What happens if my period comes when I am racing?
Every woman knows that their period has an inconvenient habit of showing up when it is least wanted. Training can be adapted to suit the menstrual cycle but race day can’t be changed. In this blog Coach Denise looks at how athletes can manage to race around their periods.
In recent months more female professional athletes have been speaking about their experiences of racing while on their period. All female athletes, and their coaches, should have a good understanding of their monthly cycle, the degree of impact it has on them physically, mentally and emotionally, and how it impacts their training. For some women the cycle is barely noticeable, and they sail through every month easily. For others it is debilitating, exhausting and hard work every month. Working within the usual rhythm and pattern of their own cycles can help athletes still get the most out of their training.
Race day however, is a different question. Races are usually entered several months in advance and not many women can be so regular in their cycle as to predict where they will be in the cycle that far in advance. How can an athlete still race strong when her period shows up on race day morning, or just before?
As in all things around a race; control the controllables and manage the rest. In this situation, knowledge is power, so tracking and monitoring your cycle is a great starting point. Projecting this forward, even a couple of months before your race, will help you know early on if you are likely to be on your period on race day.
If you are using contraception this can make your cycle more regular, and easier to determine your likely period days. Some contraception will also reduce flow, or stop it all together. Using contraception purely to stop a period on race day is something that professional athletes sometimes do, but is a fairly extreme measure for the recreational athlete. There may also be other reasons why contraception is not an option.
At this point it is also worth mentioning relative energy deficiency syndrome (REDS), which occurs if an athlete is not consuming sufficient calories for the activity undertaken. In female athletes one classic symptom is periods either stop, or never start. This is a potentially serious condition and should be discussed with a medical professional, as well as your coach.
The type of period product used can also really help with managing the approach here. The other regularly heard mantra is; nothing new on race day. With this in mind, using the same period products as you want to use on race day, for several months in advance, will help you know what deals with your flow levels best. Tampons and menstrual cups are products of choice for a lot of athletes, as they can stay in place for several hours. Period pants can also be a good option. On longer distance events, many athletes change into a clean, dry running kit anyway.
Changing cycle shorts for period pants and running shorts can be done very quickly in a separate female only changing area.
Knowing about your level of flow is also going to help with race day strategy. Some women have very heavy flow at the start of their period, others it is more consistent, light or heavy all the time.
Also consider the event, for a sprint event the approach will be very different to that needed for a full distance, or Ironman, event.
An athlete on a light flow day doing a sprint event has very little to worry about and wearing a tampon could be all that is needed. Someone with a heavy flow undertaking a full distance event does need to consider the options. Determining the best period product, then having these to hand in both transitions will help to manage anything that might happen.
On a practical level, wearing dark shorts or a trisuit with a dark lower half, will also hide any leaks that do occur. In fact, the pad on cycle shorts can also help to absorb any leakages too.
Although most women worry about how to handle the blood flow from periods, there are also other aspects to consider. How are your energy levels when on your period? Should you be considering iron supplements? Are you taking in additional water, or fluids, to stay well hydrated? Is your calorie intake sufficient for this phase of your cycle? The taper phase into the race itself may also vary depending on where you are in your cycle and how that affects your energy levels and physical wellbeing.
If you are really struggling with a heavy flow, very low energy levels and painful symptoms then there is no shame in deciding to not race. Postponement may not be an option, but it is worth asking, and there will always be another race day. We do this for fun, so it should be fun.
In all of these aspects a coach can really help to talk through different strategies, work with you to plan the best option for you, and be a sounding board for any concerns. Most coaches have seen this issue before and can offer advice from the experience of other athletes too.
In summary, having a period does not need to stop you racing, or even stop you putting in your best effort. Always listen to your body, adjust where you need to and take care of yourself first. Whatever approach you opt for, make sure it is one you have tested out in advance.
Denise has been coaching triathletes since 2019 as a coach at her local triathlon club in West Lothian. Between 2019 and 2022, Denise was the Head coach in the club, working with a team of coaches to support and develop triathletes with a wide range of capabilities, completing her BTF Triathlon Level 2 coaching qualification in 2021.
Denise joined Tri Training Harder as a coach in 2021, building on the qualifications through the experience and knowledge passed on by the coaching team.
In 2019 Denise set up and continues to run her own Jog Scotland running group, a mixed ability group of runners who meet weekly. This delivers on her passion for helping people to do much more than they think they can.
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