Doctors Blamed My Symptoms On Running.

They Were Wrong.

- Bárbara Malagoli

RUNNING AND MENSTRUATION entered my life around the same time, at age 13. I got hooked on running the 1 600m; and swayed by a persistent and impactful athletics coach, I eventually left soccer behind to join the cross-country team. My first period arrived right before my first track season; however, while the training cycles progressed, my menstrual cycle didn’t - my second period wouldn’t come until five months later.

Throughout my years on the high school cross-country team, this irregular pattern stuck: I only had about four periods a year, and never knew when they would arrive. I felt confused and left out whenever my teammates asked me for a menstrual pad I had no use for, like my body couldn’t do what it was supposed to do. When it came to running, though, my body felt strong, capable of carrying me through interval workouts and lifting heavy weights during weight room sessions. On the track, I felt more equal to my teammates. The training cycle was one I could control.

At my annual physical exams, I expressed concern that my periods weren’t occurring monthly, and the feedback was the same every time: I was still young, and sometimes it takes time to become regular. That I accepted. What didn’t sit well with me was what followed: “You're missing periods because you run a lot. Try eating more.”