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Running on your period is the worst. As a woman who is insatiable, has zapped energy, a foggy mind, and cramps that refuse to quit during the four days of my period, I can attest. For me there is no avoiding it, so I work with it. Sometimes I take Chamomile, sometimes I don’t. Heat is also a fantastic remedy. Lisa’s recommendation is perfect! I also avoid foods that are inflammatory, and yes, even coffee. The rest is gritting and bearing it. Accepting it’s the worst, and carrying on. Exercise is usually good for cramping, and can keep the worst of them at bay. Just keep swimming, you got this!
Running on your period is the worst. As a woman who is insatiable, has zapped energy, a foggy mind, and cramps that refuse to quit during the four days of my period, I can attest. For me there is no avoiding it, so I work with it. Sometimes I take Chamomile, sometimes I don’t. Heat is also a fantastic remedy. Lisa’s recommendation is perfect! I also avoid foods that are inflammatory, and yes, even coffee. The rest is gritting and bearing it. Accepting it’s the worst, and carrying on. Exercise is usually good for cramping, and can keep the worst of them at bay. Just keep swimming, you got this!
I understand exercise will help minimize bloating and cramping associated with a menstrual cycle. I suggest taking Advil or Motrin to subside the cramps. Be sure to stay hydrated and run at a slower pace. IMHO there is no need to push runs when you are menstruating. My hormones get out of wack during this time of the month and energy declines so I just take the time to run easy and take more rest days. Be kind to your body.
Agreed. It really is the worst. I have one day each cycle where it’s sometimes even hard to get out the door due to fatigue, headaches and discomfort. I usually always make this day an easy, just get out and get moving for a bit run, and don’t put any pressure on myself to nail a workout. If I had planned for a long run, I don’t focus on pace. Additionally, I focus on the fact that I’ll always feel worse at some point during a 100-miler, so I’m lucky to have this extra mental training. When I complete a surprisingly difficult run during one of these days, it’s actually a pretty big boost for me to know that if I could do it while feeling that terrible, I’ll be just fine on race day! And when it happens on race day, which it often does, I take solace in the fact that I’m definitely not the only one out there dealing with it.
Running/training while dealing with period business is challenging. It’s that time of the month when so much is happening in our bodies and we just have to sit back and bear it. With this in mind, I try to be especially patient and easy on myself. If it’s a really rough go, I will take a few days off running and focus on some cross training like yoga, swimming, or biking. I try to keep in mind what my body is doing and honor it for its work instead of being frustrated with myself. This perspective helps me not feel guilty about missing a run or slowing my pace/effort on a run. And, hopefully in a few days when Aunt Flo is gone, I’ll feel rested and ready to go!
No, but I do recommend you use a menstrual cup! Absolutely no good reason not to.
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