Mary Knott

Y'all, grief is a strange process.  I still have not been able to put into words my feelings on the life and loss of Ashley.  I do hope that those words will come soon, but in the midst of that loss another friend has passed on.  This woman had one of those brief, but wildly impactful marks on my life.  This is Mary Knott.

I met Mary during my IRONMAN training and was deeply inspired by her.  The year I ran my race she ran in KONA after qualifying the previous year.  She and her husband at the time owned Cadence Running which was a sponsor of my AZ TRI CLUB.  Mary was ethereal to me and yet once I met her felt instant commraderie and kindness.  She a multi time IRONMAN and me a rookie.  She was inspiring and motivating and one of those people who came into my life when I needed it.  

She followed my entire training journey and even reached out to tell me what my race number was before I even knew it.  She was there on race day, she took me out to breakfast after the race, and she encouraged me to try big things (like a 10,000 meter birthday swim). She just inspired.  A strong athlete willing to share and be and do with any athlete around.  Plus she just had a smile that was catching.

Mary died last month in a tragic and awful situation.  An avid open water swimmer, cyclist, trail runner, endurance athlete, and power house, out of all the ways she could have left this world none of us in a million years would have said at the hands of someone.  Truly shocking, saddening, and deeply tragic.

As a way to remember her a big group of us gathered to run one of her favorite trails the Pemberton Loop in McDowell Mountains.  Some of us ran or biked all 15 miles, some of us didn't, but out there on the trails in the outside Mary was the happiest.  She truly would always #optoutside and she will forever be known as the woman who was always Finding Kona.

Mary will always have a special place in my heart and hold a special spot in my story.  I am grateful for her relentlessness and boldness and willingness to do really big things.

I will continue to do the same.  Rest peacefully friend.