jogscotland started their Menopause Friendly campaign after recognising a need for more awareness and advice around how to stay active throughout menopause.
Since then, they have been working to help joggers and jog leaders learn about menopause, and to help jogging groups to become as menopause friendly as possible.
Groups are invited to make some simple changes to their activities to achieve this, and pledge to talk more about menopause and open up the conversation.
We spoke to a participant and a jog leader to find out about their experiences, the importance of awareness around menopause, and their advice to others.
Catherine's advice
Catherine Rutter is a jog leader who set up a group for members of her gym class at Inside Out PT in Edinburgh.
Why is it important for jog leaders to understand menopause?
"Awareness is crucial for Jog leaders; both so women understand what's happening and can be empowered to make their own decisions and so Jog leaders can provide support.
"Symptoms are very wide ranging and affect different people in a myriad of different ways."
"The most important thing is that women trying to maintain an exercise routine feel supported to come to a jogging group, particularly since they are outside. Just being in fresh air in itself provides a myriad of benefits."
What would be your advice to other leaders/coaches looking to make their sessions menopause friendly?
"To be menopause friendly, the most useful thing a Jog leader can do is be open, welcoming and non judgemental. If someone turns up feeling dreadful, the best thing might be for them to have a chat and / or a 10 minute walk.
"This can make such a difference to someone's day."
Why is it important to open up a conversation about staying active through menopause?
"Exercise has so many benefits for life - social, physical and mental. Even if you are unable to always run or train like you previously did, keeping up an exercise routine during this life stage is crucial and will help build a fitness base for an active and healthy later life."
Jane's experience
Jane Malcolm runs with the jogscotland group Stirling Striders.
What has your experience been of staying active through the menopause?
“I have found running during peri-menopause both a help and hard work.
"Jogging with the group keeps my mental health strong and it helps with menopausal symptoms such as sore joints and fatigue."
However, sometimes it can be hard to when all I really feel like doing is not going for a run. But then the company, chat and laughter pulls me along.
“I have always found that sharing how I feel, what symptoms I have had and how I dealt with peri-menopause has been empowering because I know I am not alone."
What would be your advice to others experiencing something similar?
“My advice for anyone who is experiencing menopausal symptoms or who knows someone who is experiencing symptoms is to speak to someone about it. There is help out there you just have to ask. jogscotland’s menopause friendly groups are the perfect place to start! Have a chat with your leader, they can help.
“Running has always been my go-to throughout my life but never more so through the menopause.
"I just feel better physically and emotionally because I’m outside, moving and chatting.”
About the campaign
Spokeswoman for jogscotland, Sue Gyford said: “The Menopause Friendly campaign really grew out of our grassroots membership – we were hearing from jog leaders that joggers were starting to ask for advice about staying active through menopause, and dealing with symptoms.
"We’d had a lot of success with the I’m here campaign, which encouraged jogscotland groups to be open to conversations about mental wellbeing, and so it made sense to do something similar with a focus on menopause.
“By providing our jog leaders with information and practical ideas, we’ve given them the tools to deal better with those conversations that were already starting to happen at their groups."
And by encouraging groups to offer flexible sessions to cope with fluctuating symptoms, and to chat more openly about menopause, we hope more joggers will keep going along, rather than dropping out.”
