In Memoriam
Remembering Kevin Gatons
By Tony DeFazio

Even though I was never all that successful as a runner, I've enjoyed pounding the pavement since I've been a teenager. My friend Jay and I spent a good portion of the summers between 1986 and 1994 traveling across southwestern PA, looking for a good 5- or 10-K.

The races always changed, but there was usually one certainty - Kevin Gatons was always there. Kevin was a marathon-runner, and a very good one.

My friend and I were plodders; kids who ran because they enjoyed it - nothing more. But that didn't matter to Kevin. If we were out there running, he considered us his equals, even though that was the furthest thing from the truth.

Looking back, I guess we didn't really know Kevin all that well. The only time we spent with him was when we'd run into him at various races around the area. But it sure seemed like we did - he was always there with a huge smile as soon he saw us and a high-five when the race was over; sharing tips on everything from what to wear in the heat to what to eat before running to where to hide your car keys during the race.

"He was approachable for anybody," said Jeremy Lenzi, track and cross country coach at Greensburg Salem High School. "A lot of runners as good as Kevin are completely unapproachable."

Kevin spent the last 12 years coaching cross-country and track at Greensburg Salem. It's hard to imagine anything more natural than Kevin teaching young athletes the sport of running.

Kevin Gatons died suddenly on Nov. 3 of this year. He was 46, and he was in Hershey previewing the PIAA championship cross-country course. His wife Cheryl-herself an elite marathoner-told friends and family that she took comfort knowing that her husband died doing two of the three favorite things in his life: running and coaching. His favorite activity, of course, was spending time with his young children, Sydney, Quintin and Lillian.

I lost touch with Kevin years ago, but that didn't cushion the blow when I heard about his passing. I know that I was only one of countless young runners to cross paths with him. But whether Kevin was your coach, your mentor, or just a friend who gave you tips at the local 10-K - he was genuinely interested, and genuinely happy that you were out there running.

"Kevin was the most competitive person I've ever known, but that only lasted during the race and throughout his training," Lenzi said. "Beyond that, he just wanted to see everyone stay active and do well."

My contact with Kevin Gatons was decidedly brief - a few moments before and after a few races over the course of a few summers - but all these years later, those moments shine brightly in my memory. I'll always consider myself lucky to have had a connection-even a small one-with Kevin.