Interesting thoughts about running and TTC

[pinkcat]

I am just sharing with the class because I found this very interesting.

When I met with my RE this week, one of the things she went over quite a bit was running and TTC. I know we had a thread on this several months ago and many people noted that running a lot affected their cycles. It seemed to have affected mine a lot last summer, but I wasn't sure if it was just coincidental or not.

She mentioned that running a lot can cause the body to think it is stressed, which in turn can affect many of the hormones that lead to ovulation. (I am very much paraphrasing here and I am not the best at science, so if I word this wrong I apologize!) She recommended that I cut down on my running as we begin treatment. For reference, I run about 5 miles around 3 or 4 times a week- so nothing too crazy. It does pick up a lot in the summer and I cut back in the winter.

I wanted to see if my charts supported this theory so I just graphed how many miles I ran each month, what day I ovulated on, and how long my LP was, and you can really see it in the graph! The months I had the most miles, you can see a big spike in what day I ovulated- ovulation was later than normal. Additionally, you can see a decrease in LP those months. Months with lower miles had earlier ovulation and longer LPs.

The one month I did get pregnant you can see all 3 points converge- I had the lowest number of miles, my ovulation was at it's earliest day (15), and obviously my LP was the longest that cycle.

Of course this is all very #anecdotal and could still be 100% coincidental- I just thought it was so interesting to see it laid out that way. Since we have talked about this previously on the board I thought I'd share!

[Deleted]

That's really interesting! I guess it makes sense though.

Anecdote- I don't run at all and my cycles are still a mess LOL

[ironbaby]

Not your fault, pinkcat, and let's chalk this up to the Clomid, but I am going to cry reading this.

Running is my sanity and the only thing that has felt restorative through this mess. I am in a low at the moment in between training seasons, but will ramp up again to marathon distance training in July.

I am still wondering whether my two longest FPs were due to marathons or the colds I got coincidentally in the same cycle.

[cheezee]

This has really had me torn while I have been TTC. I have wanted to get back into running because a lot of life stressors put it on the back burner. But I knew it would really stress my body out. When I was running I felt and looked my best. Now I feel like the weight gain I have seen from not running is also screwing up my cycles.

[Deleted]

While it's true that "extreme" exercise can affect your cycles, sometimes even cause amenorrhea, please don't stress too much about it. There are plenty of people who have similar exercise regimens and able to GKU.

Honestly, I don't every really exercise and I have had lots of short LPs.
An argument could also be made that lack of exercise causes stress and cycle irregularities.

[pinkcat]

So many hugs ironbaby. I have always loved running, but I know for you it's even more a part of your life.

I think this varies so much from person to person- some people can run so many more miles a month without it affecting them. Since you have always been running long distances, hopefully your body is just "used" to it and it doesn't affect it. I hope this is not something you have to worry about and you can keep on running as much as you want!

[PirateCat]

pinkcat, can I ask what your RE's idea of "cutting back" was? I probably run about similar mileage as you. Did your RE want you to run less than what you run now, or just not increase any more as summer approaches, or...?

I feel conflicted about the whole thing. On the one hand, I feel like an average person's lifestyle has become so incredibly sedentary compared to our ancestors or even several generations ago, that it seems like our threshold of "stressing" our bodies is so low. And I would think that that threshold has got to be vastly different for each individual, depending on their fitness level. And for me, running a shorter distance hard feels more "stressful" to my body than running a longer distance at a comfortable pace, although your personal data suggests otherwise for you. I don't know, I feel like there must be so much variance to this, it would be interesting to see the studies that were done and the circumstances they studied.

I want to get pregnant but I also want to be healthy. I especially want to keep at least a baseline of fitness for when I do get pregnant so that I can maintain it throughout the pregnancy. Why does everything have to be so complicated?

[PirateCat]

Hugs ironbaby.

[pinkcat]

Jun 3, 2016 9:06:59 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

While it's true that "extreme" exercise can affect your cycles, sometimes even cause amenorrhea, please don't stress too much about it. There are plenty of people who have similar exercise regimens and able to GKU.

Honestly, I don't every really exercise and I have had lots of short LPs.
An argument could also be made that lack of exercise causes stress and cycle irregularities.

Very good points Wallie, and I hesitated in even posting this thread because I thought the same.

I am very much not trying to give anyone advice here or say that "running makes you ovulate late!" or anything like that. I know this could all be 100% coincidental, and also that it is just one person's anecdote.

I only found looking at my numbers to be interesting, and since we a good discussion on this a few months ago I wanted to share.

[BabyStandish]

I just want to say that it's not impossible to get pregnant while running long distances, but I can understand if someone struggles with IF if they want to see if cutting back changes anything. I wish I kept track of my cycles longer so I could compare marathon training vs. off season. Both are filled with long runs, the off season is a lot more relaxed and I never do long runs more than 9-10 miles. I know I've never had irregular cycles until now (but that's not due to training).

I think if you start overtraining/not fueling correctly then your body can get stressed out a lot easier and thus your cycles can get wacky. Especially if that leads to very low body fat. Also, it might effect people more if they haven't been running and they decide to pick it up. Their body is probably going into a bit of shock. At least if they go out hard and not ease into it. I know everyone is different so running probably effects people differently so I'm just rambling here. I just know if Elites can get pregnant then so can I. And they train like 100x better than me

I'm all for running though and think that you should keep doing it. Whether it's 2 or 20 miles I think it's important for us to keep moving.

I really don't know what my point is here other than I LOVE RUNNING!!!!

[pinkcat]

Jun 3, 2016 9:11:15 GMT -5 PirateCat said:

pinkcat , can I ask what your RE's idea of "cutting back" was? I probably run about similar mileage as you. Did your RE want you to run less than what you run now, or just not increase any more as summer approaches, or...?

I feel conflicted about the whole thing. On the one hand, I feel like an average person's lifestyle has become so incredibly sedentary compared to our ancestors or even several generations ago, that it seems like our threshold of "stressing" our bodies is so low. And I would think that that threshold has got to be vastly different for each individual, depending on their fitness level. And for me, running a shorter distance hard feels more "stressful" to my body than running a longer distance at a comfortable pace, although your personal data suggests otherwise for you. I don't know, I feel like there must be so much variance to this, it would be interesting to see the studies that were done and the circumstances they studied.

I want to get pregnant but I also want to be healthy. I especially want to keep at least a baseline of fitness for when I do get pregnant so that I can maintain it throughout the pregnancy. Why does everything have to be so complicated?

She wanted me to run 15 miles a week or less. She said she would prefer 5 three mile runs rather than 3 five mile runs- something about long distance being harder on the body.

However, I feel the same way as you- a shorter but faster run feels harder on me than a longer more steady run. And I do think it varies so much by individual- 15 miles for one person could be an extreme amount in a week, and for another individual it could be an easy week. I don't know how they come up with that number- it feels very arbitrary to me?

I agree this is all so confusing, and I don't know what to make of the information.

[Deleted]

Jun 3, 2016 9:13:57 GMT -5 pinkcat said:

Jun 3, 2016 9:06:59 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

While it's true that "extreme" exercise can affect your cycles, sometimes even cause amenorrhea, please don't stress too much about it. There are plenty of people who have similar exercise regimens and able to GKU.

Honestly, I don't every really exercise and I have had lots of short LPs.
An argument could also be made that lack of exercise causes stress and cycle irregularities.

Very good points Wallie, and I hesitated in even posting this thread because I thought the same.

I am very much not trying to give anyone advice here or say that "running makes you ovulate late!" or anything like that. I know this could all be 100% coincidental, and also that it is just one person's anecdote.

I only found looking at my numbers to be interesting, and since we a good discussion on this a few months ago I wanted to share.

I just don't want you to stress out and think that something you do to stay healthy and relieve stress is the issue.

[PirateCat]

Jun 3, 2016 9:19:07 GMT -5 pinkcat said:

Jun 3, 2016 9:11:15 GMT -5 PirateCat said:

pinkcat , can I ask what your RE's idea of "cutting back" was? I probably run about similar mileage as you. Did your RE want you to run less than what you run now, or just not increase any more as summer approaches, or...?

I feel conflicted about the whole thing. On the one hand, I feel like an average person's lifestyle has become so incredibly sedentary compared to our ancestors or even several generations ago, that it seems like our threshold of "stressing" our bodies is so low. And I would think that that threshold has got to be vastly different for each individual, depending on their fitness level. And for me, running a shorter distance hard feels more "stressful" to my body than running a longer distance at a comfortable pace, although your personal data suggests otherwise for you. I don't know, I feel like there must be so much variance to this, it would be interesting to see the studies that were done and the circumstances they studied.

I want to get pregnant but I also want to be healthy. I especially want to keep at least a baseline of fitness for when I do get pregnant so that I can maintain it throughout the pregnancy. Why does everything have to be so complicated?

She wanted me to run 15 miles a week or less. She said she would prefer 5 three mile runs rather than 3 five mile runs- something about long distance being harder on the body.

However, I feel the same way as you- a shorter but faster run feels harder on me than a longer more steady run. And I do think it varies so much by individual- 15 miles for one person could be an extreme amount in a week, and for another individual it could be an easy week. I don't know how they come up with that number- it feels very arbitrary to me?

I agree this is all so confusing, and I don't know what to make of the information.

I do think your personal data is interesting and it would be hard for me to not think into it. Running SOME distance has got to be better for your overall health than not running at all and that it's important to be healthy when you do get pregnant. 

I haven been increasing my mileage as the weather has gotten nicer and I will probably do it a bit more gradually now, so I am glad you shared this. 

[ironbaby]

BabyStandish put it very well.

I was very particular about choosing doctors (regular physician, OBGYN, and RE) who were familiar with working with athletes and understood my training volume. I am not elite or winning any races, but I am considered an outlier by running 2-3 marathons/year.

My mental health (not to mention physical health) is so improved by running that it's worth it, and honestly, I'd be exceptionally reluctant to cut it out completely. If we ever have to go to IVF, I'll follow any RE instructions to a T regarding running, but until then, the trade off isn't worth it, especially with nothing specifically saying "running is why you're not pregnant."

That being said, I am not blind to the fact that it could be effecting me. Then again, so could carrying 20 extra pounds, drinking diet soda, or eating french fries, so...I'd rather give those up first.

[pinkcat]

Jun 3, 2016 9:19:48 GMT -5 @wallflwr926 said:

Jun 3, 2016 9:13:57 GMT -5 pinkcat said:

Very good points Wallie, and I hesitated in even posting this thread because I thought the same.

I am very much not trying to give anyone advice here or say that "running makes you ovulate late!" or anything like that. I know this could all be 100% coincidental, and also that it is just one person's anecdote.

I only found looking at my numbers to be interesting, and since we a good discussion on this a few months ago I wanted to share.

I just don't want you to stress out and think that something you do to stay healthy and relieve stress is the issue.

Thank you Wallie!

And I am now feeling guilty for posting this thread- I didn't want anyone to read it and think I was saying "Oh no running is bad for TTC!"

That wasn't my intent at all and I think if you love running, keep running! I plan to keep running and won't be stopping anytime soon.

[caer]

My problem with this topic is it's usually largely anecdotal. My anecdotes go the other way. I have a friend who runs ultras and got pregnant twice easily, while running 50+ miles a week. I got pregnant quickly with DS while at my highest weekly mileage. This time I didn't run at all for the first 9 months and have run lightly since and still not KU.

It is an interesting conversation but I guess I just want more scientific evidence/studies to support the theory before I buy into it. Running is hugely important to my mental health. There's already so much shit to worry about when you're dealing with IF and I hate to add my favorite hobby to the list without actual cause.

[pinkcat]

Jun 3, 2016 9:32:14 GMT -5 ironbaby said:

BabyStandish put it very well.

I was very particular about choosing doctors (regular physician, OBGYN, and RE) who were familiar with working with athletes and understood my training volume. I am not elite or winning any races, but I am considered an outlier by running 2-3 marathons/year.

My mental health (not to mention physical health) is so improved by running that it's worth it, and honestly, I'd be exceptionally reluctant to cut it out completely. If we ever have to go to IVF, I'll follow any RE instructions to a T regarding running, but until then, the trade off isn't worth it, especially with nothing specifically saying "running is why you're not pregnant."

That being said, I am not blind to the fact that it could be effecting me. Then again, so could carrying 20 extra pounds, drinking diet soda, or eating french fries, so...I'd rather give those up first.

I agree with all of this 100%. And I wish I was as great of a distance runner- a marathon someday is my dream.

[ironbaby]

pinkcat, don't feel guilty! It's a conversation starter and very interesting to talk about and gather other anecdotes.

[ceejay]

It's very interesting that your running and cycle data seem to correlate in the way that they do, pinkcat . I think this is an interesting discussion, and it would be helpful to see if there are any scientific studies on this topic.

For me, running long distances or not hasn't had any effect on my cycle length or ovulation day. My cycles are extremely regular, always with O on CD 12-14 and then a 11-14 day LP. Last summer I trained for and ran a half marathon and was running 20+ miles a week. Over the past 2 winters I hardly exercised at all. And now I'm running very moderately, 5-10 miles a week. And throughout all of those different exercise regimes, my cycles have stayed exactly the same.

So as others have noted, I think it very much depends on the person. For some women, running long distance could affect their cycles, and for other women, it will have no effect. As BabyStandish noted, lacking proper fueling and hydration or sudden drastic changes in exercise would seem more likely to have an effect.

[ironbaby]

Just derailing the thread to request that ceejay post more so I can stare at Jason Momoa.

Carry on.

[PirateCat]

pinkcat, you definitely shouldn't feel guilty! I don't think I was around for the last conversation you are referring to and I am glad to be having this discussion. There is a lot of information out there and it's up to the individuals to decide what to do with it. As ironbaby said, there are all kinds of things that could be affecting our fertility or there could be nothing at all. So it's all kind of a crapshoot but we all do what we feel comfortable with. But sharing of information is never a bad thing.

[pinkcat]

Thank you PirateCat and ironbaby! That makes me feel better. I truly didn't want to cause anyone stress or make it sound like I thought running was bad.

Without running I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the two donuts I just had as much, so I love running

[ceejay]

Jun 3, 2016 9:48:01 GMT -5 ironbaby said:

Just derailing the thread to request that ceejay post more so I can stare at Jason Momoa.

Carry on.

LOL. I'm happy to oblige. Here, I'll even give you a bonus pic.

[PirateCat]

pinkcat , if your avatar and my avatar had a baby it would be an adorable pink pirate cat.

ETA: I found this.

[doodler]

I'm not a distance runner by any means. I average 6-9 miles/week. Anecdotally, running does not have an affect on my cycles even when I have a busy week(three 3 mile runs). When I got pregnant last July I was up around 9 miles/week.

[pinkcat]

Jun 3, 2016 10:00:22 GMT -5 PirateCat said:

pinkcat , if your avatar and my avatar had a baby it would be an adorable pink pirate cat.

ETA: I found this.

Ha ha- I love this!!! It's PinkPirateCat.

[rooskie]

I'm just going to tag a grad mugster who was told it was ok to run through IVF by her doctor.

I only run 10-15 miles a week at a slow pace so mine doesn't change my cycles. However I did think about training for a half this year but put it off because we are likely cycling for IVF in the same month.

H plans on bubble wrapping me if we get pregnant.

[PirateCat]

My pirate cat is a girl (not so girly and refuses to wear an eye patch which would be adorable) and I like the pink pirate cat design better than my avatar so I might change it at some point, like when I'm not feeling lazy, which will likely be never.

[jlincoln]

I enjoyed reading this and all of your comments! I used to be a marathoner before infertility treatments. I guess I never brought it up to my RE as to what he thought. Right now, I'm just getting back into things and only really have time to run on my lunch breaks, so never really over 3/3.5 miles at a time. Maybe 2-3 times a week. I also do weights 2x a week. I think I'll stick with this for now. It's enough to keep my sanity ok. I would be curious to see how it affects my cycles though. Thanks for posting pinkcat. Your data collection is definitely eye opening, although I know it isn't consistent for everyone.

[mugster]

Thanks for the tag rooskie

I ran during fertility treatments. I think my RE asked me to cut back to around 15 miles a week, with a preference for more runs rather than longer runs (so 5, 3 mile runs, or 4, 4 mile runs). She definitely did not want me training for a half marathon because of the need to do long runs. I ran during timed intercourse cycles and my IUI cycles, but did not run during IVF. I'm not sure if I was told not to at that point, or if I was just uncomfortable.

Other people on 3T have been told more restrictive things. The concern with IVF is ovarian torsion... so at a certain point when the follicles are large (especially if you have lots of them) it isn't particularly safe.