Blame It on Perimenopause: Is That Really What’s Affecting Your Running?

Poor sleep. Slower recovery. Mood changes. A body that suddenly feels unfamiliar. It must be perimenopause, right? Not necessarily.

Ashley and Trax talk with Dr. Kate Ackerman, sports medicine physician, endocrinologist and co-founder of the Women’s Health, Sports and Performance Institute, about why perimenopause can be especially difficult to identify in runners. Its symptoms can overlap with underfueling, RED-S, iron deficiency, thyroid issues and the cumulative stress of training and life.

Strength coach Gaggi DeStefanis explains why lifting matters as women get older and offers a manageable way to begin. Then professional ultrarunner Amanda Basham shares what happened after she was diagnosed with early perimenopause at 36, why she began questioning whether that explained everything, and how eating more, addressing her anxiety and taking training one day at a time helped her run her best UTMB yet.

This episode is about looking beyond an easy diagnosis, supporting the whole athlete and remembering that you do not need every answer before you can begin feeling better.

Learn more at stillrunningpod.com. 
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