As we discussed in our last post: WOMEN HAVE PERIODS.
Yes, yes, we get it. But what do they have to do with training?
Everything.
Ok, maybe I am just being dramatic. But, in all honesty, your menstrual cycle (not just your period) can impact your performance. And, trust me, it can be truly empowering to know how to work with it.
Before I go any further, I would like to acknowledge my sources. Many of the information for this post (and probably a lot of my future period talk) will come from Dr. Stacy T. Sims and Dr. Jason R. Karp. I highly recommend reading their material, following their social media accounts, and supporting their work. This field of research is fairly new, and we think they are providing much needed answers for females!
That “Time of the Month”
(Let’s cut the crap, shall we? And call this by it’s real name: your period.)
During your period, both estrogen and progesterone are low. This, apparently, is when your physiology is most like a man. (Yeah, you heard me. Men are basically women who are constantly on their periods…just kidding.) During this time, you might feel stronger and working out is easier. You’ll recover faster from hard workouts. There is one caveat, though: lower estrogen means you lose some protection for your bones (this is one of the main benefits of estrogen). So all this means you may want to focus on higher intensity workouts and strength training and take your mileage down a notch.
Another thing to note: you’re losing iron. Make sure to replenish iron stores through green leafy veggies, red meats, poultry, beans, and lentils. Talk to your doctor to find out if an iron supplement is right for you.
And finally: if you’re like me, you might have painful periods. Most women do. That’s ok. Listen to your body; if it’s telling you not to workout those first few days, don’t feel guilty skipping a day or two of training. One strategy that may work for you is this: a week before your period, take a baby aspirin and an omega-3-fatty acid supplement before bed. This can help reduce cramping and inflammation.
Another pro tip: wearing tampons or pads while running or working out, especially for long periods of time, can be annoying and uncomfortable. I have had great success with brands, such as Thinx. I competed in a 50K and 50 miler wearing these while on my period and it was a life saver.
The Week After your Period
After your period, estrogen starts to rise but progesterone is still low. This is when you can take up your mileage again. Like during your period, you will recover quite well and can benefit from a whole variety of different workouts. But still make sure you are getting sufficient recovery between workouts.
Ovulation and Beyond
Ovulation typically occurs around day 14. You may experience symptoms (like dang, that egg must have been the size of a baby elephant!). Initially, your estrogen level drops. So, again, this is a good time to take your mileage down a notch. But after several days, both estrogen and progesterone increase. This leads into your high hormone phase.
Alas, my least favorite part of the month. During this phase, estrogen and progesterone work together to make your life more difficult. Here are some things to be aware of:
Muscle Recovery
High levels of estrogen and progesterone can make it harder to make and easier to break down muscle tissue. So eating protein before and after exercise is super important during this phase, especially if you are doing hard workouts. I’ve also benefited a lot from eating an egg or a protein shake before bed; this helps your body repair muscle tissue during sleep.
Bloating
Yeah, ever feel like you gained 5 pounds before your period? I sure have. But bloating is more than what you see on the surface. Again, estrogen and progesterone just loovveee to play tricks; this time, it’s with your blood volume. Basically, they tell your body to retain more water (bloating) and constrict your blood vessels. Ultimately, this means that our blood is thicker (less water and sodium) and our blood pressure is higher (because of less blood and smaller blood vessels). So our strong, amazing hearts have to pump harder to get blood to all your running muscles. Yeah, that’s not going to help your running performance at all.
One way to combat this is to drink electrolytes (my favorite is nuun!) before and during a hard training session, especially in the heat. Which takes me to…
Oh, the Heat!
Progesterone can increase your body temperature. And with smaller blood vessels, you don’t sweat as much or as quickly as usual. So heat feels more…well, hot. So make sure to drink your electrolytes the night before and during your harder efforts.
Are you racing a long distance event in the heat during this phase? Yeah, it happens. But don’t sweat it.
Maggie, you just told me it’s harder to sweat…..
Yeah, yeah. But, chances are, you will be training in similar conditions. So just practice taking in more fluids on training runs during your high hormone phase and find out what best works for you. You may want to bring extra fluids (in a handheld or something) with you if you are relying on aid stations.
So what do I do with this information?
Great question!
If you’re like me, you probably wonder why your training just seems off on certain days or weeks. I used to beat myself up about not being consistent; why couldn’t I always run the same pace at the same effort? Was something wrong with me?
The answer is: no.
Well, ok, that’s questionable.
But understanding my cycle has helped me embrace the ebbs and flows in my training. I’ve learned to not demand perfection or consistency every day. Rather, I’m more in tune with my body and how to adjust my training, hydration, and nutrition to better fit my wonderful and natural cycle.
Sure, it sounds like a lot to handle. But there are apps, like FitrWoman, that can help you understand your cycle and keep you on track. Sooner or later, you will learn to love your hormones as much as I do.
