Whenever I interview athletes, I read the words they give me and then ask myself, “What is this athlete’s story really about?” After I answer this question, I understand what I want to say about them before I share their interview with you.

I decided I wanted to interview Allie Henry after I saw her training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs during the summer of 2015. I’ve know who she was for several years because she’s been a big name in US weightlifting for quite a while. University National Champion, Pan Am and World Team member, American Open Champion, Olympic Trials competitor, etc. She’s got the big track record, obviously.

However, when I look at where she’s been over the years, and where she is now, there are two things that really stand out to me. First, this is a gal who has lived the quintessential blue-collar weightlifting life. Moving around the country to train and compete, rearranging your life and putting things on hold while you chase the dream, going through good times and hard times…the whole spectrum. I like weightlifters who have paid their dues, and this is clearly a gal who has worked for all the accomplishments she has.

And she’s at a crossroads right now. Every weightlifter reaches this moment, at some point. That’s the second thing that comes to my mind when I read about Allie. I can’t tie up her weightlifting career with a little red bow on top because the last chapter of it hasn’t been written yet. If she walks away from the sport over the next year, she walks away knowing she was one of the best US athletes of her generation. No regrets necessary. If she stays in the game and keeps pounding away, are there even greater moments she could have? It all remains to be seen, and the Performance Menu is honored to give you a look at the Allie Henry story that leads up to now.

Tell us about your background. Where are you from, where do you currently live, what’s your occupation, family life, what kind of sports background do you have outside of lifting, etc.

I am originally from River Falls, Wisconsin and I am currently living in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I have lived a few places in between including Minnesota, Michigan, Oregon, and Massachusetts. I am currently just focusing on training and not working. Before moving to Colorado, I was working at a preschool in Massachusetts as a classroom assistant for two years. The children were so much fun and I had a great time working there!

As far as sports go, I tried a lot of youth sports but eventually focused on gymnastics in high school. I think having a gymnastics background has really helped my lifting.

Describe your weightlifting history. When/how did you start? Who have your coaches been? What are your proudest accomplishments?

I started dabbling in CrossFit back in 2007. I was graduating high school and was looking for any activity to do since I no longer had sports. After a WOD, Gregg Hadley, my first coach, asked if I wanted to try weightlifting. That day I went home and Googled weightlifting and was surprised to see you only had to complete two lifts. I decided to give it a go and started working with Gregg on Saturday mornings. I went off to college in Duluth, MN where I mostly just continued to do CrossFit and lifted one or two days a week.

In 2009, I got a call from Andy Tysz inviting me to train at the then US Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Michigan. I moved to Marquette that summer as a resident and training there for three years until I graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2012. The summer of 2009 is when I feel that I actually started lifting. While in Marquette, I made my first international teams, including Quebec Junior Championships and two World University teams, and qualified to lift in the 2012 Olympic trials.

After 2012, I trained all over the place. I trained at CrossFit Hillsboro and Bridgetown Barbell in Oregon, went back and trained in Marquette for a semester, then moved outside of Boston where I trained at North Shore CrossFit and Norwood Training Center. Throughout this whole time, Andy had been writing my programs and we had been having a lot of success improving my overall strength. I was able to make the 2013 Pan Am team and 2013 World Team. While living in Massachusetts, I was driving an hour each direction to train in addition to working at the preschool. It was not an ideal situation and I was having the biggest plateau of my career. The plateau lasted from the summer of 2013 to the spring of 2015 when I decided to make the move to Colorado Springs to train at the Olympic Training Center.

Please give a basic description of your training method. Just tell us as much as you can about your program, weekly/yearly planning, etc.

Now that I am in Colorado I am following Zygmunt’s training. We train nine times a week. Twice a day Monday, Wednesday, Friday and once a day Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. We typically snatch in the morning and clean and jerk in the afternoons. For most, squatting happens Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday with other exercises following. It is definitely heavier and less reps than I was doing before coming out here. I think the programming Andy did for me (very high rep, lighter weight) gave me a solid base so my body, for the most part, can handle the workouts Zygmunt writes.

Describe some of the obstacles you face, or maybe some things that frustrate you in your weightlifting life. What kinds of changes would you like to see, either personally or with the sport in general?

I would say my biggest obstacle right now is being on top of recovery, something many lifters have to deal with. I am facility use at the OTC, which means I don’t get access to sports med, recovery center, or meals. I have to be on top of meal prep so I can have healthy things to eat when I get home from training tired and beat up. I also have to do things like ice bath in my tub at home.

What are your plans and goals for your weightlifting career? How do you see your future in the sport?

Right now, I am just trying to take everything one meet at a time. I want to be able to look back on my weightlifting career and be happy with everything I have done and know I had fun while doing it. It has been a bit stressful since the new rule about needing two international meets to be eligible for the Olympics. Since I don’t have one yet, it is weird to think my lifting career might be ending sooner than I thought. I don’t picture myself lifting past 2016, but you never know!

Who are some of your major influences, people you look up to, etc.? Who are the people you want to thank for your success?

I look up to all of the women who have paved the way for me and other women in this sport. They are so inspirational. I love seeing many of them continue to be involved in the sport. I also look up to all the woman I compete with. Their dedication and work ethic is amazing and makes me push harder. There have been so many people who have been supportive and have helped me get to where I am today. My parents and sister have always been there for me throughout my weightlifting journey, no matter how many times I called crying. Obviously my coaches have had a great impact on my success. Andy Tysz has pushed me harder than any coach ever has and I am a better lifter for it. Zygmunt has helped me make huge strides in the last few months. Of course I wouldn’t be able to train as hard as I am without Jessie Bradly allowing me to train with her on her platform and pushing me in every workout. Last but not least, I 100 percent wouldn’t be the lifter I am today without the love and support from Steve Jarvis. His support has allowed me to pursue my dreams to the fullest.

You’re a wonderful representative of our sport, Allie. Whichever direction you decide to take in the future, best of luck to you and continued success.