DES MOINES – The Olympics, World Championships and now the Drake Relays.

Alan Webb brought a full house at the Drake Relays to their feet as he stormed around the blue oval in Drake Stadium to the world’s fastest mile time this year and a first place finish with a Drake Relays record time of 3 minutes and 51.71 seconds.

The time bested the Steve Scott record of 3:55.26 that has stood since 1979.

“That was fun,” Webb said. “I have never run this fast this early. So it’s a good sign. I am usually the type of guy that it takes awhile for me to get going in my season.”

There were world class runners in every event and every level at the Drake Relays.

From Dowling Catholic freshman distance star Katy Flood to pro shot put star Christian Cantwell, but no one captured the crowd’s attention like miler Alan Webb.

Webb who has run in every corner of the globe and represented the United States in the Summer Olympics took notice of the Drake Relays crowd.

“Boy definitely one of the loudest crowds I have ever ran in front of,” he said.

“The crowd was going crazy, and I was hurting on the last lap. I went out fast and I was just trying to stay as relaxed as I possibly could which is hard when your going that fast.”

“I was just making sure the effort was always there and just closed it up and the crowd was going crazy.”

Webb has been in the spotlight since breaking the once thought unbreakable high school mile record of Jim Ryun and has been hailed by some as the savior of American Distance racing.

He now sets his sights to the American Mile record, which is held by the man who’s Drake Relays record he broke – Steve Scott.

“Steve Scott is next on my list of things,” Webb said. “This is one of his records, there is a another one of his that I would like to have as well, which is his American Record.”

Although Webb feels as though records are important the label of being the savior of American middle distance racing is not a label that he uses for motivation.

“I don’t consider my self the savior of middle distance racing in America I consider myself the savior of middle distance running in myself own,” Webb said.

“I don’t think about that it’s not a motivation of mine but sometimes there is definitely more pressure on me.”

Webb checked out from the field early running behind the assigned rabbit (pacer) to ensure that the pace was fast enough in order to run as fast as Webb wanted to.

Webb maintained his quick pace and continued to put ground between him and the rest of the field, zipping to the world’s fastest mile time in the world this year.

Webb still feels that his fastest times are in front of him but records are harder and harder to break because he thinks the point of human capability is being reached.

“The true barriers are really approaching,” Webb said. “It’s going to be longer and longer until records are broken, but in terms why no Americans have broken it [Scott’s American Mile Record] and have not run that fast, popularity of other sports perhaps, maybe not hard enough training maybe too much training.”

“I don’t know,” Webb continued. “All I know is I try not to focus on the broad of a spectrum, but how can Alan Webb break that record.”

Webb’s performance is one that fans in attendance and Webb will remember for years to come.

Unless of course the sellout crowd in attendance is lucky enough to see a return trip of Webb to Drake next year and give another jaw-dropping performance.

“If I can keep doing stuff like this at Drake I would come back every year,” Webb said.