Should Webb attempt the 800/1500 double in Beijing?

I dont think its a bad idea but I think it might hurt him in the end. IF hes running 800 and 1500 heats...thats alot of fast running with little recovery. What I would worry about is; after running all those races him not being able to close quickly at the end of the 1500 or the 800 where is may take a 52-53 second last lap. Just my thoughts

You are forgetting the one key factor, Webb may have the strength and endurance to handle the heats and semifinals, but he has yet to demonstrate that he has the head to handle the pressure of a big event.

He should train like he is going to double, race a lot of 8s and indoor kilos, then stick to the 15. Considering his poor showings in recent high pressure events, he should focus on the 1500 only. It would be one thing for him to have raced well in previous attempts in high pressure situations, but he seems to be lacking high pressure finesse. ... that's why they call it "racin' and not winnin'"

Depends on scheduling. If the 1500m is completed before the 800m heats begin, he has nothing to lose by running the 800m - provided that the US trials have a similar schedule and he does not at all jeopardize his chances of qualifying for the the olympics in the 1500m.

Webb hasn't made the team yet.

Actually not a bad idea. I think doubling could actually take some of the pressure OFF Webb. Look at what happened to El G.

Coe, Ovett, Walker, El G, Snell etc did it.....

They are all LEGENDARY GREATS of athletics!!!!

Alan Webb is NOT a great (yet?), a popular topic at the same time!!!!

Who knows what Webb's future holds?, maybe one day he will be spoken of in the same breath as the guys above!!!

If has what it takes MENTALLY/physically he should go for the double.

IMHO I don't think he could beat Borza over 800m in the Olympics but if he medalled it would be an acheivement!!

Maybe the 1500/5000 double would give him more of a chance?

I honestly think his chances of medeling in either event are about equal.

Before his 1:43.74 I would say the 15/5k double is more do-able but with the depth in the 5k and a very weak current 800m event right now the 800/1500 is better.

5000m top 40 performances in 2007-6 of them ranging from 12:49(bekele) to 12:51.9<----this is the sixth fastest time in 2007. Can Webb run this in a year?

1500m top 40 performances in 2007 NONE Webb is #108 with only 1 other, tarek boukensa, sub 3:31

800m top 40 performances in 2007 NONE

top 100 performances in 2007 NONE

top 200 performances in 2007 NONE

the #1 time from 2007 (ranked # 238 all time) is 1:43.74

Alan Webb has the #2 time from 2007 exactly a tenth behind #1.

Do these statistics take into account the entire picture?

No. The 800m had its weakest year in decades, but there are stillsome major players like Yuri Bor, Mouladzi, Bungei, the kenyan that won WC (yego?), and Gary Reed who didnt run fast times in 2007 for whatever reason but have run fast in the past and may run fast next year.

Even so, the 5000m is clearly a hotter event curently then the 800m. Webb has the strength to double through all the rounds if he peaks correctly like snell did. The key may be starting his season later instead of a 3:51 mile at drake. Doubling gives him the chance to redeem himself (like Coe did) if he does poorly at first or gain confidence for the second event if he does well.

Lets get a medal in the 1500 first. A 3:46 miler in his prime is a medal threat in the 1599.

[quote]Noddle in frost wrote:

Lets get a medal in the 1500 first quote]

That's not what Coe, Ovett or Snell were thinking.

If Webb wants a medal he should focus on one event.. he wont win 2 medals.. he was 7 places away from a medal at the world championships and he wont win a medal in the 1500m. He should stick to the 800, where his PR is amazing considering he hasnt ran it as much as the 1500m.

But its not like Webb will even medal anyways. He is a game time choker and will never preform on the big stage. He might as well pack in his career with his great PRs and a terrible stint at Michigan where he couldnt handle the program.

Webb is a prefontaine wanna be, and he will never have the brass Pre did.

CAN YOU ATTEMPT NEVER TO POST ON THESE BOARDS AGAIN!!

cobwebbs wrote:

Webb is a prefontaine wanna be, and he will never have the brass Pre did.

They don't give brass for 4th place, and they didn't in 1972.

You know...this is not a bad idea. He will have the best endurance of any 800 guy. He could probably improve his speed a little since he probably doesn't focus on it as much.

Could he run a 1:42.xx next year? Maybe.

The rounds would play into his strength. Plus there's not much tactical bullsh*t for him to mess up. In the 800, you know someone will take it out in 51 and everyone is going to end up running hard.

Scotty D wrote:

Am I the only person who thinks Webb should run both the 1500 and 800 in Beijing? Think about it for a sec... As we all know, Webb is a very strong 1500 meter runner and also a medal contender. And earlier this year, while training for the 1500, he busted out a 1:43 in the 8. Internationally, the 800 has been a pretty weak event during the last few years, 1:45-1:47 will probably win the Olympic final. I believe Webb has the strength and endurance to handle all of the heats and semifianls...he just has to work on running SMART in order to medal in either race. I say he goes for the double! What do you think?

I think you should lay off the "CRACK."

1. He has to make the team first.

2. He should not race "a lot of indoor races and kilos"

3. He should be training like a 5k guy right now and not the 800.

4. He better not even think about racing until late spring.

5. Take the Kenyan/Ethiopian route: train through the winter with hilly cross country races, train through some early spring time-trial-type races and peak in the summer.

6. He should not double. He needs to focus on one race right now: he is not El G or Ovett or any of the other "greats" right now.

He is a young man with tons of potential who obviously have a hard time 'finishing business' at the international championship-style races (WC, Oly's).

Scotty D wrote:

Am I the only person who thinks Webb should run both the 1500 and 800 in Beijing? Think about it for a sec... As we all know, Webb is a very strong 1500 meter runner and also a medal contender. And earlier this year, while training for the 1500, he busted out a 1:43 in the 8. Internationally, the 800 has been a pretty weak event during the last few years, 1:45-1:47 will probably win the Olympic final. I believe Webb has the strength and endurance to handle all of the heats and semifianls...he just has to work on running SMART in order to medal in either race. I say he goes for the double! What do you think?

I think he has nothing to lose if the 8 follows the 15. He can handle all the rounds. I thought that 800m he did kicked impossible amounts of ass.

not you i guess wrote:

You know...this is not a bad idea. He will have the best endurance of any 800 guy. He could probably improve his speed a little since he probably doesn't focus on it as much.

Could he run a 1:42.xx next year? Maybe.

The rounds would play into his strength. Plus there's not much tactical bullsh*t for him to mess up. In the 800, you know someone will take it out in 51 and everyone is going to end up running hard.

Just like the Worldsa this year, and Moscow. ;) Of course, getting to the 800m final requires a wide range of tactics.

Skuj is correct. If the scheduling of the Games has the 1500 going first, then the 800 is a no-lose situation. If the scheduling is reversed then I would be against a double.

Actually, he should enter both in the trials irrespective of the scheduling.

A mini peak for the trials; a major peak for the Games.