(WSCR) Even as he ages, Paul Konerko has continued to pace the White Sox.

The 35-year-old first baseman has a .306 batting average over the past two season in which he’s hit 70 home runs and 216 RBIs.

The key to Konerko’s continued success has been preparation.

“From a body stand point, that’s one thing I’ve noticed kind of sneaks up on you and catches up with you in your 30s,” Konerko said. “There are a few guys who sneak through the cracks that don’t have to worry about it, but for the rest of the world, you just have to work. I probably learned almost all of it from Jim (Thome.) I don’t think anybody has been better as far as taking care of themselves through their 30s. Now, he’s 40, 41 still playing. He would always say, ‘It’s going to get tougher every year. You’re going to have to be getting ready four or five hours a day just to go out and play.’”

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Those words from Thome have been a key factor in Konerko continuing to succeed.

“Its been buying into the fact that you have to do more physically to make your body better as you get older, that’s number one,” Konerko said. “Number two is buying into an approach, or the way I’m going to go about my business day in and day out.”