Josh Rauvola, senior at Archbishop Murphy High, finished second at last year’s 2A state cross country meet with hopes of claiming the state title this season. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Josh Rauvola, senior at Archbishop Murphy High, finished second at last year’s 2A state cross country meet with hopes of claiming the state title this season. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Murphy senior hoping to etch name as best runner in 2A

Related: 5 storylines to watch this prep cross country season

Joshua Rauvola’s introduction to competitive running, in a convoluted way, is an illustration of the Archbishop Murphy senior’s cross country career.

Rauvola’s talent is undeniable.

He ran a 5,000-meter race in 15 minutes, 44 seconds as a freshman. He once ranked among the top 10 in the nation among sophomores in the 1,600, running a 4:17 that track and field season. Murphy coach Paul Turner for 14 years has coached gifted runners, and he put Rauvola at the top of his list.

Beyond Rauvola’s talent is an unrelenting desire to be great — an unmatched competitive drive that extends beyond cross country courses and high school tracks. But that sterling attribute, which Turner billed his greatest strength, has also proved to be the senior’s most glaring affliction.

“He is as an intense of a competitor as there is out there, and he just wants to be super successful,” Turner said.

That dynamic of pushing to be great but learning not to do too much was encapsulated when Rauvola first discovered his talent.

Rauvola was a seventh grader living in Colorado when a mom of one of his friends decided to put on a half marathon. The plan was his group of friends and him would run the race relay-style, with each of them completing 3 miles.

But just before the race Rauvola was told he didn’t have a spot on the relay. He called his parents for advice.

“They said, ‘Josh, just run it.’” Rauvola recalled. “‘Just run part of the relay by them.’”

Rauvola took the instruction to run the race as running the whole race — the entire 13.1 miles by himself. So he did just that. Rauvola, with no training, covered the entire mileage at an average pace in the 7-minute range. He placed second in his age group and beat his friends’ relay team.

“I went out super-fast and hard being a dumb, little kid,” Rauvola said. “I was the most tired I have ever been.”

That day Rauvola discovered his gift. He was a runner. His dad and brother were football standouts, and Rauvola wasn’t bad himself, but when he moved to Washington the summer after his seventh-grade year, he knew he could do something special if he committed to running.

“I think it was the best fit for me,” Rauvola said. “I realized if I wanted to do something I wanted to do it well. I knew I could be good at other sports, but it was a question of being great at a sport. I wanted to be great more so than good.”

Rauvola has shown flashes of greatness throughout his Archbishop Murphy running career.

Turner has seen them and knew to an extent what he was getting before Rauvola joined the Wildcats. Rauvola’s mom had shared her son’s times with Turner, and once training began, the young runner instantly become the team’s top athlete.

But Turner needed more evidence to fully grasp Rauvola’s ability. That day came Sept. 27, 2014, during the 41st Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, California.

“I was thinking if he goes out and runs a 16:20 or a 16:30, he’ll be one of the best kids in our region and be pretty special,” Turner said. “He goes out and had a couple Lakewood guys, seniors he was marking the whole time, and he is running down the home stretch and I am running with him and screaming at him. I looked down at my watch, and it said 15-something, and my eyes just popped out their sockets. ‘Holy cow, I had no idea.’ That moment I knew he was more than a special athlete and had everything in front of him.”

Special. Talented. Gifted. These adjectives, doled out by Turner, describe Rauvola. But the reward of possessing those qualities hasn’t fully materialized.

Rauvola’s career has been marked by ups and downs. He was ascending and well on his way to distinguishing himself as one of the best runners in the state when his drive to be great caught up with him.

Rauvola is the type of athlete and person who knows one speed — fast. He attacks his extracurricular activities with the same tenacity as his workouts. As well as training for track and cross country, Rauvola has been on the student counsel going on four years, he’s part of Archbishop Murphy’s ASB, he holds a student role with the Cascade Conference and he competes in knowledge bowl, history bowl and high-q competitions. He also is a part of DECA — an association of high school and college students and teachers that focus on marketing management and entrepreneurship. Rauvola does all this while holding a 3.8 GPA.

The runner has learned to enjoy life and take advantage of opportunities, but he’s also had to learn the hard way that moving too fast can have its consequences.

The repercussion came in the form of a stress reaction on his right tibia while preparing to elevate himself even higher following a breakthrough sophomore year.

“Sophomore track season was when he broke all the school records and was really, really successful,” Turner said. “He had a training plan for the summer, and to his own admittance he overdid it and did more than he was supposed to do and ended up getting the stress reaction.”

The injury was a devastating blow. It wiped out nearly all of Rauvola’s junior cross country year and robbed him of the ability to properly prepare for the state meet.

Still, the standout runner put together arguably his strongest race ever and finished second in state. The race displayed Rauvola’s maturation as a runner and his ability to manage lofty expectations.

“Early on I was petrified,” Rauvola said. “First race ever, I puked my brains out. I was so scared, and it caused me to freak out. As I’ve gotten older I’ve been able to calm down and realize this is for fun, and that has helped me to round myself out as a runner.”

Despite solidifying himself as one of the state’s premier runners, the stress reaction crippled Rauvola’s ability to reach peak performance. The injury lingered and led to a calf injury that hampered his junior track and field season, too.

The injury has offered Rauvola a new perspective, an appreciation for running he didn’t necessarily own before his junior year.

“(Being injured) can be frustrating and almost makes you want to quit,” Rauvola said. “I have had many moments where I thought, ‘Is it worth it?’ Then you get that one moment when you feel like you are flying, like nothing can stop you and you feel free. It’s hard to put into words when you win a race and you feel good about the job you have done.”

Rauvola is fully healthy now, and he has plenty riding on his senior year. He’s hoping to etch his name as the best runner in 2A by winning a state championship. He also wants to compete at a high enough level to earn himself a college scholarship, which should happen if all goes well.

Rauvola still isn’t at the level he was sophomore year when he was breaking school records. Turner has built a cautious training program for him, keeping Rauvola from running on concrete and slowly building to where he can peak at the state meet.

Rauvola has paid special attention to his body, building just the right amount of muscle and carefully monitoring his 5,000-calorie-a-day diet in order to set himself up to finally achieve the greatness he’s always been striving toward.

The senior, who mentally has developed into a much stronger runner since his freshman year, has learned to harness his rare athleticism and special talent, respect it and not push too hard.

He’s certainly learned to enjoy his sport and not take his ability for granted.

“I had my first 3K race on Wednesday (Sept. 6) and there was all the smoke,” Rauvola said. “It was gross and disgusting. I could barely breathe. I had a massive bloody nose and ran like trash, but I started to smile and laughed after all that and thought, ‘Man, it is good to run again. It’s good to feel the pain in the legs and feel like you can really start doing your best again and put your best foot forward.’”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Arlington’s Leyton Martin (2) poses for a photo at Arlington High School on Sunday, March 24, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The Herald’s 2023-24 Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Leyton Martin

Arlington’s do-it-all junior point guard led the Eagles to a district title and second straight Hardwood Classic.

X
Prep roundup for Thursday, March 28

Prep roundup for Thursday, March 28: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report results… Continue reading

Left to right, Mountlake Terrace’s Zaveon Jones, Glacier Peak’s Jo Lee, Everett’s Isaiah White, Arlington’s Leyton Martin, Jackson’s Ryan McFerran, and Mountlake Terrace’s Jaxon Dubiel pose for a photo at Arlington High School on Sunday, March 24, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The Herald’s 2023-24 All-Area boys basketball teams

A look at the top prep boys basketball players in the area from the 2023-24 season.

Silvertips’ Andrew Petruk (26) fights for the puck during a game between the Everett Silvertips and the Tri-City Americans at the Angel of the Winds Arena on Sunday, March 24, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Breaking down the Silvertips’ 1st-round playoff series vs. the Giants

Everett is searching for a revenge after a shocking playoff exit against Vancouver two years ago.

Left to right, Arlington’s Samara Morrow, Kamiak’s Bella Hasan, Everett’s Alana Washington, Lake Steven’s Nisa Ellis, Lynnwood’s Aniya Hooker, and Meadowdale’s Gia Powell, pose for a photo at Everett High School on March 24, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The Herald’s 2023-24 All-Area girls basketball teams

A look at the top prep girls basketball players in the area from the 2023-24 season.

Everett’s Alana Washington poses for a photo at Everett High School on March 24, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The Herald’s 2023-24 Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Alana Washington

The Everett senior upped her game in the postseason to help the Seagulls overcome injuries and claim their first state trophy in 41 years.

Silvertips players celebrate during a game between the Everett Silvertips and Tri-City Americans at the Angel of the Winds Arena on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. The Silvertips won, 5-3. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Silvertips land No. 1 pick, chance to draft generational talent

Landon DuPont is the consensus top pick in next WHL prospects draft. Everett chief operating officer Zoran Rajcic said the team intends to select him.

Dennis Williams, head coach and GM of the Everett Silvertips, shakes hands with an assistant coach at the end of a season opening victory over the Vancouver Giants on Saturday, Sep. 24, 2022, at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Coach, GM Williams leaving Silvertips for Bowling Green State

After seven successful season leading Everett, Dennis Williams is heading back to his alma mater. He’ll stay with the Tips through the WHL playoffs.

Stanwood High School student athletes during their signing day ceremony. (Courtesy of Stanwood High School)
Local class of 2024 athletes who have signed to play in college

A running list of 2024 high school athletes who are set to compete at the next level.

Mountlake Terrace’s Jaxon Dubiel talks with head coach Nalin Sood during the 3A boys state basketball game against Todd Beamer on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 in Tacoma, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘It was just time’: Mountlake Terrace basketball coach Sood steps down

Nalin Sood guided his alma mater to 381 wins and 15 state berths in 24 seasons as head coach. He spent over four decades with the program.

University of Washington's new men's basketball coach Danny Sprinkle meets the news media, Wednesday, March 27, 2024 in Seattle. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times via AP)
Taking over at Washington personal for men’s basketball coach Sprinkle

Danny Sprinkle spoke about his connection to the school during his introductory press conference Wednesday.

X
Prep roundup for Tuesday, March 26

Prep roundup for Tuesday, March 26: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report results… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.