Meet Canada’s newest ultrarunning champ, Heidi Frehlich

Alberta’s Heidi Frehlich may be only 24, but she boasts an astounding athletic resume and is quickly rising up the ranks of Canadian ultrarunners. Frehlich, who grew up in the Alberta Rockies and Singapore, began her professional athletic career in triathlon but recently made the transition to running full-time. She won the Lost Soul Ultra 100-miler in September, taking second overall, and hit the podium in third place at both the 2023 Elk Valley Ultra 50K and the Calgary Marathon 50K—and she’s only getting started.

 Frehlich recently partnered with Brooks and says her goals and priorities mesh well with the company’s.  “I am very excited to work with Brooks, as I align well with their missions and values,” says Frehlich. “Brooks’s long-standing Run Happy resonates closely with my personal reasons why I run.” 

An early start 

Frehlich says that while growing up she participated in a “plethora of sports,” and she developed a passion for running through her parents. “My whole family runs, and I began joining my dad on his long runs when I was in middle school,” she says. “I will always be grateful for the influence he had in sharing his love of the sport with me, both as my first coach and running buddy.”

Frehlich competed in swimming and cross country from the ages of five to 17. She shifted to triathlon after she had to complete one for a high school phys-ed class. “I had grown up a competitive swimmer, so combined with my knack for running, the sport seemed to really fit my strengths,” she says. Frehlich raced as a professional Ironman triathlete from 2021-2023. “At that point my goals were set toward half and full Ironmans, where I was able to compete professionally for a few years until switching to ultras and trail this past year,” says Frehlich. 

Work as cross-training

Frehlich is originally from Okotoks, but says she now resides between Lethbridge (where she completed her honours BSc in biochemistry and physiology) and the Crowsnest Pass, where she works for Sinister Sports, which is known for hosting challenging ultras like Sinister 7, the Canadian Death Race and The Divide 200, and which she says she was drawn to because of her love of the trail community and for being outside. “My primary position is working on the trail crew, clearing and setting the trails for each of the events, meaning I get to spend most of my days outside getting in some solid cross-training,” says Frehlich.

Transitioning from triathlon

“Between my love of running and passion for pushing my limits of endurance, I’ve always felt a pull towards ultras,” says Frehlich. “That, combined with my love of the mountains, seemed like a very natural shift away from triathlon.”

She finds parallels in the mindset of pushing limits, both physically and mentally, in both sports. “The biggest difference I have found between the sports has been the extra level of mental perseverance it takes to compete in ultramarathons,” she says. “There are so many more moving parts that go into racing for a day or longer, and it has been a very interesting learning experience.”

Frehlich loves almost any type of movement, and can be found climbing, skiing, hiking and biking in the mountains during her spare time. She uses her background in swimming and cycling to cross-train and maintain fitness without overly stressing her body. 

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A home in the trail community

Frehlich has found a home in the running community. “The trail and ultra community is unparalleled, in my opinion,” she says. “The camaraderie and support from every single person at these events is incredible. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or it’s your first kick at the can, everyone is out there supporting one another and enjoying the sufferfest together.”

Lethbridge’s Lost Soul Ultra has a special place in her heart: “As both my first 50K and first 100-miler, I’ve done a significant amount of learning about myself at this event,” she explains. She loves that the running community is so welcoming, and celebrates everyone’s efforts equally.

Running happy

Frehlich says her partnership with Brooks is “definitely a big step in a dream I’ve been working toward, ever since the start of my running journey as a kid, and I’m stoked to take it with the Brooks Team.”

The Brooks motto, “Run Happy,” resonates. “Running has always held a special place in my heart, and I’ve continually loved sharing my passion for it with others,” she says. “It has consistently been my happy place, where no matter what else is happening in my life, I find solace in lacing up my shoes and heading out the door. Though not every run is easy, the ability to do so is always a gift.”