June 24, 2014
For immediate release
SRA star and 2012 Olympian ready for U.S. Championships
Kim Conley went to Eugene, Ore. in 2012 and delivered some magic, roaring down the stretch to finish third in the women’s 5,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials and earn a trip to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
This time, the Sacramento Running Association standout and West Sacramento resident gets a chance to perform on a national stage at home.
The former UC Davis standout heads into this week’s USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships at Hornet Stadium as one of the favorites in the women’s 10,000 meters. Her race is scheduled for Thursday at 8:20 p.m.
“That’s a goal I have, to win a national championship,” Conley said. “It would be very meaningful to be able to accomplish it in front of friends and family and the Sacramento community.
“It’s going to be a tall order.”
The women’s 10,000 field is expected to include Shalane Flanagan, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and the 2013 U.S. champion, and Jordan Hasay, last year’s runnerup.
Conley, 28, opted to focus on the 10,000 meters instead of the 5,000 this year to keep her options open for 2016. So far, her results have been encouraging.
After running a personal best 31:48.71 at the Payton Jordan Invitational in early May, Conley delivered two personal bests earlier this month: a 15:08.61 effort in the 5,000 meters at a Diamond League meet in Rome and an 8:44.11 performance in the 3,000 meters at a Diamond League meet in New York.
“I feel like I’m just kind of gaining momentum with every race I run,” she said. “Each one seems to go a little bit better … Things are coming together at the right time.”
Conley noted she’s still adjusting to racing at the longer distance.
“You don’t get the same bold moves in the middle of the race,” she said. “I feel like I should be ready for anything.
“I would definitely say I’m testing the waters this year.”
Dominique Jackson, Conley’s Sacramento Running Association teammate, is scheduled to compete in the women’s 800-meter qualifying round beginning Thursday at 4:15 p.m.
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.