The first occasion I recall meeting Lee Troop was when Julian Paynter brought him along for a Sunday morning run at the 1993 national championships in Brisbane. ‘Troopy’ had finished sixth in the U20 5000 metres the night before, a race won by Andrew Letherby. By the time we got back from that run almost two hours later two things were apparent. Lee Troop could run – and he could talk. It’s no surprise, then, that over 20 years later Troop is still running and, one way or another, he is still talking, be it as a coach, a mentor, an advocate for the sport. He was, and is, passionate about his running and articulate in expressing that passion.