There are days as athletes when we are off in our training. We feel fatigued, sluggish, and mentally we are just not there. Sometimes we are able to push through and other times we don’t. If there are times we catch a cold or get sick, we normally back off the intensity or at best, take a few days off for rest and recovery.
Everyone responds differently when they are off. What I normally tell an athlete is to see what they could do that day.
If you can push through and the workout gets a little better then continue. But if it does not then slow down, back off the intensity, or even just call it a day. See if that training day was just a one time thing.
If there are consecutive days during the week then I will look at the athlete’s data to see what what might be happening.
For example, I may ask them questions about how their sleep patterns , eating habits, life and stress, etc.
We do not live in static world and so I should not assume that every training day should be great.
Over the past several years I have had the opportunity to coach some awesome female athletes. Some were just getting into the sport of endurance running or triathlon.
Some were very experienced.
For those female athletes who were just starting out, one question I was asked during the first month of their training was,
Coach, “Can I still train when I have that time of the month or is it safe to training while I am on my period?”
Before I go and answer this question, I want to put out a disclaimer here, that I am not a doctor, but a fitness professional, endurance coach, and nutrition coach.
What I say here is based on my own research on this topic. I am just informing you of what I learned. At the end of the day if you are still not sure if you should be training or racing when that time of the month happens, please go see a doctor for more professional advice.
Back to the question.
My short answer is yes, yes you can still train and race during that time of month. For the most part it is safe and exercising can make you feel better, but it might not remove completely the discomfort of cramps, bloating, etc that comes with that time of month. Actually, it is a good thing that you are having your period while you are still training. As I have researched, it is better for female athletes to have their period than if they don’t. See Female Athletes & Their Menstrual Cycles.
Some do better and some do not
Some research has shown that some female athletes can perform better when they are on their period, while other do not. See The menstrual cycle and female athletic performance .
So this can be dependent on the individual.
There was also an article published by Women’s Health Magazine a few years ago interviewing eight female athletes and how they deal with that time of the month when they are competing. Here is an excerpt from that article (you can read the full article here .
“Running during my period isn’t exactly fun, but I just put a tampon in and stick to my training schedule. I’m very ‘type A’ when it comes to my running, and I’m not going to let this get in my way. It’s the three to five days before my period when things get really bad. I get PMS cramps, bloating, and mood issues—getting my period is a relief! Even when my PMS is bad, I still push myself to exercise anyhow, though. I know that when I feel bad, whether due to my period or any other reason, I always feel better after a workout. I’ve made the decision to never let my period or PMS interrupt my training or racing.”
—Pam Moore, competitive marathoner, two-time Ironman, and running coach
I hope this helps answer some questions concerning whether it is safe or not to still train during your time of the month.
Here are 5 tips that while I myself have not done for obvious reasons, but have helped some women continue to training during their time of the month.
5 Tips
- Keep track of your menstrual cycle. This way you will know when that time will come possibly a few days before so you can be prepared.
- Tracking your menstrual cycle, will aksi be helpful in planning out races. If your cycle changes you can make the necessary adjustments to your training or seek professional help if you find your period is less and less.
- Inform your coach if you have one so they can make the necessary adjustments to your training if necessary. Remember you can still do the hard and intense training, but you might not always feel the best.
- Training while on your period will make you stronger, mentally.
- If the discomfort is too much for that day’s training, back off a bit, adjust the training, or just take a break for that day. If you are racing on that day, just accept it and do the best you can.
Finally, here is an informative video by Gwen Jorgensen who is a professional athlete and 2016 Olympic Champion, where she talks about the “Period and Performance”.
