Greenbrier East senior distance runner Abbey Londeree was no different than most incoming freshman athletes four years ago.
Competing on the collegiate level was a dream that seemed unattainable.
However, four years of hard work and success at the high school level changed that unattainable dream into a reality when Londeree signed a National Letter of Intent to run cross-country and track for Concord University in February.
“It was pretty amazing,” Londeree said about her big day. “Just getting to start a new journey with a new team is very exciting. I can’t wait for the season to come along. I am really excited for it.”
Cross-country seemed like a natural sport for Londeree who started running in middle school.
“I started in 6th-grade, knowing I wasn’t really good at any other sport, but I knew the thing that I was really good at was running,” Londeree said. “When I first started it made me realize how much of a passion that I really had for it. That drive kept building from 6th grade to 8th grade. Then 9th grade to my senior year became a building block for me.”
The signs were there early in her career that the Greenbrier East standout could be something special.
As a freshman Londeree finished sixth overall in the highly competitive Class AAA Region 3 cross-country competition to qualify for the state meet.
She again finished top-10 at regionals as a sophomore to once again run on the state’s biggest stage. Her junior and senior seasons, however, were clearly the most memorable.
As a junior, Londeree won the individual Region 3 title, while as a senior this year, she led Greenbrier East to the Region 3 team championship.
The team win snapped a seven-year title reign for longtime rival Woodrow Wilson.
“Junior year was a big surprise for me. I wasn’t predicted to win that race that year, but that was a big boost in confidence for me after winning that race,” Londeree explained. “That confidence really led me to do well my senior year. Leading that team to victory in my senior year was really exciting.”
Making the regional victory even more special was the fact that Londeree had to fight a mental struggle with all of the changes that were about to occur in her life. Interest from Concord played a big part in her success.
“I struggled mentally this past year realizing that there was a really big change about to happen in my life. The more I realized college was coming, the more I got nervous about that mentally.” Londeree admitted. “Senior year was probably my toughest year overall mentally and emotionally knowing I was going into a whole new team, a whole new path and a whole new career. Now that I realize I can do it and I received that college interest, that became a big confidence boost.”
When she returns to the track this spring, Londeree says she will narrow her events to the distance runs for her final high school season.
“In track I usually did the 4×800 (relay), the 800 meter, the 3200 meter and the 1600 meter run,” Londeree said. “This year I think I will really focus on the 1600 and 3200, just to keep that distance in there for cross-country at Concord. I wasn’t really much of a sprinter. The more I got into my career in track after running the 800, I felt like I was better at the distance (runs).”
The Mountain Lions also have several familiar faces on the team, including former high school teammates, which was a driving force for Londeree’s decision.
“It was pretty much the team overall,” Londeree said when asked why she chose Concord University. “I know they have some really good runners. In fact, a lot of those runners I ran with in high school anyway. I wanted to reconnect with that team and work my way up.”
The future criminology major will also have another familiar face as a roommate on the Athens campus in Shady Spring standout runner Charlotte McGinnis.
“Charlotte and I are going to be roommates, so we are both very excited about that. Charlotte and I have ran together since 6th grade and she has always been a confidence builder for me and I have always been encouraging to her,” Londeree said. “The one thing about cross-country is no matter who you run with and no matter what team they run for, you build friendships and support them no matter what.”