For Jack Bertram, the 3,000 meters at this year's PTFCA Indoor State Championship came at almost the perfect time.
Not only was the showcase for Pennsylvania's top distance runners just a week after his under-the-radar 3K performance worthy of the nation's top 10, the North Allegheny senior also arrived at State College undefeated against high school competition in 2025. More importantly, however, the 15-lapper at Penn State was months removed from a period of time in Bertram's young career that challenged him physically and mentally each and every day.
"I wanted to go into that race stress-free, knowing that I was doing a lot better than I had been doing so I was happy about that fact," Bertram said of his thoughts as he stepped to the starting line on March 2. "I knew that Adam Kingston (of Manheim Township) had some really good fitness so I knew he would be with me the whole time, and I knew it could be a good race. I didn't really know what kind of time we were going to run. I was just hoping for a fast time and to get the win."
As the most selective individual event on the PTFCA meet schedule, just making either of the 3,000 races is an achievement. Picking up team points and a medal or champion's watch in the 2025 races would have been taking it to the next level.
"I knew it was going to be tough," North Allegheny coach John Neff said of the boys' race and his runner's chances. "I knew there would be a lot of really good kids in there. Let's face it, every one of those 12 is a hammer, every one of those 12 is a future collegian, probably ran a school record to get there. I knew it was going to be tough, but at the same time I knew Jack was tough and I knew that he had something to prove."
