Three reasons why runners should take advantage of a sports massage heading into marathon season

With marathon season racing towards us, runners - both novice and experienced - will be starting to put together training plans and upping their weekly mileage.

Following training and nutritional advice is vital to ensure you don’t pick up niggles and more serious injuries as training intensifies, but recovery is equally important to factor into your schedule.

Along with stretching and sleep, sports massage can also be an important part of your recovery process.

Here are three reasons why a deep tissue massage can aid your marathon and half-marathon training plan:

1) Increase flexibility and mobility

Running requires repeated contractions of muscles. And when training for a half marathon or marathon, you’re likely to be running several days a week, with your legs being put through anything from 20-100+ miles over a seven-day period. This repeated strain and demand on muscles and joints - particularly if running on hard ground - will take its toll, potentially causing the shortening and tightening of muscles and a loss a range of motion in joints. Sports massage can really help counteract these effects by relieving tension in the muscles and restoring the range of motion in your joints.

2) Enhance blood flow

Sports massage helps to improve circulation, which benefits you both during training and recovery. By improving circulation, more oxygen can be delivered to muscles at a faster, more efficient rate. During exercise, this obviously means your muscles will fatigue at a slower rate, especially during an aerobic activity such as long-distance running, allowing you to keep going for longer. During recovery, better circulation will help muscles remove waste products faster and recover quicker, allowing you to get back out on the track or road again and again.

3) Promote relaxation

One thing often overlooked in marathon or half marathon training is the importance of rest and relaxation. Sleep is vital in helping both your mind and your body recover. So, if your muscles are sore and tight, there’s every chance you won’t relax into a good night’s sleep and allow your mind to switch off and your body to recover adequately.

Whether you are new to long-distance running or are a seasoned ultra runner, factoring a regular sports massage into your schedule could save you from the niggles and injuries often associated with marathon training, and help you cross the finish line in tip-top shape.