Alan Webb (runner)#Post-collegiate/professional

Webb was born January 13, 1983, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

He attended South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia. In 1999, he broke Jim Ryun's national sophomore mile record of 4:07.8 by running 4:06.94, while beating Nathan Conley by one second. During the fall season of his senior year, Webb placed second at the 2000 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships behind Dathan Ritzenhein.

At the New Balance Games in January 2001, Webb's mile time of 3:59.86 at New York City's Armory made him the first American high schooler ever to run a sub-four minute mile indoors. Webb's time broke the previous American indoor high school record of Thom Hunt — a 4:02.7 — as well as Hunt's indoor HS AR in the 1500 m (3:46.6), as Webb came through the 1500 mark in 3:43.27. Webb's record was surpassed fifteen years later by Andrew Hunter from Loudoun Valley High School in Virginia with a time of 3:58.25 set on the same track.

Four months later, at the age of 18 years, 4 months, and 14 days, on May 27, 2001, at the Prefontaine Classic, Webb ran a mile in 3:53.43 to shatter Ryun's 36-year-old national high school record of 3:55.3, which placed him first on the list of high school students who have run a four minute mile.{{cite av media | title=Alan Webb Mile High School Record - 2001 Prefontaine Classic | date=July 31, 2023 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktQ2YeFmQZI | via=YouTube }} En route, Webb passed the 1500 mark in 3:38.26 to take down Ryun's 37-year-old high school AR of 3:39.0 set in 1964.

Webb followed up his run at Prefontaine by winning the Virginia State High School 800 m title in 1:47.74 to become the fourth-fastest high schooler ever at that distance. He was Track and Field News "High School Athlete of the Year" in 2001.{{cite web |url=http://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/component/content/article/35-stats/2114-t-fn-boys-hs-aoy |title=Track & Field News - the Bible of the Sport Since 1948 |access-date=November 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818132720/http://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/component/content/article/35-stats/2114-t-fn-boys-hs-aoy |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |url-status=dead }}

At the end of his senior year, Webb appeared as a guest on an episode of Late Show with David Letterman.{{cite AV media | date=January 7, 2006 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouv3sM60aaE | title=Alan Webb on Letterman | time=00:00 | via=YouTube }}{{cite web | last=Devine | first=Dave | title=JUMP START: THE SECOND REINVENTION OF ALAN WEBB | date=July 21, 2017 | url=https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=486157 | work=dyestat.com }}

Following his high school achievements, Webb went on to run both cross country and track for the University of Michigan. During the fall cross country season, he won several meets, including the Wolverine Interregional and the Big Ten Championships (both 8 kilometer races) in times of 25:12 and 23:19.9, respectively. After claiming runner-up at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional to Boaz Cheboiywo, he finished in eleventh place at the NCAA Championships with a time of 29:38 for the 10 kilometer race to earn All-American honors.

After redshirting the indoor track season, Webb won the Big Ten championship in the 1500 m run during the outdoor season, clocking a time of 3:49.27 to win the title. Webb competed in this race at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships a few weeks later, finishing in fourth place with a time of 3:43.23.

Shortly after the completion of the outdoor season, Webb decided to leave the university to turn professional and return to his high school coach and mentor Scott Raczko. He continued his collegiate education at George Mason University.

File:webb at hayward.jpg

Since turning professional in 2002, Webb has competed for Nike. In 2004, he became an Olympian by winning the 1500 m in the U.S. Olympic Trials. He was later eliminated in the first round of Olympic competition in Athens.

In 2005, Webb won another national title at 1500 m and made it to the Finals of the World Championships in Helsinki in that event. He also set personal records at every distance from the 1500 to the 5000 m, setting the American record at 2 miles along the way.

In 2007, Webb once again won the national championship in the 1500 m run, surging past Bernard Lagat in the final 50 meters for the title. He then finished 8th in the final of the 1500 m at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan. On July 6, 2007, Webb won the IAAF Golden League meet 1500 m race in Paris in a lifetime best of 3:30.54, third fastest on the American list. On July 21, 2007, at a meet in Brasschaat, Belgium, Webb broke the American record in the mile. His time of 3:46.91 bested the 25-year-old record of 3:47.69 run by Steve Scott. He ended the year with a victory in the New York Fifth Avenue Mile.{{Cite web |url=http://www.runblogrun.com/2007/09/alan-webb-ends-season-on-winning-note-taking-fifth-avenue-mile.html |title=Alan Webb Ends season on winning note, Taking Fifth Avenue Mile! |date=September 29, 2007 |access-date=March 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118105944/http://www.runblogrun.com/2007/09/alan-webb-ends-season-on-winning-note-taking-fifth-avenue-mile.html |archive-date=January 18, 2017 |url-status=live }}

On July 6, 2008, Webb failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics in the 1500 m after finishing 5th in the US Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon with a time of 3:41.62.

After many disappointing results since breaking the American mile record, Webb decided in August 2009 to move to Portland, Oregon to train with coach Alberto Salazar.{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/06/webb-leaving-to-train-in-oregon/ |title=Webb will train in Oregon |last=Nearman |first=Steve |date=August 6, 2009 |work=The Washington Times |access-date=August 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090809140335/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/06/webb-leaving-to-train-in-oregon/ |archive-date=August 9, 2009 |url-status=live }} At the time, Salazar already coached Kara Goucher, Galen Rupp, Amy Yoder Begley, and Dathan Ritzenhein, and Webb was Salazar’s first 1500 m runner.{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2009-08-06-webb-coaching-change_N.htm |title=Alan Webb leaves longtime coach to join Alberto Salazar in Oregon |last=Patrick |first=Dick |date=August 6, 2009 |work=USA Today |access-date=August 7, 2009}} In March 2011, Webb decided to leave Salazar on amicable terms.{{cite web |url=http://www.flotrack.org/speaker/132-Alan-Webb/video/481425-Confirmed-Alan-Webb-leaves-Alberto-Salazar |title=Alan Webb leaves Alberto Salazar |date=March 30, 2011 |work=Flotrack |access-date=March 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110404112100/http://www.flotrack.org/speaker/132-Alan-Webb/video/481425-Confirmed-Alan-Webb-leaves-Alberto-Salazar |archive-date=April 4, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

In 2010, Webb underwent surgery for an Achilles tendon injury and returned at the Fifth Avenue Mile in September, finishing in fourth behind defending champion Andrew Baddeley.[http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=58396.html Rowbury defends, Laalou breaks through at Fifth Avenue Mile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212065021/http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=58396.html |date=December 12, 2010 }}. IAAF/NYRR (September 27, 2010). Retrieved on 2010-09-27.

After his split with coach Alberto Salazar, Webb decided to be coached closer to home under the University of Virginia's Jason Vigilante.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

Webb returned to Portland to join Jerry Schumacher's group and was focused on the 5000 m & 10,000 m, and eventually the marathon.{{cite web |url=http://www.letsrun.com/news/2013/01/alan-webb-has-joined-jerry-schumachers-group-and-is-focused-on-longer-distances/ |title=Confirmed: Alan Webb Has Joined Jerry Schumacher's Group and Is Focused on Longer Distances |website=LetsRun.com|date=January 15, 2013 }}

Webb announced his retirement from track running on February 15, 2014 following the 2014 Millrose Games Wannamaker Mile.{{cite web |url=http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/251077-News-from-the-Track-and-Field-World/article/24455-Webb-to-retire-at-Millrose/ |title=Webb to retire at Millrose |website=flotrack.org |access-date=January 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140126144439/http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/251077-News-from-the-Track-and-Field-World/article/24455-Webb-to-retire-at-Millrose |archive-date=January 26, 2014 |url-status=dead }}

In 2013, Webb began as a volunteer assistant coach at Portland State University for cross country.{{cite web |last1=Gambaccini |first1=Peter |title=Flanagan and Webb Coaching at Portland State |url=https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20792184/flanagan-and-webb-coaching-at-portland-state/ |website=Runner's World |date=September 4, 2013}} In July 2019, Webb became an assistant cross country coach and distance coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.,{{cite web|url=https://lrtrojans.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1612&path=mcrosstrack |title=Little Rock Athletics – Alan Webb |work=Lrtrojans.com |access-date=October 29, 2019}} he finished off coaching at Catholic High School in the fall of 2021 for cross country alongside Coach Jennifer Found. He now coaches cross country and track & field at Ave Maria University, a private Catholic university in Florida.

Alan Webb married Julia Rudd in October 2010, who also enjoys running and is an assistant coach for a high school cross country team.{{cite news|url=http://www.kaww.indy.com/posts/reunion-made-in-indy-geared-for-the-long-run |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103163803/http://www.kaww.indy.com/posts/reunion-made-in-indy-geared-for-the-long-run |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 3, 2013 |title=Reunion made in Indy geared for the long run |last=Woods |first=David |date=May 9, 2010 |work=The Indianapolis Star |access-date=May 13, 2010 }} A convert to Catholicism and LIFE Runners member,{{cite news|url=https://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/catholic-mom-and-baby-win-half-marathon-and-possible-guinness-world-record|title=Catholic Mom and Baby Win Half-Marathon and Possible Guinness World Record|last=King|first=Roxanne|date=January 8, 2020|work=National Catholic Register}} Alan and Julia have four daughters, Joanie, Paula, Gabriella (Gabby), and Bridget.{{Cite web |url=http://www.flotrack.org/article/14332-Alan-Webb-returns |title=Alan Webb Back With First Win As Father {{!}} News – Flotrack |date=September 9, 2012 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120912031934/http://www.flotrack.org/article/14332-Alan-Webb-returns |archive-date=September 12, 2012 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://runteamwebb.wordpress.com/about/ |title=About Team Webb |work=Runteamwebb.wordpress.com |date=December 18, 2011 |access-date=October 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013083711/https://runteamwebb.wordpress.com/about/ |archive-date=October 13, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/6311/New-UA-Little-Rock-coach-sets-his-eyes-on-ultimate-prize|title=New UA Little Rock coach sets his eyes on ultimate prize|last=Hebda|first=Dwain|date=December 16, 2019|work=Arkansas Catholic|access-date=January 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218141307/https://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/6311/New-UA-Little-Rock-coach-sets-his-eyes-on-ultimate-prize|archive-date=December 18, 2019|url-status=live}}

800 m

1500 m

Mile

3000 m

2 Mile

5000 m

10000 m

Cross Country

• Middle distance track event
• Nike, Inc.

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{cite book |last1=Lear |first1=Chris |title=Sub 4:00: Alan Webb and the Quest for the Fastest Mile |year=2003 |publisher=Rodale Books |isbn=1-57954-746-X}}

• [http://www.legacy.usatf.org/athletes/bios/TrackAndFieldArchive/2009/Webb_Alan.asp Alan Webb] at USA Track & Field
• {{World Athletics}}
• {{World Triathlon}}
• {{Olympedia}}
• {{Olympics.com profile}}
• {{USOPC profile}}
• [http://www.flocasts.com/flotrack/coverage.php?c=69&id=4440 Video of Alan Webb's American Record for the mile]

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{{Footer USA Track & Field 2004 Summer Olympics}}

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{{ESPNRISE 2000s All-Decade track team}}

{{Gatorade National Track and Field Athlete of the Year}}

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Category:1983 births

Category:Living people

Category:American Roman Catholics

Category:American male middle-distance runners

Category:American male long-distance runners

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism

Category:Michigan Wolverines men's track and field athletes

Category:Olympic track and field athletes for the United States

Category:Sportspeople from Reston, Virginia

Category:Track and field athletes from Virginia

Category:21st-century American sportsmen