Another 800 for AW Saturday

[Cyril]

See home page story.

I am very excited to see the direction he has taken his racing this season. I only wish he had focused on the speed side of the equation years ago. But, he is IMO finally doing things correctly.

This 800 should be very interesting. Likely low 1:45 or he may even break into the 1:44s.

[BCBaroo]

If you read some of the stories on Webb... (there's been a thread or two actually on this very website! ) the theory is this is all been part of a 7 year master plan...

Kind of like Harry Potter... Hmmm...coincidence.

Anyway. I hope he drops 1:44:90... Don't see why he can't.

[Cyril]

If you read some of the stories on Webb... (there's been a thread or two actually on this very website! ) the theory is this is all been part of a 7 year master plan...

Kind of like Harry Potter... Hmmm...coincidence.

Anyway. I hope he drops 1:44:90... Don't see why he can't.

I've never seen anything suggesting a 7-year master plan. Is this the end of the 7-year plan or the beginning? I can't imagine that the stint in college and the other problems he's encountered have been part of a plan.

I have read that last year was intended to be a strength building year....well, this started well but as we know didn't finish according to plan. Whether or not it actually worked is up for debate.

But, his current direction is more conventional. It follows the formula of many of the great middle distance runners including Coe, Ovett, Walker, Cram, Scott, Ryun etc....it has always been my contention that he doesn't need to reinvent the wheel. It appears that this year he is following the classic formula with a little of his own peronal invention - ie. pool running,

[Guest]

From the story on the front page:

Webb insisted with the organisers that they enter him for the 800m in Heusden-Zolder.

Is this a sign that he has truly arrived on the world stage?

[Turk]

I can see Webb breaking 1:45. He ran 1:45.8 straight off the plane a month ago and I bet he has a bit more turnover than he did then.

[az2004]

this sounds like a good sharpening race for osaka..

basically, it's 4 weeks before osaka...

this 800...

parhaps another race, or does he get back to the usa for some final sharpening...

then there's the timezone transition to japan, so he'd probabaly need a good 7-10 days in japan to be confident...

1500 heats are on the saturday morning of the 1st day, so not adaptiong to the time, he could have a miserable opening race...

better cover that chance....

still, i do wonder what his schedule is for the next month

[paulthefan]

if our little dynamo, ( I swear the average paulthefan out there is having dreams of the mighty powerhouse Lon Myers with every graceful stride that our new flag bearer Alan Webb gives us!!!) drops a sub 144, I promise never to have another 3 paragraph rambling post on how great Jim Ryun was ... .. .. ok better make that a 4 paragraph promise. The 3 paragraph promise will come when Webb breaks 3:44/1:43 .. and that day is fast approaching! Go Alan go!!

[jeremyp]

Out on a limb..again. I just don't see Webb as an 800 type of guy a la Cram, Ovett, Coe, Aouita. I see him more like Scott, El Guerrouj, Morceli. Sub 1.45 is possible, but sub 1.44 unlikely. He is very strong this time and has good speed in fast races, and so-so in slow races. His 800 time will tell us next to nothing, although it won't stop speculation.

[paulthefan]

Webb is an American Coe-like legend in the making.. .. he can run sub 143 given the appropriate training and opportunity.....paulthefan has spoken.

[dsrunner]

Yeah Webb is in 1:44 shape for sure.

Could make a good run at the US 1 km record this next month also. 1:46 + <28 2:13.9

I have to agree Cyril, the stuff about master plan is pretty funny. They've been learning from the mistakes for sure, and he's not trying to be something he's not.
He needs at most 60 miles/week to get every American records from 1000m - 10000m.

Webb knows continued progress on the speed side gets him his 1500m gold medal .

[eldrick]

Out on a limb..again. I just don't see Webb as an 800 type of guy a la Cram, Ovett, Coe, Aouita. I see him more like Scott, El Guerrouj, Morceli

http://www.cs.rochester.edu/u/tetreaul/mstats.html

morceli had a 1'44.79pb in a season where his 1500 best was 3'31.00

he ran very few of them & none in his 3'27.37wr '95 season

you gotta figure he was good for at least 1'44-flat in '95, so he does get into the "800m man" category as well :

in fact, if you did a very crude estimate & say he improved his 3'31.00 to 3'27.37 = 3.63s, then his 800m improvement woud be 1'44.79 - ((8/15)*3.63) = 1'42.86 !!!

certainly at least 1'44-flat & probably nearer 1'43-flat end

i'd say same for hicham

[jeremyp]

Out on a limb..again. I just don't see Webb as an 800 type of guy a la Cram, Ovett, Coe, Aouita. I see him more like Scott, El Guerrouj, Morceli

http://www.cs.rochester.edu/u/tetreaul/mstats.html

morceli had a 1'44.79pb in a season where his 1500 best was 3'31.00

he ran very few of them & none in his 3'27.37wr '95 season

you gotta figure he was good for at least 1'44-flat in '95, so he does get into the "800m man" category as well :

in fact, if you did a very crude estimate & say he improved his 3'31.00 to 3'27.37 = 3.63s, then his 800m improvement woud be 1'44.79 - ((8/15)*3.63) = 1'42.86 !!!

certainly at least 1'44-flat & probably nearer 1'43-flat end

i'd say same for hicham

Just because somebody improves a 1500 time does not equate to improving an 800 time by the same degree. But , reconsidering! After that last 800 in 2004, El G certainly was capable of sub 1.44. Also makes you wonder what Lagat could do in 800. I would still be surprised if Webb goes sub 1.44!

[paulthefan]

I would still be surprised if Webb goes sub 1.44!

prepare yourself to be very close to surprized.

[Cyril]

Out on a limb..again. I just don't see Webb as an 800 type of guy a la Cram, Ovett, Coe, Aouita. I see him more like Scott, El Guerrouj, Morceli. Sub 1.45 is possible, but sub 1.44 unlikely. He is very strong this time and has good speed in fast races, and so-so in slow races. His 800 time will tell us next to nothing, although it won't stop speculation.

I agree. Sub 1:45 would be excellent. Sub 1:44 very unlikely (but I would be very happy to be wrong). I don't think this race will go under 1:44. I would guess low to mid 1:44s - which should be perfect for Webb.

Sub 1:44 in a couple of years might be within the realm of possibiiity. I would really like to see him keep his focus on the speed side.

[yung4evr]

Out on a limb..again. I just don't see Webb as an 800 type of guy a la Cram, Ovett, Coe, Aouita. I see him more like Scott, El Guerrouj, Morceli. Sub 1.45 is possible, but sub 1.44 unlikely. He is very strong this time and has good speed in fast races, and so-so in slow races. His 800 time will tell us next to nothing, although it won't stop speculation.

I agree. Sub 1:45 would be excellent. Sub 1:44 very unlikely (but I would be very happy to be wrong). I don't think this race will go under 1:44. I would guess low to mid 1:44s - which should be perfect for Webb.

Sub 1:44 in a couple of years might be within the realm of possibiiity. I would really like to see him keep his focus on the speed side.

I agree. Although I would also love to see it, I don't think Webb is at a sub 1:44 level yet. I would be thrilled if he could match J. Ryun's 800 best (converted) of 1:44.3, and then work his way down from there over the next couple of years. Webb definitely seems to run better and more consistently when he focuses on the shorter races as preparation.