FENDURA

The TFS-funded project, “The Female Endurance Athlete (FENDURA): Exploring the Missing Link in Exercise Physiology” has extensively advanced our understanding of how female endurance athletes can optimize their training, health, and performance. By focusing on the unique physiological characteristics of women, the project has explored the influence of the menstrual cycle (MC), hormonal contraceptives (HC), and training strategies on athletic performance, training and recovery.
Through a series of comprehensive studies, FENDURA has provided novel insights into the training of world-class female athletes, as well as the influence of the MC and HC on physiological and perceptual responses to different types of training intensities and conditions. The findings show the importance of a sustainable, long-term training process for athletic success, with large individual variations in both training progression and the perceived influence of MC and HC on fitness and performance. Still, objectively measured key endurance performance metrics and recovery are minimally affected by MC phases on a group level. This challenges traditional assumptions and highlights the importance of individualized approaches to training, recovery and performance. Furthermore, FENDURA has addressed the prevalence and experiences of HC use among female athletes and in the general population, showing new trends in types of HC used and mainly positive implications for health and performance management.
By bridging gaps in knowledge and addressing the historical underrepresentation of women in sports science, FENDURA has laid important groundwork for more inclusive and evidence-based approaches to female athlete research. The project’s outcomes have practical implications for coaches, athletes, and sports organizations, offering strategies to enhance both performance and well-being in female endurance athletes.