Pat,

It's a sad day indeed. Kerryn McCann has lost her battle with cancer.

A wonderful lady, the perfect family, a stellar running career, living in a coastal town in a comfortable home with ocean views. Kerryn had it all and was entering a stage in her life when she could rest on her laurels and focus "all" of her energy on her family.

I travelled with Kerryn a number of times and she always loved to have a laugh - often in uncontrollable hysterics when discovering what our boyish antics involved. Kerryn never said an ill word about anyone and nobody could ever say anything but great things about her.

Kerryn was guest of honour at PCRG's 2007 pre Gold Coast dinner and there was an endless que of people lining up for photos and a quick chat. Susan and I had dinner with Kerryn back in August and she mentioned how much she enjoyed the night - she remembered Margaret and Michelle and asked how they were. Kerryn was a gracious lady and her feet were very much on the ground.

A dedicated athlete who thrived on the Australian distance running ethos - consistency/focus/consistency/focus.

We remember Kerryn for her dual Commonwealth Games Gold medals however her 11th placing in the Sydney Olympics is equally worth noting, as well as her great performances in the big city Marathons.

She loved to represent Australia. The joy that Kerryn exuded after winning in Melbourne and meeting her family track side is a moment in time that encapsulated who Kerryn was. "A great Australian distance runner but more importantly, a loving wife and mother."

It's real sad. One of life's great knocks!