being an ex-coach relays were one of my favorites things to coach. You can cut a lot of time off with great handoff but sometimes talent can't be beat. Just watched this relay and had to watch it more than once.

https://www.facebook.com/FloTrack/videos/1377465675954753

Funny, I don't remember my sons' cross country meets being quite that exciting, maybe because neither one ever finished in the top 20. They were just there to add a little extracurricular cred to their college applications.

The best high school relay I ever saw was 1970 or 71. Dallas Lincoln ran a new National High record in the 4 X 110 yards.
They ran a 40.2 The guys were Joe and Gene Pouncy, Rufus Shaw and John Delhi(sp)

Watching a track meet is the equivalent of watching paint dry to me. However, my son runs track, I go watch it, and they lost their chance to go to state with a bad handoff at regionals.

I wish my son ran track this year but the meets are brutal. You stand around for hours to watch seconds.

Ran track for school and summer track from 9yo to 15yo then partially tore my achilles never to heal properly.

Best sprinters I ever saw from the north Texas area were the following:

Roderick Wayne Jones (Hot Rod) SOC highschool- Dallas--played cornerback for SMU and drafted in the first round in 1986 by the Bucs. He trained mostly for football, but he ran one of the quickest third legs for the SMU Mustangs 4X400 relay team I have ever seen; and he did it in bulky football shape instead of lean track and field shape. One of his claim to fames is running down Bo Jackson in a game against the Raiders in 1990.

click on the youtube link--looks like the NFL has disallowed embedding on this one also.



Roy "Robot" Martin FDR Highschool Dallas--ran track for SMU. Had the most natural God given sprinting talent I've ever seen. Finally got really serious about his diet and training for the 1988 Seoul Olympics where he placed 6th in the 200meters.

I love watching track meets. Our university has a great track team and I don't understand why events aren't better attended. I have several friends and clients that run or have run track over the years. One of my best friends is a sprints coach at CCU.

Noticed they were looking back to take the baton. Back in the day we just said " stick", and the guy ahead was already at a sprint and stuck his hand back

Yeah you do that in the 4x1 and 4x2, not the 4x4 which that’s what this race is.

In the 4X100 you don't look back for the baton as your team are the only runners in that lane; but because the 4X400 relay hand off is usually in a crowd of other runners, you look back to avoid any interference.

That leg by Matt Boling 2 years ago rivals the leg ran by the legend Johnny “Lam” Jones from Lampassas back at the state meet in 1976. Google that race.

Moving the "stick" in the 4x1 and 4x2 makes all the difference in these two races. Watching the "stick" move on "stretched out" exchanges is awesome to see with teams that are close in speed. A lot of relay races are lost due to poor exchanges no matter how good the runners are.

Gotcha. Forgot about that.

100% true statement. Smooth exchanges can give slower relay teams a huge advantage.

Ran track from 1st grade until junior in high school. Pole vaulting was my preferred event... finished 3rd at state meet in Austin my jr. year.. didn't compete my senior year. Ran almost every distance from mile to 100 yard dash and both relays at some point. Best I ever saw really close up (like in the lane next to me) was Art Briles and Jimmy Lyles of Rule, in the 220. Ran corporate track for EDS when I worked there in 1980. Most impressive race I ever watched from stands in person was Bill Cork of Hamlin at state meet in 440.