Alan Webb at World Champs : Speakers & Interviews

It wasnt about Lagat's kick. I think Alan actually has a better kick than most of the field that outkicked him. We, the fans, can make excuses but Alan knows what he did leading up to the race and how he ran during the race. He knows how to be Olympic Champion in the 1500m now. Alan, you will get that dream goal and you have a lot of fans who are really proud of all you have accomplished and all you will accomplish.

Great job Alan!! Lagat had a better kick.

Alan appears to have perhaps peaked a few weeks too soon in contrast with Bernard Lagat, who timed his peak perfectly for the WC.

Alan, you did a great job. I think the weather got the best of you like it did so many other athletes. Case in point: 800m women, 400m women, 800m men, 3000 steeple men and women. Winning in Europe where you basically run one race in cool temperature is not comparable to running rounds in heat and humidity. This type of weather can be tackled the best when you get in contention (not redline) at 200m and then kick in the last 75m, like bernard did, like matt tegenkamp did, like rashid ramzi did. There were no mid/long distance events where the leader through the laps went on to win. All races were tactical. You led way too much...i realize that's how you're used to running, but maybe making a few adjustments will give you a better chance in Beijing because the climate and humidity will be exactly the same.
This requires different type of training: training in heat and humidity. Also, do you train at altitude? A buildup of red bloodcells will help you in Beijing.
Good season overall, like to see you on top of the podium in Beijing. I know this breakdown will motivate the heck outa ya.
God Bless,
Q.

"A" for effort! There were some tactical errors out there, but "A" for effort! Watching/listening to Alan reminds me of Josh McDougal (ha ha)

I think alan's pretty awesome. One not-so-excellent race won't define his career.

Alan is not winnin olympics. I am and I'm 18

you cannot out sprint those guys; athens and now osaka. you should've kept going with 300 to go. you run better out front when you have a lead and no one to bump into. Lagat bounces off people and accelerates?!! you get hit and its over. Keep working on it...

Way to keep your hope up. Next time make it happen. There is nothing to be ashamed of becuase look at wear you are. I would love a chance to become such a good runner

Alan - You're a great runner, but why did you lead so much of the final??!!!

Alan has all the tools. He needed at least the confidence to see that he COULD DO what he did in Paris and Belgium, but when Lagat gets third at U.S. Championships several months before the Worlds, and Alan is winning Paris, you get the picture. In a World Champs year, you don't shoot for world leader a month and a half out and EXPECT to win a World Championships too. The effort and focus has to be disciplined for THAT RACE, because you have to beat everyone in the world in the race that everyone in the world wants to win.

Can Alan win the Olympics? Should he? Yes to both. But he has to learn. Not from this World Championships race, but from this World Championships season. It's not easy!!! Good luck to him. I want to see an American gold in Beijing.

Just another runner's opinion; maybe Alan should not use/waste all of his nervous energy prior to the race bouncing up and down. During the race introductions everyone was getting their game faces on and Alan was hopping all over the place. He wasn't the only one with butterflies in the stomach.

You are great Alan. You have another decade of racing, you're going to probably win five if not more of these world championship races!

You got mad muscles man!! just felt like throwing that out there. Hey, we all felt sad when Steve Prefontaine didnt medal in the Olympics. But he is still considered THE MAN! and you Alan..are THE MAN of the MILE! Keep up these awesome PRs and stay in good shape for the races that count and you'll have more medals around your neck than phsss who knows...(also just putting this out there...RUN THE 5K!!! ITS SO AWESOME!! DO IT!! or at least 800! your awesome man!! you have the strength to double man. gahhhh do it! haha)

I am refering to Shedrack Kibet Korir, who Webb had boxed in. Korir hacked Webb midstride and barged through. Webb could have bounced off Lagat but choose not to. Hey, Korir wanted it more I guess. Watch the replay, Korir bumps Alan, Alan stutters...end of game.

Alan,
You know this because i tell you everyday- You are amazing. Keep it up and it will all pay off big. I know you work so hard so take the time to enjoy it and keep smiling! I'll always be there for you.
Love, Julia

Seahawk, you need to look at Alan's performance this year in Paris. His race is all that's needed to refute your silly statement.

TMO,
He's not talking about Lagat. He's referring to Kiprop, who was slightly in the lead at the time. Irregardless, AW didn't lose the race because of a bump.

Seahawk, why the hell would he drop Razcko? Look at the times he ran this year! He beat some pretty damn good people in Rome, he will be feared in Beijing.

TMO, you are a blind fool! lagat did not impede on anyone. if anything, webb pushed lagat coming off of the curve. i am still happy for both of them. great job alan.

Alan, you are too good to say it. The Kenya impeded you with 100 to 150 to go, it was obvious... He knocked you wide and instead of going with it you stuttered your stride. Had you not stuttered your stride you would have taken out Lagat too. You are the man for not knocking out a teammate and taking that lump.

kaelin, please stop making such silly comments and then maybe ask mark, i am sure even before mark sees it, 5 people already flag your comments

Alan, I am a big fan. Did you ever think of becomming an 800m specialist. Then you can just go to the front, and crush the field with your strenght and fitness.

Good to see he's taking it well. People say he's a choker, and yes he hasn't been great in his wc events, but El G lost 2 straigh olympics before he finally won. He's a young guy who just came off a great season. He'll be fine.

almost seems happy

i am surprised he is not more depressed

RE: kaelin
Quit making ignorant, immature comments and they will quit deleting them.

"someone" sorry. hope he win the olympics 2 or 3 times.

I never seen some so open and honest and humble!

your time will come alan and all of this hardships will make it all worth it.

Who knows, he may of had to back off on the intensity for his hamstring. It would have been hard to stay sharp that long even without any hamstring issues. He just was not sharp as at nationals. He did not have the superman gear he had at nationals. He had an awesome summer. Time that peak - gold next year!

Webb is amazing, has had a great season, and 2008 is where it is at.

I agree with Seahawk. Get rid of a guy who you have worked with for nearly ten years and listen to a bunch of dorks with an internet connection.

Hey Alan you can do it in the Olympics. Your hungry for it, so go get it! Get that next gear and Beijing will be yours! We are rooting for ya!

I said this right after his AR, and I'll say it again now. He has to prove he can win the big meets before he'll be feared by his opponents. I think they respect his times, but don't fear him on the starting line.

My collegiate coach used to say "There are guys who run for times. And there are guys who run to win." I didn't think that it was a coincidence that Webb's AR was run in an empty stadium without a pack of world-class athletes hovering around him.

Let's say what has to be said. His training is there. His times are there. His head isn't. And I don't think it ever REALLY has been there.

Am I the only one that thinks maybe he should dump Raczko?

Anyway I wish Alan the absolute best. He sure seems nice a nice guy and I really think he has the potential to be shoulder to shoulder with the best.

Alan Webb is also a great runner . In my opinion, he should try to compete in the 5000 as well. Competition in 5000 helps 1500 performance..(Hicham el gerroouj and Lagat) are good examples.

Alan was less than a second from being world champion and he ran his last lap in 54 seconds. That is nothing to be ashamed of. Hopefully next year he can find another gear and make up that second and be olympic champ!

Times mean nothing....medals/championships last forever! Winning is what USA runners should shooting for not time trials! If you ask Webb, he would give back the American record to have his medal!

Keep your head up and come back even better next year!

A very refreshing interview with Alan. I expect great things will come. Thanks.

I think the fact that you were waiting for the "hurt" to come, is what you should not be thinking of. Puting the hurt on people is what makes a diff. Looking at how El G. ran his 1500's may help. You've done a tremendous job this season-tactics are all about maximizing you strenghts and exploiting your opponents weakesses. You have the tools to do "the damage" i.e. attack, you just got to believe that you do. Run like you did at the US trials.
Great interview thanks Alan.

Great year for US 1500/mile running. Webb is the fastest in the world and Lagat is the gold medalist!

What happens when he dips his pr to 3:45 for the mile. The pressure to win is even stronger. Maybe he should go for a sub 13 this year for the 5k. He will have no medal but will be the fastest in the world in every middle distance event
I have a feeling next race he is going to fly to make up for this. Now it is lukezic and myers turn to further improve the depth of US mile running. Remember, Scott and Maree had Spivey and Byers backing things up. Wow, at one time the US had 3 sub 3:50 milers running at the same time.

Overall it was a great season. Only Steve Cram is now faster than Webb among milers who are not from Africa.

Alan, finally, you looked world class during your post 1500 Osaka final interview and finally you look ready to truly take on the world next time...not because you ran fast this year (afterall, all the runners on a track team "run"), but because you seem more race ready now (racing is so different from running) and your attitude towards racing seems correct, now. You appeared to toghten up on the last homestretch--this won't happen anymore now that you are now ready to "race)
Congrats in a big way--you will be tough to catch after this

Alan...love watching you lay it on the line out there! We were cheering hard it was very exciting. I'm even more impressed that you can continue to have the fortitude to go out there, fully realizing that 1 sec can be the difference between being seen as a "hero" or a "failure".

Alan that one of the best race I have seen and you had me on the edge of my sit during the whole race. Even thought you didn't win the race it still was a great race and you are still my idol.

Mark,I'm confused.Alan ran 1:43,speed is there.3:46 strenghth is there.What is the problem.I love Alan.He is a great athlete.he kind of reminds me of Steve Holman,who runs 3:31 over in Europe and comes back to the U.S. nationals and gets out kicked in a tactical race by guys running 3:40.He ran in the back to qualify barely,then he takes the lead in the final and does'nt go hard like he should.In the World's and olympic games there are no rabbits legally(I think the kenyans and ethiopians runto set up the top guy to win,so Alan has to run on his own.Bejing is gonna be tough too.The same guys are goona be there,Rashid,Lagat and the rest.Him and his coach have got sit down and come up with something better than what happened on Osaka.Alan I love you a lot Man,but you have got to get it together for next year.Please MAN okay.

next ---> year i mean

next you will get them

Alan, chin up buddy. Beijing is all yours for the taking. No one is faster than you right now. Just take it out hard and make them all pay for Osaka.

Kudos to Alan for speaking frankly so shortly after a "Colossal breakdown"
I believe the Alan Webb of the National Champs or Paris would have certainly medalled coming off the final turn in good position. Whether it was mental or physical is important for Alan and coach to decide...I won't speculate. Great season, and great tactics in final. Hope you're near the front and in the clear with 100m to go in Beijing. Good luck