National record holder Alexa Efraimson runs at a pace all her own

Soccer was the first love for Alexa Efraimson at 6 years of age.

Then she added track in middle school and when she entered Camas (Wash.) High School as a freshman, she ran into a roadblock: Soccer and cross country both were fall sports.

Now a junior who posted a national record in the 1,600 meters last week, she told MaxPreps, "I thought I'd do cross country and continue soccer after cross country. It (cross country) was a little bit of an eye-opener. I just realized I'd be a lot more successful in running rather than soccer."

Efraimson was totally hooked on distance running after placing third in the Class 3A state meet and helping her team win the championship as a freshman. In track she further cemented her future as a runner in two races.

First of all she won the 1,500 in a record 4 minutes, 24 seconds at the prestigious Jesuit Twilight Relays, earning an invitation to the Dream Mile in New York where she placed fourth. That showed her talent, but her remarkable maturity was displayed after she finished second in the state 800.

She was tied for the lead with about 350 meters left when another runner stepped on the back of her right foot and she had to run the rest of the race with her shoe out of place. Despite being nipped at the finish, she made no excuses and said simply, "If you can't control something, why worry about it?"

She obviously made the right choice, since she recently broke the national record in the 1,600 and currently is either first or second in four outdoor events and three indoor events for 2014.

The 5-foot-7 superstar set the national 1,600 record at 4:33.29 last weekend while winning Washington's Class 4A state championship. She also won the 800 in 2:04.10, which is No. 2 nationally this spring. Her 3,000 time of 9:23.24 is No. 1 and her 3,200 clocking of 9:55.92 is No. 2.

During the indoor season she was No. 1 in the 3,000 (national-record 9:00.16) and No. 2 in the 1,500 (4:21.18) and the mile (4:32.15).

First-year cross country coach Laurie Porter was able to thoroughly enjoy Efraimson's banner junior year which saw her win the Nike Cross Nationals and be named Gatorade National Cross Country Runner of the Year.

"It was nothing short of spectacular," Porter said. "Her times kept going down. Alexa has such drive and determination that it doesn't matter who she races against. She's going to win. She's not only an outstanding athlete, but also an outstanding student (3.91 GPA). She gives back to the community by volunteering at local races and homeless shelters. I feel blessed to be a part of a really awesome experience."

Efraimson never will forget her victory at the Nike Cross Nationals.

She noted, "It was a really big win for me, because I came from behind and it was a huge learning opportunity. I was behind 30 or 40 meters with less than 400 meters left and won by 10 or 15 meters at the end."

Track coach Alisa Wise, who has mentored the young protege for three years, elected to use her only in the 800 and a relay during her freshman year. The veteran coach noted that after just missing the 800 crown as a freshman, her young star "came back with a vengeance" as a sophomore.

"She just dominated. She won everything. She set (4A) state records in the 800 and 1,600."

This spring Wise worked Efraimson hard in the sprints, using her in the 100 and 200 a lot during dual meets. It was all about increasing her speed, even though she always had a strong finishing kick.

"Her club coach (Mike Hickey) is training her to peak for the summer (distance) events," she pointed out.

Neither Wise nor Efraimson were shocked by the national 1,600 record.

"Her goal was 4:34," Wise pointed out. "She's pretty reasonable with her goals and pretty competitive."

Efraimson's accomplishments are even more amazing when it's pointed out that she rarely has been pushed, especially during in-state races. She basically has been running against herself most of the time.

She said, "I'm developing as a frontrunner. I'm just trying to get out front and be consistent with my times."

Because not many runners have been able to push her, the Camas standout briefly considered passing up the state 800 this spring and running against professional star Mary Cain at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon. She finally decided to stick with her team, but she twice has run against Cain (who is a year older), finishing fourth and sixth on those occasions.

Efraimson is considering attending either Washington, Oregon or Stanford. But, seeing Cain's great success, she also is tempted to turn professional, which would cost her final year of high school and all of her college eligibility.

"It's still up in the air," she confided. "I'm not sure what is going to happen. There's always that possibility. A lot of it will come (depending) from the competition I can get."

What she does in the fall also could be heavily influenced by how much success she has during several star-studded meets this summer. Hickey, who is head coach at Clark College, has worked with her since she was an eighth-grader and he will be guiding her through some major upcoming meets.

Hickey said, "I'm excited to see what she does this summer. She's got a chance to break some of Mary Cain's records. She's highly coachable, very goal-oriented and has a passionate and fun side."

Wise understands Efraimson's quest for stiffer competition, because, "She runs by herself. At the state meet a girl from Central Kitsap was the first time Alexa had someone on her shoulder. It was not even close in the 1,600."

Whatever happens in the future, Wise has only good things to say about Efraimson.

She praised, "She raises our whole team. They all want to be like her. If she decides to go pro, I'm OK with that. I wish her the best. She will always be a part of Camas. She has made her legacy here. She absolutely has put Camas on the map."