Simplify the following text for a Grade 7 native English-speaking person.
Original: Steve Roland Prefontaine ( January 25 , 1951 -- May 30 , 1975 ) ( nicknamed Pre ) was an American distance runner .
Simplified: Steve Roland `` Pre '' Prefontaine ( January 25 , 1951 â `` May 30 , 1975 ) was an American middle and long-distance runner .