Athlete of the year: Eastman breezes past competition

The beginning of Autumn Eastman's offseason workouts trace back to last June. The Champlain Valley Union star upped her weekly training runs to 50 miles per week and added rollerskiing to her regimen in preparation for her final year of high school sports.

Earlier this month, Eastman took her first week off in a year.

She deserved it, too.

A nearly unbeatable force in cross-country running, Nordic skiing and outdoor track and field, Eastman was one of New England's finest in all three sports during a record-setting, state-championship-collecting senior year that concludes with one more honor: the Burlington Free Press' girls athlete of the year.

With a busy workload that pushed cross-country into winter and skiing into spring, Eastman found time to balance all three sports, for training purposes and performance, while maintaining a high academic standard with a 4.03 grade-point average.

"I didn't think I knew what I was getting myself into. I just did what I had to do," said Eastman, bound for Division I Georgetown University in the fall to continue her running career. "I was determined with my training, I did everything to a 'T.'

"It was a job almost — I consider myself a perfectionist and I did it to the best of my ability."

Scott Bliss, CVU's cross-country coach and an assistant with the track team, watched Eastman go from a JV runner as a freshman and turn into the state's undisputed best, a progression linked to an unrelenting pursuit of success.

"I think that is a testament to a lot of things about her," Bliss said. "There is obviously a high level of natural ability, but it's her work ethic and dedication.

"She was always willing to do whatever she needed to do. That was never a question."

In reference to the athletic endeavors and academic courses, Sarah Strack, CVU's Nordic ski coach, said: "I was in awe in how she did it."

During cross-country, Eastman won the Division I state meet by nearly 50 seconds (18:47.4), took third at the New England championships and Northeast Regionals before placing 16th at Nike Cross Nationals, the highest finish by a Vermonter in the meet's short history.

When Eastman wrapped up her cross-country season in December, Nordic preseason had already begun. But the summer workouts began to pay off.

The two sports complemented each other, Strack said, and Eastman was prepared with an endurance base from cross country and a stronger lower- and upper-body from lifting and rollerskiing to excel on the ski trails.

"She has a mentality — she went hard the whole time," Strack said. "When other kids were taking a day off, she was like, 'well, let me do something.' But she was always mindful of training, she always needed to do a little more."

By season's end, Eastman won freestyle and was the runner-up in classic at the state meet, a pair of individual results that helped the Redhawks secure a Division I title three-peat. Eastman also went on to snag two top-10 finishes at the Eastern championships and qualified for Junior Nationals, with both events held in Vermont.

Transitioning for her final season, outdoor track, Eastman took down a 22-year-old meet record in the 800 meters at the Burlington Invitational in early May despite a late start because of her Nordic season. And she was the first Vermont girl to break 10 minutes in the 3,000 since Mount Mansfield's Erin Sullivan in 1999.

When D-I states rolled around, Eastman had no challengers in a three-event sweep of the 1,500, 800 and 3,000, a similar display of speed and endurance that many watched a year earlier that yielded two state records (4-by-800 relay, 800) and a third triumph (1,500).

Her personal bests in the 800 (2:13.06), 1,500 (4:39.95) and 3,000 (9:52.58, converted from 3,200) are all school records and more examples of Eastman's training resulting in improved times.

"I'm happy with how things turned out," Eastman said.

When she finally took pause for an extended break, Eastman had her wisdom teeth removed, a procedure she had put on hold during her senior year.

Her calendar had suddenly freed up.

Contact Alex Abrami at 660-1848 or aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aabrami5

AUTUMN EASTMAN'S YEAR AT A GLANCE

• Cross-country running: Vermont's Gatorade girls cross-country runner of the year, Eastman captured the Division I title by nearly 50 seconds to help CVU snag its 10th title in 11 seasons. … She also placed second at Manhattan Invitational, a prestigious meet held in New York City, and took third at New Englands and the Northeast Regionals, which qualified her for nationals, where she placed 16th overall.

• Nordic skiing: Seized first in freestyle and second in classic at the Nordic state championships, which CVU won for the third straight year. … Eastman also helped team Vermont win at the Eastern championships with a pair of top-10 results, including third in the 5-kilometer race. … Qualified for and competed at Junior Nationals, which were held in Stowe in March.

• Outdoor track and field: Repeating as Vermont's Gatorade player of the year in track and field, Eastman collected a trio of titles at the Division I state meet (1,500, 800, 3,000) as the leading point-getter for runner-up CVU. … Also broke 22-year meet record in the 800 at the Burlington Invitational and was the first Vermont girl to break 10 minutes in the 3,000 since Mount Mansfield's Erin Sullivan in 1999. … Took second at New Englands in the 3,200 (10:36.16) and finished with personal-best of 4:39.95 in the 1,500.

• Next year: Headed to Division I Georgetown to continue her cross-country running and track and field career.