US Olympian Matt Tegenkamp visits Don Bosco Prep (NJ)by DBP captian Howie Rosas
One year ago, the Don BoscoPrep (NJ) Cross Country Team gathered into the school lecture hall for the usual pre-season meeting. But unlike previous years, Coach Kevin Kilduff decided to add a new segment to the already meticulous (and sometimes annoying) strength program. The team watched a number of tutorials based on upper body, core, and shoulder/back strengthening demonstrated by U.S. Olympian Matt Tegenkamp. Little did the team know over 12 months later they would be back in the lecture hall seeing Mr. T not just on the video screen...
Coming up from New York City where he will run the 5th Avenue Mile, Matt met up with the team for a question/answer session, where he discussed what got him interested in the sport, favorite workouts, his current schedule and how he began his career as a professional runner. When asked if he remembered his first race, Matt commented "I honestly don't remember my first race, but my mom did sign me up for a crawling race at the mall when I was a baby, and I won so...". Matt showed great talent from a young age. But more importantly, the runners at Nike know they have the ability to inspire the youth running world today through their performances. His age group imbodies some of the greatest American distance runners in history, including Chris Solinsky, Adam Goucher and Dathan Ritzenhein. "We've earned the respect of the other great running countries. In the past if one of us tried to move into third or fourth place, we'd be pushed right to the back, but now we've earned our place among the best. There's no doubt the U.S. is third in the world for distance running". Although Matt specializes in running the 5000m (12:58.56), he is the two-mile American record holder (8:07.07) and became the first person to break four minutes in the mile on Wisconsin soil (3:56.38). He may look to running the 10,000m and possibly the marathon. "Hopefully I still have six to seven healthy years left in my career, and running longer distances benefits the older guys so I'll experiment with different events, it should be fun".
When the talk was over, Matt did what professionals do best, signing autographs. And to repay him for his hand cramps signing bags, shirts and pictures, the team presented him with some classic Bosco XC apparel. Be sure to watch Matt Tegenkamp's performance in the 5th Avenue Mile in New York City where he will take on names such as Chris Solinsky, Andy Baddeley of Great Britain, and defending champ Bernard Lagat.
Tegenkamp with DBP captians Rafael Varges Howie Rosas and Mike Belgiovine (photo by John Nepolitan)
The Matt Tegenkamp file
Trains: Portland, OR Born: 19 January 1982 Educated:BS, Human Ecology from the University of Wisconsin Coach: Jerry Schumacher Sponsor:Oregon Track Club / Nike
Bests 1500: 3:34.25 (Athens GP, July 2007) Mile: 3:56.38 (Madison, 2006) 3000: 7:34.98 (Monaco SGP, Aug 2006) 2Mile: 8:07.07 (Pre Classic GP, June 2007) ** AMERICAN RECORD** 5000m: 12:58.56 (Van Damme SGP, 4 Sept 2009)** #3 time ever by an American**
Career Highlights 2009 US Outdoor Championships 5000m - 1st, 13:20 2009 8th IAAF World Championships 5000 m, 2009 Van Damme GP -12:58.56 5000m (3rd fastest ever by an American) 2009 USATF 5000 Road Race Champion 2008 Olympic Trials 5,000m - 2nd place 2007 IAAF World Championships 5000m - 4th place, 13:46.78 2007 US Outdoor Championships 5000m - 2nd place, 13:31.31 2007 Pre Classic Grand Prix 2mile - 3rd place 8:07.07, American Record 2007 USA Indoor Championships 3,000m - 7:46.08 2006 IAAF World Cup 5,000m - 3rd place 13:36.83 2006 USA Outdoor Championships 5,000m - 2nd place, 13:15.00 2001 World Junior Cross Country championships - 5th place 2001 USA Junior Cross Country Championships - 1st place HS – 5th Footlocker Championships and HS bests of 8:57.23 for 3200 and 4:11.43 for 1600
One year ago, the Don Bosco Prep (NJ) Cross Country Team gathered into the school lecture hall for the usual pre-season meeting. But unlike previous years, Coach Kevin Kilduff decided to add a new segment to the already meticulous (and sometimes annoying) strength program. The team watched a number of tutorials based on upper body, core, and shoulder/back strengthening demonstrated by U.S. Olympian Matt Tegenkamp. Little did the team know over 12 months later they would be back in the lecture hall seeing Mr. T not just on the video screen...
asked if he remembered his first race, Matt commented "I honestly don't remember my first race, but my mom did sign me up for a crawling race at the mall when I was a baby, and I won so...". Matt showed great talent from a young age. But more importantly, the runners at Nike know they have the ability to inspire the youth running world today through their performances. His age group imbodies some of the greatest American distance runners in history, including Chris Solinsky, Adam Goucher and Dathan Ritzenhein. "We've earned the respect of the other great running countries. In the past if one of us tried to move into third or fourth place, we'd be pushed right to the back, but now we've earned our place among the best. There's no doubt the U.S. is third in the world for distance running". Although Matt specializes in running the 5000m (12:58.56), he is the two-mile American record holder (8:07.07) and became the first person to break four minutes in the mile on Wisconsin soil (3:56.38). He may look to running the 10,000m and possibly the marathon. "Hopefully I still have six to seven healthy years left in my career, and running longer distances benefits the older guys so I'll experiment with different events, it should be fun". 
