I spoke with Alberto Salazar Wednesday evening and he told me that Alan Webb’s decision to move out of the Oregon Project and into a another group has been brewing “for about a month.”
This is not an acrimonious split, according to Salazar.
“I have nothing but good things to say about working with Alan,” he said.
The problem for Webb is that he was becoming the odd man out, without a suitable mid-distance training partner. Dathan Ritzenhein is recovering from injury and doesn’t train like a miler even when he’s healthy. Galen Rupp and Mo Farah are certainly capable of doing workouts with Webb, but neither of them ran a step last week. They are emerging from a rest period and will move back into training together.
Salazar said he didn’t know where Webb would land but that he was considering more than one option. That’ll be Webb’s news to reveal.
Salazar said he would continue to offer himself as a resource to aid Webb’s transition to whatever comes next.
–
Earlier Wednesday, a Nike spokesperson confirmed that Alan Webb is going to leave Salazar’s training group.
Here is Nike’s official statement on Wednesday’s news:
“We can confirm that Alan Webb has decided to make a change in coaches and training groups. He will pursue a group where he can train with more middle distance runners. We wish Alan all the best and continued success as one of the all-time great milers.”
 |
|
{ 6 comments }
Alan was a great high school runner, great at running fast when unopposed, but will never contend at a World level. He lacks the mental toughness.
Please go back and look at his 2007 season. He ran with serious opposition on his best races.
nAlan may run on emotional overload but he is not lacking in mental toughness. I seriously think that Alberto and Galen could keep Alan grounded in reality and keep him healthy mentally and physically. Alan needs to stay with them as they nursed him back to health.
It seems that Alan Webb has all the potential to lead the pack when it comes to miling. nSomething tells me that if he raced just a little more often he could master the rough and tumble mood changing that he seems to exhibit and settle into repeated wins in BIG RACES that count.nnBob R. of New York [ Psychologist assistant ]
I agree, Alan needs to race more often and stay healthy. They don’t give medals for workouts.
Jordan Hasay and Lukas Verzbicas suppliment their running with swimming. I’d like to see Alan return to swimming to aid his endurance and drop the weight work. Maybe then he can stay healthy. Personally I’d like him to continue with Alberto where he would learn more patience and race more frequently which I think he needs. Training is only so much preparation. The best training for races is races while staying healthy. Laszlo Tabori once told me “there are many ways to train. You have to pick one and stick with it.”