Race ready despite 2nd half of the cycle

28. August 2021 3 minutes reading time

Sophia Ibert

The competition season finally arrived in Europe a few weeks ago. The highlight of the season is perhaps just around the corner for some of you. We’ve already clocked up a lot of training kilometers on the bike and numerous running kilometers in our legs. We feel well prepared, fit and want to finally get a taste of competition again. But a glance at the cycle calendar may dampen our anticipation a little: the competition is in an “unfavorable” cycle phase! What should a woman do now?

Of course, you can’t always plan competitions according to the cycle.

And that’s not even necessary. Work, family, vacation planning, training camps, etc. are already hard enough to coordinate.

Basically, it can be said that you can be efficient in both the first and second half of the cycle. However, the body has a few special requirements in the second half of the cycle that need to be taken into account. However, this only applies if you have a natural cycle. If you are not yet familiar with the different cycle phases, then read on here.

Below I would like to give you a few tips on how you can support your body if your competition is in the second half of your cycle or perhaps even just before your period and you are struggling with PMS.

The most important thing is probably the mindset:

  • Even if you are in the 2nd half of the cycle, you can still achieve outstanding results! So don’t bury your head in the sand before the competition.
  • Especially in endurance sports, the differences in performance are very small. There are hardly any disadvantages to be feared for a medium or even long distance. Why? Our fat metabolism works extremely well in the second half of the cycle. A great prerequisite for a long competition.

How can I support my body in competition?

  • The calorie requirement increases by approx. 200 kcal per day in the second half of the cycle. You may therefore need to eat a little more food than usual.
  • In the second half of the cycle, we women find it more difficult to thermoregulate. This is because our body temperature is around 0.5 degrees higher than at the start of the cycle. So make sure you cool down well during the race when it’s hot.

You can make the following adjustments before the competition:

  • Nutrition is the be-all and end-all in the second half of the cycle. Pay particular attention to a sufficient protein intake. The easiest way to do this is probably in the form of protein shakes. Drink a shake after every intensive workout. Your main meals should also contain plenty of protein.
  • Eating during your training sessions is essential. Avoid “running on empty”. You will find that this also prevents PMS.
  • In the high-hormone phase, as the second half of the cycle is also known because of the high oestrogen and progesterone levels, there is an increased need for zinc and magnesium, among other things, which is why it makes sense to supplement during this time to prevent a deficiency during a competition or an intensive training phase.
  • Kinesio tapes are said to promote blood circulation and relieve pain. After researching and using them myself, I have had very positive experiences with them and my abdominal pain has been significantly alleviated. However, the effect of kinesio tapes has not been scientifically proven. You can find instructions on YouTube on where and how to apply the tapes to the lower abdomen and lower back.

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Hopefully nothing now stands in the way of a successful Raceday.

With this in mind, good luck and #kickass!

KickAss Sports, KickAss Women, Triathlon Training Women, James Mitchell
Fia © James Mitchell for Castelli

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