Women - Running on your period

I was reading this blog post which put me in mind of my own experiences in that biological department.  I did not have the same struggles as the writer, my own body subscribing more to this method of handling things but it definitely impacted my running.

At a certain point, my cramps got so bad a friend of mine insisted I make an appointment to see my lady doctor and do something about it.  The lady doctor was actually unperturbed until she found out I missed at least a day of work every month because my body was attacking me.  "Make this so I can at least keep running" was what I said.  Since I've run every day for the last six months it must've worked.

Pain - I usually have pain in my lower back in addition to regular cramps.  Pain is typically worse in the morning and gone by bed time.  Running daily makes the cramps less painful.  It also seems to make the ibuprofen work better.  Does that make sense? When I'm not running, heating pad is my weapon of choice, as well as a nap.

Sports bra - What else hurts the week before my period and the first few days of?  (I'm assuming there's like no guys reading at this point.)  I use Moving Comfort bras, although I recommend buying them for Amazon becuase the prices will be better.  For a more complete review of sports bras, and a good laugh, see here.

Hygiene Products - No runner in their right mind wants to carry a spare tampon on a long run.  Am I right?  I was facing this issue myself during my first marathon and trying to figure out what to do.  How the eff am I going to carry this shit and where, strategically, can I stop to reload?  Many long internet searches later, I came to the Diva Cup.  Best thing ever as a runner and generally as a human being.  It stays in for 12 hours at a time, which is twice as long as I need for a marathon.  As a runner, it really has to be positioned right so it doesn't shift during a high impact activity (read: jam it up in there).  As a woman: changed my life.

Generally - It was helpful to talk with my lady doctor since apparently having my period wasn't supposed to cause me so much pain I had to miss work.   Long term, it's been helpful for me to keep active.  Running helps me control the pain better.  I take less pain medication and the medication works better when I use it.  So I say strap the girls in, jam the cup up, and hit the streets.