The Running Thread -- 2022

[RuntheMouse]

QOTD for people who menstruate:

I am on my period this weekend and generally have a rough time of it. I have taken birth control since I was 16 to manage these symptoms, and it helps a lot (although I have my own concerns about this type of management... that's for another time), but I still get cramps and feel blah.

Anyway, one nice thing about my birth control is it makes me period very predictable... so today I looked ahead and came to the very sad realization that I am going to be on my period during MW. I have a long run on Sunday this weekend, so I wanted to ask if anyone does anything different when doing LRs on their period that I might try practicing this Sunday?

Some things I already do:

• I am iron deficient according to bloodwork and take an iron supplement daily, even when I'm not on my period. If I miss this supplement I definitely notice. I wonder if I should increase my iron on these weekends?
• I wear a menstrual cup which is a LIFE CHANGER and means I won't really need to worry about anything in that regard on race day.

Posting to say I sympathize! I was a few days late after having COVID and will now also have my period during MW.

I will say first and foremost be kind to yourself on your LR. Really focus on your hydration and fueling. Regarding the iron, one trick I use is to trade out lettuce for spinach in any salads I am having. This always seems to give me an extra boost.

 

[garneska]

@lookingforsunshine have you considered messing with your schedule a bit to be on the active pills when it is marathon weekend? I am definitely not going to tell you to do what i do but i will give the information to think about.

First I am a lot older than you, but when i was younger my periods caused bad cramping. My biggest problem was the cramps. I did not perform as well because of it. I took advil. I took a LOT of advil. I did not care if i should take advil before a run or not. I was on the pill as well. Back then it was not the seasonal one (which i do now, so period is only 4 times a year), even with only a month i would move my pills around not by weeks but days to try and get it so that the hard day would not be the day of the marathon.

TL;DR: Lots of advil and jockeying my birth control bill around to move the period to be a different day than the marathon.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

have you considered messing with your schedule a bit to be on the active pills when it is marathon weekend?

I’ve done this before and ended up spotting anyway. Plus I’m doing the Wish the week after the marathon and would probably rather race with my period than cruise with it.

 

[avondale]

@lookingforsunshine have you considered messing with your schedule a bit to be on the active pills when it is marathon weekend? I am definitely not going to tell you to do what i do but i will give the information to think about.

First I am a lot older than you, but when i was younger my periods caused bad cramping. My biggest problem was the cramps. I did not perform as well because of it. I took advil. I took a LOT of advil. I did not care if i should take advil before a run or not. I was on the pill as well. Back then it was not the seasonal one (which i do now, so period is only 4 times a year), even with only a month i would move my pills around not by weeks but days to try and get it so that the hard day would not be the day of the marathon.

TL;DR: Lots of advil and jockeying my birth control bill around to move the period to be a different day than the marathon.

I was going to suggest this as well...especially to @RuntheMouse who said she was going to have her period during MW. That's a huge bummer!

For MW what I would actually suggest is that you shift your schedule by a week NOW (next opportunity) so that if you do have any spotting or other unanticipated effects they happen way before MW. Shift by a week, as in have your period one week early or one week late then go back to your normal 4 week cycle after that.

 

[flav]

ATTQOTD for people who menstruate:
I do perform a bit better just before my period and my worst day is usually towards the end of it. If that happened to coincide with a marathon, I would take acetaminophen with my pre-race snack. I learnt by trial and error, taking mental notes on how I felt. A journal might have helped me. Being kind with oneself is always important. So try what you think will work for you, it is a good idea to use this opportunity as a training run and a learning experience.

BTW, I started using a cup because I was training for my first marathon and I wouldn’t want to go back to anything else.

ETA: If you try to move your period like other have suggested and have spotting on your cruise, why not keep wearing the cup?

 

[WillRunForPizza]

ATTQOTD: Have you ever thought about an IUD? I got one a few years ago and my period has gradually decreased to nonexistent or minimal at worst. It might or might not be too late for it to have an effect for MW 2023, but it could be worth considering if your periods really interfere with your training/life in general. (That doesn't apply to the copper one, though, which I've heard actually makes your period worse.)

Also I totally agree with everyone who's said a cup is a game-changer - huge life improvement.

 

[Herding_Cats]

ATTQOTD: Have you ever thought about an IUD? I got one a few years ago and my period has gradually decreased to nonexistent or minimal at worst. It might or might not be too late for it to have an effect for MW 2023, but it could be worth considering if your periods really interfere with your training/life in general. (That doesn't apply to the copper one, though, which I've heard actually makes your period worse.)

Also I totally agree with everyone who's said a cup is a game-changer - huge life improvement.

I’ve had a mirena and a copper iud and what you’ve heard is correct. But for those of that can’t handle hormonal BC, it’s one of the best options.

 

[CanuckOnaBoat]

I am on Disney Wish Dec 12 - 16 - which is in the middle of my marathon training. Long run will either be 16K or 21K.

I see Castaway Cay has a 5k trail - is it feasible to do that trail multiple times? Or a reason that I can't?

Has anyone run in Nassau or Port Canaveral? Really would rather be outside than on a treadmill!

 

[jpeterson]

I am on Disney Wish Dec 12 - 16 - which is in the middle of my marathon training. Long run will either be 16K or 21K.

I see Castaway Cay has a 5k trail - is it feasible to do that trail multiple times? Or a reason that I can't?

Has anyone run in Nassau or Port Canaveral? Really would rather be outside than on a treadmill!

You can run the Castaway Cay trail as much as you want. It's just an open path and is used for bicycles too.

Nassau isn't really amenable to running. The docks are right in a crowded tourist area. Maybe there is somewhere further out but the immediate area isn't really suitable for running.

And unfortunately the Wish promenade is really awful for running. There are stairs and you can't even go around the entire ship. Can only do a U shape. It was pretty terrible for running.

 

[MissLiss279]

I am on Disney Wish Dec 12 - 16 - which is in the middle of my marathon training. Long run will either be 16K or 21K.

I see Castaway Cay has a 5k trail - is it feasible to do that trail multiple times? Or a reason that I can't?

Has anyone run in Nassau or Port Canaveral? Really would rather be outside than on a treadmill!

I ran at Cocoa Beach on the beach. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the beach for a long run, because of the slope in some areas. However, I think there are plenty of sidewalks that would work well for a run, and I think you can run across the Causeway. I had rented a car after my cruise, and drove down there. I don’t know if that’s an option for you.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Cold weather running skirts? I see that insulated skirts are a thing, but I’m not sure if they are meant for running. My lower legs were fine in just leggings today but my butt definitely wasn’t.

 

[avondale]

Cold weather running skirts? I see that insulated skirts are a thing, but I’m not sure if they are meant for running. My lower legs were fine in just leggings today but my butt definitely wasn’t.

Long top that covers your butt will work for that.

 

[flav]

Cold weather running skirts? I see that insulated skirts are a thing, but I’m not sure if they are meant for running. My lower legs were fine in just leggings today but my butt definitely wasn’t.

I do use one when it is really cold. I does block the wind.

 

[xjillianpaige]

QOTD for people who menstruate:

I am on my period this weekend and generally have a rough time of it. I have taken birth control since I was 16 to manage these symptoms, and it helps a lot (although I have my own concerns about this type of management... that's for another time), but I still get cramps and feel blah.

Anyway, one nice thing about my birth control is it makes me period very predictable... so today I looked ahead and came to the very sad realization that I am going to be on my period during MW. I have a long run on Sunday this weekend, so I wanted to ask if anyone does anything different when doing LRs on their period that I might try practicing this Sunday?

Some things I already do:

• I am iron deficient according to bloodwork and take an iron supplement daily, even when I'm not on my period. If I miss this supplement I definitely notice. I wonder if I should increase my iron on these weekends?
• I wear a menstrual cup which is a LIFE CHANGER and means I won't really need to worry about anything in that regard on race day.

I use my BC to skip a period when it's inconvenient for me to have one. So instead of taking the placebo week, I dive right into my next pack of pills. I haven't checked on if I'm supposed to have my period during MW weekend, but if I am, I'll skip.

ETA: I see that some others have also suggested this in various ways, whether you play with your cycle now or later. I've also seen some articles/research that where you are in your cycle impacts physical activity. I'll have to see if I can find it.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

Cold weather running skirts?

I know REI has options. They’re designed for hiking usually so I imagine they’d work okay for running unless you were going super fast and had long strides. I like the idea and might try it out myself.

I see that some others have also suggested this in various ways, whether you play with your cycle now or later.

Yeah, I think I have decided I don’t want to do that mainly because I live in a state where my reproductive rights are not stable. Right now I just feel better knowing that my period will come every four weeks like clockwork. My long run was fine today but after was not great because I didn’t eat or hydrate. Dumb of me!

 

[The Expert]

Cold weather running skirts? I see that insulated skirts are a thing, but I’m not sure if they are meant for running. My lower legs were fine in just leggings today but my butt definitely wasn’t.

I will wear leggings under my Bolder skirt (with attached shorts) so there are multiple layers covering butt and thighs in the cold. I also have a couple of Smartwool insulated skirts that are just winter wardrobe, but they might work for running. They aren't very tight at the waist, so I can see them riding up without some kind of running belt over the top.

 

[azrivest]

Cold weather running skirts? I see that insulated skirts are a thing, but I’m not sure if they are meant for running. My lower legs were fine in just leggings today but my butt definitely wasn’t.

I like the running skirts: the part of my body that gets hit the hardest from below freezing temps are my thighs. The skirt avoids having to put on too many lower layers. I don't tolerate having 2-3 pairs of running tights on.

 

[PrincessV]

Cold weather running skirts? I see that insulated skirts are a thing, but I’m not sure if they are meant for running. My lower legs were fine in just leggings today but my butt definitely wasn’t.

I have a Toasty Cheeks (or something like that?) thermal skirt from Skirt Sports… TBH, I don‘t find that it helps. I’ve done better with cold-wether tights. I am not a fan of Nike and avoid buying its products, but will concede that a pair of its thermal tights I bought on clearance last year are the best cold weather tights I’ve tried. I also have a pair of Athleta’s Rainier tights that are really good.

 

[lookingforsunshine]

I also have a pair of Athleta’s Rainier tights that are really good.

I have these too. They fall down a little when I run sadly.

 

[RuntheMouse]

Cold weather running skirts? I see that insulated skirts are a thing, but I’m not sure if they are meant for running. My lower legs were fine in just leggings today but my butt definitely wasn’t.

No info on skirts but I have a pair of fleece lined running tights I got at Dick’s last year that aren’t bulky at all. I love wearing them, so cozy. I lived in the tundra last year so definitely field tested!