We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Female Runners and TOM

TyFit08
TyFit08 Posts: 799 Member
edited January 30 in Fitness and Exercise
Do you find your running suffers during PMS or TOM? I try to keep at it, but there are times when my legs feel like lead and I feel nauseous. I started to notice that I have trouble completing my runs during this time, or at least going as far as I planned. It took me several tries to do week 3 of the Five to 10k and I really think that *kitten* TOM and his little b*$tch PMS might be getting in my way.

Replies

  • hannah_ryann
    hannah_ryann Posts: 259 Member
    I've noticed that my runs are MUCH shorter on my TOM. I get really fatigued during that time and it definitely affects my runs. I feel like I'm dragging through the whole run, no matter the length. Definitely not a good time for me to try for PRs haha.
  • kate21797
    kate21797 Posts: 77 Member
    I try to run during TOM because I usually feel better afterwards (gets the blood moving) but during I feel dizzy and fatigued.
  • 2ht2hand1e
    2ht2hand1e Posts: 116 Member
    I'm such a baby about TOM. I rarely workout. I just go on walks because I feel so tired and have such bad cramps...see what I mean lol?
  • athenasurrenders
    athenasurrenders Posts: 278 Member
    I do find it slows me down and makes it harder to run far, even though my periods are actually not painful or especially heavy since I had my baby. I guess there is more going on that it appears on the surface.

    I still go - I feel like just keeping the will to get out the door is a small victory.

    A lot of people say you benefit from having an 'easy' week once a month anyway for rest and recovery, so I just call TOM my easy week.

    I also found with couch to 5k, some weeks just seemed to be a harder hump to get over than others. I'd struggle through one week and sail through the next. So maybe your body just needs some catching up time.
  • JenniferPlus2
    JenniferPlus2 Posts: 119 Member
    mostly it's the pms that messes with my hormones....tom is a relief compared. and yes sometimes i just wanna sit down and cry about it, so i do. it's just a week, won't hurt to ease up for a week.
  • shanniepk
    shanniepk Posts: 98 Member
    I have run consistently for the past three years and the better shape I became and the more I consistently worked out, that nasty PMS and TOM actually got better. I used to have horrible cramping and other symptom, but I find running and good HIIT workouts actually relieve my symptoms now. I still take an aleve or two during that time, and sometimes it's just getting the energy to get them done, but once the workouts are complete, I feel much much better.
  • TyFit08
    TyFit08 Posts: 799 Member
    Sometimes I have severe cramps, so I don't try to run the first two days. But I do feel off the days before too. At first I was beating myself up about it, but I know it is the hormonal changes. It does put a monkey wrench in the training plan
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,626 Member
    Yeah I get really fatigued and feel like I'm gonna pass out. I just take energy supplements and go (sometimes) lol
This discussion has been closed.

Categories