Webb: 4:00.61 at Drake

As previous posters have mentioned, it was 45-50 degrees, rainy and there was a slight breeze. They were about 3:04 through 1200. Webb did seem to have an extra gear that didn't seem to be there last year. It wasn't blazing the last lap, but he did demonstrate the ability to finish the race for a win in less than ideal conditions.

VIPAM should start an "Eddy Lee... how long before he destroys Alan Webb in a triathlon?" thread.

Perkins went to Arkansas

Joseph represents Haiti

[quote]Mango wrote:

The normal criticism of Webb is that he does not know to race. He has demonstrated this inability many times on the world stage. In the past on his good years he comes out and blasts a bunch of glorified time trials (including USAs) and then loses in races run at 4min pace in championships. Right now Webb is getting into races at 4min pace and is winning. Times will come but in August I would rather see a guy who can find a way to win in the last 25m then a guy running 3:46.

[quote]

I don't understand this "glorified time trial" crap on letsrun. There have been more than a thousand people who have won a race in 4:00... only a dozen or so have run under 3:47. I'd rather see Webb run fast.

true story wrote:

I don't understand this "glorified time trial" crap on letsrun. There have been more than a thousand people who have won a race in 4:00... only a dozen or so have run under 3:47. I'd rather see Webb run fast.

because what truly defines success is the ability to win or do well in championship style races...which can be won in 4:00 as easily as 3:47...

webbs run under 3:47 and proven he can run well with a rabbit to pull him through the first half, what he hasnt proven is the ability to win a slower, tactical race...

while this win hardly proves hes gained that ability on the world stage, he did beat some guys who have reasonably solid resumes in a very tactical race...hence...encouraging

to win on the world stage, you have to have the ability to run fast too...that will come a little later on

AJT wrote:

As previous posters have mentioned, it was 45-50 degrees, rainy and there was a slight breeze. They were about 3:04 through 1200. Webb did seem to have an extra gear that didn't seem to be there last year. It wasn't blazing the last lap, but he did demonstrate the ability to finish the race for a win in less than ideal conditions.

It was 45 degrees at race time and much more than a slight breeze down the backstretch, although I don't know what the official wind reading was.

Webb ran a strong last lap and looked focused the last 500 meters.

Just beat a 3:54 guys indoors, what he heck do people want.

Learn to win again fast times are off set ups.

Why...do...you...write...like...this..?

I love/hate reading forums. What this talk about wanting to see Webb run 3:47? that ridiculous. It would be ridiculous for him to run anything under 3:57 right now. How many of you are competitive runners? And I don't mean weekend warriors. It's stupid to race that fast still early in the season. At this point you are racing to gain confidence, experience, and gaining the competitive edge for the season finale. He's running just fine. You race who you have to to win. It's not like he ran a 4:09! 4:00 is respectable I don't care who you are.

I am glad we have you as our competitive running expert. Let me ask you, what would be the fastest time that someone like Bekele should be running now for 5000...13:30?

NWMSU Bearcat wrote:

I love/hate reading forums. What this talk about wanting to see Webb run 3:47? that ridiculous. It would be ridiculous for him to run anything under 3:57 right now. How many of you are competitive runners? And I don't mean weekend warriors. It's stupid to race that fast still early in the season. At this point you are racing to gain confidence, experience, and gaining the competitive edge for the season finale. He's running just fine. You race who you have to to win. It's not like he ran a 4:09! 4:00 is respectable I don't care who you are.

No. No, no, no, no no.

What do you make of Lagat's 3:51 indoor mile this year? No, 4:00 is not "respectable" for everyone. For Webb, that time's a joke. It sounds like the race conditions were nowhere near optimal so we still don't really have much of a gauge of Webb's fitness. But if he's only in 3:56-7 shape right now, his career as an internationally competitive miler may be over. He should be able to run sub-4 any time he puts on the spikes, any day of the year.

Catch Me If You Can wrote:

No. No, no, no, no no.

What do you make of Lagat's 3:51 indoor mile this year? No, 4:00 is not "respectable" for everyone. For Webb, that time's a joke. It sounds like the race conditions were nowhere near optimal so we still don't really have much of a gauge of Webb's fitness. But if he's only in 3:56-7 shape right now, his career as an internationally competitive miler may be over. He should be able to run sub-4 any time he puts on the spikes, any day of the year.

I agree 100%. This isn't 1962, times have gotten way faster. 4:00 is a joke for someone who wants to be considered among the best in the world. Good for him to get a win, but a top miler running 4 minutes is not "respectable."

There is a huge difference in beating some 3:57 milers in a race won in 4:01 and beating a 3:49 miler in a race won in 4:01. In the slow championship races, the last 400 in the slow races is sub 52. 56 is a long way from there.If he had run a 3:50, you could say the endurance is there and hope for the speed. With a 4:00 closing in 56, both the speed and strength need improvement.

I guess no matter what Alan's time would have been there will be guys who simply know it better ...if the time would have been 3.51 those guys talk about a too early shape, if it's a 3.56 they say it's nothing special and if it's a 4flat you can look up here.

But well do his times have to be special already in May? and what is that 4flat telling you about his shape ...maybe he is already in 3.53shape but simply didn't have to show it that day. Do you guys only look on the times you see on a result list, maybe sometimes it's simply not neccessary go as fast as you can from the gun to finish?!

...and well, just a reminder, El G was winning 52 out of 54 races within 8years but lost the 2Olympic finals and in 2000 he got his butt kicked in more than just one pre Olympic race but came home with two Olympic golds.

So maybe it's better to support the biggest talents than putting them on extra pressure

So he ran four minutes. The rabbit brought them through in 59.9. I suspect at that point (if not even earlier) AW knew there would no fast time and just ran to win. Which he did. Over some pretty talented guys. Good job.

For one reason or another, I always find myself pulling for Webb.

I think that mile is fine for this stage. Like the guy above me said, what, exactly, should we be expecting from him at this point?

Anyway you slice it, people would find problems with his performance.

Here's what we do know: He's a prodigiously talented guy who can run out of his gourd when he does things right. Let's say he's in 3:56ish shape right now, which isn't unreasonable to think. From Drake, it looks like he was just running for the win and for a confidence booster. I'm sure he could've come up with three more seconds if he needed them.

That's 10 seconds off PR shape. With the way Webb comes into form when stuff is clicking, those types of world beater times could easily show themselves in a few months.

The thing is, I could also see him not running any faster than he is right now this year.

Regardless, I think AW is still our best shot at international damage. With all of the Africans out there running fast, Hall and Webb seem like the only guys that have the chops to hang.

video of race

Clive wrote:

The track is long. I measured with my Garmin a few weeks ago and Webb's time is actually closer to 3:56.

Dudes,

Take a look at the other guys in the results. These guys were beating Webb not too long ago. This was a RACE, not a TT. Had Webb treated it like a TT, he probably would have lost. For months now, you boneheads have been criticizing Webb for lack of racing savvy. Seems to me like he raced well at Drake. You will never be satisfied.