Welch brings home the victory in the Upside Down Du
Spring is off to a roaring start for KSP athletes, but there are some victories which deserve their own story. Kristi Welch, of Austin, Texas brought home her first win ever, in an event she has returned to after a several year hiatus: the duathlon.
A mountain biker by trade, Welch is working with KSP to improve her bike performances as well as increase her presence in the duathlon and triathlon scene—she has done a handful of sprint triathlons. Although it was an early season race for her, Welch decided to take on the short course at the Upside Down Du on the technically challenging terrain of Flat Rock Ranch in Comfort, TX.
Welch, 33, works in the insurance industry, and trains after her workday ends. Going into the race, she was apprehensive because of the difficulty of the course and the predicted cold weather.
“The first bike was hard; the course was crowded and I never got warmed up,” Welch said of the sub-freezing start temperature. “When I got to the run, my feet were completely numb. It was painful, and I didn’t feel motivated.”
The unique format of the race gave Welch a second chance on the mountain bike course, where she set a strong pace to bring home the win. But, she had no idea that she had won.
“When the announcer called third place, I thought, ‘well, I guess I was last again.’ Then, he called second, and I was clapping for the other women…and I heard my name. I couldn’t believe it, he was calling me for first place!” Later, a team mate pointed out that Welch had not only won, but had ranked 3rd overall on the short course. “I thought I was missing something, I thought I could not have been 3rd overall, but I was.”
An ecstatic and surprised Welch has already exceeded her expectations for the spring season, and she still has several events to go. We’re all looking forward to seeing her continue her progress in 2009.
Congratulations, Kristi!