Maddie Meyers Moves To Portland, Joins Alexa Efraimson

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Former high school stars from Washington, Alexa Efraimson and Maddie Meyers, have linked up as training partners in Portland.

Meyers, who stretched her eligibility at the University of Washington over more than five years because of injuries, has experienced ups and downs on the track. She last competed during the 2018 indoor season.

Meyers, as a prep at Northwest School in Seattle, was the 2010 Jim Ryun Dream Mile winner in New York City and also holds the U.S. high school record in the 2,000-meter steeplechase.

She was a high school senior when Efraimson was a freshman at Camas.

Efraimson, a Nike professional, is returning to training after a break following two stints of competing in Europe. She established new PRs in the mile and the 3,000 meters and has her sights set on trying to make the U.S. team in the 1,500 meters in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Meyers is her first training partner in nearly two years.

“It’s going to be great, on the social side, and being able to have fun at practice,” Efraimson said. “I think she’ll help me stay focused, particularly on longer runs, and help me develop as an athlete.”

For Meyers, who started a new job at Studio 317, an apparel innovation lab in Portland, the opportunity is a chance to explore her options in competitive track one last time.

“I battled injury quite a bit (in college) so my No. 1 goal is to stay healthy,” Meyers said. “Coach (Mike) Hickey’s plan seems great so we’ll see where it takes me. Maybe I can get in a good fast race this winter.”

Meyers developed some rapport with Efraimson and Hickey by working at the Dempsey Indoor track in Seattle. During periods when she was injured, she worked at a table dispensing bib numbers.

Efraimson, his prized athlete, ran 8:52.53 for 3,000 meters in Rovereto, Italy and then 4:24.82 for the full mile in Berlin, Germany.  

In one of their first workouts together, on Wednesday, Efraimson and Meyers did a set of 800s on a trail around Wilshire Park in Northeast Portland.

“I’m excited for us to keep working hard,” Meyers said.