Racing while menstruating
raaaace day is upon us and you’re due for your day 1.. or knowing you’ll be flowing while actively flowing.. ALL GOOD, BABE!
did i get my period during mi 14 of the marine corps marathon in 2025? why yes, yes i did. did i know i was due for her any moment? yes. did i forget to put in a cup before? yes. did i care? nope. however, did i prepare in all the other ways? yes, yes, i did.
our body is doing the absolute MOST when we have our period, even if we “feel the laziest,” which is a whole other topic.. however, i digress. so, let’s make sure we’re actively supporting her so we can access all the fitness we have.
let me norm on something super quick here. everybody and every body is different. your experience > “expertise” in all ways, always.
preparation // before the race
in general, most folks will need more electrolytes (aka salt) and iron before the race. make sure your nutrition plan accounts for this.
in general, a lot of folks require more rest, or experience sensory overload, or have emotions closer to the surface leading up to your period. couple that with race day adrenaline and excitement, and you can prepare for the flood of emotions that may happen before/during/after your race. so say “no” more often during taper to others. say “yes” to anything that fuels you, nourishes you, supports you. delegate OUT.
some tools i recommend (and practice before race day if possible!)
menstrual cup // most can stay in hygienically for about 12 hours. this gives you enough time to get to your staging area, run your race, get home, and with clean hands remove it.
period panties // the cup isn’t for everyone, totally. and, there’s always a great alternative out there!
baby wipes // for the portapotty if/when needed or for your hands!
food and fueling // seriously, you’ll probably need more salt + protein.. plan for this in your pre race, race day, post race strategy. you don’t need to earn food. you’re body is burning more calories just sitting so you need more calories aka ENERGY to be in your body.
some women have their strongest races, some not so much.. the complexity of being an infradian human is recognizing we have different days, different hormones, different thoughts/feelings and THAT is SO normal.. and somehow our society has made that whack. it’s not.
this is why i train so many of my runners alongside their cycle.. not to combat it, optimize it.. or whatever.. rather, it’s part of the training so that on race day.. you already know what day 7 feels like in your body, or day 18, or day 28 or day 1.. it’s not about having it hold you back, rather, a whole other variable to consider.
