When she’s not occupied analyzing the biomechanics of injury, conducting research on gait and spine biomechanics, guest lecturing in Forensic Engineering and Biomechanics, or caring for Trevor and Juniper, her four- and one-year old kids, H+A Biomechanical Engineer, Kristen Lipscomb, PhD, can sometimes be found racing triathlon. This September, Kristen took gold at the Best In The West Triathlon Festival in Foster, OR.
Gold in this case, as first Overall Female, comes in the form of a handmade horseshoe trophy and a home baked pie, apt rewards for this Western-themed rollick of a fun and energetic weekend.
The Best In the West Triathlon Festival is the creation of Blair Bronson who, as a senior in need of an internship idea in Public Health Promotion and Behavior at OSU in 2011, decided to create something different from the "normal" public health path. He wanted to launch a business that would have a direct positive impact on the community and promote the active, healthy lifestyle that he—and now, his wife, Staci—embodies.
The Best in the West Triathlon Festival is a fetching mix of all-ages athleticism and entertainment with a post-race BBQ, mixed team relays, games, camping, cold beer and cider, and giant cookies made from scratch.
Centered in Lewis Creek County Park, the races take athletes from back country roads to dense forests along Foster Lake and the Santiam River, through glorious views with total immersion in gorgeous Pacific Northwest nature. You can read more about the Festival, other races, and how to get involved as an athlete or volunteer here: https://www.bestinthewesttriathlon.com
As for Kristen, she has always been an athlete: in high school, she was involved in Soccer and Track & Field; in college, she played Ultimate Frisbee; and while earning her PhD, she got into running to stay fit and active, which eventually led to her first triathlon in 2013. In addition to shorter distance triathlons, and undeterred by a history of several sports injuries, Kristen has also completed an Ironman. If you know what that is, you’ll know enough to be impressed. If you’re not quite sure what’s entailed, look it up and prepare to be inspired. Kristen enjoys training and racing triathlon and running events along with her husband, Ryan.
Kristen’s Best in the West Olympic distance race involved a 0.9-mile swim, a 25-mile bike ride and a 6.2-mile run. And when it was all over, there was the victor Kristen, fit, healthy, smiling, and completely satisfied at the finish line.
At H+A, Kristen consults in the areas of injury biomechanics, orthopaedics, fall biomechanics and motor vehicle collision reconstruction. She is a Fully Accredited Traffic Accident Reconstructionist.