It's the week before or during your period, and you're experiencing low motivation and
energy, cramps, and mood fluctuations, but Runna doesn't have you on a de-load week.
Here’s what you can do and some insights into our thought process behind training and
the menstrual cycle!

For simplicity, the menstrual cycle is made up of the follicular phase and luteal phase.
Although the textbook defines the menstrual cycle as 28 days, a normal cycle can be
anywhere from 25 to 40 days. There are two primary hormones that peak and trough
across all four phases of the cycle: oestrogen and progesterone. Think of oestrogen as
the regulator of growth and development, while progesterone regulates the maintenance
and protection of that growth.

This includes your period. During your period, oestrogen and progesterone are both at
their lowest levels. During your period, disrupted sleep, bleeding, anxiety around leaking, joint pain, and cramps can affect your desire to exercise. Honour how your body feels and choose movements that feel good to you in the moment. This might be an ideal time for easy runs or mobility exercises. By day 3 of your period, energy can often pick up again as oestrogen begins to gradually increase. Oestrogen supports muscle function, and recovery, and allows the body to distribute carbohydrates as fuel more efficiently. If this is you, then high-intensity exercise can be optimized in the first two weeks of the menstrual cycle, such as speed sessions with the efficient use of carbohydrates. Oestrogen and testosterone peak around days 12 to 14, which mark ovulation, where physical performance, libido, mental resilience, and cognitive efficiency tend to be at their best. However, this peak can also affect the integrity of your joints, so you might want to consider lower-impact alternatives like biking for your speed sessions! Ultimately, during this power phase, energy levels tend to be higher and appetite signals tend to feel more “normal.” Therefore, we can focus on high-quality proteins and fats in our diets. Interestingly, some preliminary research suggests that female bodily responses to chemicals and hormones are most similar to males in the follicular phase, differing through and after ovulation.

The luteal phase, also known as the nurture phase, is characterized by a sharp increase in progesterone, while oestrogen gradually decreases. Your resting internal body
temperature and heart rate increase, requiring more energy expenditure, which can
explain the increased appetite and craving for carbohydrates. This can lead to faster
fatigue perception as carbohydrate stores are diverted to protecting your uterine lining
instead of fuelling exercise. While this might leave you feeling less "fit," it's just your body's natural process. Therefore, in this phase, it might be a good time to focus on longer runs, as long runs depend on your fat stores more for energy, as well as any supplementary strength training you might be doing. As your period approaches, gastric emptying is slowed with the rise in progesterone, which explains bloating. As your period approaches, while you might feel your energy levels dip, training is more challenging, and you are hungrier, tune into these signals and include complex carbohydrates to support your training and physiological process at this time.

A couple of days before your period and into your period, if you experience low
motivation, low energy, and cramps, tap into what you’re feeling and make these
adjustments:

- Skip Sessions: If you have a race date in mind, feel free to take a couple of
sessions off or drop the intensity. For example, if you have a long run with a race
pace or distance that feels like too much, feel free to ignore the pace and aim to
bank the volume, or move it to a different day altogether. When you start to feel
more energetic, continue with your plan and don’t worry about the missed
sessions. Missing a few sessions here and there won't impact your progress. If you
can, try to incorporate lighter activities like walks, Pilates, or gentle stretching to
stay active without pushing too hard when you’re on your period. Reach out to our
customer experience team if you’d like guidance on which sessions to skip and
how to pick back up again.
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- RPE Adjustment: Change your intensity guide from pace targets to Rate of
Perceived Exertion (RPE), focusing on how your body feels rather than pace.
Update this by heading to ‘Manage My Plan’, click on ‘Units of Measurement’, and
change 'running pace' to 'RPE.'
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- Carbohydrate Intake: Ensuring that your carbohydrate intake is sufficient,
especially if you are doing a speed session while on your period can be supportive
to both your performance, as well as your ability to recover optimally. Therefore, it is
highly recommended that you avoid fasted training, and rather consume a small
and easily digestible snack or a meal with complex carbohydrates before your runs
and strength sessions. Check out our Day-to-day nutrition guide for runners below too!

Adequate fuelling is essential throughout training for both male and female runners in
general. However, there are some changes in nutritional requirements due to the
menstrual cycle which female runners may want to consider. Particularly during that
nurture phase, females rely more on carbohydrates from food (i.e. complex carbohydrates such as whole grain pasta/bread or sweet potato, as well as dark leafy greens and vegetables) to fuel exercise rather than the carbohydrates stored in the body.

Ultimately, the key is how you feel and adjust your plan to work with the sensations you experience. In general, it is recommended that all runners consume a balance of complex carbohydrates, high-quality protein sources, and healthy fat with each snack and meal, whilst remembering to replenish the depleted energy stores post-run with carbohydrates and protein. There is no one-size-fits-all all so it is helpful to find your rhythm and know when you will feel tired or demotivated at certain times of the month. This may help inform your nutritional choices. Should you need further support navigating your plan around your specific cycle, symptoms, and run types during your period week, reach out to our Customer Experience team!