John, you had the misfortune of getting your career cut short but you had the goods to be the best ever we've had at 5000.
I remember being in the stands at Penn when you blew that 3000 HS record away. We obviously wanted you bad at Wisconsin (Martin thought you ran and looked like Eamonn Coghlan).
Then I remember that crazy NCAA 5000 at Duke. Reina runs a 28 with 600 to go, Nuttal takes it and hits a 27 and your'e just waiting to crush them with a 25 to win. 1:53 (1:53 for the last 800! Did that even hurt?)
You beat Kennedy in the 5000 at TAC nationals (Doug Padilla's last hurrah) and beat him again at the 92 Trials which you won.
Remember that TAC developmantal trip in Europe? Trautmann was dead-ass broke and had to wait all week for his dad to wire him money. Plus he's hitting us up for money because he had to eat like every two hours! He's winning races and then we find out that Kennedy, Holman, and the 1500 guys are keeping their prize money (or we think) and meanwhile our boy Fish is starving!
During that trip I would go to the track and run 1000's and John would jog a little, stretch for about a half hour, blast a 24 200 and jog a mile and call it a day.
Still my favorite memory was seeing him get to run a victory lap after his Hoyas set the WR in the DMR. Trout, you ran a 2:54 and I think you guys were in like 4th place after your leg. You made Miles Irish go 1:46.0 to get you guys back in the race! Yeah, I know, you were a freshman.
Great career cut short and great guy.