Webb, Hall, Rupp, and Fernandez Can All Be Champions

They say all good things come in threes, so longtime track fans should stifle their laughs while observing those less informed deluding themselves into believing the emergence of record-breaking high schoolers Alan Webb, Galen Rupp, and German Fernandez in a singular decade represents a watershed period for American distance running. To those in the know (paraphrasing), Webb is more uncomfortable under the bright lights than an incontinent glossophobic delivering a eulogy after Happy Hour. Rupp is a sub-standard concept prototype conceived by Nike marketers (under direct orders from Phil Knight) to challenge the Africans, but he'll fail because he's, umm, Gay(len). And sure Fernandez is fast, but his Achilles heel is his Achilles heel. Try as they might, though, few can resist refreshing race threads when the aforementioned troika compete.

This generation of runners, led by Webb, Ryan Hall, Rupp, and now German- Dathan Ritzenhein, Matt Tegenkamp, Chris Solinsky, and Leonel Manzano deserve mention, too, among others-, are threatening to break every American record from 1500 meters to the marathon. Webb holds the mile record, is 1.14 seconds off Bernard Lagat's 2005 1500 meters performance, and has- for a short span of time- been the fastest middle distance runner alive. Even if Fernandez falls short of his ultimate ceiling as a runner, his potential is such that he could still claim the American 5,000 meters record in a few years time (assuming Tegenkamp or Solinsky don't lower it first). Sifting through all the criticisms of Rupp and looking at his body of work reveals he's consistently improved his times and started winning races since his days tagging along the back of the pack in elite meets just out of high school; his teeing off on Meb Keflezighi's 10,000 meters record in 2009 will be a compelling story to follow. Hall debuted in the half marathon with a stunning American record and challenged the pacemakers to run faster at last year's London Marathon en route to a 2:06:17 fifth place finish. It will likely only be a matter of months before another record falls.

The United States went two decades without producing a legitimate long distance world-beater (Bob Kennedy tried admirably). Forced to compete with Africans born at elevation, dopers, and the tendency of more mainstream sports stripping away the best prospects, domestic distance was boring and uneventful.

It's hard to pinpoint the impetus behind the overnight popularization (in relevant terms) of the sport, but Tim Layden's 2001 Sports Illustrated profile of Webb and Ritz was likely a contributing factor (along with the dissemination of information brought on by the Internet). Interestingly, Layden accurately posited in the piece: "The two runners, one fast, the other tireless, are just the beginning. Generations of young Americans will follow, training hard, running fast and beating the world. Won't they?"

They did... sort of. Solinsky came two years later. Mega-talent Matt Withrow and Rupp the next year. And now, the best yet, Fernandez.

Fernandez deserves special mention after breaking the indoor World Junior Record in the mile running 3:56.5. Much was made of the fact that he still ran demonstrably slower than the outdoor junior record, but suspicions of age fabrication for all of those records could be supplied as a counter-point. Independent of whether or not he's the faster junior miler in history, German can realistically aim to one day be the fastest professional alive. He'll need to drop a manageable seven or so seconds off his 1,500 pace to challenge for gold someday at that distance. Everyone is anxious for his 5,000 meters debut; the former Applebee's worker will be eating good in the neighborhood (I couldn't help the bad pun) with anything sub-13:20.

Speaking of eating, Webb's 2009 competitive racing debut is fast approaching. Even if he bombs, don't fret. By now we've all seen that he has nine lives. He's got a few to go and will emerge the better from this rough spot. In the unlikely event that he doesn't, the world of American distance running isn't over without him. Celebrate the excitement he provided for the last half-decade and take solace in knowing that he's helped inspire today's purple patch of would-be champions that can be champions.

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Webb, Distance Running Fans Need to Focus on Positives

Hyperbole and hysteria dominated the milieu of LetsRun.com's World Famous Message Board following the failure of everyone's favorite American-born miler's effort to make the US Olympic Team.

Having buried myself in the negativity—and ignored rational explanations in Webb's defense—I've been able to piece together a typical day in the life of Alan Webb in the build-up to his greatest failure, as told by the his numerous critics that dance on his every defeat.

11:30 A.M: Roll out of bed.

11:35 A.M: Swallow Propecia tablet. Pre Classic coming up. Take second pill. Time to step it up for the cameras.

11:45 A.M: Roll into McDonald's parking lot. Curse luck at once again missing breakfast hours. Order two Big Macs, two large fries, and 44 oz. Coke. Ask cashier to Supersize it. Curse when informed McDonald's no longer supersizes. Order extra Big Mac to make up for it. Remember that Olympic Trials are in a little over a month. Think to self that three Big Macs may be excessive. Order double-cheeseburger instead.

12:30 P.M: Base building. 15 miles at 5:20 pace.

2:00 P.M: Ask Scotty why message boarders think he's doing too much strength work. Nod gullibly when Scotty blames it on Warhurst.

2:15 P.M: Biceps day. Again. Just like yesterday. And the day before. Admire guns. Practice intense face to be unleashed after prelims win.

3:00 P.M: Order Kung Pao Chicken. Send back when not greasy enough. Smile as bowl is returned drenched in grease. Order seconds.

3:30 P.M: Call Rupp to talk tactics. Agree to only run races with rabbits. Congratulate Galen on time trial win yesterday. Remind Galen that, no, you don't want to sleep over in his altitude tent in Phil Knight's basement. And, no, you don't need to borrow any Breathe Right strips. Tell Rupp you haven't been on message boards today.

3:45 P.M: Check LetsRun message boards for 12th time today.

3:50 P.M: Send Lagat text message, "How's my FAVrit Keny~ er, American miler doin? Just chekkN to C if U got my texts last few days/weeks/months? I'm tellin U man. U got 2 take out the Oly Trials Final faaast. Make it a time trial. U n me. 3:32 or faster! Leo n Lopez can kick, but they can't TT!"

4:00 P.M: Instant message Ritz to make fun of this picture. Giggle when he sends back this picture. Agree that Rupp is a time trialing big race bottler. And totally gay!

4:15 P.M: Base building. 10 miles at 5:00 pace. Not going to peak too early this year. No speed work until July. Training right through the trials.

5:30 P.M: Biceps. Pre Classic coming up. Means two-a-days. Time to step it up for the cameras.

6:00 P.M: Take call from reporter. Make confused frowny face when asked if you are overtraining.

6:30 P.M: Check phone hopefully to see if Lagat replied to text message.

6:35 P.M: Think about eating a salad. Whimper. Go to Five Guys Burgers and Fries with Scotty! Ask Scotty how come message boarders think he needs a new coach. Nod gullibly when Scotty blames it on Warhurst.

7:30 P.M: Check phone hopefully to see if Lagat replied to text message. Frown when only message is from Rupp. Tell him for the last time that you don't want to use his underwater treadmill.

8:00 P.M: Attend Hair Club for Men meeting.

8:30 P.M: Start LetsRun thread encouraging Jeremy Wariner to move up in distance. Snicker.

9:00 P.M: Talk training with Scotty. Nod gullibly when Scotty tells you to run New York City Marathon. Just to build up endurance. Ask how come you keep running long races. You're a miler, you say! Nod gullibly when Scotty blames it on Warhurst.

10:00 P.M: Ice cream! Warhurst never let you eat ice cream…

10:30 P.M: Beers in South Lakes High School parking lot. Tell self that you'll never leave. No matter what they say.

11:30 P.M: Check phone hopefully to see if Lagat replied to text message.

12:00 A.M: Tell self that you will make McDonald's breakfast on time tomorrow. Sleep.

Being an optimist—and an unabashed fan of the hair-follically challenged runner—I intend to dispel the doom-and-gloom and point out the lunacy in depicting Webb as an existentialist disappointment lacking devotion to the pursuit of fulfilled potential and world records.

Rewind just over 10 months to Osaka where Webb entered the 2007 World Championships on the heels of a victory over Bernard Lagat for the US Championship; hopes were high, but haters espousing predictions of another flame-out weren't hard to find.

Their prognostications proved prescient when Webb finished eighth (when it apparently would've been easier to finish first, at least according to those on the boards).

His year's impressive achievements (3:46.91AR mile win, 3:30.52 1500 meters win, 1:43.84 800 meters win) were deemed worthless.

It seemed that Webb and his coach Scott Raczko responded to the critics with real adjustments in 2008, determined not to peak too early once again. We all know what happened, so a quick recap will suffice:

They supposedly attempted to be patient and not force Webb into race shape too early in the season. Unfortunately, his muted performance at the Pre Classic sounded the alarms that the duo may have got it wrong once again.

He entered the Olympic Trials ranked fifth in the 1500 meter rankings by LetsRun and finished in the same position. 2008 was a terrible year on the track for Alan Webb.

His performance has raised multitudinous questions. I'll try to answer some of the more loudly voiced ones posed by typical LetsRun.com posters:

No way the 1500/mile is the best event for Alan Webb, I mean, he hasn't even won a gold medal or broken a world record yet. And he's already 25. He clearly sucks. And the dude has no race tactics. Shouldn't he move up?

The subject of three threads a day for the last six years (more on days when Webb runs), the answer is an emphatic no.

While his range is extraordinary and incomparable today (he's oft-compared to Olympic champion Said Aouita historically), his times rank with the best in the world in the mile. He hasn't always been consistent, but his PR keeps dropping. He's won a host of US Championships and twice made the finals at Worlds. He became the American record-holder at age 24.

When he's on form, he's perhaps faster than anyone in the world over this distance today. That can't be said for him in any other event.

Hahaha! Nuh uh, whatever, Jason Rexing is faster in wooden clogs and a straitjacket while gurgling Kenenisa Bekele's next EPO injection in the back of his throat! But think about it, if Webb focused his training on the 5K or 10K his kick could carry him over the top… Couldn't it?

Gross. It's easy to understand why many are quick to promote a move to a longer distance. He's run respectable times, super-elite for an American, of 13:10.86 and 27:34.72 in efforts over 5K and 10K. If he trained exclusively for those events, he would undoubtedly see a drop in time.

The problem is that the 5K and 10K seem to be more tactical at the highest levels than the 1500. If Webb, with all of his experience in the 1500, still struggles to know when to start his drive for the finish line, how will he react to the teams of Ethiopians and Kenyans randomly throwing in surges to break him?

Bekele won the 2004 Olympics 10,000 meters in 27:05.11, almost 30 seconds below Webb's best. More notable is the fact that he ran the last lap of that race in 53.02 seconds. Does Webb even close 800 meter races that quickly?

Why are we even still talking about Webb!? He refuses to fire his high school coach! He eats fast food! He's not a cocky, intimidating jerk like a true champion! He clearly isn't dedicated to being great. Not like Pre was, eh?

Whether people are actually serious or not when ripping Webb for eating french fries every once in a while, it's hard to discern. But that may be the best thing about him. He's an every-man, he's blue-collar, he's humble, he seems genuinely nice, and he's just like us.

A few years back (I believe in 2004), an account that he brought a keg in the back of his truck to a small meet and drank afterwards with everyone was all over running message boards.

The biggest star in US distance running, having a beer with people who couldn't touch him on the track. Can you imagine Kobe Bryant or Michael Vick doing this? Would you even want to hang out with them?

As far as switching coaches, I don't think it's necessary. It would be one thing if his times weren't steadily improving, but they have been. Yes, his coach was unknown before Webb came along, but he is said to not be shy to question the cognoscenti of distance running. He didn't drive Webb to run a 3:46.91 mile on his own, and he likely listened to a lot of advice before changing gears in 2008.

The other problem with a change in coaches is that Webb may not adjust well initially to the new system. It happened when he ran for Michigan, and it took him two years to get back on track (pun unintended). At age 25, he can't really afford to have two more bad years. What purportedly little confidence he possesses would be non-existent.

I heard he broke up with his last girlfriend without the aid of Power Point. He's hopeless.

Maybe you're right, but I don't think so. I think if he sticks to what he has been doing and is patient, success will come again.

Getting a medal at either of the next two World Championships would be huge. He needs to shave 1.25 seconds off his 1500 meters PR to rank in the top-10 all-time. Those two goals are significant and achievable.

He also needs to continue to learn how to race. Runners can find the secret long after they run the times.

He need only look to Bernard Lagat for validation. Lagat had yet to win a medal at a major championship at age 25. He's been in contention constantly ever since and is a favorite to win the 1500 and 5K at the Olympics in Beijing.

Hey, why does Galen Rupp wear that thing on his nose?

Ah, back to normal.

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