I met Rex my freshman year at the University of Kansas. He had been a decent high school runner at Seaman High School in Topeka before heading off to Pitt State to continue his running career. After a year he transferred to K.U. where he kept running on his own and that's where our paths crossed and a long friendship began.
Rex became something of an inspiration for me. I had been kicked off the Kansas cross country team and figured my days as a runner were pretty much over. I don't remember exactly how I met Rex but what I clearly remember is that he loved running marathons. Now back in 1974 that's not something a lot of college students did as a hobby. Beer drinking and chasing girls were more in line with college life and Rex like doing those things too but he did a lot of running.
I figured if Rex could run sub-3 hour marathons I should be able to do the same. The biggest difference is that Rex actually trained. He ran serious miles while I sort of went through the motions of training. He talked me into joining him in Wichita for the 1976 USATF Marathon championships. I think one reason is because he knew my ex-step-father lived in Wichita and we'd have a free place to stay.
Leading up to the marathon we raced in an open mile. While Lowell Paul ran away from us I remember catching Rex at the head of the homestretch on the last lap. He looked at me smiled and said, "Do you want to tie?" I don't know why but I said yes and we crossed the line together holding hands in 4:45. Paul had run 4:14. We flipped a coin for the second place medal. I lost.
When we got to Wichita for the marathon a month later Rex offered some really sage advice. Take it easy. He knew my longest run had been just ten miles. I took his advice to heart and ran easily for the first 18 miles. I hit the wall at 21 but managed to struggle him in 2:57:14, about ten minutes behind Rex. I think he was stunned that I had finished in under three hours.
He always tried to encourage me to do more with my running. When a team named Club Midwest formed with a bevy of top runners from the area Rex talked me into running the AAU Missouri Valley Cross Country Championship. I remember suffering through a terrible 10K finishing somewhere back in the pack. Yet Rex wanted me to join the team and go nationals in Philadelphia which I declined to do for lack of courage. He didn't care that I sucked, he just wanted me to be part of the experience. That was Rex.
Rex loved track and field as much as anyone. Alan Quackenbush and I were going to the Big 8 Indoor in Lincoln in 1977. I was going to cover it for the local radio station, Alan for the paper. Rex wanted go as a spectator and asked to stay in our room and said he was fine sleeping on the floor. He had an afternoon class and wouldn't be able to leave Lawrence until an hour after we did.
Rex hitched to Lincoln, Nebraska and was waiting for us at the hotel. Now we had a flat tire which slowed our drive but Alan and I couldn't figure out how Rex had beaten us to the hotel hitchhiking. But that was Rex.
After college Rex became a law officer. An indelible memory is a picture that appeared in the Lawrence paper of Rex sitting on top of his squad car. He was patrolling in North Lawrence when a cloudburst hit. He knew that the Union Pacific underpass flooded easily and he tried to beat the downpour to the south side of town. The flood waters got him and he was forced to take refuge from the water on top of his car.
Rex went onto a more successful career as a lawyer in Atchison, Kansas. He ended up coaching track and cross country at tiny Benedictine College for 20 years. Rex did a lot with a little talent, even coaching some national champions. He loved going to meets in Hawaiian shirts. I was lucky enough to catch up with Rex about five years ago at a cross country meet in Lawrence during his last year of coaching. His athletes loved him.
A couple of years ago I went back to Kansas and decided to go to a Royals game. Much to my delight as I stood in line for refreshments I heard a booming voice and turned to see Rex. It made me so happy to see him. He sat with my friends and family and we talked for a good half hour. He was enjoying life as a semi-retired country squire.
Seven months ago Rex suffered a terrible stroke that left him paralyzed. He battled through it like he had battled through all of his marathons. But today the race ended. It just makes me so sad.
I kept running marathons because of Rex. You see, I just wanted to run at least one marathon faster than Rex. It took me 15 years of trying to do it. I never told Rex that's why I kept running marathons long after he had stopped. But I think deep down inside he knew, he always knew. Ever gracious, welcoming and beautiful to those who came to know him, that was Rex.
