Richmond Massage Therapy and the Richmond Marathon

The 2009 Richmond Marathon was yesterday, Saturday November 14, 2009. This marathon is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, so Richmond sees many marathoners who are from all over the United States. There was even one lady who had plans on participating in every marathon in all 50 states! What ambition!

Richmond Massage Therapy was on hand yesterday, providing post-event Sports Massage and Isometric Stretching to marathoners who wanted it. We worked on many participants and were glad to do so. Anyone who has run for 26.3 miles knows that the body is going to be sore and exhausted afterwards. There was a station available for replenishing potassium, carbohydrates and electrolytes; replenishing your levels is an absolute necessity, as these levels are dramatically depleted during such strenuous exercise. The refreshment station was the first stop made by the runners, for this reduces the chance of muscle cramping. The Sports Massage station was indoors, at the finish line.

After receiving the refreshments, the marathoners then moved to the Sports Massage station, where there was a large room full of massage tables and therapists at each table. The runners were then assessed by a therapist and got on the table. First, it is important after a marathon to lie down for a few minutes. This relaxation allows a few minutes for the potassium, electrolyte and carbohydrate levels to increase after the refreshment, as well as increase physical stamina so the marathoner can actually make it home! It is also very important at this point to direct the lactic acid that has been collecting in the muscle tissue, towards the lymph glands. There is generally a lower body focus for this work, although some people who are pumping their arms the last few miles to get themselves across the line, do report shoulder soreness. This should be addressed as well.

The work following such excercise should always be light, and never deep. One of the main things that you are trying to avoid doing is setting off muscle cramping. Providing a deep tissue massage following strenous exercise will probably always result in muscle cramping and a drastic increase in muscle soreness the following three days after an event.

Isometric Stretching is always a good idea. Most runners, it seems, do not pay attention to stretching the way they ought to. Most of the runners we polled yesterday indicated that they do not stretch enough. Some even told us that they never stretch. For this event, a lower body Isometric Stretching series was employed.

Sports Massage and Isometric Stretching are very important because they dramatically reduce your risk of injury if performed pre-event, preferably at the very least, once a week for two months prior to your event. This pre-event regimen is especially important if you have had previous injuries, because those previous injuries are weak spots in the body, and are more likely to be injured during strenuous exercise.

To improve your time for finishing a marathon, you can get that extra edge by receiving regular Sports Massage and Isometric Stretching. It is very important when training your muscles that they be both strong and flexible. So many people focus on the strength of their muscles, without considering their flexibility. The people who win marathons consider both, just like a football player who takes ballet classes. Those who don't receive Sports Massage Therapy as part of their training regimen are not giving themselves the competitive edge they deserve. Not paying attention to your flexibility leads to injury, and this will destroy your running career.

Another benefit of pre-event massage, which after several weeks is done in a deeper fashion, actually helps to build muscle mass, and therefore, strength. This is due to micro-tears in the muscle fibers caused by deep tissue work. This can also cause an increase in running speed.

Maureen Hershman, BA, CMT, MMP
Clinical Director, Richmond Massage Therapy
http://www.richmondmassagetherapy.com