Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Ahhhh ... That's The Spot!!!

As a runner, do you ever get professional leg massages?  If you get the "non-professional" kind, keep those stories to yourself ... this ain't that kind of blog.

Photo from kimelkinsmassage.com
After my marathons last weekend, I decided to get my first ever leg massage.  On Michael's recommendation, I went to her Chiropratic Clinic, where they also do therapeutic massage.  I've only had like two other massages in my life.  One was a couple's massage with Michael, and the other was by myself.  Both were the REALLY "foo-foo" type ... the kind with candles, weird music, and some smelly stuff smoldering in the corner ... where I was glad no one I knew saw me go in the joint. I was afraid I might have to turn in my "Man Card" for a week just for stepping foot in those places.  But this one wasn't like that at all.

The girl (or woman ... I'm always confused about what to call a 25-30 year old female) who gave me the massage was GREAT!!!  Michael has been to her several times and she's also a runner!  Not just an average runner, but a runner who runs half-marathons and marathons all the time, so I really felt like she knew just what my legs needed.  It felt great ... when it was over!!!  It hurt like a Banshee!!!  But it was good to get a few of the knots worked out, especially in my calves.

I use my Trigger Point Performance Roller (you can read more about it HERE) before and after every run, and then in the evening before I go to bed ... along with stretching.  So it's not like my sore leg muscles never get any attention.  But it was nice to have someone who totally understands runner issues work on my legs. I was only there for a half-hour, but we talked about running and training the whole time - pretty cool.

Trigger Point Performance Roller
But here's the weird part.  In a recent post, Char of My Life's A Marathon wrote about a hospital experience that was a little surreal because of the things that seem "normal" in a hospital environment, but would be totally socially unacceptable in any other walk of life.  This was the same way.  She told me to get undressed and wait under the sheet.  So I did.  The sheet was REALLLLLY thin!!!  When she came in the room it was kind of weird.  Not at all weird in a perverted sexual way or anything - but in a "I'm in a room, naked under a sheet, with a woman who is neither a doctor or my wife ... and it appears to totally normal to her!" way.  You just don't see that in a lot of places.  At first it was tough to relax because I'm really pretty self-conscience, but before long we were just chatting and it was all good.

I think I'll try it again in the near future.  I can really see why so many runners use massage therapy for recovery ... it really helped with recovery!  And my legs felt magical the next day.  Have a good one!
... be great today!

18 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. A good massage hurts

    I am too poor to get real massages, I have to resort to foam rollers, sticks, tennis and softballs for mine

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  3. I had my first massage in a about a decade last month and it was wonderful!

    How often do you get to just lay around for an hour and have someone pamper you? Well for me...never...so it was LOVELY!

    They made me fill out a form beforehand where I had to circle what areas of the body they could massage. A couple of the options surprised me.

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  4. A friend of mine (former NCAA champion and two-time Olympian) is also our massage therapist. Talk about someone who gets it! She puts a hurting on me (like, nearly in tears and clutching the table for dear life kind of pain)... but two days later I always feel better than ever.

    And I'm with BDD. Wish I could afford to go more than 2-3 times a year.

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  5. I use to get massages once a month but my therapist had to change her hours. I haven't seen her in awhile and I can tell. I really miss my massages!

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  6. My massage guy is Cpt Pain but it is so worth it. He also talks a TON and my sessions end up being longer than the should be...which means more pain. As soon as he comes near my calves I tense right up.
    ...I have an appt tomorrow night which I am already steeling myself for.

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  7. I've been getting some massages recently and they made me cry like a little girl. I've never had one from a female yet though - don't know if I can handle that!

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  8. You won't believe it but I've been running for more than 30 years now and have never had a leg massage. I think if I get one now my legs won't know how to handle it.

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  9. Sounds heavenly, but, nope, I've never had a professional massage.
    Thanks for the nice comment on my post...couldn't stop laughing after the moped remark. :)

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  10. I tell my mother in law every year for xmas, I want a massage. I love getting a massage. Good for you on getting that massage. Glad you got all the knots out of your leg.

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  11. I had my first one at the Disneyland half marathon. It was right after the race and it was free. it was so great.
    I tried a local place who said they offered sports massage but it was not as good.

    I want a roller for Christmas!

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  12. Love sports massages and they always hurt like he** to the point of almost crying.

    And I am always naked. They don't have to say a word about it, I'm practically undressed when I get in the room and I don't care if they are uncomfortable. It's what I'm comfortable with and they are getting paid to make me feel comfortable.

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  13. Sounds like an exciting day for you, Jim :)

    The one professional massage I have had was great, but i had to have witnesses in the room-- and my compression shorts and tank were on. These were the rules.

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  14. The right massage is amazing-I am a fan of Thai massage and seriously as a therapist they are so used to seeing things they are not suppposed to! It's called desensitization!!!

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  15. Massages are awesome. I prefer that they don't talk though so that I can relax and enjoy the experience. I hope that doesn't mean that I have to give up my man card though.

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  16. Massage is a way of life in Boulder. I *love* it, both the foo-foo kind and the beat-me-up-so-I-recover-faster kind. I had the latter three days after TOU last month. The next morning I woke up almost totally over my post-marathon aches and pains. If I could afford it, I'd get one a week. Glad you had a good experience!

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  17. I get one massage a month from a girl (she's 50 but I'm still calling her a girl) who has fingers that go on a search and destroy mission. It hurts so bad. But afterwards I feel so good.

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  18. I get massages every 2 weeks. I truly believe that it is one of the things that help this 54 year old body feel like a 30 year old.

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