I’ve worked hard to stay fit and feel athletic throughout my perimenopause journey. But many of my long-time clients know that despite trying to train “smart,” the past three years of entering races have been rough: every event ended with a tweaked or pulled hamstring—sometimes during training, and most recently during the 10K Sun Run itself.
As a trainer with 20+ years of experience, it was a tough pill to swallow.
On top of that, I’d been getting progressively stiffer whenever I wasn’t moving. Once I was warmed up, I felt fine—but the moment I slowed down, I felt like walking beef jerky. I had started accepting this as my new normal. My mom was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in her late 40s (something we now understand was likely related to perimenopause), and a part of me wondered if this stiffness and ache was simply “my path.”
I’d even been on a year-long waitlist to see a menopause specialist for this issue via a referral from my GP—but my appointment wasn’t until March 2026.
So when Steve asked if I wanted to enter the Hyrox event with him, I felt nervous. I wasn’t sure if my body could keep up with my own competitive mindset. But I also wasn’t ready to say “I’m too old” for something I genuinely wanted to do. So I said yes—excited, but also apprehensive.
Why I Needed a Different Approach
I knew one thing: if I didn’t train differently, I’d blow my hamstring before we even showed up on race day.
Looking back at my recent events—the Sun Run, the Squamish Off-Road Triathlon, then the Sun Run again—I realized I had been training week to week, instead of following a strategic, bigger-picture plan like we create for our clients. Life was busy, so I winged it. And clearly…it wasn’t working.
My Initial Hyrox Training Plan
At the end of September, I created a structured, realistic weekly plan:
| —2 strength days/week, focused on sets of 8 reps for bigger lifts |
| with low-volume plyos and explosive movements integrated into ramp-up, post rolling and activations in the warm-up |
| (6 × 30-second bike sprints or VERY short run tacked on to the end of one of my lifting days) |
| —2 Hyrox simulation workouts (running/rowing intervals with Hyrox-style movements (i.e. sled push and pull, burpee broad jumps, etc.—a bit like HIIT but 4 min “cardio intervals” in between Hyrox specific strength or power movements) |
| —1 long “easy-ish” run or bike (~60–70 minutes) |
| —Optional short run if the week allowed |
| —Consistent fuelling: ~2200+ calories/day with at least 1 g protein/lb body weight + more carbs to support training |
Within two weeks, I felt inspired again. Fitter. Motivated.
But I was still dealing with intense stiffness whenever I wasn’t training.
When Things Started Going Sideways
Because I was feeling fitter, I pushed harder. Too hard.
By week three, I wasn’t recovering from lifting sessions—just sore and exhausted.
By week four, I completely crashed.
My hamstrings were talking to me, and I’m pretty sure I gave myself a mild strain in my left one while trying to deny the obvious.
It was frustrating because my “younger” self could have handled this training load easily. But that’s the point—I’m not 25 anymore, and my body needs a different strategy.
My Reset: Rest + Professional Support
I took a full week of recovery:
Walking the dog, easy stationary bike, stretching, and one very light lifting session.
I also decided it was time to get more guidance. I booked an appointment with a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner and Naturopathic Doctor who works with women in perimenopause. She suggested I might be a good candidate for menopause hormone therapy (MHT) and also reminded me that some of my behaviours—not just my hormones—needed to change if I wanted to support my body.
I started MHT… and almost quit immediately.
The first day brought brain fog, exhaustion, and a pounding headache. But those symptoms can happen early on, so I stuck it out. By day three, I felt normal again—still stiff, still “beef jerky-ish,” but willing to give it time.
Phase Two: Training Smarter, Not Harder
After a week and a half of recovery, I eased back into training—but with major adjustments.
Weekly Structure (Round Two)
| –2 strength days, but heavy lifts dropped to 3-5 reps instead of 8 |
| (and bike sprints, 4 or less only if I felt up to it) |
| –Lower-volume Hyrox simulations, capped at ~45 minutes instead of trying to mimic race-day volume. Less run or row interval time (~2 min) in between Hyrox specific movements |
| –Long runs/bikes done intuitively—adding walking or stretching breaks anytime things tightened up |
2 Weeks On, 1 Week De-load
This was huge.
Every third week became a “lighter” week:
| –1 lighter lift |
| –2 very short Hyrox-style workouts (~25 minutes) |
| –Extra walking, gentle cycling, stretching |
I learned about this training rhythm through Stacy Sims’ Menopause for Athletes 2.0 course, but I had dismissed it for myself. I thought I could handle more volume. But my body was saying otherwise—and honestly, many women in their 40s and 50s may benefit from this rhythm, even though “de-load week” can feel like a hard sell.
Stretching: My New Non-Negotiable
I also started static stretching far more often—whenever I could. Between clients. After workouts. While watching my kids’ sports events. Even while studying for my Precision Nutrition Sleep, Stress Management & Recovery Certification.
Not “perfect,” but consistent.
Where I Am Now
So far… these changes are working.
| –My hamstrings are manageable. |
| –I look forward to deload weeks instead of viewing them as “slacking.” |
| –I’ve successfully completed another 5-week training block without burning out. |
| –I’m more respectful of aches and tightness instead of ignoring them. |
| –I’m noticing small, but notceable improvements in my strength in my key lifts |
| –And I genuinely feel better—cautiously better—but better. |
I don’t know how much of the improvement is from the MHT and how much is from training smarter, but between the two, I feel more capable and confident heading into Hyrox on December 20th.
Looking Ahead
I’m excited (and still nervous!) to see how Steve and I perform as a team. And who knows—next year, when Hyrox comes back to Vancouver, maybe we’ll have a whole crew of clients of all ages joining us.
If you’d be interested in training for Hyrox—or simply training smarter as an active woman or man in midlife—let us know. We’d love to support you.
Every body is different, especially as we age. If you want a personalized plan that keeps you strong, athletic, and injury-resilient, start with a professional assessment.
Contact info@pitraining.ca or call 604-291-9941 to book yours.