UPDATE: The Perimenopause Project
Three months ago, I wrote about changing my training from “run training” to something I called the “Perimenopause Project.” A lot of you were very interested in this post. I think because we’re all in the same boat here (the getting older boat, welcome aboard), and if you’re a woman, staring menopause in the face.
If you’re wondering exactly what I was doing before and how I changed it you can find all the details in my first post HERE.
Since writing that post, a few athletes I coach asked me to put them on the same program, so I did. They’ve been really happy with how they’re feeling. I’ve been really happy too. So I thought I’d give a bit of an update since it’s been a full five months since adopting this program and sticking with it.
Here’s what I’ve noticed:
Better Mood
Overall, I feel more relaxed about everything. Taking the performance element out of training has resulted in less mental and physical stress. I’m working out because it’s a fun challenge, not because I’m trying to get faster. I want to be fit and strong, but I’m not training to hit any PRs. To me, that feels good. I also think the improved mood is a result of supplementing with creatine. I was taking 5g every other day and now I’m taking 5 grams nearly every day.
Better Sleep
I seem to be sleeping better. This could be the reduced training load or reduced overall cortisol levels. Or maybe the lifting more frequently since strength training does have a positive correlation with sleep quality. I also think that increasing rest between intervals and rest days has positively impacted my sleep as well, this is just anecdotal, but it feels like I’m not pushing as hard all the time. Eating more protein could also be impacting my sleep quality.
Better Body Composition
My weight has remained largely the same, however, my jeans fit better and I am visibly more muscular than I was earlier in the spring and summer. It seems that I’ve been gaining lean muscle. I know this can be a tricky subject, especially for individuals with a history of an eating disorder. But I also don’t think it’s wrong to care about your body composition. I’ve said this before, but I think it’s worth mentioning again: I love my body the way I love my kids, unconditionally and endlessly, however, there are moments with both my body and my kids when I am supremely annoyed, even angry. The love doesn’t suddenly get canceled because of momentary annoyance or anger. Make changes. Work through it. Move on.
Scalable
My Perimenopause Project training is completely scalable. In August, I averaged about 15 miles a week. In September, 20 and in October, 25 miles per week. Which is historically very LOW mileage for me. I’ve been adding a mile to my long run each weekend and a mile here and there to my mid-week hill workout and intervals. I added the mileage mostly because I was missing my long outdoor ElliptiGO rides and have a hard time being on the trainer for more than 60 minutes. My body seems to be holding up so I’m doing long, slow distance up to two hours right now on the weekend. They say this is the WORST thing for perimenopausal women, but I’m considering it soul food and thinking time (my next novel is brewing on these media-free runs). I’m not looking for optimal, I’m looking for what makes me feel happy and strong.
Racing
I jumped into a snow/trail race about three months after I started the plan and was really pleased with how it went. I absolutely credit the plyometrics and strength training. On the slippery downhills, I was surprised at how stable and strong I felt (more so than in past snowshoe races). My core stability and power is super solid right now. Add the long-runs, and I’ve got a great endurance base. The race didn’t require a lot of speed, which is why I think I did well (I was first female and fourth overall!)
It seems like this Perimenopause Project is working. My athletes have noted similar improvements. They also seem to really like the training. If you’ve always been a runner, this is a totally new approach and the freshness of it just feels, really, really nice.
If you’re interested in trying out the training, I’ve put together a self-guided and repeatable four-week training program. This printable PDF has a four-week calendar schedule, detailed workout descriptions, and video links, plus tips for approaching the workouts and making adjustments to your fueling.
Check out the Perimenopause Project Plan
If you’ve been frustrated with your training or just don’t know what to do next this might be for you!
Not ready to dive in quite yet? Be sure to watch my conversation with Dr. Stacy Sims. You can find that HERE.
