49.40 Andrew Osagie Harlow

2 1.49.79 Ed Aston Cambridge & Coleridge

3 1.50.70 Ben Scarlett Swindon

4 1.50.90 Oliver Blake Oswestry

5 1.50.99 Danny Barkes Mansfield

6 1.52.17 Samatar Farah Newham & Essex Beagles

7 1.52.32 Alan Webb USA

8 1.53.37 Aniel Smith New Zealand

9 1.53.65 Hakon Brox Norway

It's all in Webb's mind. It has been for several years. He needs to work on that real hard.

I wish Webb the best of luck with that.

Why does everyone keep saying Webb hasn't raced in two years? He hasn't raced well, but he most certainly has raced a few times in the last couple of years.

June 16th, 1988 - 1:50.07 - awful performance

August 31, 1988 - splits for 1500 meters

54.5-1:51.0-2:49.0- 3:31.01 PR

He may run out of time to run a 3:37 this summer, but one must look long term. The goal is next year, and do some change of pace racing as a report card to see how your training is going.

This gives his coach a good perspective on what work load his handle, and how close he can do intervals before a race. I think this is a good time to try different types of racing/training combinations, for the athlete and coach to get to better understand each other's perspectives on training.

Mike Durkin, who wrote my training for 11 years, would battle on the telephone over an upcoming workout. I would think it would be too difficult so close to a race, and he would lay out why I needed to run this workout. Yet - I would not "disagree" with his training until after he coached me for 2 years. And when we did disagree, it only occured 2-3 times a year (out of 365 days of training).

I still say - base performance on championships.

J Spivey

edumacator wrote:

Why does everyone keep saying Webb hasn't raced in two years? He hasn't raced well, but he most certainly has raced a few times in the last couple of years.

He has run in a few races in the last couple years, banged up both physically and mentally. Those "races" were worth less than nothing.

He's coming from a clean slate.

This can't be right - someone who ACTUALLY KNOWS something about world class miling is posting here?!? Will wonders never cease?