In Memoriam

Kristianna Gough

November 17, 1977 to March 9, 2008

You inspired so many

Kristianna (Kristy) Gough was funny, intelligent, thoughtful and one very talented athlete.

When I first met and began coaching Kristy in 2003 we ended up talking about historical books we’d both read. We sat in the office an extra hour laughing and talking about the characters.We would do this every time we met for training. That's what I remember most about Kristy. She loved the books and stories so much.

When I gave her instructions on technique in swimming, cycling, running and dry land training she’d take the information and simply execute. She didn't need notes, video or much explanation. Kristy would carry out just as instructed. Kristy went on before turning professional to win her age division at the IRONMAN Triathlon World Championships setting a new world record.

She did ask a lot of questions however about the meaning of workouts and intensity levels. We had a few hundred emails during the 3 years I coached her, but there were always commentaries about various subjects of the intellect – about the books and people in her life; her family, friends and athletes.

I read all of our emails a day or so after Kristy was killed (3/9/08) when training and cycling with Matt Peterson by a Santa Clara County (CA) Sheriff who dozed at the wheel of his patrol car. I relived in her death the moments we shared. I am sure a lot of her family and friends thought about Kristy that way too.

What I remember now (over 2 years ago) feeling reading the emails was that Kristy had a deep philosophical side and a wonderful sense of humor. It was a mocking view of the circumstances all people find. And she really wanted to be a better athlete – Kristy wanted to be great.

Kristy wanted more training volume and higher intensity and more so when around other athletes and training camps in New Zealand. We had disagreements over this and I think this led to our eventually going separate ways, but we still did talk as friends from time to time and she was going to help me paint a historical home in the Gold Country in bought.

I wasn't coaching her when she was killed. But I felt heart sickened over the thought of her life ending in such tragedy. As I write this it's difficult to imagine to suffering she experienced.

I went to meet her coach (she’d made a change to cycling) that same week she died. There wasn’t much to be said, but he was terribly traumatized by the events.

Her cycling teams organized a memorial ride a week after her death where a few thousands bicyclists honored her and Matt’s passing. I wanted to do something as well and made up the first “black & red” wristband and placed this on her memorial during the ride.

Kristy’s mother also road and earlier in the week had this to write about her daughter:

March 12, 2008

From Kristy's mother (Karen Clarkson):

Thank you to everyone, for all your kind words about Kristy. She was truly a wonderful woman, athlete and above all else a beautiful human being. She was my best friend and confidant. Her drive and commitment were infectious. The high-light of my day was when she would call or come by to sit down and talk about her races, eat lunch, play with the dogs or even watch American Idol with me! She cried when the song Imagine by John Lennon was performed by one of the contestants. She replayed it three times and wept. I had not seen my daughter cry like this in years. You see she had a heart of gold, one that shown through to everyone she met.

Besides being a cyclist Kristy was dedicated to triathlon competition. I was with her the first time she competed in Ironman Hawaii. And she was a great story teller! Anyone who knew her can tell you she knew how to spin a yarn - one that could make a sailor blush. Yet she was hopelessly hooked on watching movies such as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. One of her favorite books of all time was The Count of Monte Cristo. In more recent times she was reading When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron. Is it a coincidence that she gave me this book to read as well?

As her mother I have felt so much love for this little girl (as she will always be for me). I would have thrown myself in front of the car that killed her if I could have saved her. She had so much more to do and accomplish...I cannot imagine life without her and I am having a very hard time coming to terms with this. She was my everything. You know how sometimes when things get real bad you tell yourself it could be worse. The worst thing I could ever imagine was losing Kristy. That I could not imagine.

Kristy Gough’s death was the inspiration for Honor the Stop and remains the lasting purpose to advocate obeying laws and honoring our friends and families who have lost their lives or have become seriously injured.

If one person is helped by the HTS message this alone is a great tribute to the special, but short life of Kristianna Gough.

 

Marc Evans, President-Executive Director - July 13, 2010

Honor the Stop