Kelly Handel Williamson, Resilient Triathlete

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Introduction

Ten years ago I met an up and coming Olympic distance triathlete, Kelly Handel, while we were both living and training in Colorado Springs. Kelly was the USAT Elite Rookie of the Year, Pan American Champion, and ITU World Team member in 2002 and living at the Olympic Training Center.

Since then Kelly has moved to Austin, TX, gotten married (to Derick Williamson), bought a house, started coaching, and gotten a cat (who now weighs over 25 pounds!) and a dog. She has also become one of the elite professional distance triathletes in the world.

Some of Kelly’s recent highlights include 2010 70.3 wins at Branson and Steelhead and her first Ironman (Coeur d’Alene, 3^rd in 9:39); 2011 70.3 wins in San Juan and Buffalo Springs and a 9:07 and 9:29 in Ironman Texas and Kona, respectively; 2012 70.3 US Championship win in Texas and second in the World Championship. Kelly was 15^th in Kona a few weeks ago, and it was during her reflection of this race that I caught up with her by phone.

How does she get there

As a professional triathlete, Kelly spends time each week on all three disciplines. A typical week includes 20-30 hours of training. Mondays and Wednesdays are a long swim and a spin, Tuesday and Thursdays are a master swim, 3-4 hours on the bike, and a run, Saturdays include 4-6 hours in the saddle followed by a run, and Sundays are a long run. Additionally, Kelly gets a weekly massage, does core strengthening work, and plenty of stretching and using the foam roller. “The more (training) you do, the more maintenance you need.” She has a great network in Austin, which includes an acupuncturist if needed.

Recovery is the key to Kelly’s success. Living in hot and humid Austin, she must take precaution. When it’s warm, she takes ice baths after workouts to cool her core body temperature before her next session and promote recovery. She also uses recovery pump boots after each session, regardless of weather. For the extremely hot months of July and August, Derick and Kelly go to Salida, CO for training. To train in Austin, particularly for an Ironman, you “must be smart.” Kelly’s tips are 1) take plenty of ice baths, 2) move your workouts indoors when needed, and 3) move your workout days around to allow adequate recovery.

Training in the heat does have its benefits however. The heat in Kona is notoriously brutal; as it is in other venues Kelly competes (Las Vegas, San Juan, etc.). She is at an advantage having acclimated to the weather. Kelly did take extra measures to protect against the heat in Kona this year, including ingesting salt tablets, using each aid station, and putting cold cloths/sponges in her top throughout the race.

What is next

One of the things I love to follow is Kelly’s mini running season. In her down period (December-January) Kelly runs in a series of local 5Ks. And when I say runs, I mean throwing down a 16:45!

This raises the question: “Why don’t you take better advantage of your speed?”

As a runner, I am floored by Kelly’s running ability. Her open half marathon PR is a 1:14, which she did in February 2012. She frequently has the fastest run split in her triathlons, including a sub 35:00 10K and a 1:16 half marathon. My coach Tom Clifford of Without Limits Coaching, who is also a triathlete, said that it would be fascinating to see Kelly toe the line with some top notch runners after a period of focus on the run. I agree.

Some have even told Kelly “you are too fast for the Ironman!” Always one to go with her passion, Kelly is considering moving down in distance and focusing on the Olympic distance and the half ironman, where she excels. When asked about Rio in 2016, she said that she has never been someone obsessed with making the Olympic team. If she moves to the shorter distance it would likely be to a non-drafting race series such as the Lifetime Fitness Series. Kelly likes to finish a race knowing that “I did that” and not deal with the tactics and drafting involved in some of the shorter races.

Of course like any competitive athlete, not to mention professional, there is still the draw of Kona. Sponsors like to see athletes at Kona. Just as important is the unfinished business Kelly has with the 140.6 mile beast. She has yet to have an Ironman that she is happy with and that keeps her going back for more, particularly to Kona.

Regardless of distance chosen, the only major change to her training next year will be a commitment to a weightlifting routine. Kelly has always done core work, but she feels that her main weakness is her bike. Supplementing her regimen with leg focused weight work could be the missing ingredient. Luckily Kelly has contacts in Austin to put together a program that will work best for her.

Advice

A few weeks after Kona, Kelly is still digesting her race. Although her season was a strong one, Kona was not what she had hoped for. Her goal was a solid top 5 finish. Instead she struggled on the bike and finished 15^th.

As an aging runner with unmet goals and disappointing races, I was struck by Kelly’s take on the situation. She feels that there are two ways that she can look at Kona 2012: 1) let it define her or 2) chalk it up to just one race. And that saying “you are only as good as your last race”…is total BS. “How did that saying get started anyway?” Kelly asked. “It makes no sense. One race does not define you.” “It is liberating to say that my bike in Kona was all that I had that day. It is powerful to own that and use it to make you better.”

Her advice is to be resilient. One race, good or bad, does not define you. Resilient is something that Kelly has proven to be. It took ten years for her to be amongst the world elite of triathlon. She has had numerous setbacks, but has come back stronger each time.

Whether you are a professional or a local racer, resilience is the only way to meet your goals and one should go after them with passion.

Thank you, friend, for the great interview and for the renewed sense of purpose. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for you.

Be sure to check out Kelly's website and blog http://www.kellyhwilliamson.com/ and follow her on Twitter @khwilliamson

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• Olympics
• Running
• Triathlon
• Multisport
• Ironman

This post is related to an ongoing story:

• Women in the Business of Sport

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There are 2 comments on this post. Join the discussion!

jschonb says:

Love Kelly - here's what she had to say going into the Ironman this year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG1C6ZhTLsgandfeature=shareandlist=UUG5dZAH0a3V9xDdFLdOeKbQ

Monday, October 29, 2012 at 4:32pm EDT

therunningeconomist says:

We should get her added to the directory!

Monday, October 29, 2012 at 5:58pm EDT

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