For Female Runners, This Imposed Break In The Season Can Be Used To Re-Calibrate Our Training And Begin A Dialogue About How To Fuel Our Bodies And Minds 

By Fiona Max for DyeStat

Grief comes in stages. After periodically hyperventilating into a brown paper bag and screaming into my Pillow Pet following the cancellation of track practice, I decided something. 

I texted some of my running friends from across the country. 

I wanted to see where the group – several who had aspirations to break the tape at New Balance Indoor Nationals – were in their stages of shock and denial. As expected, the cancellations had hit them like a bad burrito on a tempo run.  

“I was angry for starters,” Great Oak CA senior Tori Gaitan said. “My opportunity to have this dream ‘comeback season’ was disappearing race by race in front of me.” 

Gaitan missed most of her junior season with an injury.

“What if I never get to put on my high school track singlet ever again?” Fayetteville-Manlius NY senior Claire Walters asked herself. 

There is solidarity in the fact that every athlete’s season plans have been swept away by the Coronavirus and the drastic steps being taken by the government and schools to flatten the curve.

This pandemic doesn’t care much for borders. It’s everywhere. 

The outcome? Everyone must shift their goals this season. In a way, that is exciting; we have an unprecedented opportunity to stop thinking about PRs and focus on the process. 

“I think we have always been told to learn to love the process and not the result, and what a better time to explore what this truly means?” junior Brynn Brown of Denton Guyer TX said.

For those of us who are seniors, it could shape how we move on to college.

“This is all going to end at some point, whether that's the end of spring track or heading to college in the fall. I want to be able to say to myself that I got better in some way so I can be ready for what comes next, no matter what that is,” Walters said. 

The COVID-19 pandemic comes at an interesting time in history for women’s running.

For the first time, research on sports performance is being done by women, for women. 

Menstrual cycles are finally being viewed as a tool – rather than a hindrance – to training.

The phrase “Women are not small men,” which Stacy T. Sims, a competitive cyclist with a PhD in Exercise and Nutrition Science from Stanford, coined in her book Roar, is beginning to take hold. 

The U.S. women’s soccer team changed its training methods to be more specific for women a year ago. England’s national women’s hockey team built training around coordinated menstrual cycles before the 2012 Olympics.

Nutritionists can no longer mass prescribe a post-workout recovery snack; we are just starting to learn the extent to which men and women differ in their recovery needs.

This level of awareness has yet to sink in deeply with most female high school runners, a demographic all too familiar with overtraining injuries and chronic fatigue. 

Brown had to come to terms with this last cross country season. 

“I trained like the guys on my team, high mileage, little emphasis on rest days and recuperation,” she said. “My body completely broke down. I lost my menstrual cycle, was constantly banged up or fatigued, and eventually I got a stress fracture.”

While recovering from injury, Brown had to adjust her nutrition and take a second look at how she approached training. Gradually, she healed and went on to win the Nike Cross South regional.  

Losing menstrual cycles and battling stress fractures can not be a normal part of the hero’s archetype in women’s running. It is time for women to tap into and capitalize on the physiology of our bodies. 

What if we took advantage of this strange blip in history and opened a conversation about the injury risks of not warming up enough during the first 14 days of the menstrual cycle, or how to offset the debilitating effects of PMS simply by improving nutrition. 

Researchers are finding that during a women’s low-hormone phase (the first day of menstrual bleeding) we can make greater strength gains, feel less pain and recover faster than the other phases of a cycle. Imagine the improvements – both in time and health – that would be made in high school running if girls learned to align their training with the rise and fall of their hormones. How many promising careers would have been saved?

Besides making no-churn ice cream or watching “Sleepless in Seattle” during my self-isolation time, learning more about female physiology is number one on my quarantine bucket list.

It should be a top priority for every female athlete in the next couple of weeks. 

I plan to research, blog about and talk about female-specific training with the girls I interviewed, and also my teammates at Summit, in the coming weeks. I want to finish reading the book Roar. I want to perfect a smoothie that slaps, both for recovery and taste. I want to note how my training corresponds with my period. Then I want to call my coach and talk about it. 

“Just the fact that we are changing the way women view their own bodies is exciting,” said Kari Strang, my coach, who has a Master’s degree in Public Health, Behavior and Education. 

“With (research on cycles) we are learning to support ourselves with something that is already so much a part of our fabric as women. It’s kind of a groundswell of interest just in the way new research spreads, especially in Bend (Ore.).

“A friend tells a friend.” 

Strang was running with a friend the other day and began chatting with her about Roar and training in coordination with menstrual cycles. That friend happened to be Amy Clark, editor of UltraRunning magazine. Clark was inspired by the conversation to write the article “Training and racing according to the female menstrual cycle.”

The pool of knowledge will grow. 

If we take this time to take a step back, women’s running will take a step forward. If we take this moment to slow down, next track season will be even faster.  

More to come on all of this – stay tuned!

Q&A, Part I

I sent out questions to my friends across the country, asking them about their time self-quarantining, missing meets and school, and also about their experiences growing and improving as they learn about their bodies and periods. Big thank you to all who took the time to participate.

How does the anxiety of this moment affect your desire to train?

Brynn Brown (Denton, Texas)

During these troublesome times, I have found that sticking to my usual training regime (while practicing social distancing of course), has helped me cope with my anxiety. I think we have always been told to learn to love the process and not the result, and what a better time to explore what this truly means? Working every day to be the best version of myself has always been how I’ve stayed true to pushing myself in practice, taking care of the little things, because they do add up. Although I’m incredibly disappointed I won’t be able to show off the endless amount of miles, gym sessions, grit, and even tears at times that I put into this season, I find peace in doing what I love to do most – run. 

Taylor James (Boulder, Colo.)

For any athlete, the moment that you find out that your season is being taken away is heartbreaking. I found myself overcome with a series of emotions ranging from shock, to sadness, to pure dread, and eventually even determination. I was on my way to a track meet when I found out that my state had suspended track until at least mid-April. My teammates and I shared silent tears as the bus went on, as the meet we were on our way to could very well have been that last one of our track season. However, beyond the sense of devastation I found that I had never felt so motivated to run. The thought of running being taken away (or at least the organization of it) made me desire to get on the track and run my heart out even more. It all of the sudden became so much easier to “give it my all,” so to speak, for my teammates. All the nerves and the doubts flooded away because the outcome no longer mattered. Each of us wanted to just run for the sake of running, because when faced with adversity, running is the thing that we turn to. 

However, that intense emotional high didn’t last for more than a day or two, because soon enough we found ourselves back to training, yet it felt way different than before. No Coaches allowed, no organized practice, eventually no group bigger than a couple of people, and no meet to celebrate our hard work in the near future. It became much harder to stay motivated as I missed my teammates, my coaches, and in a general sense, support. But we all as runners must keep chugging along. Even though it’s easier now due to the circumstances, we cannot let ourselves fall into a hole of self pity and laziness. Now is as good of a time as ever to work on our mental games and overall mindsets.

Tori Starcher (Ripley, W.V.)

Suffering an injury that ended my whole cross season left a lot to be desired for my upcoming track season. Hearing that I might not have the chance to compete and relive all the highs of my junior season has left me frustrated and disappointed, but it has also given me much downtime to think of how much I have received through the sport of running. Knowing that you are training for a season you might not compete in does leave you wondering of the purpose of your training, but this is when the love of running, the opportunities given to you from the sport, and the success and feelings of accomplishment you receive from it drives you even more. Instead of focusing on the uncontrollables, I have found it helpful to just concentrate on bettering myself one day at a time and not stressing about what the unknown future holds.

Tori Gaitan (Temecula, Calif.)

As our current situation has quickly escalated into a worldwide problem, I would say the effects are tremendous. There is a lack of security and safety throughout the world, leaving training one of those things you would like to move to the backburner. Yet instead of looking at training as another thing to check off my list, I look at it as an escape. There is a sense of serenity that eventually leads to a moment of forgetfulness when I run. I  find it in few other places. The best way I could describe it is as a very fine line. Small adversity makes running that much more difficult, but great adversity makes running that much more peaceful. 

Have you had any moments of panic or sorrow over the lost season?

Claire Walters (Manlius, N.Y.)

Hearing the news that school and track might be canceled was a huge shock because I wasn’t really grasping just how serious this virus was getting. When my teammates and I found out everything was postponed until at least April 14th, we were all upset and rightly so. I’ve been thinking to myself: “What if we never go back to school?  What if senior ball or even graduation is canceled? What if I never get to put on my high school track singlet ever again?”

I got so upset because especially as a senior, this is the season you’ve been waiting for. It’s your last chance to leave your mark before college. One more shot at school records or state titles. One last season with all of your friends and teammates. I know for a lot of my junior friends recruiting is an issue because this is the time when colleges really start to look at you. While all this has been scary and unknown, I believe that everything happens for a reason, and God has a plan. I have faith that this will eventually pass, and all of us will be better for it. It’s ok to feel sad, but leave it there. Accept that this is where we are now. All we can do is keep working, stay positive, and control what we can control.

Taylor James

The moment my teammates and I found out was probably the worst. We were very confused and heartbroken to say the least. Our blank stares masked the thoughts running through our heads. Visions of the track season and the hopes and dreams associated with it slowly faded before us. We no longer had a grasp or control over the success that we thought would come with the season that we had worked so hard toward. The best way to describe it is as though we had seen a ghost. No one had ever thought that this could have happened…

The worst part is that for many of us, running is our life. It makes up a huge part of our lifestyles and our identities. That sense of organization in our lives being taken away creates a feeling of emptiness. That emptiness leads to reflection. It leaves us to question who/what we are without running. Is running the only thing that makes you happy? Of course not, but now you have to dig a little deeper to search for the other meaningful things in your life. Does running make up your entire life? I sure thought it did. But in circumstances like these, and with the sudden extra time, the experience can be eye opening. It becomes so much easier to evaluate and to learn more about yourself and to discover the truly important things in your life. Athletics doesn’t have to be the sole “definfer” of your character. It sure can be a big part, as it is for me, but it is times like this that helps to put things into perspective.  Your world doesn’t entirely revolve around sports, and this realization (although possibly difficult to accept), can positively affect your outlook on running in the future. 

What are some specific things you are doing to stay positive and mentally strong and uplift those around you? 

Sydney Thorvaldson (Rawlins, Wyo.)

During a time like this, I think it’s of utmost importance to find the good in everything and not lose our faith. Unfortunately, the bad news seems to hide the good that counteracts it, making this hard to do. Personally, I believe everything happens for a reason, even if we don’t see it right away.  

Claire Walters

One of the hardest things for me is having to be away from my teammates. I would normally see them everyday, and spend a majority of my time with them. I’ve just been trying to keep in touch and ask how things are going. I’ve also tried to bring up other things besides corona because we all need a break from hearing it. One thing I keep thinking in the back of my head is something my law teacher said. He posted a video just talking to my class about our new schedule for online school. He said “while this is sad you are all a part of rare history now, and when you’re older you can tell people about your experiences from this”. It got me thinking that this is a very unique experience we all have that’s actually pretty cool. We might as well use it to make a positive change on the world while we can! I’ve already seen so many people coming together in my own community, and it’s such a beautiful thing. I think being there for each other at this time is so critical, so reach out to people and just ask how they’re doing. It can make such a difference.  

Taylor James

Although I miss my teammates, the one positive thing I have thought about is the idea of how much better I can become from this situation. On the physical side, I’ll just keep training as usual. However, so much can be done to improve more on the mental and emotional side as it pertains to running. 

Tori Starcher

Keeping a positive mindset in such a confusing and frustrating time is very difficult for athletes, but one thing I have found helpful is to look at longer term goals rather than short term. My mentality is uplifted knowing that I’ll be able to help and compete on a collegiate team in the upcoming seasons and that my training still has purpose, even if it is not in the exact time period that is desired.  

How has your season mindset changed from a couple weeks ago? How have you adjusted?

Sydney Thorvaldson

A couple of weeks ago, my biggest concern was how I would perform at NBIN. Training had been going great, I felt ready, I was excited to be in NYC and racing with some of the best. When I discovered that the meet was cancelled, I was laying in bed in a hotel room near DIA where I would fly out early that next morning. Upon hearing the news, my heart ached and I had that awful gut-wrenching feeling, not only because my dreams of competing for that national title had been crushed, but also because I knew many athletes (high school and beyond) were feeling the same way. I’m still crushed that I won’t be able to see and compete with these incredible women that have also trained so hard for a cancelled race, and perhaps, season. Though I know that I must look at the bigger picture, even if this means it’s bigger than sport. The world’s reality seems to be ever-changing, but all we can do is focus on what we can control, and for now, that means staying positive and washing our hands.  

Taylor James

One of the major changes I have seen in my mindset is that I am now focusing more on the process rather than the outcome. It is important in times of uncertainty to take a step back and look at a new angle. Although the meets, the competition, and the camaraderie is missed, there isn’t a pressure to peak or to perform. Now the focus is on being in tune with yourself and putting in the miles/training. Overall, the focus has shifted to the refining of the harmony between my mental and physical states. This is much easier when the usual stressors are not present. 

What is something you have been wanting to do/change/implement that this time off from racing will allow you to do? 

Claire Walters

During this time I plan on getting back to the basics and really just re-investing myself to get even better than I ever have for whenever we get out of this. Having all this spare time on my hands has really had me thinking about why I fell in love with running. I remember all the work I put in to get to where I am, and the reason why I did it was because I just wanted to get better and better everyday. It’s so easy to look back and define yourself by the great PRs you have or how many titles you’ve won. But what’s really special is the dedication and drive it took to make that happen. The whole journey. So for now, I’m focusing on enjoying making myself better everyday for the excitement of what's to come. This could bring out some of the best running performances history has ever seen, and we can be a part of it.  

Taylor James

This extra time allows for focus on the subtle yet important things concerning running such as mechanics and mindset. I plan to work toward efficiency when it comes to my form and to work on implementing positive thoughts to improve my mental game for when it comes time to compete and race once again. 

If you could recommend ONE small thing to do each day to other female runners during this time, what would it be and why?

Brynn Brown

Quit comparing yourself to others. The way they look, train, eat, sleep, they aren’t you. Comparison is the thief of joy, and speaking from a personal experience it can lead you down a dark road. Focus on what works for you and not for others. Also, let’s uplift one another to greater heights. Let’s not tear each other down, rather let’s inspire one another to do better! 

Sydney Thorvaldson

To answer this question, I’d like to add on to Brynn’s response. It may not relate to the uncertainty of our track season but it does relate to female running and the individuality of the sport. I’ve been asked numerous times about my mileage, training, recovery, etc, and those are questions I don’t necessarily like to answer. In fact I wish I could respond by simply saying “it depends” because in reality, it does depend on so many factors that differ for every runner. Throughout my high school running career, I’ve had the opportunity to know so many great runners on a personal level. Some run 25-30 miles a week and some run 45-50 miles a week. Some do weightlifting while others do more band work. Some cross train, others can’t swim a lap. My point is, what works for one athlete may not work for another, and it’s important to understand that sometimes more isn’t always better. You shouldn’t have to compare yourself to others in order to feel accomplished. Your training, diet, appearance, etc won’t be the same as everyone else’s, and that’s completely okay!  

Tori Starcher

During this period of down time, I think it’s important for female athletes to continue to be consistent with their previous routines but do not let anything become extreme over your “break.” When having the ability to do something you may not normally do with this extra free time, don’t be discouraged to enjoy yourself; sleep in that extra hour, bake and indulge in those couple sweets, and allow yourself a lazy day. Do not let a change in routine dull what you desire or what makes you happy.  

Taylor James

This isn’t limited to just runners, but my advice is to work on self confidence. Whether you participate in a sport, are a mathematician, or anything really, being self conscious is something that many women experience. And it's normal! But detrimental thoughts about oneself are unnecessary and can cause anxiety. I speak from experience. However, these tendencies can be changed. Be bold. Take pride in the athlete or the academic that you are. Make a conscious effort to build yourself up mentally day by day, as happiness and positivity is the best medicine for any self doubt that women are facing. 

My advice for runners specifically: turn to your teammates. Even though you aren’t able to see them, they are going through the same sense of melancholy and nostalgia that you are. So, reach out and talk with them. Keep your “social distance” but maintain emotional connection via telephone, FaceTime, or any form of social media. Show your teammates that you care about each other. In all honesty, communication may be the thing that will help to keep you sane in an environment that lacks your friends and team atmosphere.  

What will be the most important thing for you to remember/tell yourself while you’re training in the next couple weeks?

Claire Walters

This is all going to end at some point, whether that's the end of spring track or heading to college in the fall. I want to be able to say to myself that I got better in some way so I can be ready for what comes next no matter what that is. And again this is going to end! So while it might be hard some days, we all need to stay hopeful and motivated for what follows after this. 

Brooke Rauber (Tully, N.Y.)

Everything happens for a reason. If this is what is meant to happen then we all have to deal with it. We will look back at this and see how it has made us stronger, and it helped us prove to ourselves how we can overcome challenges. We just have to keep looking forward. 

Taylor James

Even under these circumstances, I am doing the best to do what I have always done: run hard and have fun.  

What is something outside of running that you’d like to get done at home with all of this free time? 

Claire Walters

While I miss being able to hang out with my friends, I’m really enjoying time with my family. Everyone is home, including my sister who’s a sophomore in college. It’s really a blessing in disguise because we are all stuck here together and it’s been fun having as all together. 

I’ll be leaving for college very soon so having all this quality time with them is really special.  

Brooke Rauber

I definitely agree with Claire! It is so nice to have time to spend quality time with my family. My brothers and I have done so many things together in the past week, and I even got my youngest brother, Ryan, to practice hurdles with me. In addition to this, I also have been able to get out and go on fun adventures. This break has really allowed me to go on hikes, four wheel with my dog, and just explore nature a little. I think this free time helps me be mentally at ease. 

Taylor James

On top of spending quality time with my family and my dog, I would like to deep clean everything! My room and office area really need to be tended to. I may try picking up a few new hobbies here or there such as photography and baking. I would also like to take this time to step back and reflect. Although running is a huge part of who I am, there is so much more to this world outside of the athletic bubble. I would really like to take a deep breath and to be in the moment, even though my legs and my heart are itching to go back to the full throttle of track season. I must be patient and wait for the time to come. Running is always about the race to the finish line, but now we all must wait for the start.

Q&A, Part II

Fiona Max: One of the most impressive things about meeting these girls last summer at Nike Elite Camp was how healthy the whole training group was. Admittedly, I was surprised. Over training and undernourishment is a reality even at the top levels. As the camp went on, any doubts about what it meant to be “elite” became clear. It is a compounding factor. Your bones have to be strong. You have to be willing to throw comparison out the window and stand by your own athletic principles. Most importantly, you have to be able to lift others’ spirits through running; pace each other, laugh through splits and see the bigger picture. Eating and exercising disorders corrode the spirit of running. 

One of the reasons I bonded so well with these girls was because we all have a deep understanding of that. All of the girls in the camp were at various stages in their training. I was running about 55 miles per week, Brynn about 70 miles and Marlee Starliper was just off of her break after competing for Team USA at the Pan Am Games in Costa Rica. When Taylor Ewert had to go do her two-hour PT routine in the hotel gym, we all went with her to dance, do some core and then just watch her do hip raises while two-manning the elliptical. We were all equally stoked to sit around in the heat eating gourmet chinese food. We could talk openly about puberty and share training tips. The last night of camp Marlee, Claire, Sydney and I must have eaten an entire bag of halloween candy together (This falls more into the “life happens and it’s never a bad time for a Reese's Peanut butter cup” category of health). 

To be at the top of your game does not mean you have eradicated the problems you may face with things like periods or weight gain. To be at the top of your game means you have learned to adapt and work with your body. You have chosen to put sanity over speed and in doing that you have gotten stronger. 

These next questions tackle subjects such as navigating menstrual cycles and finding balance. Remember, women are not small men.  

If you feel comfortable speaking about it, has there ever been a time that the way you trained/thought you could train led to a training rut or injury?

Brynn Brown

This past cross country season, I felt a lot of outside pressure to do some pretty big things. I never felt like I was working hard enough, and I kept adding more and more. I trained like the guys on my team trained, high mileage, little emphasis on rest days and recuperation. My body completely broke down. I lost my menstrual cycle, was constantly banged up or fatigued, and eventually I got a stress fracture. Note that I have struggled with under-eating in the past, and my bone density wasn’t the greatest at the time….Now I’ve regained a semi-regular cycle, training in a way that works best for my body, and am running better than I ever have before! And most importantly happier than I ever have been before! 

What do you want to know more about regarding the science of female sport performance/health?

Sydney Thorvaldson

Beyond just learning more regarding female sports and health, I wish the subject could receive more attention in general. The topic isn’t openly discussed often as it’s assumed to be awkward, personal, and weird. Rather, I think the topic should be described as important, serious and normal. I think it’s important for females to understand why menstrual cycles are important, especially at a high school level when females are developing and our bodies are changing. I know from experience that when these changes occur, it can be difficult. When I first started noticing these changes in myself, I felt as if it would negatively affect my running. Many times I would get caught up in my appearance. Is this normal? Is it okay that I skip cycles? Do I still have a thigh gap? Am I gaining unnecessary weight? It’s questions like these that shouldn’t have to be asked. I wish females could have someone reassure them that these are all normal changes and that you will gain weight (not always a bad thing) and you may lose the stick-thin legs you had before and that missing menstrual cycles isn’t good. I wish that along with the negative side effects females might experience, the positives can be acknowledged as well. Many female athletes, myself included, may not know how to handle these changes and understand the effects it can have on our running. 

Tori Starcher

As Sydney said, I wish the subject of health surrounding female supports was more widely talked about. At some point in a female’s life, she needs to be educated and comforted on a subject that many people choose to avoid talking about because it may seem like an awkward subject. When young girls are left un-educated about the subject, it leaves room for self-made assumptions and standards. I’ve heard stories of female athletes becoming upset with themselves when going through menstruation during a training cycle because a period meant they were not training and pushing themselves hard enough. Changes in a woman’s body may be a scary idea or leave one discouraged at the thought, but this topic should be much more normalized and not leave female athletes dreading change or differences in one’s body.  

Taylor James

In general, there needs to be more education for female athletes competing at the high school level on what they should expect as their bodies change. For some, a lack of knowledge concerning the course that the female body takes as it matures can turn quickly into frustration when they are having trouble seeing results. In a perfect world, I would personally like to see more recognition concerning female athletes struggling with puberty and changes in their bodies. Oftentimes, dips in training and in results are not in the athletes’ control as their bodies are just processing the hormonal and physical changes occurring. Generally, there needs to be more leniency for women in sports experiencing periods of temporary physical decline, which is to no fault of their own. There needs to be more widespread knowledge that such physical struggle is caused by the natural course of the growth of a woman’s body. 

If you feel comfortable speaking about it, has there been a time where you have felt frustrated by your period? Felt like you couldn’t control the ups and downs of your body? How did you learn from that/recover from that?

Claire Walters

This is something I’ve struggled with a lot over the past two years. I was noticing my body changing starting my junior year. I used to be this tiny little distance runner who looked like she had not an ounce of fat on her body. But I wasn’t the so-called “typical runner” anymore. I was gaining weight faster than I ever had before, and I realized I couldn’t just eat whatever I wanted anymore. I had to be careful of what I was putting in my body to make sure I was fueling it properly. It can be really hard when this change happens, especially in distance running. You feel like you are supposed to look a certain way. Your mind plays tricks on you and keeps saying “maybe if I was thinner I’d be faster, and maybe if I looked like those other girls my times would go down.” But you can’t listen to those voices because what you look like does not determine the kind of runner you aspire to be. As someone who struggles with body image myself, I know just how hard it can be to go through this. Sadly, eating disorders are very common among female distance runners and I hope no one ever feels like they have to under eat in order to get faster. That just deprives your body from nutrients it needs. Love your body and give it what it needs to love you back!

Another change was in my menstrual cycle. This is something that doesn’t get talked about very much, but it should be because it’s something all female athletes go through. There have been days when I felt so sick that I couldn’t get a full run in. Some days it would fall on big workouts, and it would affect my performance. It has even been the cause of a few bad races. It can be so frustrating because it was something out of my control. I just wanted it to stop. It would really bring me down, and I started to feel like everything I had worked so hard for was just slipping away. The worst part was I felt like I was running in a completely different body. While these changes to my body have been very difficult, I’ve grown so much as a person and a runner. Periods are not a bad thing or a problem (contrary to what some people may think). They are actually a very healthy thing! It helps build up bone density, which in turn helps protect you from injury. Once you learn to listen to your body and work with it, you’ll start to feel in control again. The truth is that everyone’s body is different, so what works for one person might not work for you. I found that longer mileage has been more productive for my running rather than shorter, faster-paced runs. I also discovered that I am a lot stronger now than I ever have been because I’ve been able to strength train more. Overall I’ve become a stronger, and more powerful runner from all that I’ve had to go through. While I’m still learning, I know that this is going to help me grow in so many ways. It’s important to remember that if you put your heart and hard work in, you can do anything you set your mind to. There are going to be roadblocks, that’s inevitable. But it’s how you learn to adapt to these changes that will help you become an even better version of yourself.

Brynn Brown

When I decided to join cross country/track, I immediately felt like the odd one out. Coming from a huge soccer background, I felt like I was a lot “bigger” or more muscular than what the typical distance runner looked like. I struggled with this idea, and rather than just focusing on training hard, I began to become overly obsessed with what I put in my mouth. During my sophomore track season I was at an all-time low. The sad thing is, I was constantly receiving praise for the way I was performing on how “lean” I got. This obviously had some detrimental side-effects: I lost my cycle, my bone density suffered, my workouts were never great, constant fatigue, etc. After my stress fracture this past cross country season, I’ve devoted myself to improving my relationship with my body and food. I think I’ve finally achieved a sense of balance and love for my body and what it can do. I have managed to get my cycle back to somewhat normal, and am in the best shape of my life. I’ve learned to adapt to my cycle, and look at it as a blessing rather than a curse.  

Taylor James 

Personally, I have not felt too affected by my period. I have definitely experienced visible physical changes within the past couple of years, which is normal of course. This could be a reason for a, in my opinion, mediocre junior season of cross country. However, I have observed that my period has a more noticeable effect on my mood. Although it doesn’t necessarily directly change my attitude with respect to running, it does cause many ups and downs in my day, including during practice when I’m around my teammates. But the important thing to realize is that we all experience mood swings. The fact that we are able to deal with each other in our bitter moments is what helps my teammates and I to become much closer and to be more supportive of one another.

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