Courtney Frerichs

“For me, the most important thing is practicing winning and practicing trying to win. Because at the end of the day, PRs are awesome and running super fast is great, but people aren’t going to say, ‘Oh, well, 9:03 is the third fastest time.’ They’re going to say ‘Val won,’ right? And so for me, I just want to try to win. That’s all I care about. I don’t even care if we run slow because I just want to win.”

Valerie Constien was on the show about two months ago so if you haven’t heard that episode, I think it sets thighs up perfectly for more context on her comeback from a torn ACL last year. I enjoyed hearing from the listeners that they felt more invested in Val’s comeback and were overjoyed to see her running well at the Prefontaine Classic and at the Trials knowing more about her.

At the Trials, Val put together one of the best races of the entire 10 days. She won the women’s steeplechase in 9:03 – which moved her to No. 3 on the all-time list behind Courtney Frerichs and Emma Coburn. The whole race was epic and I’d encourage people to watch it on YouTube. Val qualified for her second U.S. Olympic team. She will be joined in Paris by Courtney Wayment and Marisa Howard.

In this episode, we unpack that U.S. Olympic Trials final and then look ahead toward Paris, where Val is thinking that she has a shot at a medal.

Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram

Guest: Val Constien | @valerieconstien on Instagram

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Topics:

• 00:00 Introduction and Weekly Highlights
• 02:13 Athletics Kenya Visa Drama
• 10:41 Olympic Marathon Universality Controversy
• 21:46 Courtney Frerichs' Injury Update
• 24:39 Ethiopia's Olympic Marathon Team Announcement
• 32:37 Doping Suspension: Rogers Quemoy
• 37:52 Kenya's Doping Scandal: A Deep Dive
• 39:42 Comparing Doping Cultures: Japan vs. Kenya
• 41:54 Night of 10K PBs: Event Highlights
• 49:40 LA Grand Prix: Men's 5K Recap
• 53:27 LA Grand Prix: Women's 5K and 1500m Insights
• 01:02:20 Pre Classic Preview: Anticipated Showdowns
• 01:07:37 Women's 10K World Record Attempt
• 01:10:43 Closing Thoughts and Upcoming Events

Karen, Rachel and Megan catch up on some of the biggest things taking place in the track and field world.

In this episode:

• 0:00| Megan ran a downhill mile but does that count for a personal best?

• 10:20 | We need a conversion for real life and work when it comes to running.

• 13:00 | Courtney Frerichs tore her ACL and will miss the 2024 outdoor season so what's it mean for the U.S. Olympic Trials and the contenders to make the team?

• 19:00 | Everything is happening in track and field right now.

• 20:30 | Our thoughts on what track and field can learn from the WNBA's walkout

• 26:03 | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is on another level right now + more favorite performances from the LA Grand Prix

• 32:53 | Karen announces she will be heading to Eugene for the first time

• 37:25 | Summer running tan lines

• 38:39 | Wearing a watch tan line with pride?

YOUR HOSTS

• Karen Lesiewicz | @kare_les on Instagram

• Rachel DaDamio | Not on Instagram

• Megan Connelly | @meganmorantwwe on Instagram

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This is The Lap Count newsletter by Kyle Merber, as read by Chris Chavez.

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In this week's newsletter:

– Beatrice Chebet’s year goes out with a BANG 💥

– Copying tennis’s homework 📝👀

– Graham Blanks Signs with NB ✍️

– Personal Reflections on 2023 🥳

+ more rapid-fire highlights from the past week

You can read this week's newsletter here ➡️ https://www.thelapcount.com/p/solving-track

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"That's honestly been the biggest change I made this year: Just mentally being so much more prepared, so much happier and just felt ready with myself. I wasn't really focused on what anyone else was doing. I knew I was ready. I think there were a few big things we worked on. I have such a perfectionist nature. It was super innate probably and then I grew up in a sport that just sort of cultivated that in gymnastics. The whole premise of the sport is perfection. We really tackled that. We realized it wasn't just in terms of running that trait was coming out. It's probably been my whole life. Whenever I get into a scenario, especially in training, where someone is pushing the pace or it's playing out differently than I think it should be, what tools do I have or what can I do to handle that vs. going into a panic mode – which is what was starting to happen pretty frequently."

Olympic and world championship steeplechase silver medalist Courtney Frerichs re-joins the show. The last time she was on was in 2018 after she broke the American record in 9:00.85 at the Monaco Diamond League. This was recorded in August just after she became the first American woman to run under nine minutes in the steeplechase. 

In 2019, she had what she believes to be a disappointing season that ended with a sixth-place finish at the World Championships just two years after taking silver behind Emma Coburn. 

When the pandemic wiped away the 2020 outdoor season, she didn’t do a steeplechase workout at all. She took a break from training for the event and then had an injury in December. You’ll learn more about that and also how the two steeplechase races before the Olympic Trials set the blueprint for one of the best performances by an American at the Tokyo Olympics. 

In Japan, she took the lead after a kilometer into the race and tried holding on but was passed in the final lap by Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai. Frerichs ended up with silver, which is the best performance by a female steeplechase at the Games since the event was added in 2008. You’ll be put in her shoes for that race and hear about Shalane Flanagan’s text message to her before the race + much more. 

At the Pre Classic just a few weeks later, she lowered her American record to 8:57.77 and then took third at the Diamond League final in Zurich after we recorded.

👟 Mark your calendars for September 28th when you can snag a pair of the limited-edition Endorphin Pro+ on Saucony.com. It’s super limited. You’ll also get to see the shoes in action in a special test event taking place in Germany on Sept. 22, which you’ll be able to watch LIVE on the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel and will feature commentary by me and Kyle Merber. We’re getting your favorite announcing duo back together. And until then, check out Saucony’s current lineup, including the Endorphin Pro 2 and the Endorphin Speed 2, another plated fan-favorite for speed work and tempo runs. Read more about the shoe here.

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Carrie chats with Olympian Courtney Frerichs fresh off her silver medal performance at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo! They chat about her mental health struggles in 2018, overcoming anxiety and injuries, becoming more confident in her abilities, what it took for her to win a silver medal, and much more!

BIG THROWS ENERGY FOR THE BIG THROWS GUYS. Chris, Kyle and Dana unpack the biggest action from the Tokyo Olympics highlighted by Ryan Crouser's mega day where he unleashed six throws that either tied or broke the shot put Olympic record and repeated as Olympic champion. Andre De Grasse finally gets the gold medal that Puma shelled out millions for. The United States' men's 4x100-meter relay team faltered again. Courtney Frerichs went for it and put together the Gutsiest Performance of the Day for a silver in the women's steeplechase.

Also discussed in this episode:

– The semifinals of the women's 1,500 meters were drama-filled and fast

– The men's 800 meter final kind of felt ehhh 

– Hansle Parchment's longevity is super impressive in the men's 110m hurdles

– The men's hammer throw isn't as fun when Rudy Winkler isn't winning

– How Chris feels as a member of Team Throwvacs after adding another silver in the men's shot put to Joe Kovacs' career resume

+ Much More

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TORCH TALK WITH CHRIS, KYLE AND DANA. Our daily podcast covering the Olympics is presented by Hayward Magic.

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Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs went 1-2 in the women's 3,000m steeplechase as many expected but it was the battle for the third spot that came down to a dramatic finish between Val Constien and Leah Falland.

Chris Chavez, Kyle Merber and Mac Fleet discuss all of the action from Day 5 at the U.S. Olympic Trials live from Eugene, Ore.

In this episode, we discuss the men's 1,500m semifinal that didn't take anything out of the favorites, surprising cuts in the women's 800m, another big night for Team Throwvacs and much more...

TUNE IN AND LISTEN TO TRIALS TALK WITH CHRIS AND KYLE. Our daily podcast from the Olympic Trials is presented by Tracksmith.

We’re excited to partner with Tracksmith, an independent running brand fueled by a deep love of the sport. They celebrate the amateur spirit and seek to inspire the personal pursuit of excellence. Tracksmith is pleased to be supporting 30 Olympic Trials qualifiers in Eugene, including athletes across 14 disciplines, as part of their Amateur Support Program.

Check out Tracksmith's essentials for racing and training - including the Strata kits their Trials athletes are racing in this week - at Tracksmith.com/CITIUS and use code CITIUS to receive 10% off any order until the last day of the trials, June 27th.

In todays episode, Coach Larry and Coach Michelle interview 2016 Olympian and American Record holder in the women's Steeplechase, Courtney Frerichs. We talk about her running journey, Olympic experience, the steeplechase, how her training has changed due to COVOID-19 and the Olympics being postponed to 2021, her diet, her teammates and so much more including her preferred training shoe and her go-to pre-race breakfast!

Visit Chargerunning.com for more information! #CHARGEON

Today on the podcast, we're talking with Emma Coburn on the incredible success she's had over the last few years.

For nearly a decade, Emma Coburn has been a force to be reckoned with in the 3,000m steeplechase - a notoriously difficult race that requires strength, coordination, and an unwavering focus.

In this conversation, we're discovering how Emma has engineered such a tremendous career over a long period of time. Emma and I talk about:

• What she's doing right now to maintain her momentum now that the 2020 Olympics have been postponed
• The training staples that are consistently present in her training
• Advice for runners who've had their spring races cancelled
• The elements of her training that have changed over time
• Her advice for high school girls transitioning to college track and cross country
• When she knows its time to move out of her comfort zone

Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or Google Play.

Show Links & Resources:

• Follow Emma on Instagram or on Twitter
• Check out Emma's exercise bands (perfect for the ITB Rehab Routine)
• Listen to my interview with fellow steepler Courtney Frerichs
• Sign up for our injury prevention ecourse

Thank you Elevate Running Camp

A big thanks to our new sponsor, Elevate Running Camp! This is an awesome opportunity to enjoy some of the best trails in the country and a mecca for distance running in Boulder, Colorado.

Elevate is a 4-day, 3-night adult running camp with pro athletes, doctors, and other experts to help you make the most from the retreat. You'll be able to get a post-run massage, do some outdoor yoga, and most importantly, connect with other runners just like you. Plus, you get a swag bag and professional camp photos to post all over your Instagram account!

All ages and paces are welcomed and the price, excluding travel to Boulder, is all-inclusive with lots of great food for runners as well.

While registration is currently closed because of the coronavirus, I encourage you to sign up for their email list on their site. You’ll be the first to know when registration reopens and when it does, you can use code elevatestrength200 to save $200 off a camp of your choice.

Carrie interviews Olympian Courtney Frerichs! Courtney discusses her new American record, training with the Bowerman Track Club, her relationship with her husband, and her future racing goals.

Show notes for this episode can be found at ctollerun.com.

Courtney Frerichs

Courtney grew up in Nixa, MO. She attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City for undergrad where she was a 5-time All American. She transferred to the University of New Mexico for graduate school and competed her fifth year of eligibility for the Lobos where she would lead the team to a NCAA Cross Country Championship title with a fourth place finish and win the NCAA title in the 3k steeplechaise in a collegiate record. She currently trains in Portland, OR with the Nike Bowerman Track Club, coach by Jerry Schumacher. She was a member of the 2016 Olympic team, silver medalist in the 3k steeplechase at the 2017 IAAF World Outdoor Championships, and holds the American Record in the 3k steeplechase.