Running in Circles: My D1 Story 

John, I've been following your channel for around five or six years. And there was always clear that there is a part of you and your story you are not sharing. So it has been amazing to see this gap filled with this video. I finished High School right around the time you did and I remember watching your day in the life as a freshman, while setting up some of the furniture in my dorm. I'm not a high achiever in uni or sports, but I enjoy both and so it was great to follow your college story. My uni career will still go on for quite some time and even though, it won't be the same following your journey as it parts a bit more from mine, I'm so excited to see what the future holds up for you and what you will be sharing with us. Thank you!

You inspired me to get into Cambridge which I have now finished and now enrolling at Oxford… your videos really pushed me. thanks bro.

Here another retired midle distance runner😜. It’s incredible thinking in how you could handle athletics + studies + youtube. Back in the day I had so much trouble being able to organize myself with uni + athletics and ended up leaving the track. At first its so sad to leave the adrenaline of competition, the feeling of being in the starting line waiting to hear the gunshot, but eventually you start to see runing not as a competition thing but a way of distancing yourself from other problems, beig just you and your mind taking care and improving your body. So great you made this video, i’ve been following you since you started in Harvard mainly because I also started uni that same year, but never actually commented. Greetings from Spain, take care!😊

I used to be a D2 tennis player myself and been following you and watching the videos for a while. Right off the bat I figured you were running for Harvard but because of the NCAA rules I knew you couldn’t talk about it. Man, you’re one hell of a beast! 💪🏼 juggling it all, school at Harvard, being a D1 athlete, and developing a RU-vid channel with such a great meaningful content takes one hell of a dedication 👏🏼👏🏼 truly inspiring journey!! 🙌🏼

Been paying attention to your story for years now since academic and running success was my top priority for a long time. Always looked up to you as I went through training and into college as it showed me what is possible. Always wondered what your story was in regards to all of that!

Thanks for sharing your story! Lots of D1 runners have followed a similar experience. 20's & early 30's tend to focus on career & family. Late 30's the itch to compete comes back again and soon leads to a fulfilling masters team racing career with all the ups and none of the downs you experienced 20 years prior.

Been following you from past 3 yrs. You are really a mentor for me. You are way ahead of your age. You sound so much mature

Much needed video on how to deal with breakups🙏

You should be proud of yourself. I haven’t watched a video in 3 years and I can see the difference physically, emotionally and mentally. Congrats on your graduation!

first few videos got me to switch from economics to computer science. My first "Hello world" was on python 2, watching you videos at university. I doubted myself quite a lot that I would get a job and I did, 3 times, even worked in one of the big companies. And now I see this completing side your journey on my last semester of computer science? This was an amazing experience and hopefully I will soon publish my first scientific article on the topic while building and incredible project! Thank you so much john, your advise on life and based on everything you've read is something I wish you had the time for on a daily basis: It would serve humanity in great ways!

I really enjoyed watching the broadcast, and learning from your experiences over the years. My wife Limor and I met your parents at this year's Yale - Harvard competition, and really enjoyed talking to them. They came from Canada for 24 hours to see you a competing, as we came to watch our daughter. Good luck

Man I have a similar story with soccer and I just wanted to say thank you for sharing this. I did nit want to share it in my channel because i was afraid that the perceptions my subscribers have of me would change for worse, and with this, now i can see how i can manage it. I’ve been following you for about three years and i found on you a friend, even though you dont know me. Just wanna say thanks, and I’m looking forward for what you do next.

Hey Jhon, your video gave me chills, especially the part where you describe how running pushes you to the limits. It was inspiring the way you handled it all at such a young age. Since your video on how Harvard was as a freshman, I knew I could get into a good school. I am now accepted in McGill and will attend this year, thankyou for your wonderful channel.

It's so weird to say this but I genuinely feel so proud of you... Seeing how you grow from a passionate young boy into an open-hearted, intelligent, gentle, and much more mature young man who sees his past clearly enough and embraces all of it with true confidence and peace is just touching. It really takes huge courage and deep confidence to totally accept oneself as who he/she is, and it takes real passion towards life to still have that shine in one's eyes even though he/she's been through so many things and grown so much.

I've been looking forward to hearing your running story for about 5 years. Worth the wait 🏃‍♂️ 💪

Stories told from the heart like this one are the most moving. I appreciated how honest you were - it’s life, it’s not going to be perfect, but it’s what makes us who we are.

As a longtime subscriber I'm glad you're finally sharing the story you always wanted to tell, but was never allowed to until now. Can't wait to watch this videooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

So you graduated from Harvard with a CS-degree, while being an outstanding track runner and A MONSTER READER. YOU'RE A SUPERHUMAN! (yeah without the space)

Didn't expect a video that soon!

I remember a vlog you did that you mentioned training for a sport that you couldn't disclose to the internet. Now, it's here! Thanks for sharing this, it's been good to watch your journery and also excited what you have in store for us! I'm in my first year of uni so your perseverance is really a great motivation, also love your videos about books :>

Looking at the delta between my life and his, John Fish is already goated as far as I'm concerned

Dudes been an inspiration to work harder from the time I was a freshman to graduation this year. Thanks John

Hey John, I would like to see a follow-up video to this where you get into more about how to live a lifestyle full of both reflective creativity AND physical rigor. I've felt like it's hard to grow both at the same time since the former requires a lot of leisurely time to contemplate, but then there's the demands of rigor that eats up that time, many times leading to outcomes that I don't like. As you said, at some point it looks like a sunk cost, but then in the end it actually becomes worth it. Problem is, it's VERY tempting to want to stop the rigor, and then comes that downward spiral.

John, this is you best video yet. I was 100% engaged. Who knew? Respect for your journey and progress this far. Keep grinding, you will do fine. I’m excited to see what you decide to do with your life. Best!

thank you for sharing with so much sincerity and it was so great getting to finally hear about this part of your life. i started following you when i was in high school, and now i've just started my masters degree. every year i love getting to watch you grow and to grow alongside you! i've learned so much from you and i'm so grateful for this :)

I have been watching your channel for around 4 years now especially the reading related videos. Its always good to see someone do well for themselves.

You are really good at story telling, I didn't even realize how these 13mins passed.

Interesting story Jon! Yeah, I went through maybe not exactly, the same thing but growing up, I was never athletic but good academically in a lot of subjects so, I always thought, pretty much up until my mid 20’s, I have to take all these courses so, I can get the ‘best job’ and beat the competition or learn a language to mask some insecurities but now, I learn out of curiosity and not for plastic reasons/ fake reasons.

Awesome story! I experienced similar struggles and the same regret of not being 'there' while simultaneously giving it your all.

earliest ive ever made it to a john fish video

Thank u John for sharing this story..it's so inspiring ❤️

I have been watching you since 2019, you really helped me to push myself in order to become a better person. Despite all of that, I’m really proud of you ,it is been incredible to see you progress throughout these years wish you the best in your next move ❣

John, you’re a admirable lad and as a fellow runner everything you said made total sense. I totally resonated with your feelings of anguish and yours feelings of ecstasy. My coach asked after my first university practice “why do you run” and I ask myself that every time race gets hard. Like you I wanted something that was mine and realized it was running early on (elementary) I ignored it for years before finally embracing it in university more so than before. I wish you the best in your future endeavours guy, from a Montrealer!

I've been looking forward to hearing this story for a long time. It's so great you can finally tell it! Thanks for sharing, John.

So much respect for you! You continue to amaze me with your candid stories, strength, and resilience!

Hey John, I vaguely have followed your channel over time, but I NEVER KNEW you were a runner! I’m running for Chico State, a division 2 school, I truly understand your position of the pressure and prioritizing the sport is super hard to do. I congratulate your efforts for running division 1. Amazing career, hats off to you. Thank you for your openness and insight

Thanks for sharing such a personal story. Running is the best, both as a personal mental sport and as a collaborative team entity. Enjoy your next long run, whenever that may be.

Beautiful story, I can relate with fencing. Fencing is to me what running is to you. You assured me in my path as an athlete and as a person. Thank you.

I've been following you for years now. You've been a huge source of inspiration 🚀

Amazing and insightful video John!

Bro you almost hit 1M subs that’s awesome!

The candidness of this video is well appreciated. Good luck with things in the future!

I just started running as well. my first 5k took me 45 min. this is really inspiring ,thanks John!

thanks for sharing your journey john! i had no idea you did running in college as well

Your stuff has always been quality John and it continues to be. I’ll be interested to hear about your post college life.

John! Thank you for making this! I’ve felt that your RU-vid channel has always been missing a part of you! Finally nice to see ur D1 story! Ur so smart, talented, and I wish u the best in what you decide to do! Keep inspiring the world!

This video made me emotional. I graduated college and hung up my spikes this year as well and you made me feel as the feels. I related to your struggles all too well

YASSS JOHN FISH THE RUNNER

I've been following you since your freshman year and it was nice to hear the missing part of your uni story in this video. You've become a more mature person thanks to all of your experiences. All the best for figuring out your new future out of college John :)

I started watching your videos in 8th grade and freshman year of high school, and I got to watch you race the 800 this spring at Stonehill where I run now. So crazy to see your progress and growth, congrats and thank you for the inspiration :)

As someone who runs just for fun, I appreciated this video! I can tell you’ve really thought about your relationship with running, and how it has evolved, over the years. I know you are retiring professionally but how will you continue running for fun?

Absolutely Amazing Video John.. Truly inspiring. Thanks for sharing! ❤

I have learnt a lot from you time to time... thankyou John

Mans a genius and has still sports. Amazing.

You're like the biggest crush I ever had. Love your videos.

Wow, I finally found you on RU-vid,John,when I saw your video about study methods in college maybe two years ago,but I don’t know how to follow you on RU-vid,now I subscribed your channel,still love your videos ❤

Missed some good John fish content

"Keep moving forward" John Fish/Eren Jaeger

To be honest when your excellent at something...there is an ego playing yes or yes. When that period ends or before it ends...you start to feel like oh oh! It's coming. I don't believe in the side of hard or bad story. That's the decisions you make, so own it. Mentioning the break ups is like saying, look there is this person that was involved.

Thanks so much for sharing this honest video. It is crazy that I'm shut going through a similar path with running. I'm 20 years old and I'm figuring out which way choose. Everything was clear for me until covid and injuries appear, I knew I was going to be a professional runner, especially because here in Argentina the level of competition in mid distance is really low (800 is my event!). At the same time I started this year to study Psychology and I found myself astonished by the intellectual world, I've became obsessed with doing research about everything, because I'm a very curious person! So now I'm at that point where I dont really know what about my relationship with running, because now that I've found another passion, I feel that I dont depend 100% of my running performance to be happy and successful. If you have any advice that could help me clarify my point of view...it will be very useful for me, even because I know I'm pretty young and I can do both, but I need to choose the actual priorities because professional running has a limited time

I would love to see videos on you going over your races!

I had a similar, but less arduous experience, with playing guitar. I have played for over half of my life, and in turn, it became a considerable part of who I am. But over the last two or three years, I found myself playing not for the fun of it, but because of the financial obligation related to all the gear I had bought over time. Not playing would mean I had, 'wasted' time and money. I had to realize that some of the things you grow up doing won't interest you as much as it did when I you a kid. Things change, and I had to be honest and adapt to that.

masterpiece.

Great story! I'd be interested in your techniques or even maybe how the training was structured

So proud of you John! This story inspired me a lot!

So jealous of the sports opportunities given to college and high school athletes in the US. We are rather underdeveloped in that department in England

10:27 yes- but with skiing, especially this year. and then you get frustrated when you don't do well but you know it's your choice so you feel somewhat helpless.

I love this guy!

I see Atonement!! AND a Murakami on your Instagram story, good taste man!

John is the fastes Fish in the sea.

Make video on A day in life after your uni

So inspiring!

Wow! Amazing video

I feel sorry for the high school/college kids who have had endure the time of the pandemic lock downs. So much of the social aspect and experience has been lost. That can never be brought back. As if it was a video on pause. I could tell that it really affected John mentally in his videos. There seemed to be less pep in his step. At times, I thought he was almost border suicidal from depression. I hope he's doing well now.

You are so my amazing. Thank you for sharing!

can you make a video about computer science? love your persistent

11:00 "The competitive instincts that I had in high school were the result of insecurity"

7:10 - 7:30 You got to miss it to realize how significant it is for you.

Thanks for sharing john i can relate it musical career

John, would you share some thoughts about facing stress and anxiety?

Thank you so much for sharing!

Hi John. I admire you very much. I congratulate you on your achievements. You are the mirror where many of us would like to reflect ourselves. I ask you a favor if you allow me. Could you put subtitles in other languages? I can understand English but not that much and it gets complicated sometimes. Cheers

I enjoy listening to you. You should make a podcast some time

I feel freedom

As I understand, you have read the book called Antifragile. Can you please share your thoughts about it? By the way, great video

Thanks for sharing. For me High School was wrestling.. not until i was 45 did i take up running.. Ultra running.. You may find yourself doing the same..

great story telling :)

Great story

Hey John, thanks for making this video! I also ran middle distance when I was in school. It’s too bad the Name Image and Likeness Rules prevented you from integrating your running experience into this channel. Nevertheless it’s cool to hear about the perspective you have on your whole competitive running journey in one video.

9:32 exactly how I felt about my sports senior year of high school

You should make a video on your thoughts and opinions on the book “flow”

The stache looks good

Actually want to see more about running in your channel. How do you enjoy running not as a professional runner but an ordinary people? I've seen people talking about this in videos but your video has always been different and I really hope to see one.

New microphone... Nice.

Nice video.

Hey John, this is my first video I have seen of you, probably because I am deep in the running rabbit hole and the algorithm works wonders. As a senior this year in HS who has done xc and track for 3 years, this is really appropriate to me as I would like to (slimish chance if all goes well) run in college. While I had heard of struggles of balancing running in college, this is the first video that I have found of someone dedicating time to explaining their experiences with the less talked about aspect of balancing school and athletics. While I may or may not run in college, at some point I will have to hang up my flats/spikes and not be at my peak fitness ever again, what is your advice, for when the time comes, for getting over the idea/fact that your fast days are behind you?

first? the first video after harvard grad! cant wait

Would you ever share your opinion on most standardized tests or even IQ tests like Mensa and Stanford-Binet? Have you taken an IQ test before? Would you want to? I've just been thinking about it recently myself and have been learning some more things over quarantine.

I like it!

for me every one is never in my life because people myself