Courtney Frerichs is an American middle-distance runner from Nixa, Missouri, who specializes in steeplechase. She was placed second in steeplechase at the 2016 US Olympic Trials to qualify to represent the United States at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She won the silver medal at the 2017 World Championships, becoming the seventh fastest woman in the history of the event. Emma Coburn won the gold medal at the same event, thus making Coburn and Frerichs the first female Americans to win the gold and silver medal in any individual World Championships or Olympics race longer than 400 meters since the 1912 Stockholm Games.
On July 20, 2018, at the Herculis meet in Monaco, she finished in second place behind Beatrice Chepkoech’s world record 8:44.32. Frerichs’ time of 9:00.85 jumped her ahead of Coburn for the American and North American (NACAC) records in the steeplechase and the #6 mark all time. Frerichs won the steeplechase NCAA title at the 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships as a Lobo, setting a collegiate record of 9:24.41.
Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar catches up with Courtney Frerichs, World Championship Silver Medalist, 3000 m Steeplechase here she talks about workout, diet and her success story.
Namita Nayyar:
You won the silver medal at the 2017 World Championships, becoming the seventh fastest woman in the history of the event. Walk us through your spectacular journey and tell us how it all began?
Courtney Frerichs:
Being an athlete is something I have always been passionate about and have known from a young age that I wanted to compete at a high level and set big goals such as competing in the Olympics. When I was given the opportunity to compete in track and field and cross country at the collegiate level I was ecstatic. I was really fortunate to be surrounded by people who pushed me to be the best version of myself and I was able to become an NCAA champion, NCAA record holder, seven times All-American, and qualify for the Olympics while I was in college.
This led to the opportunity to compete professionally and I was really fortunate to be able to sign with Nike and join the Bowerman Track Club. Moving up to the professional level was really challenging, but helped me improve even more and pushed me to a new level of fitness. The environment I have put myself in and the commitment to training I have has helped me to qualify for three world championship teams, set an American record in the 3k steeplechase, and win a silver medal at the 2017 World Championships.
Namita Nayyar:
You grew up competing in several sports while focusing on gymnastics and soccer, then when did you switch to long-distance running?
Courtney Frerichs:
Running was something I as exposed to here and there growing up, but I didn’t commit to the sport until much later in life. I ran a little track throughout the years, but it wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I truly discovered my love for long distance running and began to run cross country. I was fortunate to receive a scholarship to run in college and decided to pursue it. My freshman year of college was the first year I began running full time.
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This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
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Namita Nayyar:
Introduce us to a day in your life.
Courtney Frerichs:
I usually start my day around 8 am. Sleep is important for recovery so I always aim to get between 9 and 10 hours of sleep a night. I begin my day with breakfast which consists of oatmeal with banana and coffee. I usually eat this while watching an episode of something light-hearted on Netflix. Depending on the day of the week, I’ll start my first workout of the day around 9:30 am. Twice a week we do structured hard efforts on the track, once a week a long run, and the other days are easy training runs. Most easy days I run 60-70 minutes.
Three times a week I will do about an hour of core work after my run. This consists of various activation, core, and lifting exercises. I also incorporate hurdle drills into my training routine in the morning once a week. After training I’ll eat lunch. I am a big fan of breakfast food so you can often find me eating a bagel with scrambled eggs and yogurt with fruit or a smoothie during the summer. My afternoons consist of resting and recovering. I like to watch Netflix or read during my down time. A couple times a week I will have various therapy appointments in the afternoon.
These include massage therapy, chiropractic treatments, PT, and acupuncture. Taking care of my body is a really important part of training. If I am out and about for therapy treatments, I enjoy stopping by some of my favorite local coffee shops for a latte. Three times a week I will go for an afternoon shakeout run that is usually 30-40 minutes.
Once I am done training for the day, I will make dinner for my husband and myself. I love to cook and am very passionate about cooking healthy meals for us. After dinner we like to relax and spend time together before we head to bed.
Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine that you may like to share with our viewers?
Courtney Frerichs:
We do a lot of different types of workouts in our training. Being a steeplechaser I love hurdle workouts and I also really enjoy tempo runs. I love the rhythm that comes with a well-executed tempo run. In addition to running, we incorporate a lot of core work into our training. Most of my core routines involve activation exercises, core circuits, and some lifting. I really like doing various activation exercises.
These include mini loop band walks, clamshells and bicycles, and glute bridges. For core we do a variety of exercises, but I am a big fan of planks and plank series.
Namita Nayyar:
Share the diet that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit? Five foods you absolutely love. Do you love to cook?
Courtney Frerichs:
I like to focus on eating whole foods and having a balanced diet. I absolutely love to cook and have found it to be a passion of mine outside of training. This helps me to prioritize good nutrition and know what I am putting in my body.
I also try to eat intuitively which helps me to fuel with what my body needs and not deprive myself of anything (I love dessert and still enjoy it in moderation). Five foods I love are salmon, pasta, spinach, raspberries, and chocolate.
Namita Nayyar:
Having to train constantly in extreme climate conditions, how do you take care of your skin and hair?
Courtney Frerichs:
I spend a lot of the year training at altitude meaning I am getting a lot of extreme sun exposure. I make sure sunscreen is a priority in order to protect my skin from sun damage. I am also a big fan of Bumble and Bumble’s Hairdresser Invisible Oil shampoo and conditioner for my hair to help maintain moisture with the dry conditions and needing to wash it often after training.
Namita Nayyar:
You attribute your accomplishments to gymnastics, strength training, and her teammates. Who has been your greatest influence and motivator in your success in the field of your career?
Courtney Frerichs:
My college coach, James Butler, has been one of the greatest influences in my running career. He saw something in me and helped me to dream big. His belief in my abilities helped me to build confidence and push myself further than I dreamed possible. I would not be the athlete I am today if it wouldn’t have been for his guidance early in my running career.
Namita Nayyar:
Share with us your HIIT home workout that works great for a runner’s body? 5 stretches you like to kick start your day.
Courtney Frerichs:
We do various ladder exercises during our training. These help to work on quick feet while also getting in a good cardio workout. The circuit includes things like forward and backward two footed jumps, sideways jumps both directions, carioca, and run throughs. Stretches I like to kick start my day are the hip flexor stretch, pigeon, foam rolling, hamstring stretch with a rope, and butterfly.
Namita Nayyar:
Five tips to work upon for aspiring long-distance runners.
Courtney Frerichs:
- Consistency is key. Long distance running is something that you have to work on for a long time. Stay the course and appreciate all the victories along the way.
- Don’t judge a run by the first mile. This is something I always have to remind myself. Each day will be different in terms of how long your body takes to warm up. Long distance running is all about riding out the highs and lows and you will experience these on almost every run.
- Find joy in the process. We all want to see the results from training, but being able to fall in love with running each and every day and find joy in each step along the way to a goal will result in the most fulfillment from running.
- Set goals- Running is hard! But it is so fulfilling when you work hard and achieve the goals you have set for yourself.
- Surround yourself with people that bring out the best version of you- training with like-minding people is one of the best ways to make the most out of your training and hold yourself accountable. It’s also so much more enjoyable when you can share your successes with others.
Namita Nayyar:
Amidst the terror of COVID-19, one life lesson that you’ve learned? Message for people around the world.
Courtney Frerichs:
A big lesson I have learned and have tried to put a focus on is the importance of enjoying the process and making the most of each day. I, like many others, am very outcome driven and like to see the results of my hard work, but without races this is very difficult to achieve in the immediate future. I am working hard to focus on enjoyment of the whole journey to a goal, not just the achievement of a goal.
This is also helping me be more mindful and recognize my “why.” Finding your “why” can be related to so many things in life. I train hard and make sacrifices because I enjoy working to become the best version of myself. I am staying at home to help protect the vulnerable populations such as my close friend with cancer.
Namita Nayyar:
Five key factors to follow while preparing for future championships.
Courtney Frerichs:
Trust in your training and the work you have put in. Control the controllable and don’t stress about things out of your control. Prepare for many different scenarios so you will be ready for whatever comes on race day and stick to a routine that you know works. Focus on and practice positive self-talk. Take care of the details so you won’t question your preparedness (things like good nutrition, taking care of your body, getting enough sleep, etc.)
Namita Nayyar:
Share a few words about the website Womenfitness.net and message for our visitors?
Courtney Frerichs:
Womenfitness.net is a wonderful spot to access it all when it comes to fitness. Strength routines, nutrition tips, and interviews with people all across the fitness world. I am so thankful for the opportunity to share some of my story with the site!
Courtney Frerichs Social Media Presence
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/courtneyfrerichs/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/courtfrerichs8
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2021 Women Fitness