Tuesday 14 November 2006

That's the way the cookie crumbles.

Posted by speedygeoff on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 with
running quote of the day: Runners just do it - they run for the finish line even if someone else has reached it first. (that just about sums it up for me)

hurdle champ

MASSAGE as an aid to recovery. I think everyone over 40 years old or 10,000kms, whichever comes first, could benefit by regular sports massage, as part of their serious training.

(a) Marathon preparation is a good example. After all those kms of training, it is good to loosen up the muscles as you start easing back for the big race.

(b) A good massage will help restore mobility in injured muscles.

(c) The question is whether massage is of most benefit after serious training or racing, or before.

Not many other runners can say they have been competing in athletics for 44 years; what keeps me going now is the massage.

I like to have a massage leading up to a big race; but muscles that are sore or overly relaxed from a massage do not perform as well, so the massage ought not be too soon before the race. I find a week before the race is optimal.

Likewise I think it helps to wait a few days after a big race before having a massage. I could be wrong, because I see masseurs busily working away at the finish line of marathons and fun runs. But I prefer to wait to see if I have sustained any injury, and if so, to give it time to start healing, before I let a masseur at it.

In summary I wait to have a massage leading up to a big race. Or when injuries have got the better of me and I am not doing much running.

FOOTNOTES
1. Amanda Walker: Coming up to her and Colin's second wedding anniversary next month. Their “baby’ Ben has turned one year old. By the time Ben is running in the under 6s in Little Athletics, breaking ACT records no doubt, Amanda will be in the W40s in big athletics, and still running fast 3ks. Good effort last Thursday Amanda to get under the 13 minutes!

2. OK, that movie title was too easy, "Fried Green Tomatos at the Whistle Stop Cafe". An oldie but a goodie. Sorry Ewen I haven't seen any Star Trek movies so I don't know any of those quotes, but I have watched the Star Trek satire, "Red Dwarf", many times over and will definitely be quoting them one day. But not today.

3. A great non-running blog I enjoy reading is crazymomcat. She has just taken up jogging! See finding-hidden-strengths for a motivating read. (If blogger is working!)

B-E-A-utiful. Now turn off your PC and go and help your wife with the photo album.