Unknowing Visitor: Who is this Alan Webb guy, it sounds like he really sucks it running.
Letsrun.com: Yeah, he's pretty horrible. He used to be good in high school, now he is the biggest waste of running talent in the history of American Track & Field.
Unknowing Visitor: So he just tanked after high school?
Letsrun.com: I guess you could say that. He ran some ok times, but never really lived up to his potential.
Unknowing Visitor: Some people just can't hang when they hit the big time, huh?
Letsrun.com: I wouldn't say that, I mean, he has won some big time races, and he was in the mix at a couple World Championships, just couldn't pull it out.
Unknowing Visitor: Winning big time races and being in the mix at World Championships, how is this tanking?
Letsrun.com: I guess saying he tanked might be a bit of an overstatement, I mean, he did set the American record in the mile. Still, he never really lived up to his potential.
Unknowing Visitor: Wait a second, so he has run faster than any American in the history of his event, but he didn't live up to his potential?
Letsrun.com: Well, yeah, I mean he doesn't even have an Olympic Medal.
Unknowing Visitor: Doesn't have an Olympic Gold Medal, that's pretty bad I mean, they must give those out like candy, right?
Letsrun.com: Not really, you get one shot every four years. There are countless examples of incredible runners who just weren't able to get it together when their shot came around.
Unknowing Visitor: But he should have gotten one right, I mean, he is one of the best that ever was?
Letsrun.com: I wouldn't go that far, Webb is really talented, but their are so many talented middle distance runners out there, it really isn't fair to say he was heads above them all. Really no guarantee he should have won an Olympic Medal.
Unknowing Visitor: So what you are saying is, he didn't tank after high school, he actually did somewhat live up to his potential, and you have ridiculously unfair expectations for your country's runners?
Letsrun.com: I guess you could say that, I am pretty much full of shit!
Alan Webb not running US Champs
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Post of the year.
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Nice post.
But I think it's fair to say living up to one's potential requires putting down more than...um...two early-season races in a world championship year.
Anyone is disagrees with this represents why the US can't get it done on the world stage. Do you think Kiprop is going to sit out Kenyan nationals? Choge? Kiplagat? -
Can't get my hate on for Webb any more.
Thanks to Webb for all the years I did hate him. -
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My opinion on Webb has remeained the same: he has (or had?)the physical ability to be competing for the world's best miler, but he just could not manage to overcome mental obstacles that have resulted in him losing most "big" races.
After losing so many big races, I don't think he could ever overcome the doubt in his mind.
I don't think it was about his running coaches. The #1 thing he could have done back years ago was to hire a top sports psychologist to overcome the doubt. Unless you have the unshakable, supreme self-confidence of someone like a Lance Armstrong (and few have this type of confidence), you need to train your mind to develop this.
Yes, you need to train smartly and have a coach committed to your success, but don't underestimate the power of the mind to defeat yourself. -
I think Alan should at least give running in the US champs a shot. He's got nothing to lose
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[quote]Bob wiely wrote:
I think Alan should at least give running in the US champs a shot. He's got nothing to lose[/quote
Except for the ability to negotiate a new shoe deal on his past performances. (vs the 3:35 he'd put down at USATF while getting torched by the new generation.) -
Yifter-the_shifter wrote:Unless you have the unshakable, supreme self-confidence of someone like a Lance Armstrong (and few have this type of confidence), you need to train your mind to develop this.
Confidence in your drugs is far different than confidence in yourself... -
Haven't posted in years wrote:
Unknowing Visitor: Who is this Alan Webb guy, it sounds like he really sucks it running.
Letsrun.com: Yeah, he's pretty horrible. He used to be good in high school, now he is the biggest waste of running talent in the history of American Track & Field.
Unknowing Visitor: So he just tanked after high school?
Letsrun.com: I guess you could say that. He ran some ok times, but never really lived up to his potential.
Unknowing Visitor: Some people just can't hang when they hit the big time, huh?
Letsrun.com: I wouldn't say that, I mean, he has won some big time races, and he was in the mix at a couple World Championships, just couldn't pull it out.
Unknowing Visitor: Winning big time races and being in the mix at World Championships, how is this tanking?
Letsrun.com: I guess saying he tanked might be a bit of an overstatement, I mean, he did set the American record in the mile. Still, he never really lived up to his potential.
Unknowing Visitor: Wait a second, so he has run faster than any American in the history of his event, but he didn't live up to his potential?
Letsrun.com: Well, yeah, I mean he doesn't even have an Olympic Medal.
Unknowing Visitor: Doesn't have an Olympic Gold Medal, that's pretty bad I mean, they must give those out like candy, right?
Letsrun.com: Not really, you get one shot every four years. There are countless examples of incredible runners who just weren't able to get it together when their shot came around.
Unknowing Visitor: But he should have gotten one right, I mean, he is one of the best that ever was?
Letsrun.com: I wouldn't go that far, Webb is really talented, but their are so many talented middle distance runners out there, it really isn't fair to say he was heads above them all. Really no guarantee he should have won an Olympic Medal.
Unknowing Visitor: So what you are saying is, he didn't tank after high school, he actually did somewhat live up to his potential, and you have ridiculously unfair expectations for your country's runners?
Letsrun.com: I guess you could say that, I am pretty much full of shit!
no webb was a bust
he's a nice guy but doesn't have the character to match his physical talent.
look at Lagat he chips away gets the job done -
he is an extremely physically talented runner with the emotional makeup of your girlfriend on her period.
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do we even care any more? He's done. Move on
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Webb didn't make the last Olympics because I'm an idiot on Let's Run
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[quote]Haven't posted in years wrote:
"it really isn't fair" -
Letsrun.com: I guess you could say that, I am pretty much full of shit!
Unknowing Visitor: And this being full of shit, is it a bad thing?
Letsrun.com: Well it kind of depends. I guess as a figure of speech it isn't that bad. But, if you were literally full of shit...yeah I guess that could be bad. Like if it were seeping out of your pores.
Unknowing Visitor: Interesting. Is this Alan Webb full of shit?
Letsrun.com: Well yes, but only because he is a human with a digestive system. Although there was that time when he was supposed to run some random race but didn't. He was full of shit then.
Unknowing: The seeping kind?
Letsrun.com: Yes. It seeped alright. He was up to his neck in shit.
Unknowing Visitor: Wow. I've learned a lot. I really like this Letsrun.com place.
Letsrun.com: Yeah man it's the shit!
Unknowing Visitor: Wait what? Seeping shit?
way too contrived. -
the smarrrtests letsrunner wrote:
Alan Webb IS running at USATF...
...running the hotdog stand!
ZING!!!!!
Bahaha I can agree he is DONE! '07 was his year to get a medal. Which sucks cause I liked to watch the guy run because he was one of the few distance runners that showed real fun emotion after a good race. Where most people just smile and wave. Screw that, I want to see a cigar and bottles poppin after a race -
Oh ya and one more thing.. For all of you German lovers out there.. GET READY CAUSE THIS IS WHAT HE WILL TURN INTO!!! only dif will be that GERMAN WON'T DO ANYTHING AS A PRO!
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When the most amazing experience(s) in your life was in High School, things get rough as you approach thirty, not to mention beyond (ask Tim Danielson).
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he talks about the possibility of being self coached here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drk4emkXC3A
but i dont think he will ever do it. if he does hes screwed
