Tracking Distances and Periods: Examining the Interplay between Endurance Sports and the Menstrual Cycle

Improvements in self-tracking technology, particularly the integration of sports performance metrics with health data, have contributed to advancements in athletic performance. Meanwhile, there is a growing attention within HCI to menstrual health that emphasizes the role of technology within bodily experiences. Yet, despite the availability of self-tracking tools for both sports and menstrual health, there is still a gap in HCI which addresses the unique needs of menstruating athletes and the impacts of athletic performance on menstrual cycles and vice versa. To address this gap, we conducted a diary study and interviews with N = 11 runners to demonstrate how self-tracking technology supports menstruating athletes in recognising and navigating the interplay between athletic performance and menstrual cycles. Our results shed light on the challenges and coping strategies of menstruating athletes related to menstruation, and the way tracking tools address them. This paper suggests directions for interaction designers to tackle the challenges of bidirectional impacts of athletic performance and menstrual cycles.