Yet another reason to be glad that Jaws dwells in the ocean, not on the suburban trails.
One section Tales From Another Mother Runner is called In Her Shoes, which is first-person accounts of different running situations and tales. We love running stories as much as—or maybe more than?—running itself, but we had a surplus of In Her Shoes stories…if we put them all in the book, it would’ve been bigger than a dictionary. So we’re going to run these every other Friday for a while.
Liz had a TMI Saturday.
I started my period the day before a solo, 18-mile, point-to-point run, but didn’t think it would be a problem. I took an ibuprofen that morning, which in the past had slowed things down a bit. At the time, I typically didn’t have heavy periods so I didn’t bring a spare tampon.
The run was going fine, and I refilled my water bottles around mile 13 at the last the gas station in surburbia. Shortly afterward, when I was on the trail, I glanced down and realized the white trim on my sweat-soaked blue running shorts was, to my horror, red. The blood had mixed with the sweat and run down my legs and into my shoes. My laces were also red. Mortified, I kept running because I was too far from home and had no other way out of the situation. I didn’t have any choice. I knew, from previous runs, there were no restrooms for the next five miles.
I took my water bottles and sprayed my legs and shorts down as best I could. I had no idea what the back of my shorts looked like or if anyone noticed while passing me. I was too embarrassed to look anyone in the eye when I passed someone going the other way. I just kept hoping no one was paying attention—kind of in their own world like sometimes we all are while running.
When I made it to the end, my family was like, “Yay Mommy! Great job!” All I could reply was, “Where are the keys? The truck? I need to get a towel around me.”
—Liz (Now only runs in black bottoms and always carries extra tampons when Aunt Flo visits.)
Ok, spill it: Have you had a TMI bloody moment on the trail? I—Dimity—have. Probably six years ago, I was in Arizona on business. I think I tossed my grey and pink shorts (read: showed it all) once I finally got back to the hotel room. (And they were Lululemon, btw…$$$!)
Lol! Been there, done that just last week. Thank goodness for a brightly patterned running skirt! I was able to get to a bathroom about 3 miles away where my garmin paused for a good long time!
When I ran my rim to rim to rim in the Grand Canyon I was on my period- no place to change a tampon but behind a bush and pack the thing out! I have also finished a 10k in the way you described….kinda gross, but luckily someone lent me a jacket to tie around my waist for the awards ceremonies!
Mine was during a race. I used the one extra tampon I had with me and then, needed another. 26.2 is a long way. I started asking volunteers until I found one who ran half a mile with me to her parked car and gave me two.
Yikes! This is my time of the month nightmare!! I was bleeding through a super tampon and a maxi-pad in a 45 minute run during my period. The doctor put me, a 47 year-old whose husband has been “fixed”, back on the pill. I hate it, but not as much as that fear!
one of my first runs when my cycle returned after having my child i went out with my menstrual cup in…halfway back on the trail it tipped/spilled/started falling out (KEGELS LADIES!)…i kept my head down and had to keep going there was nothing i could do. fortunately the trailhead is right near my house and i managed to get home unseen.
Still being a newish runner, thank goodness this has never happened to me (finding some wood to knock on) It is one of my biggest nightmares though!
Yep! I was running hills last summer in moving comfort mint green shorts. I wear a Diva cup and I had filled it. I had to run back through town to reach my car which was another mile or so away when I realized I had blood running down my leg. I kept running wondering what I was going to do. I ran past an over grown field and yep, I found a patch of tall grass to squat in and took care of business as best as I could. Thankfully it was early morning and a little foggy. The grass and my water bottle helped clean me up enough until I could get to my car and back home. Pretty humiliating!
Black capris are some of the best “cover” I know.
Had to change a tampon in the back seat of my SUV right before the start of a race. Semi- tinted windows. Not-so-good time….
There’s one advantage to being a late onset athlete…early onset menopause means this is one thing I don’t have to worry about. My heart’s will you, though!
no, but a diva cup malfunction and an “always on” period left me with bloody pants at a regatta with friends last memorial day. After a long-put-off hysterectomy, I no longer need to worry about it. And I couldn’t be happier.