Portrait by Conor McCormack Media
Women in Sport: Hyrox athlete and coach Dena Hogan
In this instalment of our Women in Sport series, we chat to Dena Hogan on everything from her earliest sporting memories to her greatest goals and proudest achievements.
Dena Hogan is the first Irish female athlete to make the Hyrox women’s Elite 15 and a four-time IRONMAN finisher that will be representing Ireland as captain for the first relay World Championship Hyrox race being held in Nice next month.
Making it to the final of Ireland’s Fittest Family in 2019, Dena is a mother of four, a coach, and entrepreneur who has been juggling all of these competing responsibilities for decades now.
Here, she shares her sporting journey so far…
Name: Dena Hogan.
Profession: Hyrox Athlete/Coach, entrepreneur and full-time mummy!
Earliest sporting memory?
Unlike some athletes, I actually didn’t get into sport until slightly later in life. My earliest and fondest sporting memory is joining a local running club just after having my second baby. I was very fortunate to meet like-minded people, and this is where my love for competitive sport first began.
How did you become involved in your sport?
I retired from being a semi-professional triathlete and decided I wanted to try something different for fun. That’s when I found Hyrox and I instantly fell in love with the sport and the Hyrox community.
What message would you like to share with young women and girls interested in pursuing a career as an athlete?
To be a successful athlete you need to find a sport that you love. Be disciplined, be brave, be humble. Most importantly, never give up on a dream and never be afraid to try something new.
Proudest moment so far…
Was in 2022 when I became (and still am) the first Irish female athlete to make the Hyrox women’s Elite 15. This was an extra special memory for me as it was the same year that my husband made the men’s Elite 15 too.
The female athlete I admire most is…
Sister Madonna Buder because at 82 years old she finished IRONMAN Canada, setting a new mark for the oldest female finisher in Ironman history. She is a perfect example of how strong and resilient women can be and demonstrates that age is only a number.
Favourite sporting memory…
Is taking part in Ireland’s Fittest Family in 2019 with my husband and our two eldest sons. I loved having the opportunity to train and compete as a family, and I was so proud to make it all the way to the finals together.
Do you think there is still a stigma around women in sport?
Even though there has been a lot of positive progress towards changing gender stereotyping in sport, I still think that stigmas exist, particularly in the more male-dominated sports. But the more opportunities that women are given to showcase their sporting achievements, the more it will help female sports roles to become normalised, valued and respected.
What is the biggest barrier to driving visibility in women’s sports?
I think the two main barriers are the lack of media coverage and exposure of female sports and the lack of funding and sponsorship support for female athletes. Both of these are fundamental in helping to create opportunities for women to be recognised and succeed as professional athletes.
The biggest stigma/misconception that exists in women’s sport is…
That female sport is simply not as important and is less exciting compared to men’s. I think if people took time to go and watch some high level woman sport they would quickly realise that just isn’t true. In many cases, it’s more entertaining and exciting than the male equivalent.
If I wasn’t an athlete I would be…
I’m sure my husband would say that I would be even more of a burden on him! But if I couldn’t be an athlete I would concentrate solely on my Team Hogan coaching and growing our community.
My favourite pre-competition meal is…
Something very plain and simple — oats with honey! Simply because it’s easily to digest and is a good carbohydrate source.
My pre-race playlist includes…
My Spotify pre-race playlist is hilarious, one minute I could be listening to ‘Runaround Sue’ by Dion and the next I could be listening to ‘Numb/Encore’ by Jay Z and Linkin Park!
My daily routine is…
A day in the life of the Hogans is never dull! I am a full time athlete, coach and mum to four children, so I often find that there’s not enough hours in the day! When I’m not travelling to and from competitions or coaching camps, my days are spent juggling training, coaching Team Hogan clients and family/mum life — such as doing the dreaded school runs!
My biggest sporting goal is…
To race a Hyrox women’s doubles with my daughter Tess when she turns 16.
Sports brands I love…
My favourite sports brands are Puma and Lululemon.
Biggest splurge to celebrate a win…
Don’t tell my husband, but I usually treat myself to a new piece of Lululemon clothing!
How do you mind your mental health?
Even though I live a very busy life I try to make sure I have a good work/life balance. I make sure I make the time to have quality time with my husband, each of my four children, and also to have some ‘me’ time.
My three desert island beauty products are:
- Clarins SPF face cream
- Laneige lip balm
- Not beauty related but a muscle rub!
I need at least 8 hours of sleep a night because…
Sleep is fundamental to optimise recovery for both my physical and mental health. My training program is very demanding on my body so I need good sleep quality to allow myself to recover and improve my overall performance.
Confidence, to me, is…
Believing within yourself and your ability, and not being afraid to fail and take risks.
How do you get over a bad performance?
I always try to take any bad performance as a valuable learning experience. I try not to dwell on a “bad performance” as with any race there are so many uncontrollable variables and the final outcome cannot be changed. So instead I use reflection to motivate new training and performance goals for better future races.
Lastly, why is sport such an integral part of community, on a club, local, national and personal level?
Sport can help communities bring people with the similar mindsets, goals and beliefs together to develop friendships and other social connections. It can also serve as a source of solace to help bring communities together during difficult or challenging times. Finally, on a personal level, sport offers the opportunity to teach people fundamental life skills such as leadership, communication and teamwork, which can all be transferred to real-life.
Portrait by Conor McCormack Media, all other imagery sourced from Dena’s Instagram (@denahogan1).
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