Mar. 12, 2014
For immediate release
Olympian ready to defend her 2013 women’s title
Olympian Kim Conley enjoyed her first taste of the Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run so much she’s coming back for more.
The Sacramento Running Association standout has committed to defend her women’s title in the fourth annual race, which begins at 8 a.m. on April 6 and starts and finishes at the state Capitol.
“Last year was my first time running SACTOWN and I loved it,” said Conley, a former UC Davis runner who made the 2012 U.S. Olympic team in the women’s 5,000 meters.
“It’s a fast course and the atmosphere is great. I especially loved finishing at the Capitol in a beautiful setting.”
Conley, who lives in West Sacramento, won last year’s SACTOWN race with a 56-minute, 21-second effort.
The course winds through midtown and East Sacramento. The event, put on by the Sacramento Running Association, helps raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, including UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
Conley said she’s happy to give back to the SRA, whose financial support helped her focus more on training leading up to the 2012 Olympic Trials.
“The Sacramento Running Association has been a tremendous source of support over the last few years,” she said. “I’m very happy that I have the opportunity to race one of their events this year and participate in it with the running community here in Sacramento.”
Conley opened her 2014 season with a personal best 2:05.92 performance in the 800 meters. She also capped a strong indoor season by winning the 2,000 meters at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston (5:41.10) and the 3,000 meters at the Millrose Games in New York (8:48.35) earlier this month.
She went to Flagstaff, Ariz. last weekend to train at altitude for one month and is scheduled to return the day before the SACTOWN event. She’s planning on running in the 10,000 meters at the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford on May 4.
“The SACTOWN 10 fits nicely into that buildup and is also an opportunity for me to get in a quality effort,” Conley said.
The race will serve as USA Track & Field’s Pacific Association Ten-Mile Championship and features a $15,000 purse.
“We are thrilled to have SRA Elite athlete and 2012 Olympian Kim Conley back at the Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run to defend her title,” said race director Michelle La Sala. “The 10-mile distance serves as a great opener for the 2014 spring track season, and we know Kim’s fans are looking forward to seeing her run through the streets of Sacramento.”
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is an affiliation of children’s hospitals throughout the country. Each year these non-profit hospitals provide state-of-the-art care, cutting edge research and preventative health education.
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals treat more than 17 million patients each year, including 98 percent of all children needing heart or lung transplants and 88 percent of all children with cancer.
The Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run helped raise more than $180,000 last year for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Registration for the fourth annual Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run is $50 online until 11:59 p.m. on April 5 at www.sactown10.org. Runners can also sign up for a three-person relay for $120 per team. Race-day registration is available for $60 and $130.
A Miracle Mile for kids 13 and under is free for anyone registering by April 4 at 11:59 p.m. and $10 at packet pickup and on race day.
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.