Feb. 22, 2013
For immediate release
Conley’s Olympic berth, Tapia’s CIM victory among highlights
The Sacramento Running Association’s Elite Team hopes to build on its impressive first-year success as it heads into 2013.
After breakout performances in 2012 by Kim Conley, who made the U.S. Olympic team in the women’s 5,000 meters, and Kevin Tapia, who won the California International Marathon, the SRA Elite Team looks for more major success this year.
“There was obviously a lot of exciting stuff happening in the last year,” said Kevin Pool, who manages the Elite Team and also runs for it.
“Having Kim qualify for the Olympics obviously was huge. Tapia’s CIM win, those are two things we could probably go a really long time and never have that happen. And it happened in our first year.”
The Elite Team has added three talented women to its roster: former Sacramento State middle-distance star Lea Wallace, ex-Folsom high standout Natasha LaBeaud and four-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Mary Coordt.
“I think it should be a very good team,” Pool said.
SRA Runners are already proving that with a fast start in 2013.
Conley qualified for the World Cross Country Championships next month in Poland with a second-place finish at the U.S. Championships earlier this month in St. Louis. The former UC Davis standout finished in 26 minutes and 6 seconds, trailing only winner Shalane Flanagan (25:49).
Wallace (2:04.94) and SRA teammate Dominique Jackson (2:06:00) qualified for the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 2-3 in Albuquerque with recent strong performances in the 800 meters.
The SRA plans to send LaBeaud, Alia Gray and Lauren Jimison to the U.S. 15k Championships on March 9 in Jacksonville, Fla. LaBeaud (1:15:32) finished fourth and Jimison fifth (1:15:42) in the recent Carlsbad Half Marathon.
Pool, Tapia and Cheyne Inman are scheduled to represent the Elite Team in the Boston Marathon on April 15.
Pool also plans to enter a strong women’s team at the Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run on April 7.
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 recently concluded Super Bowl Sunday 10k Run, the Credit Union SACTOWN Ten-Mile Run on April 7, the Gold Rush 100k on May 11, the former Lake Natoma Four Bridges Half Marathon, which will be re-named and be part of a festival honoring Johnny Cash on Oct. 19, and the California International Marathon on Dec. 8.
SRA beneficiaries include the American River Parkway, youth fitness programs, local running venues and aspiring young runners.