Massage Away the Pain

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 Work
Aug. 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