Emily Conley #24
This week’s RIF Club Member Profile is Emily Conley #24. Emily is just coming off a HUGE accomplishment – she just ran Western States 100 (her Race Report) and finished in 28:45! She is an amazing runner!
But that’s not what impressed me most about Emily. I met her at the Jackson Jackass 50K in February. It was raining when we met in the parking lot but she was all smiles. During the race, she passed me (like I was standing still) and asked me how I was doing. I told her I was having some stomach issues. She actually stopped and waited for me to catch up to her to remind me that she’d brought peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for all of us and that real food might help. Is that not cool, or what? It’s one of the things I love about the running community…their willingness to help out a new runner or someone having trouble. Emily is a great example of that. Oh, and by the way, Emily was the overall women’s winner at the Jackson Jackass 50K!
So let’s meet Emily:
INFO
Name: Emily Conley
RIF #: 24
Twitter: @trailjunke
Facebook: emily hendrix conley
STATS
Years running: 4
Favorite race distance: anything from 50k-100mile
Favorite race: Sylamore 50k
Favorite bling: belt buckle from Western States 100
Next race: possibly Arkansas Traveller 100
What makes you FEEL fast?: running in the dark
FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS
Which of your running routes makes you the happiest and why? I love to run the trails at Herb Parsons lake in Memphis. Its a beautiful place to run. One of my favorite memories there is running the trails right after a snow. Almost every time I run there I think of that day and it makes me smile.
Have you ever worn a costume during a race? What was it and for what race? If not, would you? no costumes. ever.
What is the thing you splurge on after a race? more running gear
Why do you race? I love the people, the comraderie, seeing new places, and the feeling I get when I run well or even just finish a race that was really difficult.
Big races or small races? And why? I have a deep appreciation for small, grass-roots trail races….the kind where you stand behind a line and someone yells GO! My least favorite races I’ve ever done are the Chicago Marathon and the Vegas Marathon. Maybe I’m just a trail lover at heart.
What is the one piece of running gear you can’t leave the house without? Lululemon speed shorts
What was your biggest “don’t” of a race? skittles. I’d explain but it was gross at best.
What running moment are you most proud of? A little over four years ago I finished my first half marathon. It was the gateway drug that led to Ultrarunning. I’ll never forget finishing that race. But I’m not sure it compares to crossing the finish line at the Western States 100. That was just surreal.
If you can’t run, you’re __okay___. There has to be balance between running and the rest of life. Sometimes it’s perfectly okay to sleep late and snuggle with the kids on Saturday morning.
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As you can tell from her pictures, Emily is obviously have a great time while she’s running. Her reasons for running and racing make running a joy but she keeps it in perspective. Racing and running are not the be-all and the end-all of our world and we have to remember to keep some balance in our lives. They sure do make it sweeter though, don’t they?
Thanks for sharing Emily! We are so proud of you and know you will continue to Run It Fast!
If you’d like to join Run It Fast – The Club or would like more information about it, please click this link:
Run It Fast – The Club (JOIN TODAY)
[All photos submitted by Emily Conley and Naresh Kumar]
