After her 1999 Powerman Alabama victory duathlon.com tracked down Kimberly Bruckner on her way home somewhere over Kansas for an interview.  Kimberly is 28 yrs.old and lives in Boulder, Colorado.  She ran cross-country at Valparaiso University and after graduating in 1992 she took a break from competitive racing until 1998.  In 1998 she finished fifth at the Whistle Stop Duathlon, first at the Boulder Peak Duathlon, and third at the Dannon Chicago Duathlon.   That performance was good enough to earn her a fourth place spot in the 1998 duathlon.com US Pro rankings. 

In the recent off season Kimberly also won the Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon, a winter triathlon, and a snowshoe race. 

Kimberly is currently splitting her time between cycling and duathlons.  She races for the Cox Atlanta Velo team, and recently placed 10th overall at the Redlands Bicycle Classic and 5th overall at the Sea Otter Classic.  Her 37:19 opening 10k at this year's Powerman Alabama was nearly 3 minutes faster than her previous 10k best of 40:12 at the 1998 Boulder Bolder 10k.  Kimberly's younger brother Andy also lives in Boulder and is a Pro Duathlete/Triathlete.

duathlon.com:  This was your first big Pro race.  What were your expectations coming in?

Bruckner:  Honestly, I considered not even going because I hadn't been running and I didn't want to embarrass myself. But I had paid for the plane ticket so I figured I might as well go and pray that the bike went well and hang on for dear life on the run.   

duathlon.com:  Were you intimidated lining up against Heather Fuhr, Lucy Smith, etc.

Bruckner - Not intimidated but respectful. 

duathlon.com:  Your first 10k was a 3 minute PR - how did you feel during the run.

Bruckner:  I felt very comfortable but I didn't want to take it out too fast.  During the first run I'm thinking that I know I am not going to embarrass myself now.  I can finish in the top 10, top 12, and finishing is possible.  I was going as fast as I could without going into oxygen debt.  

duathlon.com:  Were you surprised to take the lead on the bike?

Bruckner:  Yeah, I was.  I was surprised when I passed Heather Fuhr and noticed that it was her.  And when I passed Lucy Smith it was going better than I thought.  When I caught Joanna Zeiger [which put Bruckner in the lead] I was totally confident in my cycling that I could get away from her.

duathlon.com:  What were you thoughts when you started the second run

Bruckner:  Go as hard as I can for as long as I can.  I knew I had a gap on Joanna but I didn't know how much.  And I knew Lucy and Heather were great runners and I honestly figured it was just a matter of time before they caught me. 

duathlon.com:  At what point did you think you could win?

Bruckner:  When Andy [her brother] was at the last corner.  Because up until then I thought Joanna was catching me and was right on my tail.  When Andy started telling me to enjoy this I knew I must have had the win. 

I knew they were coming, and on those uphills you are so tired and it would have been so easy to give up.  On the second loop  I could see that Joanna was the same distance behind me as she was on the first loop and I told myself I couldn't give up.   I had suffered at Redlands and Sea Otter and I rode through that, so I knew I could run through this. 

duathlon.com:  Was this your biggest athletic victory?

Bruckner:  Without a doubt.   I still don't think the realization has actually hit me yet. 

duathlon.com:  What are your racing plans for the rest of the season?

Bruckner:  I wouldn't be where I am right now without my cycling races and we still have a whole cycling season ahead of us, but within that I want to include as many Dannon Duathlons as I can, Boulder Peak, and the World Championships. 

duathlon.com:  At this point do you prefer cycling or duathlons?

Bruckner:  I love them both.  Keith Casserly showed that he could do both.   There are no other women doing that right now, and I want to prove that you can do both successfully.  Unfortunately the cycling field doesn't think you can be the best cyclist if you continue to run.  I am sure ultimately I am going to have to make a decision but for now I can do both.