In 2002, following college, Williamson was invited to the [[United States Olympic Training Center]] (OTC) in Colorado Springs by [[USA Triathlon]] after being identified as potential elite young talent at Olympic distance triathlon racing.<ref name=”COTriathlete”>{{Cite web|url=http://www.coloradotriathlete.com/pdf/15.pdf|title=USA Triathlon Names New Resident Team|date=April–May 2002|accessdate=December 7, 2012|publisher=The Colorado Triathlete}}</ref> She had experienced some early success in triathlon after college swimming, where she used triathlon as a new way to stay active and satisfy her enjoyment of athletic training.<ref name=”Barrett”>{{Cite web|url=http://lavamagazine.com/features/lava-talks-kelly-williamson/ |title=LAVA Talks: Kelly Williamson |last=Barrett |first=Carrie |publisher=LAVA Magazine |date=February 27, 2012 |accessdate=December 7, 2012 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729235008/http://lavamagazine.com/features/lava-talks-kelly-williamson/ |archivedate=July 29, 2012 }}</ref> At the OTC she trained for two years while competing on the [[International Triathlon Union]] (ITU) racing circuit.<ref name=”Durata”/> During this time she won the 2002 Pan American ITU Regional Championships<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.slowtwitch.com/headings/racecoverage/results9.html|title=Race Results|publisher=Slowtwitch.com|accessdate=December 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111354/http://www.slowtwitch.com/headings/racecoverage/results9.html|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was named the 2002 Elite Rookie Triathlete of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.duathlon.com/articles/2578|title=USAT Announces 2002 Athletes of the Year|date=January 17, 2003|accessdate=December 7, 2012|publisher=Duathlon.com|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306043750/http://duathlon.com/articles/2578/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2002, following college, Williamson was invited to the [[United States Olympic Training Center]] (OTC) in Colorado Springs by [[USA Triathlon]] after being identified as potential elite young talent at Olympic distance triathlon racing.<ref name=”COTriathlete”>{{Cite web|url=http://www.coloradotriathlete.com/pdf/15.pdf|title=USA Triathlon Names New Resident Team|date=April–May 2002|accessdate=December 7, 2012|publisher=The Colorado Triathlete}}</ref> She had experienced some early success in triathlon after college swimming, where she used triathlon as a new way to stay active and satisfy her enjoyment of athletic training.<ref name=”Barrett”>{{Cite web|url=http://lavamagazine.com/features/lava-talks-kelly-williamson/ |title=LAVA Talks: Kelly Williamson |last=Barrett |first=Carrie |publisher=LAVA Magazine |date=February 27, 2012 |accessdate=December 7, 2012 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729235008/http://lavamagazine.com/features/lava-talks-kelly-williamson/ |archivedate=July 29, 2012 }}</ref> At the OTC she trained for two years while competing on the [[International Triathlon Union]] (ITU) racing circuit.<ref name=”Durata”/> During this time she won the 2002 Pan American ITU Regional Championships<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.slowtwitch.com/headings/racecoverage/results9.html|title=Race Results|publisher=Slowtwitch.com|accessdate=December 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111354/http://www.slowtwitch.com/headings/racecoverage/results9.html|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was named the 2002 Elite Rookie Triathlete of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.duathlon.com/articles/2578|title=USAT Announces 2002 Athletes of the Year|date=January 17, 2003|accessdate=December 7, 2012|publisher=Duathlon.com|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306043750/http://duathlon.com/articles/2578/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2005, Williamson began coaching after suffering an injury in a bike crash that kept her out of competition for most of 2005.<ref name=”Durata”/><ref name=”ST2010″>{{Cite web|url=http://www.slowtwitch.com/Interview/In_the_mind_of_Kelly_Williamson__1386.html|last=Krabel|first=Herbert|date=June 10, 2010|title=In the mind of Kelly Williamson|publisher=Slowtwitch.com|accessdate=December 7, 2012}}</ref> This down time allowed her to evaluate her triathlon career and to pursue non-drafting triathlon racing after she found that she wasn’t enjoying the ITU racing style despite her initial success in 2002.<ref name=”ST2010″/><ref name=”ST2011″>{{Cite web|url=http://www.slowtwitch.com/Interview/Kelly_Williamson_s_upward_trajectory_2024.html|title=Kelly Williamson’s upward trajectory|date=April 27, 2011|accessdate=December 7, 2012|last=Carlson|first=Timothy|publisher=Slowtwitch.com}}</ref> Williamson moved to [[Austin, Texas]] with her husband and began racing Ironman and half-Ironman distances,<ref name=”Barrett”/> and saw her results steadily improve each year. In 2012, Williamson by her own admission was having the best season of her professional career<ref name=”Disappointed”>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kellyhwilliamson.com/?p=908|title=Kona 2012: Disappointment, Gratitude, & Resilience|date=November 1, 2012|accessdate=December 7, 2012|publisher=Kellyhwilliamson.com}}</ref> and had a 2nd-place finish at the [[2012 Ironman 70.3 World Championship]] where she had the fastest run time of the day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://triathlon.competitor.com/2012/09/news/kienle-cave-earn-first-70-3-world-championships_61418|title=Kienle, Cave Earn First 70.3 World Championships|last=Hichens|first=Liz|date=September 9, 2012|accessdate=December 7, 2012|publisher=Competitor Group, Inc.|archive-date=December 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121220103553/http://triathlon.competitor.com/2012/09/news/kienle-cave-earn-first-70-3-world-championships_61418|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, she finished a “disappointing” 15th place a month later at the [[2012 Ironman World Championship]], her third appearance at the championship event.<ref name=”Disappointed”/><ref name=”WTCResults”>{{Cite web|url=http://ironman.com/assets/files/results/worldchampionship/2012.pdf|title=2012 Ironman World Championship – Official Results Guide|publisher=World Triathlon Corporation|accessdate=15 October 2012|archive-date=October 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020232502/http://ironman.com/assets/files/results/worldchampionship/2012.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> In May 2014, Williamson won her first Ironman distance race at Ironman Texas, posting the only sub-3 hour marathon by a female in the race.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Docherty_Williamson_in_Texas_4336.html|last=Krabel|first=Herbert|title=Docherty, Williamson in Texas|date=May 17, 2014|accessdate=May 20, 2014}}</ref>
In 2005, Williamson began coaching after suffering an injury in a bike crash that kept her out of competition for most of 2005.<ref name=”Durata”/><ref name=”ST2010″>{{Cite web|url=http://www.slowtwitch.com/Interview/In_the_mind_of_Kelly_Williamson__1386.html|last=Krabel|first=Herbert|date=June 10, 2010|title=In the mind of Kelly Williamson|publisher=Slowtwitch.com|accessdate=December 7, 2012}}</ref> This down time allowed her to evaluate her triathlon career and to pursue non-drafting triathlon racing after she found that she wasn’t enjoying the ITU racing style despite her initial success in 2002.<ref name=”ST2010″/><ref name=”ST2011″>{{Cite web|url=http://www.slowtwitch.com/Interview/Kelly_Williamson_s_upward_trajectory_2024.html|title=Kelly Williamson’s upward trajectory|date=April 27, 2011|accessdate=December 7, 2012|last=Carlson|first=Timothy|publisher=Slowtwitch.com}}</ref> Williamson moved to [[Austin, Texas]] with her husband and began racing Ironman and half-Ironman distances,<ref name=”Barrett”/> and saw her results steadily improve each year. In 2012, Williamson by her own admission was having the best season of her professional career<ref name=”Disappointed”>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kellyhwilliamson.com/?p=908|title=Kona 2012: Disappointment, Gratitude, & Resilience|date=November 1, 2012|accessdate=December 7, 2012|publisher=Kellyhwilliamson.com}}</ref> and had a 2nd-place finish at the [[2012 Ironman 70.3 World Championship]] where she had the fastest run time of the day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://triathlon.competitor.com/2012/09/news/kienle-cave-earn-first-70-3-world-championships_61418|title=Kienle, Cave Earn First 70.3 World Championships|last=Hichens|first=Liz|date=September 9, 2012|accessdate=December 7, 2012|publisher=Competitor Group, Inc.|archive-date=December 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121220103553/http://triathlon.competitor.com/2012/09/news/kienle-cave-earn-first-70-3-world-championships_61418|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, she finished a “disappointing” 15th place a month later at the [[2012 Ironman World Championship]], her third appearance at the championship event.<ref name=”Disappointed”/><ref name=”WTCResults”>{{Cite web|url=http://ironman.com/assets/files/results/worldchampionship/2012.pdf|title=2012 Ironman World Championship – Official Results Guide|publisher=World Triathlon Corporation|accessdate=October 2012|archive-date=October 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020232502/http://ironman.com/assets/files/results/worldchampionship/2012.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> In May 2014, Williamson won her first Ironman distance race at Ironman Texas, posting the only sub-3 hour marathon by a female in the race.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Docherty_Williamson_in_Texas_4336.html|last=Krabel|first=Herbert|title=Docherty, Williamson in Texas|date=May 17, 2014|accessdate=May 20, 2014}}</ref>
