Welcome back to Running: A FEVER, the podcast where we chase vitality, clarity, and strength—no matter the season of life. It’s all about livin’ long and lovin’ life.
Menopause isn’t just a hormonal shift — for active women, it can feel like the body’s playbook has been rewritten mid‑game. Endurance that once came easily may fade faster, recovery can take longer, and the fuel that used to power a run might suddenly fall short. But this isn’t the end of the race — it’s a new course to master. In this 4th episode of our series on menopause, we’ll explore how midlife changes in metabolism, muscle repair, and energy balance affect training, and how smart adjustments in workouts, nutrition, and hydration can help you stay strong. We’ll also discuss how physical activity can actually help women adjust to the changes and ameliorate their symptoms.
****
So how does menopause affect endurance, recovery, and metabolism? When estrogen and progesterone begin their steady decline in perimenopause, they set off a chain reaction that touches nearly every system an active body relies on. These hormones aren’t just about reproduction — they influence how muscles repair, how efficiently we use oxygen, and even how our bodies decide to store or burn fuel.
The impacts on endurance:
– Lower oxygen efficiency: Estrogen helps blood vessels stay flexible and supports oxygen delivery to working muscles. As levels drop, some women notice a decline in stamina or a greater perceived effort required for the same workout.
– Shift in fuel use: With less estrogen, the body leans more on carbohydrate stores and less on fat oxidation during exercise, which can shorten time‑to‑fatigue in endurance activities.
What about recovery?
– Muscle repair is slower: Estrogen has anti‑inflammatory effects and supports protein synthesis. Its decline can lead to more post-workout soreness and longer recovery times.
– Joint and tendon changes: Reduced collagen production can make connective tissues stiffer, increasing the risk of overuse injuries if training loads aren’t adjusted.
How does it affect metabolism?
– Resting metabolic rate drop: On average, women burn about 100–200 fewer calories per day at rest after menopause, largely due to loss of lean muscle mass.
– Body composition shift: Fat distribution often moves from the hips and thighs to the abdominal area (visceral fat), which is more metabolically active and linked to higher health risks.
– Energy gap: Combined with a natural decline in spontaneous activity, this can create a ~230 kcal/day “gap” if eating habits stay the same.
These changes aren’t a sign to slow down — they’re a signal to train smarter. By adjusting intensity, recovery time, and nutrition, midlife athletes can maintain — and even improve — performance.
And that’s where the good news comes in — because with the right adjustments, you can keep your performance strong and even discover new strengths you didn’t know you had.
****
Here are some tips for adapting your training routines.
1. Prioritize Strength Training. Two to three sessions a week of compound movements — such as squats, deadlifts, and push-ups — help preserve muscle and bone density. Start with bodyweight or bands, then progress to weights.
2. Adjust Intensity & Volume. Mix moderate‑intensity cardio with shorter HIIT sessions. Pay attention to recovery cues — if soreness lingers beyond 48 hours, scale back or swap in active recovery.
3. Build in Recovery Days. At least one full rest day per week, plus lighter “deload” weeks every couple of months, can help you bounce back stronger. Here’s a secret tip: bodybuilders of all ages do this, and you can find some additional information by searching for ‘bodybuilding deload’.
4. Support Joints & Tendons. Add low-impact cross-training, such as cycling or swimming, and warm up thoroughly to protect your connective tissue.
5. Keep It Social & Sustainable. Training with others boosts motivation and keeps workouts enjoyable — a key ingredient for long‑term consistency.
Now, we’ll examine how nutrition and hydration strategies can complement these training tweaks — providing your body with the fuel it needs to adapt, recover, and thrive during the transition.
****
Training smarter is only half the equation — the other half is how you fuel and hydrate your body so it can adapt, repair, and perform at its best. Here are some ways you can do this.
1. Get Protein for Muscle Preservation & Recovery.
– Why it matters: Muscle protein synthesis naturally slows with age, making it harder to maintain lean mass.
– How much do you need? Aim for 1.2–2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight daily, spread evenly across meals. Americans take note, kilograms, not pounds.
– What about the timing of your meal? Include 20–40g of high‑quality protein (whey, eggs, lean meats, dairy, or well‑combined plant sources) within 30 minutes post‑workout to jump‑start repair.
2. Carbohydrates for Energy & Hormonal Balance. Why this matters: With reduced estrogen, your body leans more on carbs during exercise. The types of foods you need should contain complex carbohydrates (such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) to replenish glycogen without spiking blood sugar. You should fuel up with carbs before long or intense sessions, and refuel within 2 hours after.
3. Healthy Fats for Inflammation Control. This matters because Omega‑3 fatty acids can help reduce joint stiffness and inflammation. Some sources include fatty fish (such as salmon and sardines), walnuts, flaxseed, and chia seeds.
4. Hydrate for Performance & Recovery. Thirst sensitivity declines with age, and sweat sodium concentration can increase. Before exercise, drink 5–7 mL of water or an electrolyte-rich fluid for each kilogram of body weight, about 4 hours before training. Which, for you Americans again, that’s about 1 ounce per 10 pounds of body weight. While you’re working out, drink a bottle of water every hour, preferably with electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium. Post-workout, replace 150% of the fluid lost. So weigh yourself before and after. If you lose a whole pound, drink at least 12 ounces of water or a sports drink, such as Gatorade or Mio Sport.
5. Micronutrients. Vitamin D & Calcium support bone density, which is especially important during the post‑menopause years. Magnesium aids muscle function and recovery. You can probably get these with a multivitamin. Creatine can also help maintain strength and power in short bursts. You can find it in powder form at your local grocery store.
****
Can physical exercise help with menopause symptoms? Sam Palmer thinks so. In an article on My Menopause Center, she says:
“[In my] late 40s, I noticed I was starting to run in wobbly lines. I was used to covering up to 20 miles, so to suddenly find myself so dizzy that I couldn’t run straight was scary. My mind jumped to the worst scenario — that I had a brain tumor. Looking back, I think that was the beginning of perimenopause.
“…As I reached my early 50s, I became uncharacteristically anxious…This reached a peak when I was about 53.”
Sam goes on to say that HRT was a big help. This seems to be a common thread among the stories I’ve found. She goes on:
“I began looking at exercises that build muscles and would give me the same feel-good buzz. And, importantly for me, because I love to eat, which would allow me to eat cake! I also started to think about longevity — I didn’t want someone wheeling me to the toilet as I got older, so I wanted a workout that would help me stay fit and active well into my 80s…
“Strength training really has been a game-changer. It makes me feel confident. Motivated. Smug that I can do something in 30 minutes and it’s done. And surprisingly to me, I feel more empowered than ever. And now I’m a grandmother., It’s wonderful to be able to lift my grandchild with ease.”
Sam is also a fitness coach and was a marathon runner until these events occurred.
Another article you might want to read is by Normi Coto on Run and Be Brave. It’s called “Running and Menopause: The 9 Ways I Made It Through the Roughest Running Year to Date.” Normi is a teacher and runner who found it difficult to get back into running after moving to a new town. She was afraid menopause was going to force her to stop.
“Here I was, 53 years old. I’d raced every distance from the 800 to the marathon. I still had planned to run at least one ultramarathon, but I could barely get 4 miles in consistently. Physically, my legs felt heavy during runs, my knees ached every time I got up from a seat, my joints hurt, and I was always tired. I felt — and hobbled about — like a 90-year-old woman…I wasn’t thriving; I was pushing myself through the motions.
“The biggest problem was sleep…It was disrupted by hot flashes, racing thoughts, or most frustratingly, nothing at all.”
Normi got her “running mojo,” as she called it, back after committing to a running partner, a challenging race, and increased strength training. She stopped worrying about speed. Her goal was to finish an ultramarathon. She cut back on alcohol, increased her iron and protein intake, and started HRT, which helped her sleep better. She recalibrated her mindset, keeping in mind that age is just a number and adjusting her expectations based on her current reality. Instead of obsessing on races, she sought out new places to run and explore, started listening to music as she ran, and “did a lot more smiling.”
****
Menopause may change the rules of the game, but it doesn’t take you out of it. Yes, endurance can feel harder, recovery can take longer, and metabolism may shift — but these are signals, not stop signs. By understanding what’s happening inside your body, you can adapt your training, fuel smarter, and give yourself the recovery you need to keep performing at your best. Strength work to protect muscle and bone, smart adjustments to intensity and volume, and a nutrition plan that supports energy and repair — these aren’t compromises, they’re upgrades. And as we’ve heard, with the right mindset and strategies, midlife can be a time of surprising breakthroughs. So whether you’re chasing a personal best or simply want to keep moving with confidence, remember: the change doesn’t define your limits — it redefines your potential.
Next time, we’ll explore how menopause affects relationships with family and friends.
Please remember to like, comment, and subscribe. I’m always glad to receive emails at m-a-i-l@runningafever.com. I’d love to know about your experience with menopause and exercise, how it has affected your life, and how it has helped. I look forward to your responses. Until then, if you’ve got the fever, keep it burning, and if you don’t, catch the fever. And I will see you next time on Running: A FEVER.
References:
https://www.mymenopausecentre.com/menopause-stories/sam-palmer-57-fitness-coach-sevenoaks-in-kent/
https://www.runandbebrave.com/blog/running-and-menopause-the-9-ways-i-made-it-through-the-roughest-running-year-to-date