Cramps | FashionRunHer.com

Archive for Cramps

Oct

Girl Talk Along the Path

Posted by: MartiSmarti | Comments (0)

So can we talk? Just us girls here for a moment? What about running at “that time of the month.” There’s a series of commercials on tv for the last year that always end with the phrase “Have a happy period!” I’m guessing the 50% of the population that experiences menstrual periods knows that advertising slogan was written by a man. Nobody has a “happy period.”

But there’s no need to miss a run or a race just because you’re having your period. If you’re suffering from cramps, running often eases the pain,]. That’s thanks to the release of those amazing pain-relieving chemicals every runner loves called endorphins. Speedwork and hill sessions can be especially effective. To guard against leakage, try using a tampon and perhaps an extra liner for protection. Sometimes it’s best to get a little extra time warming up but beyond that, you’re good to go.

When is Mother Nature’s “Monthly gift” at its peak?

And ‘that time of the month’ (or the days leading up to it) is not the time when women run their worst. The hardest time for women to run fast is a during ovulation, which in most women means about a week before menstruation begins. That’s when levels of the key hormone progesterone peak, inducing a much-higher-than-normal breathing rate during exercise. All that extra ventilation tends to make our running feel more difficult.

Overdoing?

If you run so much that your periods become light or non-existent, you may be endangering your bones. Amenorrhoea (lack of a monthly period) means that little or none of the hormone oestrogen, essential for the replacement of bone minerals, is circulating in your body. Amenhorroeic women can stop, but not reverse, the damage by taking oestrogen and getting plenty of calcium. But it’s really best not to do this. You are endangering your future health and happiness, which is never the point of running. If your periods are infrequent or absent, consult a gynecologist, preferably one sensitive to the needs of athletes.

Share This Article:

Categories : Benefits, Cramps, Race Day, Training

Comments (0)

Sep

“Hot Enough for Ya??”

Posted by: MartiSmarti | Comments (0)

Is there anything a runner likes less than hot-hot-hot? Ha! Probably cold, ice and snow.

We’ve probably only got another month of sure-fired-up runs in the heat. Perhaps some areas are already feeling the cool fall days coming on and enjoying running in the Indian Summer.

But just in case your weather is (like mine) setting heat records, let’s talk about how hot is too hot.

Sure, for some folks (think “Usain Bolt”) the heat is no problem. For the rest of us, the key is hydration. We need extra water and possibly some added electrolytes to run in the heat.

If you don’t get enough water, you may start to cramp up in the heat. Heat cramps are painful, involuntary muscle spasms that usually occur during intense exercise in a hot climate. Symptoms include muscle cramps and/or spasms, heavy sweating, normal body temperature. Heat cramps may happen in any muscle group involved in exercise, but the most commonly affected muscles are calves, arms, abs, and back.

The most common cause is excessive sweating and loss of electrolytes. So grab some extra water, possibly some electrolytes before you go. And watch out for cramping as you run. Extra caution could prevent heat stroke, even in the last remaining days and weeks of Indian Summer.

Share This Article:

Categories : Calf Cramps, Cramps

Comments (0)

Sep

#5 Running Through the Pain? Don’t do it!

Posted by: MartiSmarti | Comments (0)

This is one of our periodic series, The Rules of Running; tried and true rules of running that have been tested over and over by runners. Today’s offering:

The 2-Day Rule

If something hurts for two straight days while running, take two days off.

Two straight days of pain may signal the beginning of an injury. “Even taking five days of complete rest from running will have little impact on your fitness level,” says Troy Smurawa, M.D., team physician for USA Triathlon.

The Exception: If something hurts for two weeks, even if you’ve taken your rest days, see a doctor. And follow your doctor’s advice. If he says “take time off,” then take time off. Doing as you are advised now can save recovery time down the road. If you continue to exercise on an injured limb, muscle or tendon, you could do serious, long-term damage requiring more extensive recovery later.

Share This Article:

Categories : Cramps, Rules of Running

Comments (0)