Welcome back to Strong Women’s new series, Going for Gold, where we’ll be looking behind the scenes with incredible female Olympians and Paralympians in the run-up to Paris 2024. From what their training regimes look like to how they support their hormonal health, consider this your insider guide to what it takes to be one of the best in the world.

This week, we’re sitting down with Team GB sprinter Desirèe Henry, who was recently named as one of the four athletes competing in the women’s 4x100m relay at this year’s Olympic games in Paris. After winning an Olympic bronze medal in the event at Rio, Henry faced a challenging few years after having surgery on both knees and losing her funding. But now, with the backing of her new sponsors Domestic and General (an appliance warranty and repair company), she’s preparing to compete on the biggest world stage once again. 

Hi Desirèe! When did you first get into sprinting, and how did you know you had the potential to excel in the sport?

I got into sprinting because of my oldest sister. I’m the youngest of four, but she was the one who was always doing athletics, and I used to spend a lot of time following her around and going to competitions. Watching her compete was inspirational: not only because of how good a sprinter she was, but because she often won. It was then that I realised that I wanted to be just like her and run really fast.

It was only when I ran, and won, the 100m race at my first secondary school sports day that I realised I might have potential and want to pursue the sport seriously. Winning the race gave me such an amazing feeling of pride, accomplishment and joy, and I wanted to chase that high again and again. 

A 100m race is over so quickly, but I imagine it takes a lot of work to get to the start line. What does your training regime look like at the moment?

On an average day I typically spend about four hours on the track then head inside to the gym for an hour or two of strength and conditioning. I’ll also do some trackside therapy or treatment if I need any back, neck or feet adjustments – we have a sports therapist or osteopath there right after the session. Overall, it’s a long day: my training starts at 9am and I often don’t leave the training facility until 5:30pm.

But the hard work doesn’t stop there. My recovery is kind of non-stop: when I get home from a training session, I’ll have an Epsom salt bath and a stretching session, then get into my recovery boots for an hour. I’ll also do around half an hour of stretching just before bed.

This is my routine for 5-6 days a week. The rest is my ‘downtime’, but I’ll be stretching and doing my bits for recovery during those times too.

How do you fuel all of that training?

After a session, I often start with a protein shake because it’s an easier way to get the nutrients my body needs to recover than having an enormous meal. 

Of course, I eat a bigger meal later on. On the days I’m feeling lazy, I like to make a chicken stir fry. I get egg noodles, chicken, spring onions and whatever other vegetables I fancy, and throw it all in the pan with some soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce. It can be made in less than 20 minutes and it’s a simple, easy (and very tasty!) go-to meal post-workout.   

Do you drink coffee at all?

I do, but only on the days that I’m struggling in the morning energy-wise. If I wake up and I’m feeling tired and sluggish, I’ll definitely have some coffee to raise my energy levels because I want to be as alert as possible for training. But on the days when I don’t feel like I need something as strong as coffee, I’ll have a cup of English breakfast tea. It has a lot less caffeine but still wakes me up just that little bit!   

And what about alcohol?

I don’t drink alcohol in the middle of the season because I want to make sure my body and muscles are primed to perform, especially because alcohol is dehydrating. But I will have the occasional alcoholic drink at the end of the season: usually a nice glass of pinot noir or a small glass of Baileys with ice (it’s not just for Christmas!).

What about sleep? How much do you get on average, and is it enough?

I’d say I get about ten hours of sleep on average, and I think that’s a very good amount of time. I’m one of those people who passes out the second my head hits the pillow so I always get a solid amount.

I could always do with more sleep, but it’s difficult to aim for anything more if I have an early training session the next day. But ten hours definitely works for me, and I feel like that’s sustainable with my schedule.   

Does your training schedule allow for hormonal fluctuations – ie a regular menstrual cycle – and how do you manage those?

I do have periods, and they come once a month like clockwork. Because the majority of my team is male, I make sure to have really open conversations with them when I am on my period, because it does affect my energy levels, how much I can lift in the gym, and my joints. My joints and tendons are more uncomfortable and achy when I’m on my period, meaning it’s less comfortable to do my normal training regime, but talking about it openly enables them to make adjustments to ensure that I’m able to still get in a quality training session without being uncomfortable or in pain as a result. 

I’d encourage other female athletes to push through any reluctance or discomfort they might feel around discussing periods with male members of their team. Sport is so often a team effort and being honest with your team helps them to do their jobs best and guide you through the right training sessions to ensure you’re getting the most out of your work.  

On the morning of a big race, how do you prepare?

I always wake up and pray. Praying allows me to be grateful for the fact that I’ve woken up being able to do what I love, which I never take for granted, and say my thanks to God. 

The second thing I do is get in the shower right away. It means my body feels nice and awake, my muscles don’t feel tight, and it allows me to feel fresh before competing.

The third thing is breakfast. When it’s a competition day, I’ll have oatmeal with some bananas. It’s very simple in comparison to what I eat throughout the week, but it keeps me fuelled throughout the day. The oatmeal provides the long-lasting energy and the bananas help to make sure that I don’t cramp and are filled with a lot of great vitamins.  

What about after the race? How do you celebrate after a big win?

I’ll most likely sleep! In all honesty, sleep is my best friend and I really like to reward myself for a job well done by having a nice, long, uninterrupted sleep. I don’t set an alarm for the next day, meaning I can sleep until my body naturally wants to wake up. It helps to make up for the sleep I often lose in the lead up to a competition when I’m feeling really nervous.

Oh, and I also like to treat myself with some chocolate digestive biscuits. 

Being a competitive runner isn’t easy. What’s been the toughest moment of your career so far, and how did you get through it?

Mentally, the toughest part of my career to date was definitely losing all of my sponsorship and becoming an unsponsored athlete.

At that point I’d had sponsors since I was around 15 or 16, so having to work a conventional job in order to fund my dream and my career was extremely hard. Working full-time 9-6 (what happened to 9-5?!) alongside being a professional athlete was really tough. I often had to get to the track for sessions at 3am and then go back to training after I finished work.

It’s why I’m so grateful that I’ve had Domestic and General come in and sponsor me as an athlete. Having sponsorship has meant I can focus fully on training again. If it wasn’t for them, I really don’t think I’d be in the position I am now.

But when I was struggling, I made sure to push forward and believe in myself. I’d always tell myself, “This is a tough time, but tough times never last,” and I was right.

Who do you see as the biggest inspiration for women in sprinting?

Allyson Felix, the American sprinter, has to be one of the greatest icons and inspirations in women’s sprinting simply because of her versatility. It’s not common for women to excel in all of the sprinting disciplines, but she competed in the 100m, 200m and 400m and collected Olympic golds across them all. 

I also have to acknowledge Flo-Jo (Florence Griffith Joyner), the women’s 100m and 200m world record holder. Her running style alone was iconic, but she also brought a sense of fashion to women’s track and field with her long nails, long, luscious hair and fancy outfits. When you think of an icon, you think of an original and one-of-a-kind, so from a running style and fashion perspective it’s 100% Flo-Jo, and from a sprinting perspective and for teaching me that there are no limits, I’d say Allyson Felix.   

And finally, what one piece of advice would you give to an amateur sprinter who is looking to improve?

Think about your arms. Your arms hold so much power and can really increase or decrease the pace at which you run, so work on your arm positioning. Ensuring that your arms are working at a quick rate can make a big difference to an amateur sprinter, as it’s something a lot of people forget about.

Images: Getty