2 times OLYMPIAN Kim Conley

Today we speak with New Balance Pro Athlete and 2x OLYMPIAN, Kim Conley.  As a 5000m runner with the success record as Kim you’ll read in her answers how important Training, nutrition, and an athletes mindset is in Track and Field.  Question 2 features some great advice that our athletes should review.  Things will always pop up, bad weather, injury, sickness, ect… just keep moving forward and don’t let anything hold you back.

Good luck this season Kim, thanks for speaking with us!

1: How did you get started in your sport?

I joined the Santa Rosa Express track team, in my hometown of Santa Rosa, CA, when I was in 6th grade. Growing up, I played soccer, basketball, softball and volleyball but once I was in high school I narrowed my focus down to cross country and track.

2: How do you overcome obstacles in your training/career?

I keep my big goals in mind but ultimately try to focus on what I can control and do well on a given day to keep me moving forward. There are always going to be setbacks, and sometimes progress isn’t going to come as quickly as we hope. Maintaining a growth mindset at all times helps keep me focused on finding ways to keep taking steps forward.

3: What is your favorite and/or most important exercise for your sport?

Track workouts! I love doing repeats on the track at race pace. The feeling of physically and mentally rehearsing for a race offers challenging and necessary preparation for competition.

4:  What advice would you give a young athlete?

Do what you love. To be great at any sport it takes years of dedication to the training and the process of mastery. If the foundation of what you do is rooted in love then you enjoy the entire process and you don’t feel as though you’re forcing yourself to work hard.


5:  How big of a role is nutrition when it comes to your training?

I try to eat a healthy, well balanced diet. I don’t deny myself any foods I want, but I moderate foods that aren’t going to help effectively fuel my training. When I’m at home or at a training camp I cook rather than eat out, and when I’m traveling for competition I try to make healthy choices when it comes to where and what I eat.