A woman in athletic gear posing at an Ironman event in Canada. She is smiling, wearing sunglasses and a cap, standing next to a red and white maple leaf sign.

Coach Kelly

About Coach Kelly

I am a United States Navy Veteran, having served as a Damage Controlman, Navy Flight Officer, and Officer Recruiter before retiring in 2019 after 20-years of service.

I first entered the sport of triathlon in 2002 when I did my first sprint distance race in Colorado and remained a short course triathlete until 2018 when I did Ironman 70.3 Arizona for my first long course race. After that race, I was hooked and have been a long course athlete ever since.

I am a 1x Ultraman finisher, 7 x Ironman finisher, 11 x Ironman 70.3 finisher, 6 x marathon finisher, 1 × 100k finisher, 1 x 50-miler finisher and 3 x 50-60k ultra-marathon finisher. I have over 28 years of racing experience in distances ranging from 5k to marathon road races, 15k - 100k trail races, sprint to ultra distance triathlons, metric to full century bike races, and 30–50-mile gravel/MTB races.

I enjoy coaching a wide variety of athletes, from first-time racers trying to cross that finish line for the first time, to age groupers looking to obtain their personal best or qualify for a World Championship event.

A woman smiling while running outdoors on a trail during daytime, wearing sunglasses, a blue cap, a pink and blue running shirt, and a purple hydration vest with water bottles.

A woman smiling wearing a black and red sports jacket and a black beanie with a pom-pom, in front of a group of people outdoors at dusk.

qualifications

BS Clinical Exercise Science, with minors in Nutrition and Healthy Living, and Integrative Health from Arizona State University.
National Strength & Conditioning Association - Certified Personal Trainer (2023)
USAT Level II Short & Long Course Certified Coach (2020)
USAT Level II Certified Coach (2026)
ESCI Level II Certified Coach with TriDot/RunDot (2022)
TriDot Pool School Instructor (2022)
IRONMAN University Certified Coach (2025)
UESCA Certified Running Coach (2022)
UESCA Certified Ultra Running Coach (2022)
UESCA Endurance Sports Nutrition Coach (2022)

A circular blue badge with white text that reads 'Certified UESCA United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy UltraRunning Coach'.

Close-up of a certified UETA adhesion sport sticker with a red background, white text, and a blue border.

Female Ironman athlete crossing the finish line at the World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, wearing a pink, black, and white racing outfit with her race number 2091, smiling and celebrating her achievement, surrounded by colorful flowers and fellow competitors.

1 x Ironman World Championships, Kailua-Kona, HI
1 x Ironman 70.3 World Championship
2 x USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships
1 x Top 10 overall finish at Ultraman Arizona
2 x Top 10 Ironman Age Group finish
2 x Top 10 Ironman 70.3 Age Group finish
1 x Top 10 Overall Females 60k finish
5 x Age group podium in the Olympic Triathlon
2 x Age group podium in the Sprint Triathlon + 1 x overall podium
1 x Overall podium in the 25k trail race
1 x Age group podium in the half marathon distance
1 x 3rd Place Overall Women's Owl Masters Division, Aravaipa Desert Trail Series

Racing accomplishments

My goal as a coach is to empower athletes to realize their full potential and achieve big goals through personalized guidance and support, while staying healthy and injury free.

I hope to inspire and equip athltes to overcome obstacles and create a meaningful relationship with their sport that brings joy and fulfillment.

I strive to provide a safe environment for athletes to explore their strengths and develop strategies for personal and athletic growth.

I strive for excellence through the utilization of Optimized, AI driven training along with the most up-to-date endurance sport ideals and methodologies to ensure the highest quality and most relevant training.

A woman wearing sunglasses and a red TriDot cap is taking a selfie at an outdoor swimming pool. She is holding a notebook or clipboard with papers, and there are swimming lanes, diving boards, and pool equipment in the background.

my vision as a coach:

What I expect from you

be present in your training every day

I expect you to be fully engaged and focused on your training each day, without being too distracted by thoughts and concerns about past or future training or racing.

be disciplined

I expect you to take your training seriously. Life will throw you curve-balls throughout your training and flexing will be necessary, but I expect you to do your absolute best to maintain a consistency that will provide the best results.

race and train with integrity

I expect you to train and race clean, within the regulations set forth by WADA, regardless of whether you are trying to podium or qualify for a championship race. I expect you to adhere to the rules and regulations set forth by the governing body for your race. I expect you to do your best to train in the spirit for which your training is prescribed.

be coachable

I expect you to be open to being taught and trained in a way you might not be used to. I expect you to be open to trying new methods and techniques in order to improve your performance.

be Purpose Driven (not comfort driven)

Participating in endurance sports is hard! I expect you to train outside your comfort zone and do the work regardless of how unpleasant it might be at the time. Train like you mean it, not because someone talked you into it. I expect you to work hard and not give up, especially when it gets tough - because it will. However, I also expect you to be in tune to your body’s condition and make the hard decision to back off when you need to in order to prevent injury.

take responsibility

I expect you to be accountable for yourself and your training. Hiring a coach is a huge step in accomplishing your goals, but hiring a coach is not a guarantee for success. Only YOU can determine whether you reach your goals or not, and I expect you to step up, be proactive and take ownership of your training, your goals, and your results.