Kim Conley New Balance

When I look at my image from that moment I remember an intense sense of relief and happiness that I was returning to the Olympic stage. The year leading up to that day had been trying. I missed the 2015 track season due to an injury. That fall, when I was finally healed and returning to fitness, my dad was diagnosed with a terminal illness and died before the year was out. He was an avid fan of my running career and before he passed away communicated to me how much he wanted me to get to Rio. I was very driven in 2016 to fulfill that wish and I targeted the 10,000m as my primary event.

At the Olympic Trials, my shoe came off 3 miles into the 10,000m and I dropped out of the race. When I finished 3rd in the 5000m final and made the Olympic team the sense of accomplishment was matched by the sense of relief.

I never doubted that I could make the team, but in the face of those obstacles I felt a heightened sense of significance by achieving my goal.