By STEVE MAZZONE

Sports writer

PROVIDENCE — Nestled among a lead pack of at least 20 runners for more than two miles of Sunday‘s CVS Caremark Downtown 5K, Matt Tegenkamp never thought about forging to the front. The only thing on his mind was the final quarter-mile uphill stretch.
“The hill at the finish is what makes or breaks the race,” he said. “There’s always going to be a little bit of a pack to that point. You are not going to run away for anyone up until that point. It’s just easier to stay relaxed and get ready for that part of the race.”
Running a tactical race, Tegenkamp utilized that strategy almost to the tee and claimed the individual and USATF five-kilometer crowns in Sunday’s race with a winning time of 13 minutes, 57 seconds. Shortly after making a left-hand turn onto Canal Street for the last half mile, Tegenkamp made his first move to the front-runner position. With still a pack of about seven, including Bolota Asmerom and 2008 titlist Anthony Famiglietti, the 27-year-old runner from Nike’s Oregon Project made a decisive surge on the final incline up Francis Street and broke the tape a winner.
Tegenkamp earned his hardware in the slowest time in the race’s 20-year history. Asmerom placed second in 13:58, while Famiglietti was just a stride behind at 13:59.
“It’s just easier to stay relaxed and get ready for that part of the race,” Tegenkamp said. “Today, I just had a good, strong finish and felt great.”
Multiple U.S. title-holder Amy Yoder-Begley, also a member of the Oregon Project, copped the women’s title with a time of 15:26.7. Assuming control with about a half mile remaining, she held off fast-charging Rebecca Donaghue of New Balance-Boston, a runner-up finisher at 15:29.9. Last-minute entry Jennifer Rhines, a three-time U.S. Olympian, was third in 15:30.6.
“I just wanted to go out with the girls and get comfortable and relaxed and take the lead with about 800 meters to go and try and win it from there,” Yoder Begley said.
The American two-mile record-holder, Tegenkamp stood at the starting line as the overwhelming pre-race favorite in the popular CVS event that finishes and ends in front of the Providence Place Mall. He was second to Famiglietti in his inaugural appearance last year, but on Sept. 4 he opened some eyes worldwide when he became only the third American runner to ever crack 13-minutes for 5K on the track when he clocked a time of 12:58.56 in Belgium at the Memorial Van Damme
Did he feel like the target was on his back?
“I definitely think so,” he said. “It was a real quality field. It’s a U.S. championship. Everybody’s always going to come ready to race. I’m just glad I came and performed. It was a great crowd and we put on a great show.”
In typical fashion, the early stages of the race had a large lead pack pushing the pace. Ben Bruce, another Oregon runner, led the field of about 20 runners through the first mile in just over 4:30.
The tight pack stayed bunched together down South Water Street and after taking a left-hand turn onto South Main Street, Asmerom took over the pace-setting duties. The 30-year-old runner, a 2000 African Olympian for the 5K who became a U.S. citizen a few years ago, held that position, albeit with some company, until the last 800-meter stretch when it became a battle royal for individual honors.
After he was beaten by Famiglietti on the final hill last year, Tegenkamp made sure he saved enough in the tank for the challenging finish.
“I was a rookie last year,” he said. “I learned a lot in that race and came back and had the appropriate race plan.”
Famiglietti, who decided to forego the European track circuit this past summer, has been training primarily for longer distances, including the 10-mile U.S. championships in a few weeks. He tried to make a move on the uphill stretch.
“I couldn’t close it because there was guys in the way,” said Famiglietti, a steeplechaser at the Beijing Olympics last year. “When it finally got clear, it was too late. When a guy like Matt gets a second on you, you are not going to get it back the last 300.”
In claiming her championship, Yoder-Begley now has four U.S. women titles on her resume. She also has won the road 15K, the outdoor 10K and the indoor 3K crowns this year.
“I’m going to do a half marathon in three weeks,” said Yoder-Begley, who will compete in the World Half-Marathon Championships in England. “If I could go 68 to 69 minutes that would be great. It all depends on what the day breaks.”
On a hot, sunny day at the CVS race, Yoder-Begley stuck to her original race plan of staying with the leaders until the final stages. She passed the opening mile in 4:51 with Donaghue and Rhines on her heels.
“I thought we’d be right around there,” she said. “ I thought we’d be 4:50 to 4:51. I was anticipating that and going that fast.”
“We ran like a steady pace the first mile, but not really fast,” Rhines said. “I kind of pushed a little bit on South Water Street. I wasn’t ready to open it up from Amy and a couple of the other women. From there, we just ran a steady pace and Amy inched away.”
Locally, Glenn Jones, 39, of Cumberland, was the top finisher. He was 67th in the field of 5,365 with a time of 16:19.