Tegenkamp runs 13:05

Yeah cracking run from the tergmeister live on british eurosport. With a slow tactical 4th km sub 13 is there. shame about your choice of band though mate!

Matt's performance doesn't predict what Solinsky will run.

Solinsky hasn't been injured like Matt and Chris been around 100 miles a week for a couple of years now, less potential to improve for him.

The secret to being a teg is the tough love approach from fitzndalb and the tough missouri summers and winters of training! And besides that the "kid" must be pretty tough; after all none of us would have predicted anything under 13:20 in 1997!!!!

jaslim wrote:

The secret to being a teg is the tough love approach from fitzndalb and the tough missouri summers and winters of training! And besides that the "kid" must be pretty tough; after all none of us would have predicted anything under 13:20 in 1997!!!!

No kidding, Fitz was telling me how talented Matt was back in 99. I don't know if you were joking, but I wouldn't discount the benefits of having to have dealt with tough winters and summers. Going from MO up to a place like Minnessota for Griak the running instantly felt much easier for me.

All that said, good for Matt; I don't doubt that he did a lot of work in training.

Never got content; kept setting goals and got better every year (until injuries, but even then had some good things happen every year). His training has a ways to go, but he is ready to take that step. To tell you a little about him; his senior year, they had the hottest state meet in history (80+ degrees in November) People are collapsing, ambulances taking runners to the hospital; he runs and insane pace and breaks the state record (on an extremely tough course) by over 15 seconds and beat a very good Jason Sanfort by 1:00(the record formerly held by ex-badger Chris Borsa) He had no fear! A year and a half later, he is running next to Ritz at Footlocker regionals (and ahead of Sage) Some people at Kenosha were asking "who is this guy???" He has a history of "flying under the radar". The next year; beats Ritz at junior xc trials and runs with him and near Bekele at worlds. People who know him; know that he has a confidence that does not seem to get "derailed". He thinks that he has a long way to go and because of that, he probably does. Not too many people will be surprised anymore. (the expectations do not seem to bother him either, because he expects to keep improving! I watched him from 15 years old to now and it has been fun to see the development!!!

Brady Grady wrote:

Why would he even think about the 10k. He just ran a 13:05 5k.!

Because look at all the top-10 U.S. 5k runners and how many sub-13:20's they have. Besides Kennedy, most of them have one really fast race. Certainly he has years to get better and many races to go faster, but he may want to use his current fitness to get into a good 3k and 10k. You never know when you will have another chance. Salazar ran 13:15 and 13:11 and 27:30 and 27:25 and 2:08 in 1982 and then never ran any faster at any of those distances. Who would have predicted that?

There is a certain logic to striking while the iron is hot. Also, in the right race, a 13:04 runner could run 27:00-27:20, American Record territory.

Another reason to run for Jerry Schumacher. He's doing all of this with for the most part american kids and not any outsider money\funding flowing in...can you say Oregon people! If you want to run fast get a good education and have alot of fun go to Wisconsin. The elite post collegiate scene is finally coming back, a new track stadium plan is in the works...ahh it's great to be living in Madison these days:-)

WOW is all I have to say. Congrats Matt and Jerry, the alumni are proud.

There have been three coaches in the last 30 years that have had very good success in coaching distances at Wisco. Jerry gets great support from the head track coach and he does a great job relating to the college athletes. What he is doing with Teg is another huge step for him. Congratulations to both of them!!! Teg is a very confident young man that has proven to be a "beast" when healthy. Two months ago, I seriously doubt if anyone thought that Teg could run faster than 13:10-12 this year.

His 13:04.9 is super and it seems that every time that he runs a big PR, that he is not totally satisfied. He and Jerry seem to have that unique ability to look ahead and "dream". They are making history for U.S. distance running and I hope that they enjoy the ride (12:55 and sub 27:00 could be in their future).

I also think Jerry does well with the athletes because of his age - 36? - so he can relate well with the athletes. Also, he creates a fun atmosphere.

I ran with Jerry in HS at the Camp of Champions in 87. One day we were going out for a 10 miler and Jerry is standing there wearing those big furry bunny type slippers! And I mean the big ones that completely dwarf one's feet. He ran the entire distance in those things in 80-degree heat! He finished about 15 minutes behind everyone else but he did it. True story.

darkness wrote:

...in the right race, a 13:04 runner could run 27:00-27:20, American Record territory.

Even though I started the 10K talk, I'd be careful with Teg's fragile history. He may only want to run it once he decides to move up. Only dabbling in it for now, as a non-primary event would seem a risk not worth taking.

I know "Dalb" coaches at a middle school or maybe LSW, but do him or Fitz even run these days?

validquestion wrote:

How did Tegenkamp even get into that race? He would appear to have had (past tense) the weakest resume in that race. An interesting byproduct of running 13:04 is the way that it'll get him further shots at faster races.

Where does this put Teg on the all time list?

Last year Matt ran 13:25 then went to Europe and won a 1500 (Finland?) in 3:39 and ran 7:43 at this same meet and beat some well-known runners in doing so. I think that this race is likely to be his mid-summer peak (he has some other raaces but this one was probably the biggest).

Since he finished 2nd behind Lagat in the 5000 and Lagat cannot race Internationally for the US until about 2007 or 2008, Matt will be running the World Cup race at the end of the season. I am just guessing but I think that he is really pointing to this race, which is the most important international team meet for the US in 2006. He might do ok as he started his season running just off of training mileage and did not push the speed work. However, those races are not typically ones with really fast marks because the pacing is uneven.

One cautionary observation for those wanting him to run under 13 this year: I think that Matt likes to make extended long kicks (he says that he does not have rapid acceleration); however, it seems like that is where he lost contact (600m from the reports that I have heard). Also, while the lead pace flucuated, apparently his pace was more consistent. He did finish in 29+, 60 (see the track and Field News site.

I hear that they are both retired from running (but take much credit for Teg's success)

I'm pretty sure Fitz has always thought very highly of himself, so that doesn't surprise me much. The LS crew seemed like a very cool group back in the day. Seems many of them still are great friends. Congrats to all of them.

No doubt; that LS group was tough, they were pretty dominate in the area in the late 90's. Teg got a good start and had to work hard to be good on his own team.

They and all of us in the KC area are very proud of him!!!

Those teammates always seemed pretty close-knit and that probably made distance running very fun for them. I remember one year they won the KC Met XC meet at Johnson County and they were having a great time at the awards ceremony!!! Matt, even at a young age (they won state in XC his soph year) had obvious talent and perfect form. These are some things that I remember about him (observing him as I ran 3 of the 4 years against him in hs):

the attribute that amazes me is how he handled adversity; soph year in track ran 9:40ish and did not qualify for state (he was visibly shaken after the race, but the next fall he dominated XC); then in state XC he ran a "insane" pace and totally locked up and got caught by 3-4 guys! A few weeks later he finished in the top 20 at footlocker regionals in Kenosha (beating all of the runners from MO). Then ran 9:14 at state track (but got beat by Hampton and ??? in the 1600) The next year totally dominated in XC and Track. Ran with Ritz and Sage at regionals and nationals on a dominate Midwest team. In track, led his team to a state title (ran the first 3200 under 9:00 in state history) Anytime there was a setback, he responded with a good year (seems to be a trend) and that obviously happens with dedication, determination, etc.

i heard that after that race his sophomore year in track where he didn't qualify to state that he cried and vowed that he would do whatever kind of training he had to in order to make sure that would never happen again. anyone else heard this story?

I know one of his former teammates; it is true; he had taken 6th or 7th in state xc and was crushed when in track, he was outkicked (still had no leg speed at all) and did not qualify for state. He had a great summer and made a significant improvement (next fall finished 19th at footlocker regionals, beating all Missouri athletes) Then by track the next year knocked off about 28 seconds from his soph year to get down to 9:14. So many young runner do not "channel" their disappointment and get determined and work harder (to me this always seemed like the normal thing to do, but I do not see it that often. It seems as though so many people make excuses instead!!!! Teg just gets more determined!!!!! I have followed his career since 1997 when I notice that 5' 2" little guy "floating" around the XC course just passing guys a head taller than he was. He gained immediate respect in the KC and MO area. He was fun to watch as he became dominant in our region.

His college career was excellent, but his lack of health left him something to prove (I would say that last summer and this summer has been pretty impressive!!!!!)