As others have pointed out, he's probably too big, too top heavy now to be a contended at the 5000 too.
He might need to start by upping his milage and slimming down. I remember the glory days of his first year at UMichigan. Didn't he win the Big Ten championship that year? He did really well, but I don't remember how his cross country season ended.
I mostly remember his slimmed down appearance:
http://www.dyestat.com/3us/4xc/USAnat-feb05/men4k.htm
There we go, his 4k XC beast mode look.
It's still good to see him racing again.
Bullet the Blue Sky wrote:
I can't imagine this fall was on purpose. You're probably thinking he took a dive so he wouldn't get beat or something like that. Well, he was in a position to make a move for the win. He wasn't fading. My thought is that he was getting ready to move outside and his feet touched each other, sending him down.
This.
The fall was definitely not on purpose. Last week he lost to some kid when he was running 1:55, why would he now take a dive when he was running faster and had a chance to win? Also why would he risk the injury he could sustain in the "pretend" fall?
On the subject on whether he's done or not, really if he puts in the work and stays healthy no reason he can't get back to running top times (low to mid 3:50's for the mile), even if not getting his PR. But why does he have to put himself (and us) through this circus act first? If he wants to go run 1:55 or 1:53 I know a lot of high schoolers who would be honored to go pace him in a workout or something. He really has to go to these meets and get beat by mediocre college runners. What's he trying to prove?
Good upcoming video that my friend is making
Webb the enigma wrote:
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On the subject on whether he's done or not, really if he puts in the work and stays healthy no reason he can't get back to running top times (low to mid 3:50's for the mile), even if not getting his PR. But why does he have to put himself (and us) through this circus act first? If he wants to go run 1:55 or 1:53 I know a lot of high schoolers who would be honored to go pace him in a workout or something. He really has to go to these meets and get beat by mediocre college runners. What's he trying to prove?
Presumably Webb understands that time trials aren't the same as actual races.
well, let's say Webb is now a 5000 meter guy. Would a 1:53 indoors in January be so bad for a rusty 5000 specialist?
Like, say, Solinsky. If the soksi mzungo ran 1:53 I think I would just shrug and say eh, whatever, no crisis.
But if Webb is still thinking 1500...that is not looking so good.
if your PR is 1:43, eleven seconds slower is a bad day any time.
lagat probably went through 1500 at 3:42 last night - 16 seconds slower than his best. He's probably not too worried. Same for Webb.
sadfsadf wrote:
if your PR is 1:43, eleven seconds slower is a bad day any time.
Total Webb fan here, and a witness of is HSR. My heart sank when I watched the video.
This guy is the best overall runner the united states has, 1:43 for 800, 27:20 or so for 10k, 3:46 mile, when he is on his game.
What is going on? Maybe he needs a sports psychologist?
I just feel bad for the the guy, he should be winning at Millrose, not falling at a mid level college meet.
Totally off subject here, but it really makes me %100 sure Webb is not a doper. Not that I thought he ever was, but he could never suck this bad juiced.
It would be great to see Webb and Ritz make a big splash at the trials.
I thought Webb was making a good comeback last year but then left Salzar. I wonder if he was trying to make Webb take "supplements" he didn't want to take.
This is fascinating to watch - do we know what he was doing for fitness while he was injured? Did he swim, pool run, or anything? Hope he makes it all the way back.
regardless of the crappy time he would of ran, the poor race tactics and the 10+ pounds he needs to lose........................he was losing a race to some college kid again.
Traveler wrote:
My heart sank when I watched the video.
Awww, did a tear form in your eye as you longed for the days of thinking he was the next Jim Ryun?
Seriously, some of you guys need to quit it with the drama.
I was happy watching the video because he was actually racing. I don't give a crap about the time and neither should he; he was racing. Yeah, the fall was a bummer, but the result didn't matter anyhow. Anyone who has made a return to competitive running after a long layoff or injury knows what it feels like to finally be able to race competitively again, even if it's at a much lower level than you'd prefer. And don't make the mistake of listening to the people who think he should be able to run sub 1:50 no matter how long he's been away from training. They are stupid.
I'm glad Alan's doing these college races and I hope he keeps doing them. They're perfect for what he needs right now. I'm even glad he's lost a couple of them. The sooner he gets it out of his head (and you out of yours) that his success has anything to do with destiny, the sooner he can set his mind to the work he's got ahead of him.
If he does make it back to form this year -- and I'm betting he does -- then before you can even blink, these indoor races will shrink to nothing more than a footnote in a storming comeback.
How many weeks has he been training again?
[quote]Genetic Dysfunction wrote:
This is somewhat interesting. Jim Ryun, the other great high school mile star, had similar struggles with training and racing at times and was heavily criticized when he ran poorly as well.
This may be the best, most well-thought out post I have read on this site.
I think everyone even the haters are always routing for Alan to make the comeback.
This is a guy who can run 1:43 and we are trying to say his 1:54 is a hopeful comeback because it is early in the season?
altoroad wrote:
Presumably Webb understands that time trials aren't the same as actual races.
Well then people shouldn't be saying "he's using this race as a workout" as an excuse for him.
Mee TOO. wrote:
This is a guy who can run 1:43 and we are trying to say his 1:54 is a hopeful comeback because it is early in the season?
How close to your PR could you go off of just base training?
Mee TOO. wrote:
This is a guy who can run 1:43 and we are trying to say his 1:54 is a hopeful comeback because it is early in the season?
These delusional Webb nut lockers have been making ridiculous excuses for years. They are hilarious to watch.
Agree Spyder. Exactly. Delusional is a kind word. As I've said, this is plain WEIRD and many of us are tired of the absurd excuses, rationales and pep rallies hoping for better results next time.
Again, do we know any other 3:47 milers in any part of the world who are mixing it up in middling college races????