Ok, for all the ladies out there, I am going to talk about female stuff. So guys, now is your chance to ditch this blog and go read “Cranky Mechanic.”

Performing as a female athlete has its challenges to say the least. My pet rant is there is not enough gear manufactured specifically for women, but that was another blog-a-go.

This has to do with hormones baby, or the lack there of.

Competing with cramps? Hmmm, oh yea, feels like someone is pulling the veins right out of my legs. Back hurts, legs hurt, abdomen looks like it should have Goodyear painted on it, I weigh 5 more pounds which does nothing for weight to power ratio, I have a 3 day headache and an attitude like I just flew in on a broom. Who doesn’t love to go out to put down your best effort with that?

But we do, right ladies? We get all Nike on it and just do it. We even break world records.

I read The Female Cyclist by Gale Bernhardt, and she discusses hormone levels during the 28-day cycle. I am no expert on this subject by any means, but I can share some info I ran across from her book. Here is a brief synopsis:

Follicular phase-estrogen levels are on the rise but aerobic capacity decreases, so does spatial visualization, or the ability to judge distances (not helpful when you are ridding 6” off someone’s rear wheel with no brakes!) The good news is carbohydrate metabolism, mental capacity, mental focus, problem solving and fine motor skills all increase.
I guess that means if you screw up your distance perception, you can fix it on the fly.

Ovulation- in this phase, your estrogen is at peak just prior, and then drops like a bank safe towards the end. Mental focus is good and motor skills remain high but aerobic capacity and spatial visualization are decreased.

Luteal Phase- follows ovulation; estrogen declines and then drops to lowest levels. Now aerobic capacity is improving, yet VO 2 dips and near the end of this phase, mental vigor declines and depression and fatigue increase. The ability to conceptualize and glycogen storage rise a bit, however, memory, perceptual speed and fine motor ability are not at their best.
So you can go like hell, but you may not remember where!

Mensus- just take drugs, it ain’t gonna pretty! Estrogen is at its lowest but aerobic capacity is bitchin (yes, I used that word, now take some NSAIDS and go win!)

What I cannot find information on are women who are competing at high levels during, or after, menopause. Apparently the scientific and medical communities feel that concept is absurd, so there is little research done. The only information I could find was about over training resulting in loss of the Mensus cycle because of severe weight loss, eventually leading to osteoporosis.

There are more and more Masters women athletes within the boomer generation. We prefer to keep moving even if we have to buy a hip replacement or two. No rocking chair mentality here. We’re a generation that will go until we flat cannot. I mean after all, who coined the phrase “shop till you drop”?

Here is what I know from personal experience so far, as a female Master athlete:
1. Recovery-a word I used to know that takes 3- 4 days to realize now.
2. Intervals, I need more than 1 minute before the next effort.
3. Strength, good but after injuries and alignment issues that come with time, I cannot do some weight training exercises I used to without stirring up a nice batch of tendonitis.
4. Power and speed, still good, thank you God!!!
5. Weight-yep and enough said about that.

So as I drift or I should say reluctantly drag into my golden years…ok, wait a minute! Why are these called “golden years?” Does anyone know or even agree? Can’t we find some other PC term like the “denial stage”, or “hell no, you go”, years?

If any of you have some insightful or new information to add, please blog it over in the reply section so we can all read it.

Just let me get my glasses first.