Monthly Archives: October 2011

October 28, 2011 · 7:09 AM

Massage Therapy (on the Cheap) During Marathon Training

I am a huge proponent of massage therapy during marathon and half marathon training. In fact, this is really the first time that I have trained for a marathon and had regular massages and I really do believe that it has helped me stay injury-free. I try to go every three weeks or so if my schedule allows.

If you can afford to get a quality massage at full-price every few weeks, then my hats off to you. I, however, am normally on a pretty tight budget and refuse to pay full-price for a good massage. So how do I do it?

Before the advent of Groupon, Living Social, and other similar deal sites, I would “spa hop” around town and take advantage of all of the introductory prices (where your first massage is only around $39). Luckily Groupon came around shortly thereafter because I was starting to run out of spas. Seriously, though…I live by Groupon and Living Social. There is usually one massage deal every day or so. I obviously don’t buy all of them, but when there is a super deal or when there is a business featured that works with a lot of athletes, I take advantage. You can usually score a massage at a very reputable and quality place for $30. And I have had some fantastic massages at these businesses.

So what type of massage is best? If you’re looking for something more relaxing and stress relieving, a Swedish massage is always a good bet. You can get one of these anytime and feel awesome. This is usually the kind of massage you’ll find at the end of a marathon – they stay pretty light and simply help loosen you up a bit.

If you are looking for something a little more intense to really get the kinks out of your muscles, however, a deep-tissue massage is great for marathon runners. With the deep-tissue massage, timing is important. You don’t want to have one of these the day of or day after a marathon or a long run. You should wait three or four days post-run for this, ideally after most of your soreness is gone. Getting a deep-tissue massage when your muscles are sore and damaged can lead to more soreness and damage. When you run long (anything over 12 miles or so), your muscles get tiny tears in them. For the same reason you shouldn’t stretch immediately after a long run, you also shouldn’t get a deep tissue massage after a long run: You could turn those micro-tears into macro-tears and could end up injured.

There are many other kinds of massage therapy, including sports massage, hot stone massage, shiatsu, reflexology, etc. I’m not very familiar with each type, but when it comes to massage therapy, my philosophy is that you can never go wrong. I would get a massage every day if I had all the time and money in the world.

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Filed under Feel Good Running, Marathon Training, Massage Therapy, Racing, Recovery, Running Injuries

October 25, 2011 · 10:42 AM

The Wonders of the Ice Bath

As I was nearing the end of my 21-mile run on Sunday, the only thing that kept me going was the thought of an ice bath when I got home. I know – add a little torture to my torture, right? I must be crazy, but I do actually enjoy ice baths simply because I know how much better I feel afterwards. I can deal with 15 minutes of hell if it means a faster and less painful recovery.

We all know that ice is beneficial for aches and pains and can help speed up recovery of an injury. So just imagine what immersing your entire lower body in ice can do for sore muscles. What exactly does an ice bath do? Also known as cryotherapy, ice baths restrict the blood vessels and decrease metabolic activity, which reduces swelling and tissue breakdown. Once you get out of the ice bath and your tissues warm up, the blood starts to flow faster, which helps return the byproducts of cellular breakdown to the lymph system for efficient recycling by the body. Basically what that means is that ice baths reduce inflammation and help flush harmful metabolic debris out of the muscles.

If you are training for a half-marathon or marathon and have never tried taking an ice bath, I would highly recommend it after your next long run (two hours or longer). Here’s what I do: fill the bathtub about half-way (so that it comes up to my waist) and dump in 40 pounds (4 bags) of ice. I use this much ice because the cold water in Phoenix isn’t always that cold and it requires more ice. If you live in other parts of the country where your cold water is actually very cold, you can likely get away with only 2 bags of ice. The key is to still have some ice in the bath when you get out and not have it all melted.

I like to just get in and go for it all right away. My husband, on the other hand, prefers to get in the cold water and then gradually add the ice so that he gets used to it. Either way works. Then simply sit there for 10-20 minutes. The trick is to keep yourself occupied or entertained. I usually play games on my phone or read a trashy magazine – before I know it my 15 minutes is up.

Some other tricks that might make it more bearable: wear something warm on the top half of your body – a wool hat, down jacket or sweatshirt, etc. You could also take something warm to drink in the tub with you like coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

When you get out, throw on robe or towel, sit down, and slowly let your body warm up. Then take a warm shower and relax! I guarantee that you will be less sore over the next few days than you normally are after a long run.

 

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Filed under Feel Good Running, Ice Bath, Marathon Training, Racing, Recovery, Running Injuries

October 21, 2011 · 10:40 AM

Taking Risks

Last night I was filling out a sponsorship application and writing about my business, the story of how I got to this place, and my philosophies when I realized that one year ago today was the last day of my job in the corporate world. On this Friday in October 2010, I quit my job to take a huge risk and follow my dreams. I have been extremely fortunate in that my risks have paid off. With the amazing support of my husband and family, I am now able to do what I love and have ultimately become a happier person because of it.

My favorite inspirational quote ever is this: “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life” by Muhammad Ali. I have lived my life according to this quote, especially during the past year, and believe it to be relevant not only to jobs, relationships, and life in general, but also to running. I have a lot of people tell me that they would love to run a marathon or half-marathon one day, but they are afraid and will probably never do it. What exactly are you afraid of? Failing? Getting hurt? Not finishing or not following through? To that, my answer is simple: You will never know unless you take a risk and try. So the next time you stop yourself from achieving something you want, ask yourself what is stopping you. Chances are, it’s nothing that you can’t overcome if you simply take a risk and try.

 

 

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October 10, 2011 · 7:12 AM

Cross-Training and Running

There are two schools of thought regarding cross-training and running. The first is that when you are training for a running event, running should be the only activity you do, which is known as specificity. Basically, specificity is the idea that to get better at an activity, you must practice only that activity. Using a non-running example, a concert cellist doesn’t improve by playing the guitar. He or she practices the cello as much as possible. Many people believe that specificity applies to running as well.

The other school of thought is that cross-training can be beneficial to running and can help prevent injuries. Many years ago when I was young and less prone to injury, I believed in specificity.  It worked for me. As I get older, however, and my injury rate increases proportional to my running mileage, specificity doesn’t work as well anymore.

I believe that cross-training can be a great compliment to your running training as long as you do it properly. Cross-training builds strength and flexibility in muscles that running doesn’t utilize. It can also help prevent injuries by correcting muscular imbalances and is also a good way to prevent boredom and burnout.

If you are training for a running event like a marathon or half marathon, a good general rule is that cross-training activities take up 20 percent or less of your training. For example, if you work out for 5 hour each week, one of those hours can be something other than running. Biking, swimming, yoga, Pilates, and rowing are some great options of cross-training activities for runners.

And of course, if you aren’t training for a running event, but are just running to stay in shape or maintain fitness between events, there is no limit to the amount of cross-training that you can do.

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Filed under Cross Training, Feel Good Running, Marathon Training, Running Injuries