Matthew "Teg" Tegenkamp (born January 19, 1982) is a retired professional runner from
Lee's Summit, Missouri
Lee's Summit is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri and a suburb of the Kansas City metropolitan area. It resides in Jackson County (predominantly) as well as Cass County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 101,108, making it the 6th ...
who specialized in various
long-distance events. Tegenkamp represented the United States at two
Summer Olympics
The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics or the Games of the Olympiad, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, then part of the King ...
, in
2008
2008 was designated as:
*International Year of Languages
*International Year of Planet Earth
*International Year of the Potato
*International Year of Sanitation
The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
and
2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
. He trained with other members of the
KIMbia Athletics group and was sponsored by
Nike during his professional career. Tegenkamp set an American record in the outdoor two mile
/sup>">Rs/sup> and also achieved other performances that were near record breaking during his career.
Running career
High school
After being part of the state championship team as a sophomore, Matt showed steady improvement throughout his early career. As a senior he set a Missouri state cross country course record (15:26.7) on the Oak Hills course. He gained national recognition his senior year at
Lee's Summit High School
Lee's Summit High School is a high school in Lee's Summit, Missouri, United States. It is located near downtown Lee's Summit on Blue Parkway, next to the intersection of U.S. Route 50 in Missouri, U.S. Route 50 and Missouri Route 291, Route 291 ...
when he placed second in the Midwest Regional for cross country and fifth at the
Footlocker National Cross Country Championships. During his senior track campaign, Tegenkamp ran an 8:57.23 3200m and a 4:11.43 1600m to win both events at the Missouri state championships, leading his team to the state title.
Collegiate
Tegenkamp attended the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, UW, UW–Madison, or simply Madison) is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved st ...
, along with high school rivals Tim Keller and
Josh Spiker. After
redshirting his freshman season, he defeated two-time high school national champion
Dathan Ritzenhein at the U.S. Junior Cross Country championships, handing Ritzenhein his first cross country defeat in several years. Tegenkamp then placed fifth at the World Junior Cross Country Championships, behind Ritzenhein and future world record holder,
Kenenisa Bekele
Kenenisa Bekele Beyecha (; ; born 13 June 1982) is an Ethiopian Long-distance running, long-distance runner. He was the world record holder in both the 5000 metres, 5,000-metre and 10000 metres, 10,000-metre from 2004 until 2020. He won the go ...
.
Tegenkamp soon began to struggle with injuries that hindered him until Wisconsin coach,
Jerry Schumacher, changed his training regimen. He responded quickly, lowering his 5000m PR to 13:30.90 in 2004. Tegenkamp graduated from the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, UW, UW–Madison, or simply Madison) is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved st ...
in 2005 with a
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...
degree in
human ecology
Human ecology is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary study of the relationship between humans and their natural, social, and built environments. The philosophy and study of human ecology has a diffuse history with advancements in ecolo ...
.
Professional
Following graduation, Tegenkamp stayed in
Madison to train as a professional under Schumacher. In 2006, he set personal bests at 1,500 meters (3:35.96), 3,000 meters (7:34.98) and the two-mile (8:16.50). Tegenkamp also ended his 2006 season by getting a bronze medal in the 5000m at the
IAAF World Cup in Athletics
The IAAF Continental Cup was an international track and field competition organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
The event was proposed by IAAF former President Primo Nebiolo and was first held in 1977 as ...
, with a time of 13:36.83.
In 2007, he won the USA Indoor National 3k with a time of 7:46.08. Then, he set a personal and American record in the two-mile run at the Prefontaine Classic with a time of 8:07.07, breaking the existing record
set by
Alan Webb by more than four seconds.
Tegenkamp also finished second behind
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat (born December 12, 1974) is a Kenyan-American former Middle-distance running, middle and long-distance running, long-distance runner.
Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya. Prior to his List of eligibility transfers in at ...
in the 5,000m at the 2007 U.S. Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which earned him the right to compete at the
IAAF
World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation and International Association of Athletics Federations and formerly abbreviated as the IAAF, is the international sports governing body, governing body for the sport ...
World Championships in Osaka. At the 2007
IAAF
World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation and International Association of Athletics Federations and formerly abbreviated as the IAAF, is the international sports governing body, governing body for the sport ...
world championships Matt finished fourth in the 5,000m event, missing out on the bronze medal by .03 second, with a time of 13:46.78 to
Moses Ndiema Kipsiro
Moses Ndiema Kipsiro (born 2 September 1986 in Singare) is a Ugandan long-distance runner who specialises in the 5000 metres. He was the bronze medallist in the event at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. He represented Uganda at the ...
of
Uganda
Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
's 13:46.75.
In 2008, Teg earned his first trip to the Olympic Games. As a "tune-up" for the Olympic Games, he ran the 1500m in 3:37.94 (a facility and state of Wisconsin record
) at the UW-Madison McClimon Outdoor Track along with some of his training partners and one pacer for the first 2.75 laps on July 15, 2008. At the 2008
U.S. Olympic Trials in
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie River (Oregon), McKenzie and Willamette River, Willamette rivers, ...
, Tegenkamp qualified by finishing second to Lagat in the 5,000-meter run with a time 13:29.68.
Soon after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Matt and wife Michelle Carson, and Matt's coach began efforts of moving to Portland, Oregon for
Nike's Oregon Project along with other professional team members that were training under coach Schumacher at that time in Madison, WI.
In 2009, Tegenkamp became one of only 6 non-African runners to break the 13 minute barrier in the 5000 meters with his PR of 12:58.56.
He was formerly the fifth fastest American of all time over the 5000 metres distance behind
Bernard Lagat
Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat (born December 12, 1974) is a Kenyan-American former Middle-distance running, middle and long-distance running, long-distance runner.
Lagat was born in Kapsabet, Kenya. Prior to his List of eligibility transfers in at ...
,
Chris Solinsky,
Bob Kennedy, &
Dathan Ritzenhein.
In 2011, Tegenkamp made his first attempt at the 10,000 meter distance. He was once quoted saying, "Teg doesn't run no 10k," though he later retracted this statement and made his track 10,000 meter début on May 1, 2011 at the
Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, running 27:28.22. He finished runner-up at the 2011 USA 10,0000 meter championships, closing the final 800 meters in 1:53.
In 2012, he qualified for the Olympics by placing second at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Tegenkamp then went on to compete in the
10,000 meters at the
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
, where he finished 19th at 28:18.26.
On July 4, 2013, Tegenkamp became the US Road 10k Champion at the Peachtree Road Race, finishing with a time of 28:25.
On October 13, 2013, Tegenkamp debuted at the marathon distance in the
Chicago Marathon, placing 10th in 2:12:28.
Tengenkamp opened up the 2014 season by running a new PR of 1:02.04 at the New York Half-Marathon. Later in the season he finished 15th in the Washington Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Road Race with a PR of 47:57
In February 2016, Tegenkamp announced his retirement from the sport of track and field. He now works at Nike in product creation.
Post running career
Tegenkamp officially announced retirement on February 1, 2016.
[Matt Tegenkamp Retires from Professional Running](_blank)
. Kimbia Athletics (2016-02-01). Retrieved on 2016-12-01. After his running career, he moved to full-time in product creation for Nike at the main campus in Beaverton, Oregon after beginning that role part-time in 2013 while he was embarking on marathon running in his career.
Personal bests
Notables
He became the American two-mile record holder,
[These records indicate placement with reference to the date of the indicated event where the record was achieved. Actual record placement may be different at the present time.] with a time of 8:07.07, set at the
Prefontaine Classic in 2007.
He also holds a 5,000 meter PR of 12:58.56 (September 4, 2009 in
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
), which put him in line as the fourth American to have run under 13 minutes
(third fastest all-time PR
[Matt Tegenkamp had the third fastest 5000m outdoor track all-time PR behind Dathan Ritzenhein and Bob Kennedy.]), and a 1,500 meter PR of 3:34.25. Tegenkamp's outdoor mile best is 3:56.38, which he achieved while becoming the first person to break four minutes in the mile on Wisconsin soil.
List of personal records (PRs)
*1500 meters - 3:34.25 (July 3, 2007)
*Mile - 3:56.38 (May 6, 2006)
*3000 meters - 7:34.98 (August 19, 2006)
*Two miles - 8:07.07 (June 10, 2007 - American Record
)
*5000 meters - 12:58.56 (November 4, 2009 - #7 all-time PR by an American
)
*10,000 meters - 27:28.22 (May 1, 2011)
*Marathon - 2:12:28 (October 13, 2013)
References
Content notes
Notes
External links
*
*Matt Tegenkamp Athlete Profile
KIMbia Athletics*Matt Tegenkamp Athlete USATF Bio
USA Track & Field
Video interviews
Flotrack Video Interviews of Matt TegenkampMatt Tegenkamp Talks About the 2009 US Outdoor Track Championships
Audio interviews
Tegenkamp discusses his 4th place 2007 IAAF World Championships performance and missing a medal by 0.03 secondsInterview with Matt Tegenkamp after he finished second in the 5,000m at the 2007 U.S. Outdoor Championships and earned a spot on Team USA for the World ChampionshipsTeleconference interview with Former Wisconsin Badger teammates and current training partners Matt Tegenkamp & Chris Solinsky on June 13, 2007
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tegenkamp, Matt
1982 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Lee's Summit, Missouri
Sportspeople from Madison, Wisconsin
Track and field athletes from Missouri
Track and field athletes from Wisconsin
American male middle-distance runners
Olympic track and field athletes for the United States
Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Wisconsin Badgers men's track and field athletes
University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
American people of Dutch descent
Lee's Summit High School alumni
21st-century American sportsmen