Menstrual Cycle

Try to get extra iron into your diet. Losing blood can add to the feeling of weakness or shakiness.
Regarding sleep, I'm not sure.

I am currently scheduled to have a procedure called NovaSure. You can Google it. If you are done having kids, you can have this procedure to basically eliminate having your period, or lessen it greatly. It is covered by insurance if you can show that you have heavy bleeding and have to forego some activities due to your period.

It is definitely a challenge in this sport, when people are talking about paying out big $$ to sign up for races a year in advance. Birth control pills are not my friend, so that isn't a good option for me. I am doing this procedure in part so I don't have to worry about getting my period when I am signed up for an Ironman.

If you make sure to sleep as well as you can the week before, losing a night's sleep won't affect you much before race day. Many people don't sleep well the night before anyway.

This subject came up in a nutrition chat and Coach Marni had some great advice about nutritional adjustments you can make to lessen the impact of your period on race day. Let me see if I can dig it up ...

Thought this was a new brand of tri bike, or maybe an LBS. Sorry.

**Backing away quickly**

thank youl

I have a Mirena IUD, lasts 5 years, most women stop having periods completely after first few months.  Easy insertion, easy removal/replacement, not terribly expensive, good reversible option.

x2 on the iron. I am anemic and I take iron supplements daily to boost my iron levels. It has helped greatly as I sleep better and I have better nutrition because I am not tired and avoid unhealthy foods.  All which lead to better workouts and better preparation for a race. 

As for the cycle, I would plan around it.  It's one less thing you have to think about on race day. 

x2.  if you're on the pill.  if not, you kinda just have to deal.