Salazar Has New Pupil

     Alberto Salazar's fame as a distance coach is growing and runners continue to seek him out with the Nike Oregon Project in Portland -- including miler Alan Webb. He's now joining the group which includes Adam and Kara Goucher. Here's an update from the Washington Times and USA Today:

American mile-record-holder Alan Webb will move to Portland, Ore., to train with Alberto Salazar's training group Nike Portland, according to a source close to the situation.

The Reston resident has been training in Northern Virginia since his youth, except for one year at the University of Michigan after he graduated from South Lakes High in 2001.

He's been working with high school coach Scott Raczko since his years at South Lakes, and it is believed Raczko will have some role in his coaching.

Salazar, reached by phone in Switzerland where he's supervising altitude training for some of his runners, including Kara Goucher, leading to the Aug.15-23 world championships in Berlin, said Webb visited Portland a few months ago and liked the facilities.

"Two weeks ago Alan called asking me to become his coach," Salazar said. "To be honest I was completely surprised by it."

Webb set the American record in the mile two years ago in Belgium, running a 3:46.91 at the Atletiek Vlaanderenmeet.

But he has struggled since; he failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics in the 1,500 meters, finishing fifth at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Then in June, Webb injured his hamstring and achilles, forcing him to withdraw from the final of the 1,500 meters at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Portland is becoming the distance capital of U.S. running. Salazar and Jerry Schumacher coach separate groups of Nike-sponsored runners in the city, including U.S. and NCAA 10,000 champion Galen Rupp, U.S. 5,000 champ Matt Tegenkamp, multi-U.S. recordholder Shalane Flanagan, top marathoner Kara Goucher and U.S. 10,000-meter champion Amy Begley.

For all his success with runners from 5,000 through the marathon, Salazar hasn't coached a top 1,500 runner. "I'm confident we have the resources here and I can acquire the knowledge necessary," said Salazar, a former Boston and New York marathon winner.

Posted by: pates on 8/7/2009 at 11:21 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink

Tags: kara goucher, nike portland, running, track and field