It may look like the Kaiser Cougars 4×400 girls relay team is in a rush.

Big picture, they’re taking things one step at a time. Even with an assortment of injuries and the graduation of two key runners, the crew has handled adversity well, and with a smile.

The Cougars — sophomores Hannah Hollenbeck and Juliette Lum and juniors Tommi Hintnaus and Kristen O’Handley — posted a time of 4 minutes, 8.66 seconds to place first by a significant margin at the Punahou Relays on Saturday. O’Handley was named the meet’s most outstanding female athlete, making it two Cougars in as many years to earn the honor. Teuila Gardner was presented the award in last year’s meet.

Hot, occasionally rainy conditions didn’t slow O’Handley or her teammates, but they’re far from peaking.

“They’ve got to get healthy,” assistant coach Michael Alices said. “They’re at about 80 to 85 percent right now. They’re still healing.”

Their time is tops in the state at this point, but the bar was set a bit higher by last year’s older 4×400 unit. They broke the mark at the Punahou Relays in 3 minutes, 58 seconds.

Since then, the Cougars took the gold in the 4×400 and captured the girls team championship at the HHSAA state championships. Gardner is now at Mt. San Antonio College (Walnut, Calif.) and Celine Lum, Juliette’s sister, is at Point Loma Nazarene University (San Diego).

The current foursome hasn’t missed a beat, even with the hassle of injuries. They ran together on Saturday for just the third time this spring.

“We’re so close, it helps before we take off,” O’Handley said, referring to timing on passing the baton. “We all have our bad days. We can tell, we can judge each other and that’s a big factor in why we do well.”

With a make-up meet next week and the OIA championships in two weeks, the Cougars have some precious down time ahead. The injury factor has forced Alices to tweak workouts in favor of rest time — not that the runners took time off in the offseason.

Hollenbeck and Lum were on the diving team; Hollenbeck placed third in the OIA 1-meter event.

Even on Saturday, they were far from one-dimensional. O’Handley and Hollenbeck competed in the high jump. Lum and Hintnaus were in the pole vault; Hintnaus had a personal record 11 feet, 4 inches.

The Cougars have made it a habit to overcome adversity, even in extreme situations.

“Kristen ran (last year) with a kidney infection and hives during the OIA championships,” Hollenbeck said.

“The doctor said I would know my limits, so I ran five events instead of six,” O’Handley said.

On Thursday, health was fairly good in comparison. O’Handley practiced through a bad cold and fever.

“I can’t let my team down, especially with Punahou Relays,” she said.

Lum had her challenges last fall during cross country season. She had hernia surgery and healed up well.

The secret?

“A lot of stretching,” O’Handley said.

“And we all do yoga on the beach,” Hollenbeck said. “Headstands.”