For the past 3 months I have been working hard on building up a good foundation for my 21’ season. I have been spending all this time in Spain, moving around for trainingcamps is just not easy in these times. It makes me so grateful for the open boarders we normally have in Europe. How lucky I am to live in such a union. Anyways, it has been going great. Rarely have I had such a good winter of training, training gone well, almost only good days, no illness, no injures, no big hurdles (should I knock on wood now?). Consistent good work day in and day out. Normally that’s a pretty good start for a successful season. So let’s see what I can build on top of this! ​

Last week we got the season kicked off with two races back to back. First one in Spain, Banyoles, second on in Italy, Andora. Big thanks and shout out to the race organizers, I imagine that it’s no easy task to organize an event at the moment. I came to the races with the plan to leave them with more race experience and a heart full of motivation. I knew I didn’t come in a super race-shape, but when you have a plan you have to stick to it. So I left the ego at home and went head first into the two races with world-class fields. And got my ass kicked just a little, haha. ​

I ended up 13 and 12 on the result list, nothing glorious, but I was super happy with it. In Banyoles I really felt how it has been pretty much half a year since I last did a xco race, after a good first 30 minutes my body was just like ‘gurl, what da heck are you making me do?’. It was such a chock to the system, and it felt really horrendous. But I was glad I did it. Felt like I needed it. Then I continued to Italy where I had a way better race, already improving from race number uno. I was more in tune with what racing is like and it felt like my body rememerd that this xco thing is something we do every other weekend, for fun. haha. ​

Now I’m back in Spain looking at two good month in front of me, full of hard training and racing. I’m pretty excited to do this and hopefully next time I race I feel just a little more speed in the legs. If I can do that at every race until the World Cup, I have done something right, haha. ​

Finding a purpose and small goals doing your preparation races are super important, I think. I wanted to get back in tune with what racing feels like and all the small stuff around it. And I believe I achieved that. ​

During the past week we have had 2 race cancellations of our World Cup. Which is our biggest series of races in xc mountainbike. that means we are down to only 2 rounds (both held in Nove Mesto Na Morave). This year sucks, honestly. There is still smaller races on the calendar here in Europe, but none of them is in the same league as the World Cup. Beside the races in Nove Mesto, we will also have the World Champs. Worlds is hosted by Leogang, which I had looked much forward to, but as the situtationen is developing it starts to feel strange. Are we going to have a world championship without the whole world able to compete? ​

​The other night I drove through Barcelona with Loic, we saw the statue of Columbus. And Loic was like ‘The Navigator!’ (in a prober french accent, hah). And it made me think. We have to be great ‘navigators’ this year. There are plenty of waves and obstacles on our way, but if we are smart, and keep on taking that, ‘step back’ to see the bigger picture, I’m sure we find our way. ​

​If you are a man reading this. Chill. It’s just blood. And that’s how we work, us, women. We can bleed for 5 days without dying. Just sayin’

And if you are a woman reading this, or girl for that matter, thinking, eww Malene, not that topic. Don’t be ashamed of your period, for **** sake, you are a woman and it’s freaking cool to be a woman. Period

First of all, I want to make sure that you know that I’m no scientist, (surprise)… But for real. If you want to know more about this topic I would take a look at dr. Stacy Sims research (and book). She will for sure give you all the right terms and explanations. 
For me, this is more about addressing some of the symptoms I have and what I/we can do about it. It’s no biology lesson 

​How my cycle affected me is first something I really have started to look at as I have grown a little older (soon 23!! I’m not old enough to use that term.. but yea here we go), when I was a teenager it didn’t affect me much - or, so many other feelings and hormones affected me that I didn’t have time to think about my cycle. That changed. As an athlete, you are in touch with every little change in your body, and for me, there are two things that I have noticed, when it comes to this. Or I say it’s two things, but honestly, I think they are walking hand in hand. (And there will probably be more to add to this list over the next many years) 
((..fyi, My cycle is around 30 days, ish))

​The week leading up to my period I am often more down and moody. It doesn’t take much to knock me down. And my mini-Malene inside of me is not always so nice (We all have a mini version of ourselves inside talking, right? Or did I watch too much Lizzie Mcguire?). She can actually be kind of rude at times. If I have a bad hair day it's always in that week... joke aside, but you get the point? So when I head out for training I will already feel a bit mæ-mææ before I even start and then I get out there and it feels way harder than normal to hit my numbers. I can do it, but it’s just not as enjoyable. I’m also often saltier (sweat) after my rides and I’m in general just not as cool as ‘normal’. The recovery is poorer and in general, it's just a bit more annoying to be me. 

​Then my period arrives and I'm celebrating. I know better days are coming. Cause when it starts I will already feel better. And the next weeks are for me so awesome. I can train hard and recover better. And mini-Malene is way nicer. 

​It’s also important for me to mention that I know how these hormones are affecting me, but that doesn’t mean I let them control me. I know what to do to make me feel more confident and happy on the low days, and I can do actions against my 'symptoms'.

​Like being more aware of my hydration, recovery process and so on.  I know I can get through my training and I’m also aware of being okay with saying not today. I have done some really good races in my pms period (pre) and during my period, just to say that menstruation doesn’t hold me back in any way. It’s apart of being a female athlete and you have to find your way around it. 
I think being aware is the best advise I can give. 

And celebrate that you have it. 

​Honestly, it means we are healthy humans. 

​— For women who struggle with pain and so on this is of course super annoying and a different case. I don't struggle too much with any of these symptoms. Which can be super performance hindering. So this was just my experience - it’s not a fact book. There is plenty of ways to feel and handle this. You are normal whatever you feel and do. 

​If you have any questions you are welcome to write to me here or on IG - dm me and I will try to come back to you. 

Hope it was useful and a bit funny to read. 

xoxo 
Malle