August 27, 2013
For immediate release
Contact:
John Schumacher
(916) 804-3742
schumacher@runsra.org
SRA standout runs fifth-fastest time in women’s 5,000-meter qualifying
Kim Conley, a member of the Sacramento Running Association’s Elite Team, posted the fifth-fastest qualifying time Wednesday in the women’s 5,000 meters at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, Russia to earn a spot in the final on Saturday.
The former UC Davis standout delivered a 15-minute, 27.35-second effort to move into the final. American teammates Molly Huddle (15:40.91) and Shannon Rowbury (15:50.41) also advanced.
“Felt strong in first round of 5,000 meters this morning and happy to advance to the final,” Conley posted on Twitter. “Time to recover well and get ready for Saturday.”
SRA teammate Daniel Tapia is also scheduled to compete on Saturday. The 2012 California International Marathon winner was selected to represent the U.S. in the marathon.
Conley used an SRA training grant to step back from her duties as an Aggies assistant coach and focus more on her training. The result: a dramatic third-place finish in the women’s 5,000 meters at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials and a trip to the Olympic Games in London, where she recorded a then personal-best 15:14.48 to finish 12th in her heat.
She didn’t stop there, either, making the U.S. team for the World Cross Country Championships in March, lowering her personal best to 15:09.57 at the Prefontaine Classic in June and then earning a spot in the 5,000 meters for the World Championships.
The SRA helped her spend three weeks earlier this summer training at altitude in Switzerland. Conley then went to London and ran a personal-best 8:47.95 in the 3,000 meters at a Diamond League meet.
She trained at the U.S. team camp in Linz, Austria before heading to Moscow.
The Sacramento Running Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding ways to encourage people of all ages and abilities to run. The SRA is committed to developing new, quality running events that appeal to a broad variety of runners.
SRA events include the recent Gold Rush 100k and Freedom Mile, the Folsom Blues Breakout Half Marathon on Oct. 19, the California International Marathon on Dec. 8, the Super Bowl Sunday 10k Run on Feb. 2 and the Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run on April 6.
SRA beneficiaries include the American River Parkway, youth fitness programs, local running venues and aspiring young runners.
Contact:
John Schumacher
(916) 804-3742