Ladies how do you feel about this? Would you do it?

Awareness? Really? There's a "stigma" surrounding the menstrual cycle? Perhaps in some parts of the world there are - but this story will likely never make it to those parts of the world.

Fear of a tampon being uncomfortable when running? 

To me, it screams publicity stunt. And chafing.

well, if I saw her running, I am not sure I would be thinking, Oh she is making a statement and showing support for her cause. I would be thinking more along of the lines "poor lady had a problem!"

Agreed. I have friends on social media saying "there's so much sweat and grossness everywhere anyway, it's no big deal" - which I just don't agree with. It's unhygienic and completely preventable. 

Also as a woman, I alwaysalwaysALWAYS carry tampons and am never in a place where I can't access a drug store to buy some. Her whole thing about not expecting to get her period the night before the race is, to me, completely irrelevant to the story. Have some unexpected lady issues? Take care of them like everyone else. 

I'm a guy who has been purchasing feminine hygiene products for the past 25 years (for my embarrassed girlfriend, now wife) and who has two daughters, 10 and 12. I don't really get why that runner felt the need to make her statement or what statement she was really trying to make.  People around the world are dying because of a lack of clean water - water without human and animal waste, but running a marathon with human waste running down your let probably is not the best way to bring attention to the problem.  

Well, she stated she did it to raise awareness for women who don't have access to feminine products. Which is a pretty big issue. Not, big like clean water and hunger but a huge challenge nonetheless. The cost of the products in some countries being a weeks worth of wage. Yet trying to maximize the use has pretty negative effect like toxic shock. So, yeah, it is an issue. (Side plug for the Diva Cup BTW. So. Damn. Amazing.)

But anyway, I don't know about the whole part about pretending it doesn't exist. I guess there is a stigma, and yeah, it's a part of life and we shouldn't apologize for it or feel like we can't talk about it.

To answer the question though, no, I wouldn't do it. And I guess props to her for doing it? It seems extreme but then again, we are talking about it...

She's speaking more to people who are living in poverty/developing countries, women in prison etc.

http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/28/helping-women-and-girls-period/

I have a wife and 4 daughters......I'm all out of statements.

On a serious note, and yes, I realize you are asking the ladies, but I'm surrounded by them so I feel I can at least add a man's perspective;  that woman needs to grow up.   Raising awareness of bodily functions is dumb......all you have to do is look in a mirror and you'll be aware of at least 75% of them. LOL

No I wouldn't do it.

But I had no idea or never gave any thought to the issue of women not being able to take care of their personal needs. That is definitely concerning. I don't know what all is covered on food stamps but that seems to be pretty much a necessity to me.

The way I read the article, it sounds like she only planned this the night before the race, so I am not sure I would say this was as big a statement as she wanted it to be

I can certainly agree with that.

I agree with her message. I just think the attempt fell flat. But, I can't help but respect someone for trying to make a difference. 

Well, I don't think it was so much raising awareness OF bodily functions, but with.

However, leads me to wonder what awareness the woman who ran in front of my in the 14 Boston Marathon was running for when she sh*t her pants

That's a really great article. 

So it makes me wonder, now that she pulled her publicity stunt and people are talking about it... what's next? How do these people get the help they need? That is the missing piece of the puzzle for me, in terms of her cause. Which, if you read her blog, she doesn't really have a cause (she was actually running for breast cancer awareness). Almost like after she decided to be lazy about her hygiene she thought she should come up with an excuse. I dunno. This line from her blog really stood out to me.

"I got my flow the night before and it was a total disaster but I didn’t want to clean it up"

Same, personally wouldn't do it. And sure, it definitely got us talking ... we recently in Canada had pads/tampons and the like finally added to the sales tax exempt list - it is a necessity for 50% of the population ...

The other part of being able to talk about - i agree to some extent though i don't think doing this is exactly how to do. How about just talking about it? Acknowledging that it is going on and a normal part of life. I often do with other women i am comfortable with but pretty well would never mention it to a man.  It is definitely still a taboo out there.   There was recently that tennis player who said she didn't play as well as she could have because she was on her period. There, that is a good start. 

Oddly enough, I got an e-mail including an ad for this company: http://www.corawomen.com/

Cora is a monthly subscription service - which looks like it includes tampons, pads, and few little other things like tea and dark chocolate... but for every month you purchase, they give a full month's supply to a girl in need. The woman who started it basically felt that  she could make a difference by "selling products to women who did have the means and using the profits for product donation"

Their website says they've given away 16000 pads already. 

Looks like they'll start up again in the fall. I'd subscribe.

Maybe someone should forward that link to the marathon runner with the blog.

Yeah. It does seem like totally lazy activism. BUT, again I guess it was effective. Per the conversation here.

Hey, that's great! 

Agreed.  I've learned about menstrual cups, which seems like a great idea to deal with issues in developing countries.

While we're on the subject, any competitive swimmers (or former) out there that have good incite into how a young women deals with menstruation without missing a week of swim every month?  The situation is right around the corner for my girls.

This is funny because it reminds me of when having your period was a legitimate excuse in junior high to skip swimming.  

There's no need to miss anything!  Tampons.  If they are very heavy bleeders this might not be good enough, but the average person should be fine.  I do suggest it' s best to use a fresh one right before and right after the swim.

Potential overshare time!!

I got my period for the first time during the first week of a summer swim season. I didn't miss a practice. My mom was prepared (I'm the 3rd of 4 girls), had smaller sized tampons, and basically told me that my period should never stop me from doing anything I wanted to do.

Be ready to explain that they won't leak, and they should put in a new one before practice, and change it afterwards (as Emily said). Smaller ones with plastic rounded applicators are easiest to start with.