International Women's Day – Practical Advice for Female Athletes
For this year's International Women's Day, Coach Philip spoke to some athletes about some of the female-specific barriers they may feel or people new to endurance sports like triathlon may think. As a male coach, he was less interested in the science behind the differences; there is plenty of air-time about that both in our female athlete section on our website and generally in research (though more is needed). Instead, he was more interested in practical solutions to what some women may consider deal-breakers for getting into this sport. Below he captures parts of the discussions.
It is no lie that endurance sports are generally male-orientated: look at the start lists, participation numbers, and representation. There is sad evidence that much of the sports science is focused on men and then loosely applied to women retrospectively. We know that this is not good enough, and as a business, we are proud that we have above-average representation at our coaching level and our athlete level, but we know we can do more.
Some contributing factors may be beyond the reach of Tri Training Harder (e.g. girls dropping out of sport as they go through puberty). Nevertheless, as a coaching firm who are proud that within our Coaching Pathway, we have a whole module on female athlete physiology and nutrition, we feel that we can make a difference to the conversations at an athlete level. This may provide more athletes with role models or training buddies and shift the needle for the positive. Nevertheless, there are things that science can't tell us, and that is where practical experience is invaluable. Male coaches and athletes take note; female athletes who want to do more listen as we tap into the collective knowledge of some of our female athletes.
How to pee in bib shorts/Trisuit
It is bad enough if you know you are going to go on a bike ride, and the group may not be happy stopping to hold an average pace. Still, the chances are people can stop at key points while they wait for others (e.g. at the top of hills) or quickly at the side of the road, which will remove the toilet opportunity. This can put many women off riding in groups for two reasons: firstly, they won't be able to stop for a pee and secondly, where will they go when they want to go. As the coach, we would point out that peeing on the course is littering, so you should stop and use the toilets regardless of whether you are male or female!
Here are some tips from our coached athletes.
The ‘subtle stand’
“First off, if you can hold it till a planned cafe stop, do. It's just more pleasant. In races, like everyone else, I pee on my bike. But then, I prefer to do hot races, and after peeing, I can throw a bottle of cool water over my lower half, which (sort of) washes it off. When you're racing, time matters.
But when you're out training, peeing in your bib shorts is just gross. And it's unnecessary. But for guys, the logistics of stopping at a hedge are much more straightforward. The last thing you want to do is have to take off multiple layers and stand there half-naked to empty your bladder.
Luckily, you do not have to:
Select a suitable spot. You do still want some privacy, but since you're not actually getting your bum out, you don't need quite such a high level.
Stand with your feet approx shoulder-width apart.
I am right-handed, so I roll up the right leg of my shorts. When I say "roll", don't actually roll it, or you'll cut off all circulation to your limb, but kind of pull it up, almost like a concertina, right up to your groin.
Hold the bunched up leg in front of your body with your right hand and behind your body with your left hand (or any variation of this. Essentially, hold the leg in two hands, one in front, one behind you).
Pull the shorts and the chamois across to the left side of your groin. Squat slightly, but not too deep.
Pee. Keep your hands out of the way and use them to pull your shorts to the side. For extra credit, try to avoid your shoes.
Yes, it takes a little bit of practice, and if your bib shorts are very new and very tight, it can be tricky to get enough exposure. Still, I have found after a while, it becomes much easier and certainly much quicker (and less chilly) than stripping off various layers to take down the straps of your bib shorts.”
Choose your shorts
“I rarely ride with bib shorts as I find them too annoying - I wear shorts/tights and baselayers and just need to make sure that everything is tucked in again if you do stop for a pee, especially if it's cold.
Alternatively, you can find some brands that offer bib shorts with a clip or a flap, so you get the benefits of a bib short when riding, but the clip or zip means you can go for a pee without needing to take off all your layers!”
Plan early; don't wait
“I have spent many a ride scouting an excellent place to stop, and my key advice is:
stop early: riding while needing to pee is needlessly annoying and distracting
It never takes as long as you think it's going to
You don't need as much cover as you think you do, but if there is a gate or fence to prop your bike against, that helps.
Always check for stinging nettles!!!
Don't stop drinking because you don't want to stop to go for a pee; being hydrated on the bike is much worse than a quick stop on the side of the road (and maybe more likely to slow your riding group down than if you stop quickly and hydrate properly)
Peeing while still on the bike in a race takes practice - I still can't do it - but I know plenty of women that do happily to avoid stopping altogether.”
How to plan for long training sessions when on your period
Though there are people who are still told that they should rest at certain times of the month, this is thankfully becoming increasingly rare. The scientific advice suggests that physiological performance markers are unaffected by performance, but psychological ones vary significantly. Here are some thoughts from some of our endurance athletes:
“For me, it depends. I regularly get terrible, acute pain that needs painkillers, a hot water bottle and a tens machine. On those days, I tend to give myself a break. I train if I feel like it, but know it may not be my best session, sometimes it helps alleviate pain, and sometimes the urge to stay in my PJs and not move more than I need to is perfectly fine too! “
“I have never had too bad period pains, but I find that exercise often alleviates them on the occasions that I do. Because I know I am slightly distracted by these pains, I tend to reset my expectations for a session and speak to my coach about what sessions I can do: we are both happy to keep things flexible.”
If you are on your period when you are going out on longer sessions with others, it is sometimes just easier to tell one of the group and keep it open. However, if you are uncomfortable telling a stranger, or you are new to the sport, head out with a friend for the first couple of times and find out what works for you to make sure you are happy. They won't mind any emergency stops! Also:
“Be more prepared than you think you need to be, whether that is extra tampons or pain killers.
Plan your route with extra toilet stops and cafe breaks. If you choose a route along a train line, you can always get home quickly if you are too uncomfortable to continue – you have an easy way home!
Test your own limits with pain and discomfort. It is never a problem to say "not today", so be kind to yourself. If you have to head out or because you are racing, the above points may give you some strategies to take with you onto the racecourse, and you may learn to prevent discomfort before they are a problem.”
“If you are caught short on tampons, then realise that you are sitting on a big pad on a bike! It may feel weirder than it actually is, but that is ok – only you know!”
“Finally, remember you are a superwoman regardless of whether or not you choose to train on your period!”
"I love training, and I love that it makes me stronger and more resilient both physically and mentally. It is freedom from screens/other life stuff/my own head. It is liberating and invigorating, and a central part of my day and identity. #thisgirlcan"
What are you looking for by tracking your menstrual cycle?
With more and more people normalising tracking your menstrual cycling, our coached athletes put forwards some ideas about why they track their periods and why it is essential beyond knowing that they are regular. There is no "way" to approach it from the science that can generally be applied to all female athletes. Each athlete and their cycle is different, so learning how that changes is a big part of understanding their own training cycle.
“I still haven't quite got to grips with exactly when in my cycle 'improves' training and when it hinders it - tracking and keeping a diary undoubtedly helps, for example, the Wild AI app. But if you see guidance that 'Paula Radcliffe beat the world record while experiencing menstrual cramp' and it makes you want to hurl your phone across the room...well, that's ok too. Training can help cramps, but lying on the floor feeling sorry for yourself is ok too.
Nutrition is essential around changes to hormones - there will be times when the craving for carbs and sugary foods is a reality because of hormones - be aware of this, and consider how it might influence training. And sometimes you'll feel out of shape and 'heavy' and like all that training you're doing isn't going anywhere - and again, that's hormones/water retention or natural fluctuations in your cycle. To properly track and organise nutrition to fuel for your training, it is helpful to know your cycle and work with it rather than fighting against it (and if it makes sense for you, can consider contraception that manages it).”
“I wouldn't say that talking about just my menstrual cycle with a coach is ideal coaching practice, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with them if I couldn't openly talk about it. It is a part of me, impacts my training opportunities and needs to be accounted for when setting up training. Equally, I need to be aware of my symptoms so that I can dislocate when I am feeling off due to my hormone cycle or when I am off because of something else. It is ultimately more information!”
How substance over style for sport's bra is critical
“There is an alarming rate of people who wear ill-fitting sports bras. Not only is this uncomfortable (and may mean female athletes don't do certain sports like running), but it can do damage to the breast tissue. Unfortunately, social media shows what we 'should' look like wearing sports bras and running tops. The truth is, we need to wear what works best for us. Getting the right sports bra for you and your sport can make a world of difference to how you feel, your confidence and, therefore, your performance! That said, though is probably the same for many items of clothing and kit!”
How to feel safe when training
The topic of 'safety when training' stirred up a very polarised conversation between our athletes: some didn't like the fact that today we even had to discuss athlete safety and how women should need to change their behaviour, it should be the men in the world who change. From my own experiences as a runner, I know that over the past two decades of training and racing, the times "I" will get hooted or shouted at by passers-by (men) would only be if I was running with a female athlete. This problem hasn't gone away; if anything, it has become more public and therefore, we hear more about it. The aim of this article was to offer practical advice to those women who may be on the edge of getting involved in endurance sports. Therefore, on balance, our group felt that they should include some points, if nothing more; sharing the fact that all the women do go through the feeling of not being safe was, unfortunately, part of being a female athlete. Hopefully, knowing this means that there is a benefit to others knowing that they are not the only ones to feel like that and perhaps make men more aware of the barriers that their female training buddies have to climb over just to get their training done. Unfortunately, the advice out there only puts the onus onto the women, which defeats the point of changing the environment.
Share GPS location on phone/smartwatches with a partner/family/friends/housemates
Run in pairs or groups if possible before dawn/after dark/in low-traffic areas
Don't run with headphones on before dawn/after dark/in low-traffic areas
Wear ID in case you have an accident and then the emergency services know who you are.
Hold a key between fingers to use as a weapon if needed
As one female athlete put it, she had to choose between training in a busy road where she felt safer from attack but less safe from traffic or a quiet road where she would feel unsafe but much happier away from traffic. As a coach who sets an "easy 30-minute cycle commute", it is eye-opening to see the thought process that goes into what on the surface seems such a simple part of a training routine.
“I regularly think about the decisions I am making:
Have I timed it wrong, and will it be dark too soon
Have I run this route too many times and risked it becoming a 'routine'?
Who knows I'm out?
Should I cross the road here?
Is this route a bad decision?
And many more
Running with people and telling others where you're going can be helpful to make you feel less distracted so that you can get on with running. It's a shit reality of our current existence. Most people you pass are friendly and will smile and say hello back. And actually, dogs are a more immediately annoyance in most of my running - especially puppies that aren't used to runners. Some dog owners are very good at keeping them under control, and some aren't. However much you like dogs, it's always worth being a little cautious when you pass them. “
"Thanks for TTH supporting female athletes; we appreciate your efforts very much."
Philip is the founder of Tri Training Harder LLP. He’s a British Triathlon Level 3 coach, and has been coaching for over a decade and is involved with mentoring and developing other coaches.
Philip has have coached athletes to European and World AG wins, elite racing, many Kona qualifications, IRONMAN podiums and AG wins.
Alongside the conventional development through many CPD courses, he has also been fortunate enough to work alongside experts in the fields of Physiotherapy, Strength and Conditioning, Nutrition, Psychology, Biomechanics, Sports Medicine. Putting this knowledge into practice he has worked with thousands of athletes to various degrees, from training camps in Portugal and around Europe, clinics in the UK and online coaching.
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