Running and the Menstrual Cycle

Just as the effects of menstruation itself differ greatly from woman to woman, the effects of menstruation on running performance vary greatly as well. some women notice no difference in performance; others notice a great deal of difference. If your period is going to affect your running, it’s most likely to occur during the premenstrual and early flow phases of the cycle. The good news is that many women runners find that their running helps to ease cramps, bloating, headaches, fatigue, and all of those other friendly monthly visitors. To best deal with the effects of menstruation, track how your cycle affects your running in a training log, and then plan accordingly. For example, if you notice that running often seems harder during your premenstrual phase, accept that and don’t try runs that are longer or harder than usual during this time.
On the not-so-good side, running can lead to increased bleeding. Some of the painkillers, such as ibuprofen, that help with other side effects can also reduce bleeding. The increased bleeding usually isn’t so great that it’s visible. But if you’re worried about this, do what Olympic gold medalist in the marathon, Joan Benoit Samuelson, does and run with a tampon in a plastic bag pinned inside of your shorts or tights. Women runners sometimes don’t have periods. This condition is called amenorrhea, and although it might sound like a dream come true, it’s not good. It usually means that little or no estrogen is circulating in your body, which can lead to your bones becoming weaker, as well as short-term infertility.
The causes are complex, but most experts think that amenorrhea is caused more often by not eating enough than by exercising too much. Running alone can’t be named as the cause, given that some women train more than 100 miles a week and still have regular periods. If your periods stop or become irregular (more often than every 25 days or less frequent than every 35 days), see a doctor. Just don’t let him or her convince you that running is solely to blame.

Are Women Runners Different from Men?

Yes and no. Yes, if you’re asking from the standpoint of “Can they run as fast?” But, more importantly, no, if you mean, “Does running affect women differently?” If the two are equally well-trained, the average woman is going to be slower than the average man, from the 100-meter dash on up to the marathon. Women have certain disadvantages when they compete against men:

• Women have smaller hearts than men, so the heart pumps less blood with each beat. To run a given pace, a woman’s heart rate has to be higher than a man’s. ➤ Women have lower hemoglobin levels than men, so less oxygen is sent to working muscles.
• Women have higher essential body fat stores than men.
• Women’s lower levels of testosterone mean that women have less muscle mass than men.

Working together, these unavoidable physical factors make women, on average, 10 to 12 percent slower than men at all commonly run distances.
So, on the whole, women are always going to be slower than men. I suppose it’s easy for me to say this, but I wouldn’t make that big a deal out of it. Although women are not as fast as men, running has the same effect on both genders. Women have traditionally been discouraged from running as much or as hard as men, but there’s no basis for this practice. Studies have consistently shown that women who train at the same level as men see the same amount of increase in their fitness.
Title IX, which banned gender discrimination in federally funded high school and college sports, was signed into law in 1972. Since then, women’s participation in all sports, including running, has skyrocketed.
Remember that strange phrase, VO2 max? It’s your body’s ability to use oxygen while working and is the most important measure of your cardiovascular fitness. Six months to a year after starting to run, previously sedentary people can expect their VO2 max values to increase by 20 to 30 percent. That’s equally true for women and men. What you probably care about a whole lot more than maximum speed is your running—how to get fitter, how to find the time for it, how to stick with it, and so on. The answers to those questions are the same for all runners. That’s not to say that women runners aren’t going to want answers to questions that we men never to have to think about. The following sections examine some of the most common areas of concern.

Other Cross Training Options for Runners

The three best remaining aerobic alternatives for runners are cross-country skiing, stair machines, and hiking. Cross-country skiing has been touted as the best all-around exercise because you simultaneously use just about all of your major muscle groups in a non-pounding activity. You and I don’t live in Finland, however, so to plan it as a regular part of your program is going to mean hopping on a NordicTrack or similar indoor machine a few times a week. That’s a tough routine to sustain for any appreciable amount of time.
Stair machines have similar plusses and minuses. They can provide a great workout, assuming you take deep enough steps and don’t lean against the rails. They’re also low impact. But they, too, can require Herculean efforts of will to stay on for at least half an hour a few times a week. That’s why most people on them read, listen to music, or watch TV while waiting for the clock to run out.
Hiking offers the great benefit of being outside in beautiful surroundings without the pounding of running. And a mile covered on foot burns roughly the same number of calories whether you run it or walk it. But it’s tough enough to find the time to run for short periods a few times a week. For hiking to make sense as part of your regular program, you’re going to need at least a block of a couple hours a few times each week.