Only here would a middle-aged former professional runner get questioned, mocked, and rammed through the gauntlet because he decided to run in a local race for fun.
I hope he still has his death blow and he enjoys unleashing it even if he's just community road racing. Regardless of whether you recognize him during the race - imagine you're near him with 300m to go and he drops the hammer. Even though he can only run 26:0x I bet he can still go under 26 or 27s for 200.
You think he can do that at the end of a 8k? No one would do that. And if you mean fresh, wooptie do. I was a novice middle distance runner a few years older than Webb and I can run a 24 second 200 without any structured training. You don’t really lose that part until you’re old old unless you get fat.
I hope he still has his death blow and he enjoys unleashing it even if he's just community road racing. Regardless of whether you recognize him during the race - imagine you're near him with 300m to go and he drops the hammer. Even though he can only run 26:0x I bet he can still go under 26 or 27s for 200.
You think he can do that at the end of a 8k? No one would do that. And if you mean fresh, wooptie do. I was a novice middle distance runner a few years older than Webb and I can run a 24 second 200 without any structured training. You don’t really lose that part until you’re old old unless you get fat.
You must not read very goodly.
Not only could Webb probably still run that fast at the end of an 8k, I hope he actually did. And I hope it was you he dusted.
God forbid someone is a fan of Alan Webb - the horror! I'm sure Webb has now read about your 24 second 200m speed (without any structured training?!?!11?!?! oh my golly) and is hoping for an opportunity to learn more about it. Please continue to share about how a middle distance runner's speed doesn't need to be maintained as they approach 40 years old. I'm sure there are loads of people on these boards who agree with you, and that your assertion is based on rigorous data collection, recognized training methods, and publicly confirmable racing success.
Read the original post and respond to the actual words next time. Until then, too-da-loo JV
Really just wonder what he is going for. Like he is fast enough (I think) that he probably has to train a decent amount to run these times, not just running for fun.
And yet these are like solid age-group times, such an incredibly far cry from the level he was once at, even age-graded.
Wow imagine devoting time to running for non-world records or for medals, yet having fun. I'm sure no one would ever do that. Training CANT be fun, as Renato once told us.
A person makes a statement on a message board. You anonymously respond and somehow misinterpret the statement, make patently false claims about training and speed, and offer up your speed as the solution to a problem that no one has. Shame on me for feeding the troll and responding back. Then you come back to me with a misogynist comment. I'm shuddering in fear at my keyboard!! It's going to be a long trudge to your grave once you're realize you're not that tough and not that special. Come back to earth, speedy. Hopefully your daughter gets knocked up by someone with at least 400x your wit and with a some faster twitch genes.
The the other poster who wondered what it's like to be outright an Alan Webb fan. I'd say I'm not an outright fan since he doesn't race anymore. But appreciating his contribution to the sport makes me a fan much like how I'm still a fan of Usain Bolt, Joe Montana, Nolan Ryan, or Bernard Lagat.
Are you going to be ok, you seem hurt by what I’ve said. I am sorry, I didn’t know my anonymous posting, unlike yours, would hurt someone’s feeling today. I take back what I said. I was actually being modest because I’m pretty sure I can go 23. But it’s all lies and falsehoods by myself and I am ok with you saying that. Have a good day boomer
I'm not a boomer. Based on you saying you're a few years older than Webb, I'm guessing I'm 4-5 years younger than you are. Re-read the posts you've responded to and re-read your own posts - instead of just flaming out go back and actually read them. Perhaps there are typos? I'm not hurt in the slightest, but I am truly, genuinely fascinated by three things:
1) you said "You think he can do that at the end of an 8k?" After your blathering about how speed doesn't need to be maintained - do you really think Alan Webb can't run a 30 second 200 at the end of a 26:01 8k?
2) you said "no one would do that". I assume you're referring to running hard at the end of a race to beat someone? Most people who have raced would disagree. I could see someone of Webb's pedigree letting it slide and not being super competitive in a community road race... but I bet even he might kick someone down if he was feeling good.
3) do you really think that speed doesn't have to be maintained? Not even into your late 30s?
I've spent a non-zero amount of time on this so now I'd actually like some answers.
I'm not a boomer. Based on you saying you're a few years older than Webb, I'm guessing I'm 4-5 years younger than you are. Re-read the posts you've responded to and re-read your own posts - instead of just flaming out go back and actually read them. Perhaps there are typos? I'm not hurt in the slightest, but I am truly, genuinely fascinated by three things:
1) you said "You think he can do that at the end of an 8k?" After your blathering about how speed doesn't need to be maintained - do you really think Alan Webb can't run a 30 second 200 at the end of a 26:01 8k?
2) you said "no one would do that". I assume you're referring to running hard at the end of a race to beat someone? Most people who have raced would disagree. I could see someone of Webb's pedigree letting it slide and not being super competitive in a community road race... but I bet even he might kick someone down if he was feeling good.
3) do you really think that speed doesn't have to be maintained? Not even into your late 30s?
I've spent a non-zero amount of time on this so now I'd actually like some answers.
Why skew what was said by others. Someone said he could still throw down a 27*-28* not a 30 at the end of an 8k. Well if someone is doing a 27 sec 200 at the end of a 26:01 8k they surely did not put enough into that race. I never said speed doesn’t need to be maintained are you paraphrasing or did someone else say that. I will admit I am wrong about the age. I forgot how old Webb was I am actually a few years younger than him. Either way you are acting like a noob about this topic. I don’t have to prove what I can still do without training I do workout in the gym 5-6x a week and generics obviously play a factor in it. Still I am much slower than I was when I competed but damn Webb is far off of his old self and I would think he should still have some residual speed left if not a 22-23s 200, he should be able to still run around 50-51 for 400m, however I doubt he can break 55.
I see what you’re saying when I said “you don’t really lose that unless you get fat” again that is a take on genetics and I was being short. There’s other ways to lose the speed I said in a previous post he lost too much muscle mass so that could be another reason he hasn’t maintained his speed. If he were to pull a mini Ryan hall and get serious in the gym I think he could potentially be an overall healthier person and would gain some speed back. Hall can’t run a marathon fast but I bet he can run as fast a 100m as before or even faster now.
Only here would a middle-aged former professional runner get questioned, mocked, and rammed through the gauntlet because he decided to run in a local race for fun.
Except this thread has been overwhelmingly positive