Katie Fankhouser | Strength is Beautiful
What got you involved into kayaking, and who were the people who helped you get into the sport?
I got into kayaking after I did gymnastics for six years and was looking for a new sport. Lyons is the hometown I am from, and I joined the Lyons Kids Kayak Club. My mom put me in that and I learned how to roll my kayak and have been in love with it ever since.
What has been your biggest achievement to date, and what is your ultimate goal?
My biggest achievement was getting fourth behind two other Team USA competitors and a girl from Great Britain at the Freestyle Kayaking World Championships in San Juan, Argentina. My ultimate goal is hopefully to go to the Olympics one day if the sport ever ends up in the Olympics. If not, my goal would be to win a world competition at some point.
What sorts of training outside of kayaking do you do, and why do you do it?
I do a lot of cross training. I do a lot of running, climbing, mountain biking and especially lifting because strength is very important for kayaking. I focus mostly on kayaking and many of my other sports I do partly to back my paddling. You need a lot of strength and technique in the sport.
How has travel changed your life?
Being on the road has changed my life because I learn a lot about myself, a lot about other cultures, and a lot of other languages. I found out I really have a passion for travelling. I missed 17 straight days of school last November to go to the World Championships to train for two weeks, compete for a week and then go to Chile to run waterfalls. It was incredible. I learned so much about myself, so many new tricks, and met so many new people.
What is your favorite cheat meal, and what does your diet consist of?
I don't really stick to a specific meal plan or diet unless it's during a sport season like cross country or track. For kayaking I eat a lot because I am trying to build muscle. I will eat protein and drink a lot of water to stay hydrated to keep my energy levels up.
What do you do to prepare for a competition?
I actually transfer my running routine into my kayaking routine. I'll do a lot of running exercises on the side. Then once I am in my boat, I'll do arm circles and spins. I do flat water tricks to warm up my hips. That is how I warm up for every competition, and pretty much every time I get in my boat.
How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle?
I maintain a healthy lifestyle by pretty much doing what I love. If I do what I love I stay pretty healthy because I love kayaking, hiking and getting outside which keeps me healthy.
What defines health and healthy to you?
Mental health is very important. If doing what you love is healthy it is great for your physical and mental health. For me kayaking is healthy because I am staying healthy and building muscle. It is also great for my mental health because I love it and it is so much fun.
Are you confident with your body because of sports? Why do you think girls are afraid to gain muscle by doing sports?
I am confident with my body with sports because I love feeling strong. The stronger I am, the more confident I feel. I like having big muscles and showing all the boys up. I think a lot of girls are afraid to gain muscle because there is a stigma behind it saying it's manly or unattractive. I think many girls feel that guys won't like them because of their muscles. I am strong and confident, and I wish all girls saw strength for the beautiful thing it is.
Where have been some of your favorite travel destinations and where is your dream destination?
I'm heading up to Canada so I can add that to my list. So far, probably Chile. Chile was so gorgeous. There was so much to do. You were in the river and there were walls covered in moss. The water was perfectly blue with steam coming off of it. It seemed like a movie, so that would be my favorite place to date.
What was an obstacle you faced and how did you overcome it?
I think for a long time when I first started getting into kayaking I didn't see myself as good as the other girls kayaking. I never actually pictured myself as a pro kayaker until this year when I started learning more tricks and being confident in myself. I began to improve and started scoring higher. I have now overcome that fear of not being good enough. I started telling myself "You can be as good as those girls", and I realized I didn't have a reason as to why I couldn't.