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Evergreen’s energizer man

cross country: Endurance chief weapon for Geoducks’ Rakestraw

GAIL WOOD; The Olympian | • Published September 10, 2009

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Brian Rakestraw doesn’t have textbook running form.

His stride is short and choppy. He takes nearly two strides for everyone else’s one.

“It’s how I’ve always run,” Rakestraw said, sounding apologetic. “I’m guess I’m just not that tall.”

But the 5-foot-9 Rakestraw, with his determined, high RPM running style, is where everyone else wants to be at the end of a race – near the front of the pack. He’s The Evergreen State College’s top cross country runner, qualifying for NAIA nationals last year. He has a good shot at returning.

What Rakestraw lacks in style points he more than makes up for with effort. He runs between 90 and 100 miles a week, doing 20 miles on his long runs.

“I like to do a lot of mileage,” Rakestraw said. “I’ve always believed in that. I’ve always got good results from that.”

From the time Rakestraw began running with his father as a fourth grader, his formula for success has been simple. Increased training miles equals improved performance in a race.

“He’s used to 100-mile weeks. That doesn’t freak me out,” said Craig Dickson, his Evergreen coach. “He feels he can be more competitive with that. It gives him confidence.”

Rakestraw placed 12th at the conference championships last year and eighth as a sophomore.

Last year, he placed 83rd in the NAIA championships, passing 10 runners in the final 100 meters.

“I’ve got confidence in my kick,” Rakestraw said. “But it’s more my endurance.”

It’s not so much that Rakestraw speeds up at the end of a race. He just doesn’t slow down. Rather than shoot out in the lead at the start of a race, Rakestraw stays in the middle of the pack, waiting to make his move.

“I stay back more and keep an even pace,” Rakestraw said. “That works well for me. It’s a confidence builder.”

Rakestraw gains in confidence as he picks off runners, moving up toward the front of the pack in the final mile. At the first meet of this season, Rakestraw placed fifth in the Saint Martin’s Invitational, running the 8K race in 26 minutes and 29 seconds. He kept a pace of 5:19 per mile.

It’s not that Rakestraw doesn’t have good speed. He ran the 400 meters in 54 seconds in high school. He just has a fuel tank that doesn’t go empty.

“I have a good kick, but I don’t rely on it too much,” he said. “It’s my endurance that I rely on the most.”

He gains in momentum as he picks runners off, passing them and closing on the leaders. With his short stride, hills – going up and down – are actually an advantage. It’s when he makes his move.

“I’m pretty good on hills,” Rakestraw said. “Especially on downhills. I try to gain on people on downhills.”

When Rakestraw first arrived at Evergreen, he admits he wasn’t the most coachable runner. After having three coaches in three years at Woodinville High School, Rakestraw developed an independent streak. He learned to be his own coach.

“We had our clashes,” Dickson said. “He was always independent. We struggled with that for about a year.”

In that first year, Rakestraw often questioned Dickson’s workout schedules. When he was told to do mile repeats, Rakestraw scoffed, saying he didn’t like running them.

“Me and Craig had some issues early,” Rakestraw said. “In high school, we coached ourselves. That first year here we had some tussles. Arguments. We’ve grown.”

In the spring, Rakestraw, a history and literature major, took a study abroad program through Cimas in Ecuador and lived in the capital city of Quito. Then over the summer, Rakestraw traveled to Europe with his family. But Dickson wasn’t worried about his top-returning runner showing up out of shape.

“I knew he’d put his miles in,” Dickson said. “He likes to run. He’ll go on a trip and he’ll still run.”

In high school, Rakestraw often did double workouts during the season, running alone or with a friend in the mornings before school. He comes from a running family. His brother and sister both ran in college and his dad still runs marathons.

Now, with Rakestraw’s college career winding down, he wants to run a marathon during track next spring. NAIA has a sanctioned marathon event at nationals.

“The longer the race the better it is for Brian,” Dickson said. “He has the ability to set a pace and keep on going.”

He’s Evergreen’s Energizer Bunny.

gwood@theolympian.com

THE EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE FALL SPORTS

men’s soccer

Coach: John Purtteman (third year)

Last year: 5-12

Returning starters: 7

Top returners: Marcelino Dumpit, sr., MF; Kyle Foster, jr., MF; Corey Johnson, soph., F; Nathan Salveson, sr., GK.

Top newcomers: Takashi Matsuno, jr., MF; Mirza Memic, jr., F.

Schedule: Sept. 12 Northwest U. at Evergreen, 7 p.m.; Sept. 19, Corban at Evergreen, 2 p.m.; Sept. 25, Evergreen at College of Idaho, 2 p.m.; Oct. 3 Evergreen at Warner Pacific, 7 p.m.; Sept. 6, Evergreen at Concordia, 7 p.m.; Oct. 9, NW Christian at Evergreen, 4 p.m.; Oct. 10, Oregon Tech at Evergreen, 4 p.m.; Oct. 16, Evergreen at NW Christian, 4 p.m.; Oct. 17, Evergreen at Corban, noon; Oct. 20, Concordia at Evergreen, 4 p.m.; Oct. 24, Evergreen at Northwest, 1 p.m.; Oct. 30, Evergreen at Oregon Tech, 2 p.m.; Nov. 3, Warner Pacific at Evergreen, 3 p.m.; Nov., 7, College of Idaho at Evergreen, 2 p.m.

women’s soccer

Coach: John Purtteman (third year)

Last year: 5-11-1

Returning starters: 7

Top returners: Marissa Major, sr., D; Monica Ragan, soph., F; Brianna Speed, soph., F.

Top newcomers: Emma Loftis, frosh.; Zoe Ostrander, frosh.

Schedule: Sept. 13, George Fox at Evergreen, 2 p.m.; Evergreen at Lewis & Clark, 5 p.m.; Sept. 25, Evergreen at College of Idaho, 2 p.m.; Sept. 26, Evergreen at Eastern Oregon, 2 p.m.; Oct. 2, Warner Pacific at Evergreen, 4 p.m.; Oct. 3, Concordia at Evergreen, 3:30 p.m.; Southern Oregon at Evergreen, 2 p.m.; Oct. 10, Oregon Tech at Evergreen, 2 p.m.; Oct. 16, Evergreen at NW Christian, 2 p.m.; Oct. 17, Evergreen at Corban, 2:30 p.m.; Oct. 24, NW at Evergreen 2 p.m.

Volleyball

Coach: Clay Blackwood (third year)

Top returners: Hailey Harris, LeAsia Jones, Chantal Petkus, soph., L/DS, 5-5; Caitlin Swit, jr., S, 6-0.

Top newcomers: Irene Takahashi-Coker, jr., L/DS, 5-10; Sarah Gleaves, frosh., UTL, 5-10; Kaylani Evans, jr., OH/DS, 5-8.

Notes: Hailey Harris missed much of the season with a concussion suffered in a game.

Schedule: Sept. 11, NW Christian at Evergreen, 7 p.m.; Sept. 12, Corban at Evergreen, 7 p.m.; Sept. 18, at Oregon Tech, 7 p.m.; Sept. 19, at Southern Oregon, 7 p.m.; Sept. 25, Warner Pacific at Evergreen, 7 p.m.; Sept. 26, Concordia at Evergreen, 7 p.m.; Oct. 2, at Eastern Oregon, 7 p.m.; Oct. 3, at College of Idaho, 7 p.m.; Oct. 9, at Corban, 7 p.m.; Oct. 10, at NW Christian, 7 p.m.; Oct. 14, SMU at Evergreen, 7 p.m.; Oct. 16, NW at Evergreen; Oct. 23, College of Idaho at Evergreen, 7 p.m.; Oct. 24, E. Oregon at Evergreen, 7 p.m.; Oct. 30, at Concordia, 7 p.m.; Oct. 31, at Warner Pacific, 7 p.m.; Nov. 6, S. Oregon at Evergreen, 7 p.m.; Nov. 7, Oregon Tech at Evergreen, 7 p.m.; Nov. 10-14, Cascade Conference Tournament.

Men’s cross country

Coach: Craig Dickson (eighth season)

Top returners: Brian Rakestraw, junior, 25:00 8K PR; 31:54 PR for 10,000 meters, 12th at conference, 83rd at NAIA nationals; Daniel Paine, sophomore, 26:04 PR for 8K, 15:46 PR for 5K; Liam Rockwell, junior, 28:07 8K PR, was fourth on the team; Chris Johnson, junior, 31:43 PR for 8K; top seven on team; Tyler Luce, junior, 31:22 PR for 8K, hurt last year and didn’t compete; Darin Martin, senior, third year on team, 28:14 PR for 8K; Nicholas Pace, senior, 30:26 PR for 8K.

Schedule: Sept. 19, at NW Christian Invite; Sept. 26, Steilberg Classic at Evergreen, 10 a.m.; Oct. 3, Willamette Invite; Oct. 10, Western Washington Invite, 10 a.m.; Oct. 17, Warner Pacific Open, 10 a.m.; Nov. 7, Cascade Conference championship at Eugene; Nov. 21, NAIA nationals, 10 a.m.

Women’s cross country

Coach: Craig Dickson (eighth season)

Top returners: Emily Baker, soph., 26:59 6K PR; Ana Casillas, junior, 18:24 5K PR, out with a broken toe, team MVP at Bellarmine Prep; Evelyn Coleman, soph., 30:05 6K PR; Britta Peterson, soph., 23:02 6K PR, 15th at conference championships, top returner; Claire Rosenfeld, senior, 26:05 6K PR;

Notable: Ana Casillas, Evergreen’s top runner last year, broke her toe over the summer but is back running. Qualified for nationals last season but couldn’t compete because of an ear infection.

Schedule: Sept. 19, at NW Christian Invite; Sept. 26, Steilberg Classic at Evergreen, 10 a.m.; Oct. 3, Willamette Invite; Oct. 10, Western Washington Invite, 10 a.m.; Oct. 17, Warner Pacific Open, 10 a.m.; Nov. 7, Cascade Conference championship at Eugene; Nov. 21, NAIA nationals, 10 a.m.

Gail Wood, The Olympian