Exercising through/with menstrual cramps

Question for the ladies out there, who here has suffered from serious cases of menstrual cramps while exercising? Be it running, using the elliptical, or whatever other cardio workout. I find that I experience these cramps about a week or a week and a half prior to my time of the month, which is really frustrating because it's really painful! I usually get them about 10-15 minutes into my workout, and most of the times, I push through. It gets tough sometimes because it hurts a lot, and the pain stays longer then it would if I just stopped and walked it off for a few minutes. The pain is right where my ovaries are, and it feels like normal period cramps. Sometimes there's this urge to use the bathroom, and that is troubling when you're on a long run and there are really no bathrooms to use.

I guess the "silver lining" with all this is that once the pain goes away, it doesn't come back for the rest of the workout. I've tried to do some research on it by reading numerous articles online, but there doesn't seem to be much on it. I have found that there are many other women out there who experience this, and it's all pretty much the same. It happens at a particular point in their cycle, and the pain starts about 10-15 minutes into the workout, and persists for however long. Also, with most of these cases, the pain doesn't return once the pain subsides.

I'm looking for solutions, and I want to put these cramps to rest. It's hard to do a high intensity workout when for a week or a week and a half, you know that about 10 minutes in you're going to be experience some terrible stomach pains. So, I'm writing this post to see if anyone out there has experienced this, and if they have any tips/advice as to how to treat it. As mentioned, I usually do try to fight through it, but sometimes the pain is too much to take. So if you have any ideas/suggestions/etc please do make a contribution.

Thanks!

Vancouver Sun Run

I ran the Vancouver Sun Run this morning and it felt great! It was a 10K run, so it wasn't super long. It was my first time and I know that I want to do it again next year. I'm not sure what my exact time was because I started my timer about half a kilometre early, but I do know that it was under 1 hour. I probably should have signed up for the estimated time group ahead of mine because I finished in that range. But, hey, it was a great first experience!

Also, I knew the Sun Run is a very popular 10K run (I think the largest in Canada), but I did not expect it to be so crowded! It was actually difficult to go the pace that I wanted because there were people everywhere. Regardless, I had a blast, and I definitely enjoyed grabbing water at the water station and then crumpling it to throw on the ground... just like in the movies! I only did that a couple times though, I felt kind of bad about littering.

Oh and the only not-so-great thing I could say (other than my allergies that are ailing me now) is that it took a super long time to start! I guess that is because I signed up for one of the longer estimated time groups, so they had to start all the other groups ahead of us first. The race started at 9am, but my group didn't start until almost 10am! Oh well, I still had a good time, plus the weather was fairly nice.

Anyway, I encourage all of you to get out there and sign up for a run in your community. It is super rewarding and it's inspiring to be surrounded by so many dedicated runners/walkers taking time out of their busy schedules to take part in something that promotes fitness and health. And if you don't enjoy running (then I'm not quite sure why you're reading this) but do find something that gives you that rush and that sense of satisfaction. Don't take life for granted because everything can change in a split second, so find something you're passionate about and go for it!

Until next time!

I'm Back!

I know I have been away from the blog for the past couple months, but I've just been really busy with other things and to be honest, updating this blog was the last thing on my mind. To address my ankle, it is feeling much better now and I am able to run on the treadmill with basically no discomfort. I have not tried running on the road yet, but I will definitely be giving it a try in the next couple days or so. I also ended up seeing a "specialist" a little while back, who works at the Running Room to help pick out some new shoes. He's a competitive marathon runner so he did give me a couple tips on the recovery process. He basically confirmed everything I've read about peroneal tendonitis and also suggested that I go visit a RMT and get a deep tissue massage so that it can get the knot out of the injury area. I have yet to do that, but I have been working on strengthening ankle so that it would prevent future injuries. I will probably go see a RMT after the Sun Run, which will be next weekend. I am pretty excited about that and it is a pretty short run (10K). I just hope I'll be able to finish it under my target time, which is within an hour.

Anyway, I will try to be more discipline in updating this blog more often and providing more detailed information about my runs and other running related things. The next thing on the agenda, after the Sun Run, will probably be paying a visit to a RMT and getting new shoes, so look forward to some new material!

Well, until next time! Run hard, run often!

Injury Update: Peroneal Tendonitis

It has been three days since the day I had to stop myself from completing my run because of my sore ankle. It seems that, upon doing a lot of research, I have peroneal tendonitis. I know many people would say, go see a doctor and find out for sure, but I'm one of those people who enjoy self-diagnosing myself. Apparently this is a very common injury among runners, but all I can really do is keep RICE-ing it. I've dealt with sprains before, and it's frustrating when you're restricted from doing what you want or from doing things you normally do without experiencing pain because of an injury. For those who do not know what it is, essentially it is caused by overuse, and has a greater chance of being inflamed/torn as a result of prior ankle injuries. Unfortunately for me, I have sprained this ankle (the right one) many times when I used to play basketball, thus, with the number of miles I was running and the lack of adequate rest, inevitably, I put myself in this position. I have no real background in health science, and I don't claim to be an expert, but I'm pretty certain that this is what is ailing me and I'm just hoping that, by doing the right things, I'll be able to walk again without pain. And hopefully, before long, I'll be running.

I've included a picture of the anatomy of the ankle to indicate where the peroneal tendons are:

As you can see, the peroneal tendons run on the outer side of the ankle. After 3 days, my ankle is still swollen and bruised, and it hurts a lot to stand, let alone walk. And I know that if it continues for another few days, I'll have to seek professional help, which I am hoping will not be necessary, but we'll have to wait and see. While I'm on my road to recovery, I'll be looking for ways to prevent this from happening in the future because it really is a pain to have to deal with and it's frustrating not being able to run.

Anyway, until next time :)

Day 2: The Unexpected Happens

I planned on going for a very long run today. I started at Cambie and Jacombs, and headed towards No.6 Road. I ran down 6Rd until I hit Blundell, turned right and kept going until I hit No.1 Rd, and turned right. I had planned on heading to River Road and then making my way back home. However, my ankle gave out. It started hurting a lot and I knew that with every step I took that was accompanied by pain, that something was not right. I eventually stopped, and ended up bussing home. The outer part of my right ankle (the one I've previously sprained and rolled several times in the past) is now swollen and bruised. I'm applying RICE and just hoping that it gets better so that I can get back out there and run again. I'm pretty bummed about it because I honestly wasn't to the point where I couldn't go on, my ankle notwithstanding. I wasn't super tired, so I really wanted to keep going. Unfortunately, sometimes these things happen, and you have to know when to stop otherwise it can end up causing permanent damage.

Although I was unable to complete what I set out to do, I still ran a fair bit
Distance: 13.91km (8.64 miles)
Time: 1:28:10
Calories: 831

I know I didn't perform the way I know I can. I probably could have picked up the pace a bit, etc, but I have to remember that my ankle was ailing me before I stopped, so that definitely hindered by performance. Regardless, I'm happy that I was able to still complete such a feat. Now hopefully I'll be back out there with my runners on soon.


"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run" - John Bingham

It Starts Today

I have always loved running. But lately, there's this newfound passion that is driving me to run. I love every minute of it, even when it gets tough. Running is not just about being physically fit, but mentally as well. It becomes a question of mental toughness when you reach the bumps in the road that makes you want to quit. But if you're strong enough, you'll keep going, you'll keep pushing yourself because you know you can. And there is absolutely no way to describe the rush you get from not stopping-- from finishing what you set out to do. I'm starting this blog because I want to dedicate this to my renewed passion in running.

Yesterday I went for the longest run I think I have ever done. I even surprised myself because I'm so used to running on the treadmill.

Day 1: February 15th 2012
Distance: 13.39km (8.32 miles)
Time: 1:23:11
Calories Burned: 862
[I just the app called iMapMyRun. It's remarkable]

I'll primarily be documenting my runs, so whoever is out there, if anyone, I hope I can give you the motivation to lace up those runners and see the world.