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'I have PCOS', reveals Saiyami Kher who conquered Ironman Triathlon on her period
She Slays: Despite challenges from PCOS and periods, Saiyami Kher has become the first Indian actor to complete the Ironman 70.3 Triathlon twice in a year.
Away from the glitz of Bollywood and gloss of social media, Saiyami Kher has gone and created a record of sorts. She has become the first Indian actor to finish the rough-and-tough Ironman 70.3 Triathlon twice in a span of one year. Only this time, she was on her period - making the tougher terrain and harsher weather conditions, a little more challenging. Saiyami reveals she suffers from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and hence unpredictable menstrual cycles, but says "self talk" went a long way in helping her to keep going.
"This year came with an extra challenge. I have PCOS (a common hormonal disorder in women of reproductive age), and my cycle can be unpredictable. It decided to show up right in the middle of race week. Luckily, it was the last day of my period, so the pain wasn’t too intense, but I still felt heavy, bloated, and a little slower than usual. That kind of discomfort is real," Saiyami tells Health Shots in an exclusive She Slays interview.
Saiyami Kher on the power of showing up
It was a plot twist she didn’t want, but had already mentally prepared herself for. "I won’t lie, the thought made me nervous... a lot of women push through their periods while showing up fully for work, caregiving, performing, or competing. We often just keep going without making a fuss. I don’t think we should have to do that silently, but we’ve all learned how to keep moving with discomfort in the background," says the 33-year-old, who made her Hindi film debut with Mirzya in 2016.
The Ironman 70.3 Triathlon - held this time in Jönköping, Sweden - is physically demanding. It requires an athlete to finish a 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike and a 21.1 km run course.
In 2024, when she decided to take up the challenge, Saiyami Kher had told Health Shots that it was more to do with her mental health rather than physical health. It was driven by a sense of inertia for someone, who had been into sports since she was all of 7 years old.
“I had a bike accident in June 2023, following which I was very damaged, both physically and mentally. I got six stitches on my face and a leg. I broke a rib. It was not a pretty sight. I feel something happened to me mentally back then that I just completely went off sport and fitness. I did nothing for 8 months after the accident, and then I started getting really uneasy and irritated with myself. That's when I got up and said I needed to get back, and the only way for me to do that was to sign up for a really big race,” Saiyami, a former badminton and cricket player, had shared.
While her first triathlon was exhausting and exhilarating, was it tougher to finish while on her period?
She admits: “It was tougher. My body needed more care. My head needed more focus. But once I settled into the rhythm of the race, once my nerves calmed down, I remembered why I was doing this. It wasn’t about being perfect. It was about showing up with everything I had on that day. And I finished 32 minutes faster than last time. That felt quiet but powerful.”
"There were a lot of things stacked against me - my period, weather anxiety, self-doubt. But I finished," Saiyami adds triumphantly.
Saiyami's tips to manage period on race day
For the physical comfort, Saiyami chose a menstrual cup which she had tested and trained with before. "I also wore a dark tri-suit, just for extra peace of mind. I think what matters is using something you’ve practiced with. Race day isn’t the time to experiment. You need to trust your gear and your body," she adds.
What more did you do to keep your energy levels up?
"I focused on fueling smarter and staying on top of hydration. I had a slightly heavier breakfast and was more mindful with my energy gels on the bike. And I kept talking to myself. That internal voice saying, 'You’ve trained in pain before. You’ve trained through cramps, fatigue, low days and you’ve come through.' That self-talk goes a long way," says Saiyami.
Being unstoppable through PCOS and periods
For generations, periods have been used as a reason to silence women, shame them, and stop them from showing up fully. But for Saiyami, "mindset changes everything" - including being unstoppable while she bleeds.
"On race morning, I wasn’t feeling strong. I was cold and uncomfortable. My body felt off. But as I stood at the swim start, I saw a visually impaired athlete getting ready with a quiet smile. That moment grounded me. It reminded me that our bodies carry us through more than we give them credit for. When I stopped fighting my body and started trusting it, something shifted. It was not always easy, especially on my period. But showing up on hard days teaches me the most. I went slower on the inclines, and allowed myself time to catch a break in transitions," she adds, detailing her soft yet strong approach to the race, and life.
Saiyami is not someone to shy away from talking about women's health issues. Yet, she was skeptical about mentioning her period when she wrote a post-Triathlon social media post.
There’s a photo Saiyami remembers — of a female athlete who got her period mid-race and just kept running, undeterred. “I remember her saying we should encourage the conversation to destigmatize the space. That interview stayed with me.”
So when Saiyami sat down to write her post, she debated: should she mention her period? Would it be too much? Would people focus on that and not the Ironman? But then, she chose honesty over hesitation.
“What’s the point in masking it? The more we will talk about it, the more we will open up spaces for voices to be heard. Sure, my periods are not the joyful days where we twirl in white clothes, but they aren’t going to bring me down either. We don’t need to hide. We just need space to be honest. Women push through so much, quietly. Periods are just one part of it.”
With that, Saiyami dreams of more women joining her at marathons and triathlons.
