We talked to two Ironman<\/span><\/a> athletes, who both happen to be big massage fans, but for different reasons:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n THE SIDE EFFECTS OF TRAINING: <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re not a multi-marathon-runner-turned-triathlete, you may be asking, what exactly is an Ironman? For starters, the toughness implied by the name is entirely justified: An Ironman is a long-distance triathlon<\/a> race consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride, and a marathon 26.22-mile run. It is generally considered one of the most challenging one-day sporting events in the world, more than quadrupling the distance of an Olympic-level triathlon (which is 31.93 miles) at a whopping total of 140.6 miles. So ultimately it is for competitive athletes who are seemingly superhuman. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n But it turns out that these impressive athletes are not in fact invincible, and <\/span>training<\/span><\/a> for such a herculean effort is a challenge in itself, both mentally<\/a> and physically: \u201cGoing to the pool and swimming for 1,500 yards versus going to the pool and swimming for 3,000 yards is a lot of extra laps just staring down at a lane in the bottom without really having much else to think about,\u201d Cory Wieber, who is training for his second full-distance Ironman this November, explains of the psychological component. And as for the physical, it\u2019s a full-body feat: \u201cAfter a really long swim, my shoulders and back will be a little tight; My legs get tight after a run, and in general your feet are sore from pounding pavement; And my calves and my quads will feel pretty sore the day after a particularly long bike ride, especially if I don\u2019t keep up with nutrition<\/a> and hydration and have some cramping issues,\u201d adds Wieber.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jennifer Gottschalk, a former collegiate swimmer who recently competed in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships and will be racing in her first full-length Ironman in November, has learned how important it is to carefully taper (pulling back on your workouts to let your body recover and rebuild energy) before a big race. \u201cMy exhaustion levels and hormones get insane, my cortisol levels get way higher than they should be to unhealthy levels,\u201d Gottschalk describes of the effect on her body after some failed tapers during her competitive swimming days. \u201cIt is an interesting balance.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n So how do Ironman athletes take care of themselves? \u201cMaintain a regular massage schedule<\/a> during training,\u201d says Melanie Peddle, a<\/span> Zeel<\/span><\/a> massage therapist who is also a triathlete and counts several Ironman competitors as clients. \u201cTraining puts lots of stress on your body and taking care of recovery is just as important as putting in the miles\u2014smart and thoughtful recovery<\/a> allows your training to be effective.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many competitors, like Gottschalk, have a proactive approach to recovery, combining recovery equipment with yoga and massage: \u201cI try to get into the Recovery Room at my husband\u2019s CrossFit<\/a> gym a couple times a week, which is amazing,\u201d she raves. \u201cThey have<\/span> Rapid Reboot compression boots<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>HyperVolt percussion massage guns<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> Compex muscle stimulater pads<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>vibrating foam rollers<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>vibrating massage balls<\/span><\/a> to put under pressure points.\u201d Gottschalk adds yoga<\/a> to help keep her body loose, using YouTube videos recommended by her coach that target hip strengthening or opening, back pain, core strength, or other acute areas in need. And she counts massage as a key method in preparing her for race condition. \u201cMy coach told me I should be getting massages every other week, which in an ideal world, I [would do throughout] all of this training,\u201d she says. \u201cBefore every half-marathon I\u2019ve ever done, I try to get a massage or two.\u201d And while some might be surprised by the idea of getting a massage <\/span>before <\/span><\/i>a race, Gottschalk says, \u201cI actually prefer it leading up\u2014of course, it\u2019s going to feel good afterwards, but if I had to choose one or the other, I would always get a massage leading in.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Peddle, massage during training helps to maintain much-needed range of motion in your joints, keeping your body in optimal shape for performance. \u201cComplete and symmetrical range of motion in the shoulder joints is especially crucial for the swim and swim training,\u201d she advises. \u201cRestriction-free range of motion in the hips is also important for the bike and run, [because] if your hips have restricted range of motion, you will end up taking more steps or pedal strokes, or compensating.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to help me run <\/span>better <\/span><\/i>if I get [a massage] before,\u201d adds Gottschalk. \u201cIt\u2019ll actually prepare me physically.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s not to say that massage following a major athletic event isn\u2019t also beneficial. In fact, Zeel has partnered with Ironman to provide post-race massages to competitors, which athletes like Wieber have found to be instrumental in their recovery. \u201cIt can make a difference, whereas otherwise I\u2019d be limping the next day, to being able to walk normally the next day,” says Wieber. <\/span> <\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n But Wieber, who has recurring back pain, admits that he tends to seek treatment only when the pain has already begun. \u201cUnfortunately, instead of being proactive with recovery I\u2019m kind of reactive, which is something I need to be better about,\u201d he admits. \u201cI will try to stretch some days if I\u2019m feeling a little tight, or I\u2019ll hit some spots with a foam roller if they\u2019re feeling particularly sore.\u201d However he has found massage to be helpful in treating back spasms, particularly if they flare up before a big race: \u201cThe night before I did my first Half-Ironman, the 70.3 Augusta, I tweaked my back a little bit pulling bikes out of the car after a 7-hour drive to get up there,\u201d he recalls. \u201cThe next day I had a Sports Massage at the Expo where they focused on stretching out my back to loosen things up so I would be good to go to race the next day.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since most athletes spend multiple hours traveling, whether by car or by plane, to compete in Ironman races, arriving a few days early and allowing your body to loosen up after sitting for an extended period of time is essential. For future races, Wieber says he would set up a massage for once he arrives at the race destination \u201cto loosen up after being in the truck all day, or the day before the race to again, try to loosen up the muscles a little bit before I go out and race.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n It\u2019s no surprise that athletes who attempt a 140.6-mile triathlon use other races as part of their training and are constantly trying to juggle recovery from one event with preparation for another. \u201cAfter [the Half-Ironman in] Augusta, I\u2019ll have five weeks between that race and Ironman Florida,\u201d says Wieber. \u201cNormally after 70.3 I would take a week or two off from training to really recover my body, but I won’t have that option: I\u2019ll do the 70.3 on Sunday and then on Tuesday morning I\u2019ll have to be up at 5:30 to go run 6 miles again.” Gottschalk has also had a year of back-to-back competitions, and participated in a swim race the week after competing in the Half-Ironman World Championships in France. Which is when massage becomes the saving grace. \u201cAfter completing an Ironman, a massage can help speed the recovery process<\/span>,\u201d <\/b>says Peddle. \u201cPassively addressing muscle recovery through massage is a time-proven and effective technique,\u201d which allows athletes who don\u2019t have the luxury of giving their bodies time to recover, to speed up the recovery process and get back into training.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n With such a variety of massage techniques and styles, it can be difficult to determine exactly what your body needs when, whether your muscles are aching with built-up lactic acid or you are proactively trying to prevent injury. We asked Peddle to break it down:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Proactive Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Reactive Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Expedited Recovery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Different Types of Massage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n