Obviously, it's more than realistic right now.
BTW...Alan Webb is now the best American distance runner of all time--please don't argue--just accept.
Obviously, it's more than realistic right now.
BTW...Alan Webb is now the best American distance runner of all time--please don't argue--just accept.
How many medals has Webb won? Times are relative, medals are eternal. I would say he's the second best miler the US has had. He's been step in step with Ryun since High School. Ryun set world records though and has some Olympic hardware. Athletes are compared not across generations, but to the athletes they competed against at the time and the dominance they have shown. Give Webb another year, after the '08 games then we can discuss his greatness.
Alan
I agree that Teg should take a shot at the record. Lagat has said that he isnt after it this year, though I believe he obviously has the best shot at it. Webb may not be up for it at the moment, he is in 800/1500 mode right now. though obviously before it is all said and done Webb will run a sub 13 5k. Solinsky I think would end up around 13:05-6.
I'm gonna bite and argue.
Alan Webb still hasn't convinced me he is the best runner of his generation. Lukezic has a WC medal. Meb has OLY silver. Webb has the AR in the mile. His two mile record was broken by one of his peers. Teg placed fifth at world cross juniors the same year Ritz was third, and has a 13:0x pr and can run a 3:34 1500. People talk about how crazy Webb's range is, but Ryan Hall, who ran a 4:00 in high school, has a 13:15 5k pr and a 2:08 thon debut pr. No doubt Webb is a great talent, but there are many MANY other great talents running with him. If Webb wins a medal this summer and in the games and sets some world records, then I'll start thinking maybe he's the best American Distance runner ever. Until then, he's just a GREAT runner now.
As for weather they should all go for it, absolutely. I would love to see the race be run in America, get some good pacemakers, and throw some other Americans in the race as well, maybe Hall, Ritz, and Dobson and see what they can do.
tigranya wrote:
Obviously, it's more than realistic right now.
BTW...Alan Webb is now the best American distance runner of all time--please don't argue--just accept.
Except for Lagat, it's not realistic. We saw what happened during Fam's 13:45 race earlier this season, when he'd just run 13:11 and wanted the record. Teg's a 7:34-7:37 3K runner, while BK was a 7:30-7:33 guy, despite being a slower miler. A 12:58 rabbitted attempted would cause all, except maybe Lagat, to barely finish in the mid-13:30's if they really tried to stay pace. With Webb, he ran an 8:23 2-mile at Pre... which is 12:59 pace.
Webb's not the best distance runner, until he gets the results at WC's and the Olympics. You have to weigh these.
skinny runner dude wrote:
Lukezic has a WC medal.
When did this happen?
skinny runner dude wrote:
Alan Webb still hasn't convinced me he is the best runner of his generation. Lukezic has a WC medal.
You haven't convinced me that you know anything about track and field.
When did Lukezic win a WC medal?
How can you take that 8:23 effort seriously? He obviously bonked. He was 8:11 2 years ago. He will definitely surpass Tegs 8:07 AR if he attempts. The 2 mile is probably the ideal distance for him. Well at least I always said that before his 1:43.8. Who knows now.
Point is I think your putting 12:58 a little more out of reach then it actually is. Teg was 13:04 last year and Webb is certainly capable of a sub 13. Hopefully they'll prove it. Maybe not this year but I'd bet both of them get under before is all said and done. The real question is how far under.
mt wrote:
skinny runner dude wrote:Lukezic has a WC medal.
When did this happen?
When did he make a WC final?
For the time being Solinsky is the USA's best 5k runner. Teg is now the third fastest US 1500 meter runner this year behind Webb and Lagat.
Lukezic's 8th-place finish in the semifinals at the World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki left him one spot away from qualifying for the final.
You are forgetting that Henry Rono is the great American distance runner of all-time.
Buster and Legat have disappeared ?
i agree. these dudes need to get after it..
Runningart2004 wrote:
How many medals has Webb won? Times are relative, medals are eternal.
I don't know about that. If you're going to argue that times don't matter because of advances in training, surfaces, technology, etc. it's perfectly legit for someone else to argue that medals and records from a weaker era aren't as important.
Atlantic City wrote:
How can you take that 8:23 effort seriously? He obviously bonked.
Agreed. If you listen to the phone interview with Webb and the Rojos it is clear that he simply just had an off day. He said that he went from feeling great to really bad at the 1200 point. There is no logical explanation for this other than it was simply an off day. No need to overanalyze it. He ran 8:11 2 years ago and he's way better than that now.
sneeps wrote:
Atlantic City wrote:How can you take that 8:23 effort seriously? He obviously bonked.
Agreed. If you listen to the phone interview with Webb and the Rojos it is clear that he simply just had an off day. He said that he went from feeling great to really bad at the 1200 point. There is no logical explanation for this other than it was simply an off day. No need to overanalyze it. He ran 8:11 2 years ago and he's way better than that now.
IMO, he didn't have an off day (8:23). He's a speed miler now, and has stated to emphasize the speed in training, while before it was the strength. He's better than 2 years ago, but not at the endurance events. Take him the last 2 seasons, and I would give him a shot at 12:58. But not now. Even the 8:11 isn't an argument for it. That's an early season BK mark... not a peak mark. Teg's at 8:07, but can't beat BK's 3K.
skinny runner dude please never visit this website again. Suggesting Lukezic or Meb (not far far off) are even comparable to webb is a joke. You clearly know very little about running. Hal has better range than Webb?!?!? Are you serious?!!?! Sub 4 plus 2:08 "thon." He has no range he is super strong that isnt range. If you can run 2:08 a sub 4 is nothing. Now 1.43 and 27.17 is insane. Speed and strength not just strength. That is range
Some good points here in this thread and some insane ones.
Mentioning Lukezic in the same breath with Alan Webb now that Webb is the 8th fastest miler of all time is insane.
Mentioning Webb's 8:23 two-mile without mentioning his 8:11 two-mile is also insane.
Alan Webb is currently the best American distance runner without question. Too many of you put too much stock in a single race like the Olympics. Meb happened to beat Tergat that day. Meb though is not in the same class as Tergat. Little bit of luck along with decent preparation and a good day got him the silver. An Olmpic medal though does not trump all other accomplishments. Meb is nowhere NEAR the 8th fastest marathoner of all time. Alan Webb is better.
Since Webb is currently the best American distance runner (and he is without debate) then he's obviously better than Dathan Ritzenhein currently. As their careers aren't yet over, you can't say for sure which will be the best when all is said and done. Right now Webb has the lead. He's fit enough to go get that 5,000 AR right now. Not sure if that's in his sights though.
Definitely lots of great American runners right now though. Even though Webb's the best of the bunch right now, he's not heads and shoulders above everyone. 5 years ago with the times he's running now he would have been. The future looks bright.
Runningart2004 wrote:
How many medals has Webb won? Times are relative, medals are eternal.
Alan
a
Alana
1000 years from now, those medals will be lost in so me dust bin, but the legend of speed is what will last. Tell me, who are we more likely to remembera, the bronze medalist at the 1500 in London or the dominant runner and record holder in that event.
Oh, time is not relative except at speeds near that of light.