The Food Medic - S10 Ask Dr Hazel: Managing periods on long runs

Episode Date: November 17, 2023

This weeks listener question is:“I’m training for a half-marathon, and I was just wondering how you practically manage your period on a long run?If you would like to submit a question to the podcast, please send your voice recorded question to [e-mail]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Hello and welcome back to Ask Dr. Hazel, our mini- our mini episodes where i answer a question from our audience so let's hear from this week's listener hi hazel so i'm training for a half marathon and i was just wondering how you practically manage having your period on a long run. Basically, how can you better prepare for it ahead of the run? Thank you. It's something I've actually been practically trying to figure out myself while stopping training for a marathon. First of all, it's completely safe to exercise or run during your period. And while sometimes it might feel like this is the last thing you want to do, it can actually help with symptoms. What I would say though is if you can, perhaps adjust your running schedule so you're not doing

your longest or your hardest runs perhaps during days one to three, purely from a comfort perspective. That said, sometimes our long runs just fall on those days and we just need to make it work. So firstly, make sure you've got the right kit that's comfortable and supportive like a good pair of leggings and your most supportive sports bra. Think about what period products are the most comfortable and absorbent for you. I prefer period pants but a menstrual cup tampons are also great options too. Now depending on how far you're running in theory you should be okay without changing but if you're expecting to be running for a few hours perhaps map a route that gives you access to some changing facilities should you need it. We also want to be more mindful about hydration during this time and what we're fueling with

because gut issues are more common during this part of the menstrual cycle and running in and of itself can cause gut issues as well. So just be mindful to avoid too much fiber, fat and protein too close to runs and also gut irritants like caffeine and other stimulants or sweeteners, which we can usually find in pre-workout food and drinks and some pre-workout supplements. Finally, another tip, instead of working off your usual pace, perhaps think about RPE or rate of perceived exertion, which is a subjective tool that measures your physical exertion during an exercise session. One to ten is often used one being minimal effort and ten would be max so five would be moderate effort breathing heavy but able to hold conversation. One of the key benefits of using RPE is that you can listen to your body and train to the right effort

and still get the work in. So you might not want to push too hard to hit a specific target pace on a day that you're feeling fatigued or experiencing menstrual cramps, for example, but you can use RPE to dial into the right amount of effort. In contrast, when we're having a great day, we will push the same amount of effort but achieve a faster pace. I hope that makes sense. Apart from that, you're good to go but don't overthink it. Be prepared and remember you can do hard things. That's all from me. See you again next time.