For most high school students, the idea of having to run multiple miles after school seems stressful. However, for senior Abby Hennessy, it’s a stress reliever. After a journey marked by elite times and personal resilience, Hennessy is set to further her talents at the University of Washington (UW) for Division 1 (D1) cross country and track.
From a freshman at Westford Academy who was just learning team dynamics to the co-captain of the track and field and cross country teams, Abby’s path to Seattle wasn’t always straightforward. According to Hennessy, she was first introduced to track and cross country in middle school when she joined the school team to get outside as well as be active. As she entered high school, Hennessy started to add running to her routine and soon fell in love with the sport.
According to cross country and track and field coach Philip Archambault, her ability was clear from the start and her real growth came from handling the high pressure of competition.
“I have seen Abby grow since freshman year,” Archambault said. “Each year she still amazes me and the whole team. In the beginning, she was just learning the basics of being a part of the team, and now she has become a captain that motivates her teammates.”
Hennessy heads to college with a 4:34 mile, a 9:02 3k, and a 16:43 5k. However, finding the right match for her career involved more than just looking at athletic rankings. After narrowing a list that included schools with high–profile track programs such as Duke University and University of North Carolina, Hennessy found her family at UW.
“I really love the coach there,” Hennessy said. “She’s kind of the mom of the team. I’m coming in with a really big recruiting class of nine girls, and I’m so excited to meet everyone.”
Beyond athletics, Hennessy plans to major in biology with a focus on research. She hopes to utilize UW’s facilities to study genetics, with a long-term goal of contributing to advancements in cancer research.
“I’ve always been interested in biology, especially through classes I’ve taken here at WA, such as Human Anatomy. So I knew it was something that I wanted to go into,” Hennessy said. “I think I definitely want to go into cancer research as a potential career.”
However, the journey to D1 was not without its hurdles. Last year, Hennessy was hospitalized for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), a condition where there is an imbalance between energy intake and the energy used during exercise. It is a common but often misunderstood struggle in endurance sports.
“The hardest part was feeling silenced and misunderstood,” Hennessy said. “There is a stereotype when it comes to health conditions in running. People are quick to judge and say that your career is over. But young athletes can overtrain and become so focused on a goal that causes them to unintentionally harm their bodies. Overcoming those judgments was very isolating.”
During her recovery, Hennessy was inspired to keep pushing herself by her private coach, 2008 Olympian Anna Willard. Through Willard, Hennessy shifted her mindset towards the long run and helped her focus on longevity.
“She’s a positive light,” Hennessy said. “It was never about being negative, it was about what we can do to be better for the next five years, not just the next race.”
In addition to running for UW, her horizons will expand beyond the American border. UW’s track and cross country coach takes international students, and they participate in professional circuit races that take place in Europe. Everybody participating can compete for their respective countries. Having recently obtained her Canadian passport, she plans to represent Team Canada in international competitions, with her sights set on the U20 World Championships.
As Hennessy prepares to swap the roads of Westford for the mountain trails of the Pacific Northwest, she is ready to begin her journey at UW as a D1 athlete as well as a Biology major.
“Abby is such an inspiration to me and I always look up to her,” sophomore track athlete and co-cross country captain Diya Shrestha said. “Whenever I feel like I am struggling, I always remember Abby’s journey and I’m excited to see what she does in Seattle.”