Fill out Salute to Seniors Form
Name: James Bertolino
Team: Brewer
When and how did you get into track and field?
In 8th grade, I figured why not give XC a shot because I did a sport during every other season except the fall. I liked it a lot and wasn't enjoying my other sports so I dropped everything and went all in on XC and Track.
Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?
My biggest competition throughout the years was probably my friend and teammate, Trevor Parlee. We met during 8th grade cross country and we have competed and trained together for much of our running careers. He has almost always had me in the longer endurance races but I have always given him a run for his money in the shorter-distance events.
What was your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishment was my 2:02.34 800m at PVC Large School Championships to take second this year. The race went out slower than I anticipated as I wanted to break two minutes with a 400m split of 1:03.21 but I was able to slowly ramp up the intensity and run a final lap of 59.13 only falling behind Charlie Collins who closed in a 55.73 which is just insane.
How has track and field impacted your life?
Track and Cross Country have impacted my life in such an amazing way. It has given me many of my lifelong friends as well as some of my best memories. Funny enough it has also given me my girlfriend, Kayla Graffam, my long-time teammate and a top-level competitor.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
Injury, during my junior indoor season I developed shin splints in both of my legs. It sent me into the worst depression I have ever experienced, but I made it and did my best to recover my legs and keep my fitness the best I could before the outdoor season, where I performed well and made huge strides toward my ultimate goal as a runner, breaking two minutes in the 800m.
How do you prepare for competitions?
Leading up to a competition I look at who I will be going up against, such as what their times are, what splits they took to achieve their times, and how they race in general to give myself the best opportunities to win. I do this through Milesplit's live results for many meets or simply watching the race videos on Milesplit. I run over countless scenarios in my mind to try and determine the best strategy for the field I'm in. This works very well in the regular season but when it comes to championship meets like the Class A state meet, a lot of my plans seem to fall short.
What influence has your coach had on your high school career?
My coach, Mr. Rand, has worked with me for all four years of my running career. He has trained me from my first 5k at 27:08 to my final 800 PR of 2:02. He is an amazing friend and an even better coach, he has taught me how to achieve my goals no matter how ambitious.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of track and field?
Yes, I enjoy technology, whether that be building computers or playing video games with my friends but a lot of my time is given to track because I want to become the best runner I can.
What are your college plans?
I am accepted into the University of Maine Orono looking to double major in Computer and Electrical Engineering. I wish to continue running in college whether that be for the D1 UMO team or for a club, I have to get some of my times down this summer for the UMO coach to give me a shot at competing.
What are your long-term goals?
My long-term goal is to get a good job out of college and do my best to settle down and start a family. I want to continue running through my life in road races and slowly start working my way up to the ultra distances.
Who would you like to say thank you to?
I would like to say thank you to my family, friends, coaches, teammates, and competitors. You have all pushed me to become a better version of myself and I cannot be more grateful.
What advice would you give to younger athletes?
My advice to younger athletes would be to stay consistent, even if it's only something small, as long as you're doing something every day you're not going to go backwards. That was something I struggled with and I didn't reach my full potential because I was always fighting my past self for not running and losing my aerobic base.
