The 2000 Olympic trials 10,000-meter champion from Alamosa used to be indifferent about receiving regular sports massage, which is regarded as a cost of doing business by most elite runners. But Drossin suffered a severe case of Achilles tendinitis after the trials last summer that ruined her training and prevented her from contending in Sydney. But massage, stretching, diet and rest are the other four components that allow you to get the most out of your training. If it's important for elite athletes, it's also beneficial for recreational runners, especially those who gear up and train intensely for goal races. Serious recreational runners experience many of the same aches, pains and injuries as elite runners.
Sports massage can help maximize their training and performance.
Goucher credits Kupczak with helping him overcome Achilles tendinitis and a back strain in time to win the Olympic trials 5,000 race last summer. If I didn't have that, I don't know that I'd be able to train the way I train and compete the way I compete. Because of the repetitive motion in a steady diet of serious running, muscle imbalances are created that can cause injuries. Massage therapy can stretch those tight muscles before they become problematic. A sudden change in training, such as adding hard quarter-mile intervals on the track in the buildup for a big race, can strain muscles that aren't used to it.