So you think it is going to be tough running the new course at Brandywine this year? How about trying an airfield in the middle of a war zone!
That’s where Major Kevin Conley is organizing the Army 10 Miler Shadow Run on October 17th of this year! Over 500 runners and walkers will be participating in the race he is putting on as his own version of the Army 10 miler that is held annually in Washing D.C.
Major Conley’s Delaware xc/track roots run quite deep. His father is none other than Bill Conley of Glasgow Dragon harrier fame of the mid 70’s and early 80’s. His father coached Glasgow’s many Blue Hen Conference Championship teams and sole state championship cross country team in 1975! His brother, Brian Conley, has also coached at several local area high schools and is now the current head coach of cross country and track at Goldey Beacom College!
Major Conley ran cross country and track for Sallies in the late 80’s, graduating in 1988. He coached at several local high schools, starting with St. Elizabeth’s High School in 1988 as the indoor and outdoor track coach. He coached Glasgow for a while during his time in college where he was successful working with several of the indoor and outdoor state championship teams and individuals of the mid to late 90’s. He then moved to Christiana High School as the cross country and track coach once he became a teacher. He had the opportunity there to coach the then state record holders for both boys and girls in the pole vault. Following a move to Middletown, Maj. Conley began coaching at Middletown High School, where he helped them to a school best finish in the indoor state meet. His final destination was coaching at Appoquinimick high school in its inaugural season.
He says, “Before I deployed I started a youth cross country and track program with my wife Tina in Middletown for two years in order to work with my own children Dylan 12 and Brynn 9. Both have now run in the national cross country championships.”
“While serving in Kahmard District, Bayman Afghanistan, I was stationed on a small Forward operation base for my first 6 months. While there I started a running group with about 30 of the local children. They would run and do workouts with me.”
Maj., husband, father, son, brother, and Coach Kevin Conley is currently deployed with Task Force Wolverine, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as a Civil Military Officer.
To say thank you for all he is doing and to support Maj. Conley in his efforts in Afghanistan, DETrackXC.com is going to give a portion of the proceeds from our invite on Friday September 17th to him so that he can buy shoes for Afghani children!
(interview by Stephen Lee)
