Prep track notes: Medical Lake’s Domenic Rehm goes the distance

Medical Lake senior long-distance ace Domenic Rehm trains seven days a week.

That’s not unlike most successful distance runners. But on Sunday evenings, Rehm mixes things up and runs on the school’s soccer field – either for an hour or 30 minutes depending on how his body feels.

Those runs are usually by himself.

“I run on grass on Sundays because it’s easier on my body,” he said. “It gives me a chance to think about stuff.”

Take last Sunday, for example. He was formulating his racing strategy for the Pasco Invite’s elite mile. The annual meet is Saturday.

The elite field includes six area runners and features Tanner Anderson of North Central and John Dressel of Mt. Spokane.

This is a chance for Rehm to see how he stacks up against the best in Washington.

“I’m pretty excited,” he said. “I don’t get to run competitive races like this all year. This will definitely be the most competitive race I’m in all season.”

Rehm is approaching the race realistically.

“I just want to race to the best of my ability and try to break (4 minutes, 20 seconds),” he said. “I’d like to place in the top eight. If after the second or third lap I’m feeling good, I’ll try to go up and compete.”

Rehm holds school records in the three distance races. In the 800 meters, he set the mark (1:57.94) when he got beat by a step at the finish line at state. In the 1,600, he lowered his time (4:24.22) earlier this spring. In the 3,200, he cracked 10 minutes in his first race this spring (9:40.80).

“I’ve teased him for a year that he got outstepped in the 800 at state,” Medical Lake coach Gene Blankenship said. “The kid caught him on the last step.”

Rehm, who has led the Cardinals to the State 1A championship in cross country the last two years, wants to continue lowering his records this spring. But he’s also hunting for three state titles.

“He probably won’t be a triple winner, but he’ll win at least two,” Blankenship said.

Rehm doesn’t know where he got his knack for running. His father, retired from the Air Force but privately contracted in the United Arab Emirates, and his mother, who grew up in the Marshall Islands, weren’t athletes.

He got into running in elementary school because many of his friends were involved in school running events.

“I was going to play football going into high school, but all my friends stayed with cross country so I thought I’d give it a try,” he said. “Then my coach (Blankenship) got me hooked on running.”

Rehm is a well-rounded student. He carries a 3.6 grade-point average and is Medical Lake’s ASB president.

“I feel like I have a lot to offer my school,” he said. “I like being the voice for other kids.”

Rehm sees his father just a couple of times a year. His dad will return in time for the state meet and stay through graduation.

The narrow loss in the 800 last year has provided plenty of motivation.

“I tried to make a move and win it,” he said. “It was disappointing. It’s definitely fuel for my fire.”

Rehm is mulling options regarding college. He plans to continue running.

“He’s special,” Blankenship said. “He’s got speed to go with distance. It’s a rare combination and fun to watch. He’s a dream to coach when you get somebody that is that talented and willing to work hard. I couldn’t ask for a better athlete. If he were at a bigger school, he’d be just as competitive.”

New surface at Pasco

There will be something new at the 54th annual Pasco Invite on Saturday.

John Crawford Track at Edgar Brown Stadium got a complete makeover. New turf was installed on the football field and the track was resurfaced.

“This will be the first event on it,” said Pasco Invite director Crawford, the former Pasco High coach.

As usual, there should be some fantastic times and marks at the annual event that attracts more than 100 teams and 1,400 athletes. Kamiakin’s girls are favored to win a fourth straight title while Wenatchee’s boys are favored. Inland Northwest area athletes will also be in the middle of things.

Greyhound in every sense

Lauren McCluskey moved back to Pullman after a year away in Ohio.

The multitalented Greyhound is picking up where she left off.

McCluskey, a senior, competed in the heptathlon at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in Los Angeles last weekend, placing ninth with a personal-best 4,449 points. Her times/marks were: 15.33 in the 100 hurdles; 5-2 in high jump; 35-8 in shot; 16-5 in long jump; and 2:24.41 in the 800.

She has signed with the University of Utah where she plans to be a heptathlete and do the high jump separately.