Webb Is In Trouble

I don't how you guys thought he looked CLUNKY? He just didn't seem like he was ready to be at the front of a race that was out in 1:53. I mean even Dk. Komen look poor. After running 331 a week ago or so, he got rolled, and he has a few races under his belt this season. Sure had Webb been ready at Drake he could have shook these cobwebs out there, but he didn't.

I think we all want to see him run 350ish or quicker now. But he is 70+ days away from the Olympic's (or when the 1500 will be). So for him to be running 355 now is solid. Realize he has 3 weeks + to tune it a little. Lomong is getting pretty race sharp and has race a bunch of times and barely beat Webb. Sure I am have some concern for Webb, but this wasn't the worst thing to have happened. Not at all.

Like to know more about where he is racing now? Indy?

Webb's 3:55 just looked like a poor performance because he was running against a loaded field. But with that said he certainly looked uncomfortable and he was just struggling to hang on.

My feeling is this: IF Webb manages to make the US team in 3 weeks, he'll do well in Bejing. He'll have another month to sharpen up. But I think there is a good chance he won't have that opportunity. He's really cutting it close.

Webb definitely looked heavier yesterday. Maybe he cut way back on his mileage without cutting back on meals. Also, his upper body looked stiffer than last year; I don't know if it is because he was straining the whole way.

What I did like was him hanging in there. He could have lost interest, but he didn't and picked off a few people in the end. I still think he'll be hard pressed to make the team with three rounds for the 1,500. That will be a big dissapointement for him.

I think after the trials are over, we will hear the true story from his camp. It may have been overtraining, low iron, mono-type something.

This kid has been through a lot for the short time he has been in the spotlight. I for one, hope he pulls through and runs well. We should all wish that for him. This is a sport where you have to put you mind and body through a lot and AW has, or he wouldn't be where he is. He may not always be at his best, but he is trying and we should support that.

I agree that we should support him. I do support him and hope he runs well at the trials and beyond. He has accomplished a lot and is a great American miler.

But I also sort of agree with you that there might be some physiological problem based on what happened on the roads this spring. If that is the case and he doesn't make it to Beijing, he should focus on getting healthy and move on with his career. Don't let 2008 define him. Guys don't have to retire in their mid-late 20s anymore.

so is he racing in INDY?

what race were you watching? he was 7/9 and 9th was in last the whole way. webb was not fighting through the finish and picking off guys at the end.

ok heres the facts wrote:

Ok everyone would agree with me that last year was alan webbs Do you guys remember how he did last year at Prefontaine, terrible in the 2 mile....it was just a bad race today, a "rust buster"

I think there's a difference between last year's and this year's Pre. Last year after the 2 miler he said he felt off and didn't really know why, perhaps a bad race or perhaps he was overtrained...shortly thereafter he did amazing things - AR in the mile and the 1:43 800. This season has gone very poorly for him, a DNS, DNF and two subpar finishes. He has 3.5 weeks to get it right and maybe he can, but I doubt things are going "according to plan" right now.

He peaked too early last year (worlds came a month too late for him) and my guess is that his coach doesn't want to make the same mistake again. If this is the case, he may be cutting it awfully close. But remember Lagat wasn't getting much positive attention in May/June, but when August came...

The other scenario is that something is wrong that we don't know about yet and he is not going to have a good year. But I doubt this - I think Webb realizes that the 3:51 at Drake last year was too fast too early and he doesn't mind sucking wind in May and early June as long as 1)he makes the team in late June and 2) peaks in Beijing in August.

I watched it on tv and if you did the same, you saw nothing of him at the finish either to make your comment. My point was, he finished pretty well time-wise for where he was the whole race and also he did hang in there mentally. He could have dropped out, or run 63 last lap.

Do you think he wasn't trying? I will tell you at that level, he is running as hard as he can. He doesn't like to lose like everyone else. He is way more inconsistent than most elite runners, but I am sure he gives it his all when he is out there. You can see it on his face. When he runs well, he goes crazy and when it goes bad, he has that "what the hell just happened to me" look.

Support is efforts don't bash him.

when a guy runs slower then his HS pr, then you know something is out of wack. Webb was bald in hs, he is passed his prime

wisest post about webb ^^^^

except when his HS pr is 353. which was run when he was in the best shape of the year.

you guys are idiots if you believe that shit.

Carnivore 69 wrote:

He peaked too early last year (worlds came a month too late for him) and my guess is that his coach doesn't want to make the same mistake again. If this is the case, he may be cutting it awfully close. But remember Lagat wasn't getting much positive attention in May/June, but when August came...

The other scenario is that something is wrong that we don't know about yet and he is not going to have a good year. But I doubt this - I think Webb realizes that the 3:51 at Drake last year was too fast too early and he doesn't mind sucking wind in May and early June as long as 1)he makes the team in late June and 2) peaks in Beijing in August.

So maybe he's timing to peak in August. I know Viren did that in '72 and '76. Does anyone have information about where he was in early summer compared to the Olympics? (Or any other well-known 'peakers')?

[

This kid

The kid?!? Isn't he like 25 by now? How many kids have been bald long enough to get hair plugs?

wrong. you could not have watched the race, be pretty good with numbers and be able to deduce that it was impossible for him to have "picked off a few people in the end." he was 7/9. there was no "picking off a few people" when you only beat 2 people and i do know from watching the race that the guy who came in 9th was DFL the whole way.

yes, i do think that he threw in the towel with about 150 to go. have you even watched him run before? it's not like him giving up is some rare event for him. he did it last year at the very same meet and he did it twice this year on the roads. it's bizarre and i don't think anyone on the boards quite gets it. i don't wish him ill and very much would like to see him do well because, when he is on, he has a very legitimate shot at a medal in august. he has 3 weeks to get his shit together and then regroup.

Some of the posts on here are hilarious, I kinda see Spyder's point of view...kinda. Lagat "took his lumps" last year by losing to a superhuman and superpeaked Webb, and was passed in the final 50 at the U.S. Champs by Manzano who came from pretty far off the pace. No shame in any of that. Lagat was training through the meets by his own admission. He would run ON THE PACE but had no finish. He had the juice, just no pop at the end. To compare what Webb is doing now to Lagat's last season is laughable.

I hardly believe that losing to John Rankin 3 weeks before the Trials was "in the plan" for Webb. I doubt not being at his ideal racing weight was either.

The silver lining for Webb is that he was only 1.5 seconds behind the guy that is probably going to get 3rd in 3 weeks. He's got such amazing talent that maybe he can screw his head on REAL tight and gut out a spot on the Olympic team. If he does, the sky is the limit at the Olympic Games. The negative is that I don't believe we saw Lomong's best race at Pre. I'm picking a sharp, well coached Manzano for second at the trials. It will be a battle for 3rd.

marijuoIogist wrote:

REALLY?!?!?!?!?!?!? Nah, fun bags are mostly fat, it was just a factor of training. Besides, remember where you are posting - if you are going to make a statement like this you BETTER back it up with before and after photos.

Keep smoking your dope pothead. It's well known that SFH had a breast reduction surgery.