I would like to go on the record as someone who thinks Webb will do really well this year.
He will make the WC team w/ Wheating and Monzano (Lomong gets left out)
He will run 3:31'ish (which I believe is around his PR)
He will come back after the WC to run a 5k and run 13:low. If he runs 2, he'll break 13:00.
If Ben St Lawrence can take 4 years off and get fat and come back and run as well as he has, I have zero doubt that Alan Webb can be on and off injured for 2 years (but still not even completely out of the game) and come 100% back.
The only way Webb doesn't do well is if he gets injured or if he makes some massive tactical mistake.
But on the tactical side, I expect him to be in such good shape by Nationals, that as long as he is confident, he wins the race going away. Only Wheating has the talent and head to stay with him. Lomong and Monzano will be fighting for the 3rd spot.
3:37 is a very good result for Webb at this time of year. It stacks up with his best (if not his best) winter time. If he ran 3:55 on one of the hyper-fast Armory, Washington, Arkansas, Boston tacks, everyone would be thrilled. Yet for some reason, running the same time while beating the Olympic silver medalist and being right behind the Olympic gold medalist, is a poor result? Anyone bashing that result is crazy.