Webb in 2 mile at Pre

From T&FN:

WEBB SWITCHES TO THE 2-MILE TO TAKE ON THE BEKELE BROTHERS, AMERICAN RECORD

Eugene, Oregon--Aiming to take advantage of his excellent fitness, world-leading miler Alan Webb has switched from the Bowerman Mile to the 2-Mile at this Sunday's Prefontaine Classic, looking to improve upon his own American Record of 8:11.48, set at the Pre Classic two years ago.

He will almost certainly have to run faster than that to have a chance at beating 5k/10k World Recordholder Kenenisa Bekele, and his younger brother Tariku Bekele, who is a new addition to the meet. Tariku ran a world-leading 13:04.05 in the 5000 last weekend, showing that he, too, is in excellent shape.

Scratched from the event are Saif Shaheen (knee) and Sileshi Sihine (visa problems). The revised startlist:

2-MILE (MEN)

*Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia)

*Tariku Bekele (Ethiopia)

*Alan Webb

*Dathan Ritzenhein

*Craig Mottram (Australia)

*Ben Limo (Kenya)

*Zersenay Tadesse (Eritrea)

*Adam Goucher

*Solomon Tsige (Ethiopia)

*Matt Tegenkamp

*Sileshi Sihine (Ethiopia)

*Jonas Cheruiyot (Kenya)

*Boniface Songok (Kenya)

*Abrehem Feleke (Ethiopia)

*Sean Graham

*Anthony Famiglietti

*Juan Barrios (Mexico)

*Bernard Kiptum (Kenya)--pace

*John Jefferson--pace

Webber Grill wrote:

I never heard of this in distance running...do star runners have veto power where they can block certain runners from entering the race?

Also, it is questionable if Bekele even knows who Webb is.

Sebastion Coe used to block competition all the time. Edwin Moses's winning streak was preserved only because he refused to race Danny Harris when Harris was hot.

Bekele knows who Webb is. Webb doesn't have a chance at beating Bekele. He should be commended for giving it a try though.

i've complained previously about the webb camp saying 800/mile,800/mile,800/mile and then saying 3000 or 2 mile like they did for tyson and here.

as for the mile record, do they run the mile much in europe or mostly the 1500m? setting an american mile record at haywood field, now that would be something.

my favorite is out with a knee problem.

anybody have the story on these two? the one is a jefferson twin, right? like barely a 4min miler, right? no disrespect, just saying.

*Bernard Kiptum (Kenya)--pace

*John Jefferson--pace

Alan wants to race Dathan.

I for one would rather see him take down the mile AR at Hayward, beating everyone in the process. That being said. If hes running the 2 mile I may have to change my vote for first american in that race from Teg to Webb. Both will run under 8:10.

We, I think, can say that this is the starting of something good here. Now we only need AJ in this particular race!

2 mile Joe wrote:

Now we only need AJ in this particular race!

sure, all we need is for that ass clown to take the edge off a prestigous event and turn it into being all about him.

JordanJones wrote:

Geez, could it be that he actually has some balls to race against the best in the world? Nah, couldn't be.

He was already scheduled to race a good number of the best MILERS in the world, a bit more relevant than facing the best 5,000/10,000 runner.

i dont know about you guys but i got a picture with tariku bekele at reebok grand prix last weekend

The discipline to stick with one event? Do you actually think what you just wrote? One two-mile right now isnt going to do shit, maybe one day he can buckle down and run strictly miles, get that attitude problem discipline issue fixed. So what are you trying to insinuate with your post? That he simply won't run enough miles to get the AR, or what? Cause the mindset comment is ridiculous. He probably doesnt want to see his AR in the 2 go down, so he is taking advantage of one of the only opportunities to run a good 2 mile and wants to lower it. Miles and 1500s will be there.

Would you like to back that up with something else then? Time will tell and I say AJ will win the whole race.

Since it is not an Olympic or WC event the 2 mile is pretty much pointless. Why bother to improve on the US 2 mile record. The US mile and 1500 record makes a lot more sense.

I am having doubts Webb will ever get Scotts AR in the mile. I think Scott is probably resting more easily now. He sees Webb running all over the place and Lagat entering his mid-30s.

Scott still stands as America's greatest miler. Webb has the talent but lacks the tactics and common sense that makes great champions.

This 2 mile run makes no sense. Along with the 1000 meter run the 2 miles means almost nothing.

Webbs done.

I have bad vibes about Webb running the two mile.

If he pulls up lame in the 2 mile my nightmare will be realized.

farklet wrote:

anybody have the story on these two? the one is a jefferson twin, right? like barely a 4min miler, right? no disrespect, just saying.

*Bernard Kiptum (Kenya)--pace

*John Jefferson--pace

I know that Jefferson has run 3:58+, and Kiptum has run 3:53+, if not faster.

Unfortunately, the presence of two pacers and T. Bekele suggests a time trial for K. Bekele. Jefferson leads for 1K to 1200m, then Kiptum takes over through 2K, then T. Bekele runs interference for his brother until the last lap, when Kenny takes over. Larry Rawson does his best to make it sound interesting, and tells us how amazing it is that this guy can average sixty seconds per lap for eight laps. Everyone talks about what a great runner Kenny is, and we are once again deprived of a real race.

Of course, K. Bekele is the best in the world, but in the last four years, he's been beaten many times (offhand, I count eight races) at distances from 3K to 5K. I'd like to see a real race, with no pacers or brotherly assistance.

(not sure which of these "webb in 2-mile" theads will win, so....I'm posting my useless commentary here too)

I think this is a good idea too. Granted Webb looks like he will run great this season period, but running the mile week after week can be a bit much, and switching up a tad with a deuce here and then some 800's later might add some spice to his fitness. If he ran the mile it was gonna be a great battle for him also, but now this deuce will be THE race of the meet. The US mid-distance/distance battle of the year: Webb vs Ritz (can't tire of these battles) vs Goucher(the "old" guard) vs Teg (the new sensation) vs Fam (the one we never know just quite what he is capable of). Then throw in a handful of the best distance runners in the world period (Bekele, Tadesse, Mottram) along with upcoming potential greats(T. Bekele, Feleke, Tsige) and recent stars (several Kenyans) and.....holy shit, what a battle!

Can't wait!

8:10 is a lot easier than 3:47. The last guy to run under Scott's record was 2001 when El G ran 3:44. Not to say no one has been capable, but no one has. Webb, if he has a good base under him (and it seems he does), should be capable of under 8:10 with good pacing.

Mtn Dew wrote:

8:10 is a lot easier than 3:47. The last guy to run under Scott's record was 2001 when El G ran 3:44. Not to say no one has been capable, but no one has. Webb, if he has a good base under him (and it seems he does), should be capable of under 8:10 with good pacing.

Those are good points, yes, 3:47 is better than 8:10, and yes, the last person to run faster in the MILE than Scott's AR was El G way back in 2001(well actually, Lagat ran faster also in the same race, right?). But that is a tad misleading, since several people have run faster 1500m equivalents than a 3:47.69 mile since then (since the mile is not always run). Not as many as one might think, but more than a couple.

Scott's time was a truly brilliant one.