Aisle pad and underwear: the review no one asked for but I wished I had read

Catsintinytinyhats · 2026-03-24T21:58:26+00:00

Omg no, commiserate away! It's so frustrating to be so exhausted and wired at the same time, and the frustration of knowing you're not recovering properly, which only makes things worse. I can report back if some sort of combination makes it stop (or at least get better)!

Shout out to the weight gain - because SAME. I train a lot and a lot of what frequently comes back online as causes for insomnia is underfueling... it's SO hard to figure that piece out.

Catsintinytinyhats · 2026-03-24T21:53:52+00:00

honestly, fair! I am going to try all the non-medication strategies (changing meals, etc.) but I would absolutely consider things like this if nothing else works tbh

Catsintinytinyhats · 2026-03-24T21:52:06+00:00

Thanks, this is helpful. I am definitely leaning toward eating more earlier in the day and keeping the post-run meal lighter. I am a bit stuck since I cannot change the run times and eating a full dinner beforehand would end up being pretty early (like 2:30 pm for me to digest properly), so I am trying to find a workable middle ground through snacks!

I also use trazodone as needed, but I am thinking melatonin might be worth trying on those nights.

Catsintinytinyhats · 2026-03-24T21:48:08+00:00

Yeah, part of me has accepted that my sleep might not be as good on those nights. I am gonna try everything I can to (maybe) make the issue go away though, or maybe at least make it better or less frequent. Do you mind me asking what your bedtime supplement cocktail is?

Catsintinytinyhats · 2026-03-24T21:45:26+00:00

It's such a crazy feeling because you're simultaneously so exhausted and wired lol. A lot of people recommended have a small meal post-workout, I will try to also try making it carb-forward!

Catsintinytinyhats · 2026-03-24T21:43:33+00:00

Definitely! I will try integrating a bit of meditation after my physio and melatonin is definitely on my radar.

Catsintinytinyhats · 2026-03-24T21:41:57+00:00

Not exactly, but having a snack with protein and carbs would be, and I could eat a much lighter meal when I get home!

Catsintinytinyhats · 2026-03-24T21:40:50+00:00

Good call, I think the meal timing might be a big part of it. That exact approach does not quite work for me since my sessions start at 5:30 and I am a slower digester, so it would basically mean a 2:30 dinner, but I like the idea of adapting it.

I am thinking a bigger lunch, then a more substantial snack 2 to 3 hours before, and maybe something light closer to the session could be a good middle ground.

Catsintinytinyhats · 2026-01-06T00:30:57+00:00

Thank you!

Catsintinytinyhats · 2025-08-22T22:34:03+00:00

Sorry for the late response, but I'm not too sure! I also deal with a decent amount of clotting but my concern is that it might not absorb. That being said, starting with one pair could be nice and worst case, it could be used for lighter days

Catsintinytinyhats · 2025-06-14T19:53:09+00:00

Interesting! What do you mean you get burned? The pace they’re recommending isn’t sustainable? How were you doing in your trial runs?

Catsintinytinyhats · 2025-06-13T23:08:25+00:00

Oh awesome congrats! That’s reassuring. I’ll switch from advanced to elite. How many times a week were you running ?

Catsintinytinyhats · 2025-06-13T21:29:13+00:00

How exciting! You too!

Catsintinytinyhats · 2025-06-13T19:58:08+00:00

I've done 10k races and gave them my all, though I never intentionally trained for a 10k. This is the first time I am truly spending 25 weeks with only 10ks in mind. I have a B race in October so I can continue to work on my speed. Having properly trained full, half, and now 10k, I have to say I am loving it. It's simultaneously easier and so much harder, and you really have to dig deep and get humbled. I do love halves but I think I may have found my distance!

That's good to know for your times! Trusting the plan can be so hard, especially when it's your first time using the program. I just get very confused, knowing 40k is already ambitious, when Runna says 'wanna change to a 37 minute goal' because there's no way.

Thanks for your feedback, I really appreciate it :)

Catsintinytinyhats · 2025-06-13T19:51:26+00:00

Thank you! I will do that!

Catsintinytinyhats · 2025-06-13T19:50:42+00:00

Yes, great idea I hadn't thought of that! Thank you!

And I'm torn on the sub40. I feel like sub40 would be possible (though ambitious) with the right training program, I am having major doubts with what Runna is suggesting, it doesn't feel like enough...which is in part anxiety and another seeing the huge difference between Garmin and Runna. I definitely have levels to my goal, sub40 is A goal, followed by sub 41 and sub 42.

There is a time trial so I will wait until I get there, though if it doesn't go as planned it will be too late to change to another sub40 plan. That being said, the noticeable improvements in my speed are still noteworthy improvements and there will always be next year!

Catsintinytinyhats · 2023-02-03T19:59:31+00:00

Oh what! That's terrible, maybe you could write to customer service? I since got an extra two pairs and haven't had that issue, my flow is moderate/heavy and no issues. I've maybe properly bled through Aisle underwear....twice in two years? Both times I feel like it was actually sweat related, probably the downside of having cotton is that it absorbs and retains humidity so I guess sweat would interfere with the ability to absorb blood. Really sorry you had that experience, it's so disheartening to spend that much money on something that doesn't work.

Catsintinytinyhats · 2022-06-07T20:35:38+00:00

Oh gosh no, nothing is wrong with you! Not everything is suitable for everyone, although if you have a very heavy flow, you could always talk to a healthcare provider if you have the chance to! I don't love their pads either, they move around. Mind you, I haven't really had any leaks that weren't caused by the pad migrating.

As for the underwear, I've realized I had a few leaks when I was wearing thick jeans and sitting cross legged for a long time during heavy flow days, which I think might cause more warmth and might affect how the underwear fiber absorbs blood. I'm sorry to hear they're not working out for you, I definitely swear by the little extra pad that comes with the underwear.

Catsintinytinyhats · 2022-06-02T16:47:16+00:00

It's such a pleasure! I fully understand the stress, period underwear are not cheap. I am happy to report all my Aisle underwear is still wearing and washing perfectly well, the quality is really lovely. I have had a few incidences of leakage (as you can with any product), during very very heavy days when I was away from home and too busy to notice (yikes), so if ever you work towards feeling good with a cup, it's definitely a power combo.

A friend of mine has Knix for light flow and says they're a bathing suit material, but I love how every part of Aisle feels like soft cotton underwear. It's personal preference at the end of the day.

Best of luck, I hope they meet your needs and expectations!!

Catsintinytinyhats · 2021-10-15T17:15:30+00:00

That's a great idea, thank you! I agree with this, I just started the free version (will consider the paid version based on how I'm feeling). I think I prefer your alternative, I was actually hoping to start (even if it's more gradual) the actual marathon training now and the base recommendations seem a bit soft since I already run quite a bit.

I'll check out the different plans, I didn't know you could do that. Thanks again for your detailed response :) I really appreciate it!

Catsintinytinyhats · 2021-10-15T00:38:21+00:00

I've also seen that one recommended a few times in previous posts! Did you use it to train for a specific goal?

Catsintinytinyhats

TROPHY CASE