"Park Seo-yeon finished the race despite her period starting"... Japanese track and field goddess also reveals 'menstrual struggles,' sparking buzz: "Experienced side effects from birth control pills, paid attention to my uniform on 'that day'"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The fighting spirit of Park Seo-yeon (22, Hapcheon County Office), who completed a full marathon course despite a sudden menstrual episode, has become a topic of conversation. Amid this, Japanese Olympians have also drawn attention by candidly sharing the menstrual struggles and conditioning issues faced by female athletes.

Park Seo-yeon secured seventh place in the women's open marathon at the 107th National Sports Festival held on the 18th, with a time of 2 hours, 48 minutes, and 51 seconds. After the race, Park shared on social media, "An unexpected period started around the 25th-kilometer mark," adding, "My stomach felt crampingly painful due to menstrual pain, and I lost my strength." Nevertheless, she explained her reason for finishing by saying, "I wanted to keep my promise to myself that I would never give up again."

For female athletes, menstruation is an unavoidable challenge. According to the Japanese media outlet 'The Answer,' a talk event themed on "Menstruation and Conditioning" was held at Japan Sports University on the 12th. Yumi Tanaka, who competes in the women's 100m hurdles in track and field, and Arisa Igaraishi, a mixed doubles badminton player, attended to share their experiences with menstrual pain and coping methods.

The athletes voiced the difficulties of managing their condition through birth control pills. Tanaka said, "I was concerned when my period coincided with wearing my uniform," and shared an anecdote about visiting a gynecologist before a competition to get a prescription for birth control pills.

She added, "At first, I experienced side effects severe enough to make training difficult, such as nausea, but after trial and error, including switching to low-dose birth control pills, I found a medication that suits me." Igaraishi, who once collapsed during practice due to menstrual pain, is also currently managing her condition with birth control pills.

Professor Mikaiko Sunaga, who attended the event, advised, "Birth control pills are medicine, not nutritional supplements, so you must inform your doctor of your symptoms and get a prescription for medication that suits you."

Communication with male coaches was also a topic of discussion. Igaraishi revealed that communication opened up because a coach in Malaysia once casually asked, "Is it Girl's Day today?" She stated that menstruation should be treated as a core conditioning element, like sleep and diet, rather than something to hide, and that trust must be built with coaches.

The two athletes also shared tips on overall conditioning. Tanaka said, "I determine my wake-up and bedtime by working backward to ensure I get eight hours of deep sleep." Igaraishi explained, "I have anemia, so I consistently consume iron through my meals."

Both athletes emphasized mind control regarding training limitations during menstruation. Igaraishi said, "It's a perfect score if you are kind to yourself and adjust your mood by thinking, 'There are days like this too.'" Tanaka added, "I try not to blame myself too much and aim for satisfaction at the point where I can think, 'This is my best effort.'"

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original