Abby Eades is both a swimmer and a runner. She runs cross country for THS and swims for Danville YMCA. This busy freshman keeps her schedule filled with difficult classes, swimming, running, and participating in multiple clubs. 

She focuses on running during the running season and focuses on swimming when the swimming season arises. Abby has been doing cross country since early July when the team started conditioning, and has been swimming for five years and competes in the 400 meter IM, 500 meter freestyle, and the 100 meter butterfly. The two sports crossover due to swimming not really having a set season, so she practices most of the year. Sometimes she just has to compromise.

“I typically choose running over swimming because I know if I miss practice I’ll fall behind. I’ve been swimming long enough to where I don’t need to worry about getting behind,” she stated. She is one of THS’s top female runners for the 2019 cross country season. The team recently competed in a scrimmage at Angler’s Park, where Abby placed in the top 5 of the school’s female runners. 

“The best part about running or swimming is just being with my team, honestly. You get such an adrenaline rush when you hear them cheering you on and it really keeps you going when you start to slow down,” she said. Making new friendships and bonds was one of her favorite parts about both teams. 

Abby has a lot going on in her schedule, so finding time and energy to focus on all of them and still getting everything she needs done is quite a challenge. “Focusing on what’s happening now really helps me handle having harder classes and competing in two different sports,” she said. She keeps her mind clear and calm while also juggling difficult tasks such as making sure she has good enough grades to stay on both teams, keeping her speed up and her hopes high. 

She has three siblings in college and two pets cheering her on from home. Abby is also involved in Interact, Spanish, and Beta club. She’s taking several difficult classes this year to see just how hard she can push herself to get the absolute best results.  

There are about 70-80 people on her swim team and 22 on her cross country team. “In swimming we have different groups, so I’m never with the entire team at meets, but with cross country we’re all together as a family,” she said. Her favorite part of swimming is being at meets, and winning a relay race with her team, and her favorite part about running is being at meets with her team and cheering everyone on and they cross the finish line. 

“I always feel anxious before starting a race but as soon as I get on the field or in the pool, I know everything is going to be okay.”