The Buddy System Helps Keep Webb on Track

"My friends, their congratulations means more to me than just some random person being like, 'Oh, good job.' Coming from them, it means a lot more to me," Webb said. "During the good times, if they're like, 'Hey, man, I heard you did this good,' or whatever, obviously it's going to carry more weight for me. Then if things aren't going so great, we don't talk about running."

Support System

By living in Reston, where Webb became a star at South Lakes High when he broke Jim Ryun's 36-year-old U.S. prep mile record in 2001, he is near a closely coiled group of friends whom he has known since elementary school. Zak, 25, sells insurance, while other Reston area friends including Clayton Voss, Mike Orton, Mark Volo, Brendan Carey, Dave Jastremski, Kevin O'Conner and Chris Papageorge work in fields varying from government contracting to medical sales.

Webb's schedule calls for plenty of travel, but down time at home includes workouts, conversation and laughs about the latest poker game, the newest episode of "Lost," or fantasy football.

"When I first met them, I was pretty surprised that his friends weren't all runners," said Webb's girlfriend, Julia Rudd, 25. "He had friends from all different backgrounds. It's great because he can go home and he's just Alan. He can kind of escape from the track world."

Webb is preparing for the U.S. Olympic track and field trials. They begin Friday in Eugene, where he hopes to qualify for his second Olympic Games in the 1,500 meters. He works out almost daily at George Mason University in Fairfax and on the Washington & Old Dominion trail. Sometimes, he heads to Reston Sport & Health Club, located less than three miles away, where his picture is displayed above a water fountain in the weight room.

But when Webb returns to his house, he worries more about that evening's dinner choice than which middle distance runners he will need to beat this summer. He can happily argue with his friends about which episodes to catch up on -- "The Office" or "The Wire" -- before rising early the next morning to pound the trails.

"When I needed to just chill and be a normal person," Webb said, "those are the guys that are always there for me."

Webb bought his house for $475,000 in 2004, and soon five people and a Vizsla dog named Enzo were packed under the same roof. The roommates eventually dispersed, and Zak moved in last year paying a modest rent of $300 per month. Webb has known Zak since they played on the same youth soccer team when they were 6; along with the rest of their group, they graduated from South Lakes in 2001.

Webb connected with most of his friends through sports, and the bond was strengthened through time. While Webb's friends attended weekend parties and dances in high school, he was often on the road competing or training. And when Webb returned to Reston in 2002 after a disappointing freshman year at the University of Michigan -- the luster from his high school career having faded -- his friends were there to bolster his psyche.

"Those guys didn't give a crap how I was running," Webb said. "They were there whether I was running good or not. Not a lot of people can always say that about the people they hang out with. I've been pretty lucky to have people like that."

A Homeward View

Webb's coach, Scott Raczko, who began working with Webb at South Lakes, endorses his runner's home-bound training plan. "Alan did what he felt was the best path to pursue his dreams when he decided to return," Raczko wrote in an e-mail. "His friends and family are great and very supportive. It helps him to have a normal and fun life while maintaining the schedule and rigors of a world class athlete."

Webb's friends gather in his living room nearly every fall Sunday to watch football for 10 hours straight. They wire three televisions together so they can watch different games simultaneously. They order stacks of pizzas and boxes of chicken wings, and Webb can often be found planted in the middle, grease dripping from his hands.