Review of Menstrual-Cycle-Informed Training for Women Cyclists: Pace, Fuel, and Feel

There’s a quiet superpower in knowing your body’s rhythm and letting your riding plan bend with it. You don’t need spreadsheets full of hormones to benefit; a simple month-by-month awareness can turn “mysteriously flat” days into “ah, this is that week—here’s how I’ll ride and fuel.” Think of this as a friendly field guide, written for women who want to ride well year-round without ignoring the physiology that comes with the territory.

Why bother?

Because consistency wins. If you tailor intensity and fuelling to how you actually feel—rather than how you think you should feel—you miss fewer sessions, recover better, and keep your sense of humour intact. It isn’t about tip-toeing around hard work; it’s about placing it where your body is most likely to say “yes”.

Quick note: cycles vary. Not everyone has a 28-day textbook. Perimenopause, contraception, postpartum, and medical conditions all change the picture. Treat the outline below as flexible guidance, not a diagnosis. If anything feels off or extreme, chat to a qualified clinician.

A very quick primer (without the jargon)

Menstruation (roughly days 1–5): Low hormone phase; energy can feel low if cramps or poor sleep are around.
Follicular (days 6–13): Still relatively low hormones; many feel snappier and recover well.
Ovulation (~day 14, give or take): Short window; some feel powerful, others feel a bit off—note what you tend to experience.
Luteal (days 15–28): Rising progesterone; core temperature a touch higher; some notice heavier legs, variable sleep, and changes in appetite or mood in the late luteal days.

Again, you’re an individual. The value is in spotting your pattern over a couple of months and shaping rides around it.

The three levers you can pull

Intensity: VO₂/threshold efforts vs steady endurance.
Volume: Total time on the bike.
Skill/Strength: Cadence drills, cornering practice, short gym sessions for hips/core.

Move those levers each week rather than white-knuckling the same plan regardless.

A cycle-aware four-week template (edit freely)

Week 1 — Menstruation: comfort + cadence

Aim: Keep the habit, protect energy, reduce friction.

Rides:
1 × 60–90 min easy endurance (Zone 2), smooth cadence, no hero climbs.
Optional 45–60 min recovery spin or skills: cornering lines, braking drills, clipping in/out without faff.
Gym (optional): Light mobility + gentle core (dead bug, side plank), 15–20 mins.
Fuel: Start on-bike carbs earlier than usual (within 20–30 minutes) if cramps or sleep have been poor. Warm drinks and easy-to-chew foods are your friend. Keep iron-rich meals in the week if that suits you.
Kind constraint: If cramps bite, swap intervals for a walk or yoga and call it a win; consistency includes planned breathers.

Week 2 — Mid-follicular: green light for quality

Aim: Place your hardest work here. Many feel springy.

Rides:
1 × interval session (e.g., 5 × 4 minutes hard / 3 minutes easy).

1 × endurance ride 90–150 minutes, a couple of tempo hills allowed if you fancy.

1 × group ride with short turns to practise drafting and positioning.
Gym: Lower-body strength (split squats, RDLs) 2–3 sets of 5–8; brief core.
Fuel: You’ll likely tolerate 60–80 g carbohydrate per hour on harder sessions; practise the plan you’ll use on events. Hydrate to thirst plus a bit; a modest caffeine top-up can help if you enjoy it.

Week 3 — Around ovulation: power with headroom

Aim: Keep quality but guard against yo-yo efforts if you tend to feel “hot-headed”.

Rides:
1 × over/under session (e.g., 3 × 8 minutes at threshold with 30-second “overs”).

1 × rolling endurance, practising steady pacing on rises rather than surges.
Skills slot: descending lines, crosswind positioning with a friend.
Gym: Maintain rather than push; 1–2 sets, crisp form.
Fuel: Stick with the mid-ride plan; if appetite is high, front-load carbs around training rather than raiding the biscuits late evening.

Week 4 — Late luteal: patience and preparation

Aim: Reduce spikes; prioritise repeatable work and comfort.

Rides:
1 × tempo sandwich (e.g., 3 × 10 minutes steady-hard, 5 minutes easy between).

1–2 × endurance spins 60–120 minutes, keep cadence high and power smooth.

If PMS is strong, swap an outdoor session for a low-stakes turbo with a film—movement without moral judgement.
Gym: Gentle mobility for hips/thoracic; light band work for shoulders.
Fuel: Some riders crave saltier foods and notice bloating. Keep electrolytes consistent; small, regular carbs on the bike help mood and pacing. Chocolate is not a character flaw; plan it, enjoy it, move on.

Fuelling that respects your physiology (and your sanity)

Start early, stay steady. Whether you’re on day 2 or day 16, the gut prefers predictable intake. Aim for 40–80 g carbs per hour, matched to intensity and ride length.
Texture matters. On crampy or queasy days, softer foods (bananas, chews, isotonic drinks) can be kinder than dry bars.
Hydration: In the late luteal phase, some notice shifts in fluid balance. Keep fluids 500–750 ml per hour in temperate weather; add electrolytes on long or warm rides.
Iron-aware meals: If menstruation is heavy, iron-rich foods across the week can be useful; pair plant sources with vitamin C. Don’t supplement blindly—ask a professional if you suspect low iron.
Caffeine sense: A modest dose can perk you up; too much can tip the nervous system towards jittery. Spread small amounts rather than going full caf-fiend at the start.

Comfort: small edits that make big differences

Layering and warmth: Many feel temperature shifts across the month. A gilet you can unzip one-handed and thin gloves you can peel off without drama make rides simpler.
Saddle time diplomacy: On tender days, shorten one ride rather than ditch the week; your sit-bones will thank you.
Route choice: Pick loops with bail-outs (railway lines, cafés, short-cuts) so you can edit without turning it into a saga.
Group messaging: Let ride mates know you’re pacing for steadiness. Most will be entirely decent—and you’ll be surprised how many are relieved to match it.

Strength and pelvic-floor friendly habits

Cycling loves quads; lower backs and hips sometimes pay. Two short sessions a week help:
Hips & hamstrings: Split squats, hip thrusts, hinge-based hamstrings (light RDLs).
Mid-back & shoulders: Rows, face pulls, serratus wall slides—to hold posture without a death grip.
Trunk control: Dead bug, side plank.
Pelvic floor awareness: Gentle breath-led pulses rather than braced holds; if you have concerns, a women’s health physio is gold.

Confidence on the road (especially in mixed groups)

State your intention early. “Steady turns, tidy rotations, regroup at the tops” sets the tone.
Own your space. Two-abreast where safe; don’t ride in the gutter to appease impatient drivers.
Call clearly. A calm “hole left”, “slowing”, “car back” benefits everyone and stops you apologising for existing.
Set pieces you lead. Offer to captain the paceline for a minute or to brief the descent. Authority breeds comfort, and you’ve earned it.

When life doesn’t fit the template

Shift work, kids, travel, perimenopausal variability—all real. If the week goes sideways, keep the minimum viable habit: one endurance spin and one small quality touch (even 4 × 2 minutes hard on the turbo). Bank small wins. You’ll be surprised how fit you feel when life calms down again.

Tracking without turning into admin

A simple note in your phone—day of cycle, how you felt, ride type, any niggles—is enough. After two or three months you’ll spot patterns: maybe sprints feel fabulous mid-cycle; maybe long, chatty rides are golden late luteal. Plan to those trends and you’ll ride more like yourself more of the time.

A sample week (late luteal, edited for steadiness)

Tue: 75 minutes Zone 2, cadence 85–95, two short tempo ramps if you fancy.
Thu: 3 × 10 minutes sweet-spot (comfortably hard), 5 minutes easy between.
Sat: Group ride 2–3 hours, agree no drop and short turns.
Sun: Optional 40–50 minutes recovery spin + 15 minutes mobility.

Fuel each ride from minute 20, 40–60 g carbs per hour; electrolytes in the bottles; one decent meal within an hour after.

The tone of the month

The point of cycle-aware training isn’t to place limits; it’s to place your effort where it lands best. Some months will hum; others will feel like admin. That’s ordinary. You’re not behind; you’re human. Keep the habit, nudge the levers, eat on time, and refuse to let a wobbly week narrate your whole story.

Verdict:

A simple cycle-aware approach helps you ride smarter, not softer. Put your hardest work where you recover well, keep late-luteal sessions steady and fuelled, and protect comfort so you show up next week too. Do that for a few months and your fitness—and confidence—will look quietly, unmistakably yours.

-Ella

Back to blog