Webb moving up to the Marathon

ttc wrote:

Is Webb moving soon? Eventually in 2013-14? The article's not clear.

twilight comparison wrote:

Well, neither is webb. It's just an aspiration, not a concrete plan.

You don't know Webb wasn't clear on his moving up time table...there weren't any obvious follow-up questions by the author on it either. Were you a bug in the room?

"RW: As far as the marathon goes, were your words just a somewhat idle comment about the future or is there any kind of timetable or something specific lined up?

Alan Webb: Just an idle comment, just an idle comment, indicative of a long-term goal. At some point in my competitive career, I'd actually like to run a marathon. It's something that I'd like to do, I don't know when."

This is the most right I've ever been on the internet.

So a head case in the mile that raced worse than most high schoolers (tactic wise) thinks he will have it mentally to "race" the Marathon? Hmmmmm

I'll have dinner with Dathan [Ritzenhein] on Saturday... We really missed the city, and the people here, friends and training partners.

so he wants to go back to Al Sal

Tactics in the marathon are incredibly overrated. For fat hobby joggers, yes they are very mentally taxing.

For Webb the formula will be simple. Run your pace, hang onto anyone nearby and kick like hell from 3 miles out.

Slow and intermediate 1500's are much more difficult tactically than the marathon.

I agree that Alan Webb has the mental capacity to handle the taxing racing tactics needed in a marathon.

i wonder what he meant when asked would you workout with ritz and he said he would be more likely to workout with teg and solinsky and then said i will let you SPECULATE ON THAT?

he was with salazars group for a short time, did he leave do to a rift with salazars group, or could it be something that would be bad for the whole sport.

i have defended salazar, but webbs statement hints at something negative, i see red flags.

fsadnlfjkjk wrote:

For Webb the formula will be simple. Run your pace, hang onto anyone nearby and kick like hell from 3 miles out.

Yes, I foresee an 11.9 100m with 3 miles to go in the marathon.

fsadnlfjkjk wrote:

Tactics in the marathon are incredibly overrated. For fat hobby joggers, yes they are very mentally taxing.

For Webb the formula will be simple. Run your pace, hang onto anyone nearby and kick like hell from 3 miles out.

Slow and intermediate 1500's are much more difficult tactically than the marathon.

I have a hard time imagining Webb just running his race instead of following the surges of the 2:03-2:05 guys.

red glare wrote:

Dearest ttc:

Exactly, because winning US national championships in the 1500 is the stuff of immortals.

Signed,

Jason Pyrah, Andy Downin, Jason Lunn (Webb was 10th when I won it)

P.S. AR = pacing, not racing

P.P.S. Webb rarely won in the Golden/Diamond League, if ever.

P.P.P.S. Webb always folded like a cheap tent in a tornado on the biggest stage.

Webb's the 8th fastest miler in history, won 3 outdoor national 1500m titles, finished world top 8 2X, set American Records, won 6 Grand Prix Races & ran the fastest in 2 events 1 year.

None of those guys you name hold a candle to him.

Ho Hum wrote:

[quote]fsadnlfjkjk wrote:

I have a hard time imagining Webb just running his race instead of following the surges of the 2:03-2:05 guys.

I will never criticize a runner for trying to stay with the leaders.

You implying you would makes you a bad fan & the kind pro runners criticize themselves.

ttc wrote:

red glare wrote:

Dearest ttc:

Exactly, because winning US national championships in the 1500 is the stuff of immortals.

Signed,

Jason Pyrah, Andy Downin, Jason Lunn (Webb was 10th when I won it)

P.S. AR = pacing, not racing

P.P.S. Webb rarely won in the Golden/Diamond League, if ever.

P.P.P.S. Webb always folded like a cheap tent in a tornado on the biggest stage.

Webb's the 8th fastest miler in history, won 3 outdoor national 1500m titles, finished world top 8 2X, set American Records, won 6 Grand Prix Races & ran the fastest in 2 events 1 year.

None of those guys you name hold a candle to him.

I'm a Webb fan, but let's congratulate him for his real, true good performances. Being the 8th fastest miler ever isn't that impressive is it? Where does he rank on the all-time 1500m list?

ttc wrote:

I will never criticize a runner for trying to stay with the leaders.

You implying you would makes you a bad fan & the kind pro runners criticize themselves.

A) I give no f*cks whether some messageboard poster thinks I'm a "bad fan".

B) I think trying to run 2:03 when you're a 2:12 guy is a bad move. Sorry to disagree with the "PREFONTAINE NO LIMITS RUN WIT GUTS" mythos.

This has disaster written all over it. If he lacks the mental stability to run a mile or 5k, I wonder what the marathon will do to him. On a more positive note, I'm a huge Webb fan and I hope he regains his form.

_____________________________________________________________

I don't think it's fair to assume that this is the way every runner's psychological makeup plays into which distance they excel at.

For me, the mile is a far scarier thing than any other distance. While I am also not able to glide without concern into and through the marathon, it's never plagued me with the uncertainty and dread that the mile does.

Who knows? He certainly did well at the half, maybe the longer time and the slower, less desperate pace of the marathon will suit him.

Also, it can't be overlooked that coming out of high school, he had the weight of the world on his shoulders with expectations of greatness. At the marathon, as evidenced by this thread, no one expects anything.

On any given day, when Webb was at his best, he was among the best in the world.

Being able to say that is validation enough of his entire career.

The people who knock his accomplishments are the same ones who don't accept anything but a gold medal as being any good. They're the ones who if your name isn't Bekele, Geb, Komen, El G or Morceli, you suck.

Its as simple as that.

Ryan Hall dropped out of Oympic marathon, Leo Mazano won silver Matt C was 4th in 1500.FACT. Hall has more sponsers and will make more money then both(maybe combined). FACT.

Almost noboby watch Olympic marathon. Not FACT. Go watch replay and see all fans on street and in stadium for finish.

WhatYo wrote:

On any given day, when Webb was at his best, he was among the best in the world.

Being able to say that is validation enough of his entire career.

The people who knock his accomplishments are the same ones who don't accept anything but a gold medal as being any good. They're the ones who if your name isn't Bekele, Geb, Komen, El G or Morceli, you suck.

Its as simple as that.

+1 I love all of the people who bash Webb on here but then can't run anywhere close to what he runs on bad days. You can say he has been "disappointing," but for message board posters to say he "sucks" or is "very slow" is absurd.

Jason Pyrah was an Olympic 1500m finalist, finishing 10th.

WhatYo wrote:

On any given day, when Webb was at his best, he was among the best in the world.

Being able to say that is validation enough of his entire career.

The people who knock his accomplishments are the same ones who don't accept anything but a gold medal as being any good. They're the ones who if your name isn't Bekele, Geb, Komen, El G or Morceli, you suck.

Its as simple as that.

komen never won an OG gold. he must not be any good.

Will Webb have to pay his coach or what? Is someone still seriously paying him to run?