When I finished my last leg of the New England Relay I knew that I was
more than just sore. It wasn’t an injury
that would prohibit me from running again.
It was one of those overuse injuries that was going to nag at me. My right hip and hamstring were sore beyond
any normal level. It hurt when I
walked. It hurt when I ran. It even hurt when I was sitting down. But being a stubborn runner, I wasn’t going to
force me to stop running. Instead I
decided to pull back my mileage and hope that it would heal on its own. When it did, I could get back to my normal
training routine. After a couple of
weeks I realized that it wasn’t getting any better.
I continued to pull back my mileage.
I reduced the speed of my training runs to help reduce the pain. Nothing seemed to work. Sure there would be days that the pain would
be almost non-existent. I could finish
my training run and feel almost normal.
However, I could feel my gait was not normal when I was running. More importantly I was still sore the next
day. I began to worry that I would
really have to take a long respite from running and only do low impact
training. The problem with that plan was
that I had signed up to run the Ragnar Del Sol Relay in February as part of the
Sprouts team. Being the only person on
the team to have ever run in an adventure relay I couldn’t afford to take the
time off as it might mean I wouldn’t be ready to run the race.
Since moving to Arizona in December, I had not been to a masseuse. I had come to rely on my massage therapist in
Massachusetts to keep me out on the road and pain free. I had set numerous personal best performances
in races from the 5K all the way up to my 3:59:21 Boston Marathon performance
in 2009. While my training certainly
contributed to my success, I couldn’t have done it without my monthly
massage. I knew I would have to find
someone out here that would provide the same service.
I have found that a good massage performed by a trained professional can
help improve circulation, rebalance my body’s musculoskeletal system, loosen
tight muscles and reduce stress on joints. All of these factors have really improved my
ability to train at a high level and ultimately allow me to improve my performance
in races. I knew that if I was going to
be able to train properly for the Ragnar Del Sol I had to find a masseuse who
could help me get back to normal. I
wanted to find one who practiced pressure point massage as I knew that would
allow my muscles to release and heal properly.
Pressure or trigger point therapy is specifically designed to alleviate
the source of the pain through cycles of isolated pressure and release. I prefer this of massage because I actively
participate throughout the session through my breathing as well as being able
to tell the therapist the exact location and intensity of my discomfort. What I have found is that if done correctly the
trigger point massage releases constricted areas in the muscles and almost
immediately alleviates the pain. I know
from experience that when I was receiving massage with trigger point therapy on
a regular basis I was able to naturally manage pain and stress from my intense training
schedule.
I used the American Massage Therapy website to find a qualified therapist
in my area. The link is http://www.amtamassage.org/findamassage/index.html. This site allows you to search by location or
technique. I found my therapist in
Massachusetts and my new therapist here in Arizona through this website. I also like to talk with other runners in the
area to see who they recommend. Since I hadn’t
met many runners here yet, I relied solely on the website. I was
looking for a therapist who was leading an active lifestyle and was preferably
a runner. It is my opinion that if they
are a fellow runner, they understand and/or experience many of the same
injuries that they I am going to ask them to address with me on my visits. It is vitally important that my therapist be
able to relate to what I am experiencing both physically and emotionally. Finally, on my first visit, I talk with them
to be sure that they are willing to work with other sports-minded health care
professionals, such as chiropractors.
I found a therapist who had all of the credentials I mentioned above
and was a runner. My first visit was a
bit painful as she dug into the problem areas and helped relieve the pain. I took the next day off and then went for a
slow easy run. The difference was
amazing. I went back one week later for
a second session. I am happy to say that
I am running normally again with no pain at all. I have lost some of my stamina due to the
fact that I was having to take it slow and had to miss several work outs. But, I know I will get back to normal in the
next 3 to 4 weeks. As you can tell I am
a firm believer in the power of therapeutic massage to keep me out on the road
and pain free.
I know that going to a masseuse is expensive (about $75 per 1 hour
session). But, when you consider the
benefits of massage, I believe the cost is well worth it. Sure I can buy the best shoes available, but
if my hamstring is so tight that I am hobbling when I try to train, it doesn’t
matter how good my shoes are.
Regardless, I know that the frequency of massage therapy is a personal
decision based on one’s personal training intensity and finances. If you can afford it, I believe that a monthly
massage can address tight areas before they become trouble spots and derail your
training. If recurring appointments are
not feasible due to your financial situation, I would recommend a massage at
least three to five days before a big race like a marathon or half marathon.
I am almost back to normal. I am
starting back on my monthly massage schedule which will is going to allow me to
remain flexible as well as take care of any muscle problems before they impair
performance. I can’t wait to get back
to more intense training so I can go out there and rock the Del Sol in
February.
Aug. 19 – 6.20 miles (1:00:11, 9:41 pace)
Aug. 20 – 4.00 miles (33:03, 8:13 pace) – Speed WorkAug. 22 – 5.00 miles (40:28, 8:06 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug. 23 – 7.10 miles (1:00:00, 8:27 pace) – Elliptical
Aug. 24 – 8.10 miles (1:19:16, 9:50 pace)
Aug. 25 – 7.10 miles (1:10:27, 10:00 pace)
Aug. 26 – 7.20 miles (1:07:14, 9:23 pace)
Aug. 27 – 6.10 miles (1:00:00, 9:50 pace) – Elliptical
Aug. 30 – 4.10 miles (39:52, 9:41 pace)
Aug. 31 – 5.10 miles (47:21, 9:14 pace)
Sept. 2 – 6.20 miles (59:15, 9:31 pace)
Sept. 3 – 6.50 miles (1:00:00, 9:14 pace) – Elliptical
Sept. 5 – 6.10 miles (57:33, 9:23 pace)
Sept. 6 – 6.20 miles (1:00:26, 9:41 pace)
Sept. 7 – 7.10 miles (1:07:51, 9:31 pace)
Sept. 8 – 8.10 miles (1:19:07, 9:50 pace)
Sept. 9 – 5.10 miles (48:55, 9:31 pace)
Sept. 12 – 3.10 miles (25:58, 8:20 pace) – Speed Work
Sept. 13 – 6.20 miles (58:53, 9:29 pace)
Sept. 15 – 8.10 miles (1:06:44, 9:28 pace)
Total Miles: 137.9 miles
2013 Total Miles: 1,213.0 miles