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February 2, 2009
Will massage save my marathon?
I had a massage for lunch today.
After my knee locked up at mile 5 of a 10 mile run yesterday, I’m making a last ditch effort to cure myself before Austin Marathon day, which is now two weeks away.
I must say, I’m getting less optimistic as time ticks slowly on. Perhaps, though, there is still hope.
A brief recap: I started training for the marathon in September. I tore a calf muscle in November. That healed, and I built back up and ran the RunTex 20 miler ago. At mile 18, something happened to my left leg. Turns out it was my IT band, a common injury among first-time marathon runners. We’re not used to all that pounding. I finished the race, but as my friend Marcy would say, I ran like Quasimodo.
Since that day a month ago, I haven’t been able to run more than 4 miles at a time. I’ve seen a doctor, been to physical therapy and done about 20,000 hip strengthening exercises.
I’m beginning to understand why I am a swimmer, not a runner.
Still, I want to do the marathon!
I must be honest. Today’s massage, by Jessica Ortiz-Price at AustinDeep Massage, was far from relaxing. It’s not fun to have knots and tightness worked out of your legs. But my physical therapist recommended a good deep tissue massage, and I’m following orders.
I lay on a table, covered in a sheet, and whimpered slightly while Ortiz-Price prodded and poked and pressed on my injured leg. Whoooie did it feel good when she stopped and switched to the other leg!
Many experienced runners I know swear by a regular massage. I’ve only had three or four in my life.
Perhaps I wouldn’t be in this fix if I got a massage more often. How often do you get one?
The photo, by the way, shows Ortiz-Price giving running coach Gilbert Tuhabonya a deep tissue massage.
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