How the menstrual cycle affects running
From periods to perimenopause — what to expect and how to adapt your training.
I didn’t have a great race at London Marathon this year. Yes, it was a warm one, but even allowing for that I didn’t feel like I performed as well as I could have and I spent a couple of days going through all things things that could have affected it.
And then my period arrived. I know that in the couple of days before my period is due, I run less well. It just feels harder. But once its’s here, it can be great!
The morning of Edinburgh Marathon in 2012, I put on my race kit, ate my porridge and was about to head out my hotel room when I made one last trip to the loo. There it was, my period. It had made a special guest appearance the morning of my sub-4 marathon attempt. I still got my first sub-4 time even though I was riding the crimson wave that day.
You’ll find a lot of things marked in my diary – but my period is rarely one of them. I refuse to keep track of it. Partly this is because I don’t want future plans written in my diary to be followed by ‘Oh, I’ll have my period that weekend’. But mainly I can’t be bothered with the admin and I like surprises. And now that I’m 43, it’s a lot less predictable anyway.
Being aware of your cycle
Whether you’re in your 20s, 40s or navigating the foggy waters of perimenopause, your hormones are working behind the scenes. And tuning into that can help you understand why some days training can feel harder than others. Obviously this isn’t something I’m not great at in advance.