June 21, 2012
For immediate release

Conley, Maier and Wallace among top Sacramento talents in Eugene

The Sacramento Running Association salutes the local middle-distance and distance runners who’ve earned spots in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials beginning today in Eugene, Ore.

SRA Elite Team member Kim Conley has her eyes on the women’s 5,000 meters. The 26-year-old former UC Davis standout ran a personal-best 15-minutes, 24-89 seconds earlier this year and is hoping to contend for a top-three spot in the Trials and a ticket to London for the Olympic Games.

Former Ponderosa High School star Deborah Maier is also in the 5,000 field. The Cal junior has run 15:29.24. But her first test will come in the 10,000-meter final on Friday; she goes in with a 32:12.47 qualifying time, the sixth-fastest in the field.

Alex Kosinski, from Oak Ridge High and the University of Oregon, could also be in the 5,000 field. She owns a provisional qualifying mark of 15:36.90.

Lea Wallace, a former Sacramento State standout, has earned a spot in the 1,500 meters with a 4:10.77 qualifying time. She is also in the 800 field with a 2:01.33 qualifying mark.

Orangevale resident German Fernandez has earned a spot in the men’s 1,500-meter field. The former NCAA outdoor champion from Oklahoma State owns a 3:37.76 qualifying mark.

Running events begin on Friday at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field. Competition ends on July 1.

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 California International Marathon, which celebrates its 30th anniversary on Dec. 2. More than 3,000 runners have already registered for the race.

Other SRA events include the Lake Natoma Four Bridges Half Marathon, The Super Bowl Sunday 10k Run and the Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run.

SRA beneficiaries include the American River Parkway, youth fitness programs, local running venues and aspiring young runners.