“Cause I’m good – if it ain’t broke, no need to fix it,” boasts the endlessly confident Portsmouth High School track athlete Theo Beattie about his track accomplishments.
Beattie, a junior, has been running track since middle school, and it has become a core piece of him.
After having a top 10 placement for the 600-meter race in winter track and the 400-meter in spring track, he has been working diligently to improve his times and get his name out there.
He is home on the track, and it has become something he finds consistent drive, satisfaction, and enjoyment with running.
Beattie has come a long way on and off the track. “In track you have bad races and practices, and he [has the] ability to overcome them in the race when it doesn’t go well. He’s found a way to come back and be successful, even if it’s not perfect,” head coach Mike Lyford said.
Beattie exemplified this quality on Saturday, June 8, at the New England Regionals running with teammates Nico Rannali, Will Hart, and Briggs Cantino.
“You know what? It wasn’t our best race, but the only part that mattered was being there—qualifying to be there and watching everyone else,” Beattie said.
“Theo is consistently the fastest runner on the 4×400 team running his 400s in around 50-51 seconds,” Nico Ranalli, a PHS junior and 4×400 meter team member said. “Theo is a dedicated runner who is inherently fast but also works to improve.”
“Since freshman year [I’ve ran with him], he’s been working harder, pushing for what he wants to do,” teammate Will Hart said when asked how Beattie is as an athlete and his future with the sport.
One small loss does not deter Beattie’s dedicated mind. Beattie will prepare for next year’s season by “Packing some mileage on for cross country, and slowly increasing my intensity.”
“We’re going to emphasize the weight room, and in terms of events, he’s been doing well with 400 (meter), 800 (meter), 4×400, and things like this,” Coach Lyford emphasizes.
Beattie has shown to be zealous and enthusiastic about crushing his goals and not stopping, and his plans for next year’s season are to “Win.”
