Bob Timmons
My favorite coach is Bob Timmons of Wichita East.
I wanted to go to East but my Dad picked another town and school south of there with not much of a program. It turned out to be a great school though and the kids were great.
Fortunately I got to train occasionally at Wichita East, once a week during cross country, during vacations, summers, etc. Bob Timmons was always most generous and gracious to me, as were the kids on his team.
Timmons had a fantastic program before Ryun arrived. Archie San Ramoni Jr. had previously run the national record of 4:08, and East was more often than not victorious at State in both XC and track.
Being out of state my junior year, and a year ahead of Ryun, the first time I saw him run was the Wichita North Invitational, the first meet of the year, where he chased defending state champion Charlie Harper to the line.
The next year I was back in Kansas again, in the same race at state where he ran 4:06.4 in 99 degrees, the only one in the race that got a best time that day.
But the brains behind Ryun and Wichita East was Bob Timmons.
If you want to know about Ryun's success don't ask Ryun.
Ask Timmons, and I'm sure he would be happy to share.