I blame the hormones

[Bluerockdragon]

Warning - this post might contain too much information! You've been warned.

My legs felt really tired before I even started the warm up this morning which wasn't an auspicious start to what should have been an easier day than the last of the week 5 runs on Friday. Today I even got a stitch during the first 5 minute run, and I certainly wasn't going faster than normal, and it was down hill. I blame my hormones.

Every 4 weeks I feel knackered, get lower back ache, stomach cramps, loose bowels and generally feel bad tempered. The running's great for the mood but I know this week's going to be hard work. I read on an old post that some ladies do week 6 run 1 on the approach to, and during their period. Does anybody else have any suggestions to beat the hormones?

[runningnearbeirut Graduate]

W6R1 catches a lot of people out regardless of hormones! If you finished the run, then very well done

Can't say I have much advice for beating the hormones, except that actually things don't seem quite as bad at the moment. Apart from the wiped out feeling the day before, that is - and to be honest I can't usually drag myself out on those days and I've stopped feeling guilty about it.

Be very careful regarding the loose bowels ... if you haven't experienced it yet, most of us do find that running would be a wonderful cure for constipation if you weren't at the furthest point from home when the urge came! Stick to repeats of short circuits near home if you think this might be a problem!

Generally though, once past the wiped out phase, I find running does help, but I set my expectations lower.

I also think that ibuprofen is wonderful stuff - cheap own brand tablets taken regularly for the first couple of days work wonders for me.

[Bluerockdragon Graduate in reply to runningnearbeirut]

Well, now you come to mention it, I did get "a cure for constipation" at the start of w4. I've never heard heard that that's a side effect of running before. I blamed the husband for trying to poison me!

[boptillyoudrop49 Graduate]

It is great being a woman, isn't it?! I find running helps with cramps and PMT to some extent but I don't run on the first day of my period because the flow is so heavy and I just generally feel awful. It is ok to miss a run or 2, no point in dragging yourself about if you feel really bad.

[Bluerockdragon Graduate]

Yup, certainly is great. All that hassle and pain for years, then you get osteoporosis! I'll see how I feel later in the week and maybe have a longer weekend break. No point in going out just to fail.