by Pearl Watts

[Editor's Note: Pearl Watts, a Northern Virginia track writer and announcer, has covered Alan Webb since Webb was a freshman at South Lakes High School in Reston VA 7 years ago.]

Alan Webb is fresh off a dominating performance at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in Sacramento, California where he was the winner of the men's 1,500 meters. The victory in the 1,500 meter finals, in which Webb singed the track even further beyond its temperature hovering in the 100 degree range with a sub 55 second lap from the 700 meter to 1,100 meter mark, further implanted the Webbmaster as the dominant middle distance force in the U.S. at this time.

The win also signified Webb's return to the form he had shown during his high school days at South Lakes in Reston, Virginia which was highlighted by his becoming the first prepster to break four minutes in the mile indoors and then breaking Jim Ryun's high school outdoor record in the mile with his scintillating 3:53.43 at the Prefontaine Classic in May, 2001.

Alan's return to headlines of a positive sort has been on a continuous upswing this outdoor season following a disappointing collegiate freshman season at the University of Michigan followed by a subpar 2002-2003 campaign after Webb had signed a contract with Nike, reunited with his former high school coach Scott Raczko and then ended with an emergency appendectomy last summer.

Being fortunate enough to personally be able to follow Webb's exploits ever since his freshman cross country season at South Lakes in 1997, I was fortunate even further a few days after the Oly Trials to talk toWebb and coach Raczko about some of the progress and process behind this outdoor season's success.

When Alan was asked what seemed to be the turnaround and/or breakthrough this year he said, "there was not really one defining moment. In hindsight, I guess I would have to say the Home Depot meet is where everything seemed to be coming together. Things were in place concerning my training in the fall, in order to run well this summer. However, training isn't an overnight thing. A fast time or good performance may be delayed for longer than what you had originally expected. But, I had been running well and it really seemed to show up at the Home Depot meet."

At the Home Depot meet, on May 22nd, Webb ran a personal best of 3:35.71 in winning the 1,500 run and was going to run another race in the U.S. before heading to Europe. Those plans changed a little bit, and for Webb, it was nice to be able to welcome a change that was for the better.

Webb said, "The schedule had been set up for another race, but we cancelled going to that meet after Home Depot because I got the "A" standard (Olympic Games 1,500 meters). I felt I was ready to run the A standard (3:36.20) but did not know it would be then and there (Home Depot) even though I was so ready to run fast. I went into that meet looking to win the race and be in the ballpark of the A standard. I didn't want to go to Europe and have to make a big jump in improving my time in order to get the standard."

Prior to Webb's string of impressive races from the end of May to the Olympic Trials, there had been an inkling that this outdoor season was going to far exceed the previous two outdoor seasons because of a solid cross country campaign and a respectable indoor season. That was followed by two wins at The Penn Relays in late April where he won the 5,000 meters on Friday night in
13:46.31 with a fairly controlled 56 point final 400, and Webb then came back that Sunday to win the mile run in 4:04.42 with his final quarter mile in a controlled and form holding 55.4.

Webb said, "I ran well in cross country and indoors but didn't win. Penn was important. It was nice to have the feeling back again of crossing the finish line first versus running a good time but not winning. Even though the time in the mile was just 4:04 it was a good win because it was a tactical race, just like the Olympic Trials prelims." Webb added, "Just the fact of winning two pretty big races at Penn gave me confidence. I knew then that I was ready to run, it was just going to be a matter of how fast."

How fast was found out somewhat at Home Depot and most assuredly on Webb's three race European tour beginning nine days later. At a Grand Prix meet in Hengelo, Netherlands on May 31, Webb knocked another two seconds off of his personal best as he finished fourth in the 1,500 run at 3:33.70. In running against many of the world's elite middle distance runners, Webb's time was only half a second off the winning time and he was the only non-Kenyan to finish among the top six. Of that race Webb said, "it's pretty crazy over there. There were about 18 runners in the race with just a single waterfall start. Since my entry time wasn't near as fast as most of the other runners, I drew an inside lane. I got pushed around a bunch in the first 150 meters and that may have affected my time a little bit, but it was good to experience the international style of racing."

Webb followed up his very good performance at Hengelo with another strong outing in Seville, Spain on June 5. In Seville, Webb won the "B" section 800 run in 1:46.53. Although not an incredibly fast time, it still signified a breakthrough for Webb as it was another personal best. Alan had not run faster in the 800 since his senior year in high school when he won the Virginia AAA state outdoor title in 1:47.74. Webb said of the 800 victory in Seville, "It may have just been a B section win but it was important, especially since I was able to stick to my game plan. The rabbit was supposed to go out in 52.0 and I was supposed to be right behind him and then push the second lap; which is just the way it happened. That 800 was important. Number one, I won the race; number two, it was a great speed workout and number three, I had now won four out of my last five races with the other race being a personal best. I was starting to feel really good about things."

Three days later, on June 8 in Ostrava, Czech Republic in the featured 1,500 race, Webb had another reason to feel good when he defeated a stellar field in another personal best of 3:32.73, which was at the time the leading mark in the world. In that race Webb, whose Ostrava time now ranks #14 in the world this season, defeated among others the Ukraine's highly regarded Ivan Heshko and the current world 1,500 leader Bernard Lagat (3:29.21) and world number two Timothey Kiptanui (3:30.04) of Kenya.

Webb said, "I was a little more comfortable in Ostrava, even though there were 18 people in the race who had run 3:36 or better. My time from Hengelo gave me a better position at the start of the race and I fought to the front of the field, just behind the two rabbits. That's where I wanted to be since I was a little worried about the traffic."

The rabbits were instructed to hit 1:52.0 for the first 800, which Alan said he knew about since that information comes with the packet the athletes get at the European meets. The two rabbits did their job of going through in 1:52 at 800 and their pacesetting continued until there was just one lap remaining.

"Once the rabbits dropped out, there was 300 meters to go and I had the lead and there was nothing I could do about that," Webb said. " I halfway expected someone would come up to take the lead so I gave it a little bit more. I kept hammering down the backstretch and then gave it a little bit more with 150 meters to go. I started to tie up a bit on the homestretch but kept telling myself to try and relax and act like you know what you're doing."

Webb then followed up his European trip with plenty of fanfare for the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on June 19. He certainly looked like he knew what he was doing there, winning the featured mile in 3:50.85. That moved him to number eight on the all time U.S. list, just ahead of the miler who he has been linked to since his HS sophomore year, Jim Ryun (3:51.1).
"It was easy, mentally," Webb said. "By then I was more confident of my racing skills and had almost deemed my season a success. I just went out as hard as I could, worked on holding my form and tried to run a solid time."

Following the Pre Classic, it was time to get ready for the Olympic Trials 1,500. "It was a perfect situation," Webb said. "I had the A standard and had run well in Europe and didn't feel the need to race after Pre. Coach Raczko and I didn't have to be poking around waiting for the trials. Instead, I was able to get in 3.5 weeks of good training before the trials."

Webb went into the trials with the confidence of having bettered 3:36.20 already this season, but there was still the pressure of performing well and also assuring a spot on the Olympic team by finishing in the top three.

In the first of the three rounds of the 1,500 at the Trials, Webb would lead his heat through a very slow first 800 in 2:07 and ultimately win the heat in 3:47.10. The race was much closer than expected with the sixth and final qualifier from his heat running 3:47.31. Webb said of this heat, "I didn't know what to expect and you never know what will happen in the first round. I didn't want it to come down to a super big kick, but that's the way racing goes sometimes. Since it was a slow pace, everyone felt good on the final homestretch. I just tried to keep my composure."

The second round proved to be a much different and much faster race as Webb knocked more than seven seconds off of his time from the first round only to finish second in his heat at 3:39.92 with Michael Stember the winner in 3:39.74. "I figured I might as well push it and guarantee myself a spot in the final by separating from the field in the middle of the race," Webb said. "I felt that if I pushed it in the semifinals, I would probably be able to recover better than anyone else in the race for the finals. Although I didn't win the semifinal race and had wanted to win all three races, I was in the finals, I knew I was in shape and that it was more important to win the final than the semis."

In the finals, Webb may not have shocked the U.S. track and field fans with the fact that he won the race, but the convincing margin and style of his victory were impressive indeed. His winning time of 3:36.13 in his third race in less than 72 hours, in fairly stifling temperatures and with a lead of close to 40 meters on the last lap of the race after blasting a 54.6 on his penultimate lap surely should have convinced the last of the naysayers.

"Once it became a one race thing, it was easier to handle," Webb said. "I knew how to run one race. Even though I had the lead early in the race, I knew it was not a disadvantage because I was planning on making a move pretty early."

Remarking on his big surge 700 meters into the race, Webb said, "I knew it had to be more of a move than in the semis. Everyone in the finals wants to go to the Olympics; they are just as pumped up as you are. I knew the move had to be decisive and even if that move proved to be a little too early in order to win, I would probably make the team. I didn't figure three or more guys would go with me; and if they did, they were going to have to really hurt in order to keep me off the team. I knew with 250 meters to go that I had it (making the team) but I eased up a little to have enough left with 100 meters to go if I needed it."

Webb's next race is a full mile scheduled for July 30 in London, with many potential Olympic 1,500 run finalists in the race. "The big boys will be there," Webb said. "I'm just going to go out and see how fast I can run and what I can do on the last lap."

After the mile in London, Webb's plan is to run just one more race, possibly an 800, before preparing for the first round of the 1,500 at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece on August 20. Although Alan certainly wants to get past the first round and would greatly welcome the chance to compete in the finals, he does not appear to try to anticipate the outcome of the end of the season as much as many distance running fans.

"I achieved a very important goal this season by making the U.S. Olympic team," Webb said. "I want to run well in Athens, but I already consider this a successful season. I don't feel any pressure now. I'm only 21 and have no chip on my shoulder. I know I've run well this season but I don't know what to expect in Athens, be it from how my body will react from the travel or anything else. I don't want to set too specific a goal for myself for the the Olympics, anything that happens in Athens will be gravy.

"I have no reason to fear any kind of race now and should be ready for any style of racing. I feel like it will be hard to make a mistake since I have run every kind of race this season with even splits at Home Depot; tactical at Penn; front loaded at Pre; front loaded with a big effort in the beginning of the races in Europe and negative splits in the semis and finals at the Olympic Trials."

Of Webb's turnaround of sorts and back to the success of three years ago when he was assigned the burden of the next great U.S. middle distance phenom, some things have changed and some things have remained pretty much the same in regards to his training. Webb's senior year at South Lakes his mileage count per week was in the low 50's. After getting into the 60 mile per week range at Michigan, Webb's training base for this year found him fairly consistently in the low 70's per week.

"In high school the training regimen was very smooth and I could handle all the workouts," Webb said. "Now it's a longer timeline. I had to find a way to tolerate all the training and found the best thing for me was to try not to overdo it in workouts like I have sometimes in the past. It takes a little longer that way but there seems to be more improvement long term. In workouts I am trying to run fast but more comfortably so that I don't damage my system. My body seems to absorb it better. You have to be aware of the fine line of putting yourself over the edge but at the same time being willing to go towards that edge."

Coach Scott Raczko observed, "Alan has had a great year training and racing. No specific workouts have led to the success. I believe it has been a culmination of all of them. It's been great to see Alan hold his form for all his workouts and all his racing. He hasn't had one breakdown in training all year. "He's always been coachable. Everything has gone this season just the way we have discussed it; including preparation for races and cooling down. He has extensive things to do and the only change was at the Olympic Trials finals when he cut his warmup back due to the heat."

As far as Webb's success at the Oly Trials finals, Raczko said, "We knew everything would be all right as long as Alan took care of himself leading up to that day; and that included his hydration and nutrition a couple of weeks leading up to the race. I think Alan's training on the East Coast is an advantage. There, it is hot and humid. In Sacramento it was just plain hot and we were fairly confident that the heat wouldn't get in the way of a 3:36."

With the big race in London looming, Raczko said, "As always, we're looking for a solid race from Alan. He needs to be competitive and strong throughout the entire race and also be able to hold his form."

In preparation for the Games, Raczko said, "there will be a slight reduction in volume and also intensity in his training. Just getting there and competing will be a good goal for Alan and obviously if he could make the finals in his first Olympics, it would be a big step."

And finally, about the big scream moments after his 1,500 trials victory, Webb said, "it wasn't planned. Considering where I was at this time last year, it just seemed like everything had come full circle. So much stress seemed to have been lifted off. That whoop was just me telling myself that I knew that I could do it."