Women's Running. Female specific considerations

Concerns for women regarding training and racing.

* The specific struggles women encounter when trying to race hard and train during their menstrual cycle and the science behind why you feel like you do. 

• Well time management has to be a skill, and therefore routine and consistency are essential.

• But also looking after yourself health wise,  your nutrition, hydration, any extra supplements needed vitamins D, C , B's etc sufficient sleep, warding off infections with a good immune system (marathon training puts a strain on this).

• Any specific dietary issues women runners need to pay attention to.

• Some women can beat most men at running and can train at the same level of equivalent standard.

• Training levels during pregnancy ?

• How to manage menopause and what to expect when it comes to training and racing performance.

• Conditioning and strength training, hip strength exercises (structure differs to men). 

• N.B. Hopefully, knowledge and understanding these will help to educate women runners about issues they may face and can help you train smarter and compete more consistently. 

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• 1.* Feeling sore and miserable when you’re on your period? 

• According to most experts that’s exactly the right time to put on your trainers. 

• While running, your body creates endorphin's which help to ease the pain. Also running can help against PMS. It takes your mind away from your physical symptoms, gives you energy and the endorphin's that are released don’t just ease your pain, they also improve your mood.

  • The variation in hormone levels can affect your performance. Oestrogen and progesterone interact and sometimes work counter-productively, which can influence your exercise performances, so just bare that in mind,  although research shows that most athletes aren’t influenced negatively by their cycle. 

  • A minority approx 25% or more, even claim they perform better when they’re menstruating. Endurance athletes seem to be on their best just after their menstruation, while sprinters (and athletes doing other interval-type exercise) peak just before or during their menstruation.

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    • A Few Tips to help you train through a cycle and it's effects.

    • 1. Wear the right sports bra. Your breasts can be more sensitive during your menstruation, so give them some extra support and comfort.

  • 2. Use tampons, menstrual cups or sponge tampons. Sanitary towels and panty liners can cause chafing for some women and even lead to vaginal infections.

  • 3. Feeling under the weather? Scale down a reps, hill session or fast / tempo run, and do a lighter session, relaxed fartlek or easy / steadier or progressive Obla run. Go by feel.

  • 4. Listen to your body. During the first days of your period you can have a shortage of iron, as you are losing blood. Make sure iron rich food or even supplements are maintained. Also Isotonic drinks should be taken sufficiently to avoid calf cramping etc. If you're feeling dizzy and weak, then take a break recovery or rest.

  • 5. After your run treat yourself to a nice mug of milky tea and some dark chocolate for extra endorphin's. It is important for every one to replace some fluid, minerals, protein and carbohydrates within 25 minutes of finishing training. ASAP to speed up recovery. just like a cool down run helps flush out waste products to aid recovery.

• OK this isn't comprehensive, but more highlighting some issues that you should give more thought to and act on.

Dave

I will update soon

By David Rodgers 2015