The best 4x400 teams of all time have had one thing in common.
They've had the right mix of talent, a blend of exceptional athletes, and the closest thing to exceptional athletes you're going to find.
But the race's national record, set back in 1985 at the Texas Relays, continues to be one of almost impossibility, set 33 years ago by Hawthorne High in California. The team was helmed by super-talented short sprinters and half-milers, including Henry Thomas, Mike Marsh, Sean Kelley, and Michael Graham. They finished in an astounding 3:07.40.
All-star teams aside, breaking 3:09 remains one of the upper echelon barriers in high school track and field. Only three teams in the last 10 years have done it, including California's JSerra in 2010 (3:08.42 and 3:08.72) and North Carolina's New Bern High in 2009 (3:08.05).
It's not easy to cut time in this race. To break 3:10, teams need all at least two runners under 48 seconds and two others around that mark. And for most high schools, that depth...