Bob Rush, longtime track and cross country coach at San Mateo High School and College of San Mateo, died Saturday at the age of 90

Among his many accomplishments, Rush developed the Chronomix timing system and was elected to four hall of fames: The California Community College Track and Cross Country Coaches Association (1996), the San Mateo High School Athletic Hall of Fame twice, as a coach and again with the 1964 team that was nationally ranked (2007 and 2011). His final honor was a place in the College of San Mateo Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

After a college career that saw him earn a scholarship to the vaunted San Jose State track team, “He was a long-distance runner at ‘Speed City,’” said Fred Baer, longtime CSM sports information director who worked and traveled with Rush extensively for more than 50 years until about the last decade.

Baer said Rush, after graduating Grass Valley High School, ran track and cross country at Sacramento City College where he competed in the state championships, before earning a scholarship to San Jose State, which was just blossoming as a home for elite sprinters.

Rush got his coaching start at McClatchy High School in Sacramento in 1959 before moving up to the Peninsula to take over the San Mateo High school program.

He eventually moved on to helm the College of San Mateo track and cross country programs from 1969 to 1995 and stay heavily involved with the sport at the high school and college up until the last eight years.

CSM won the Golden Gate Conference Track & Field Championship in his first season, going undefeated in dual meets in 1970. The Bulldogs followed that with two more undefeated campaigns, eventually winning 22 dual meets in a row.

CSM qualified for the State Cross Country Championships nearly every year of his career. The Bulldogs’ highest team place was fourth in 1972.

One of his greatest CSM track achievements was a second-place at the 1989 California State Women’s Championships. As a program, both Bulldogs came away with six individual titles in the men’s and women’s championships.

National and international success

His accomplishments and involvement with the sport of track led him to being a part of the United States coaching staff for the 1985 World University Games in Kobe, Japan. He also served as head coach for the winning West team at the 1985 US Olympic Festival in San Antonio.

He was also named to the USA Track & Field national hurdle development committee, leading him to be recognized with the USATF President’s Award.

Crystal Springs legacy

In the late 1960s, Rush others helped design, develop, maintain and schedule races at the Crystal Springs Cross Country Course in Belmont up until the 2010s. The course has hosted the Central Coast Section championships 45 times since 1966 and is the home course for many high school leagues in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

It has gone on to become a globally known cross country course. Rush crossed the finish line on the course last summer to celebrate his 90th birthday.

Helping the sport around the world

In 1978, Rush invented the Chronomix timing system, the first electronic timing device for cross country and road racing.

This printing computer was used throughout the world in large races and marathons which demanded timing everyone in a race of hundreds — and sometimes thousands — of participants.

Rush also added the hat of certified USATF official and at 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Rush was responsible for proofing all field event results before being posted for worldwide distribution.

“He had a great (running) career,” Baer said.

Daily Journal correspondent Fred Baer contributed to this article.