Today I decided I wanted to get a massage. I ran 14 miles yesterday and 9 the day before. It wasn't bad, but I thought a nice massage sounded like a good plan.
The problem is that I get massages from a "general massage" place. Meaning, I am not paying a high price for my massage and they do not deal with athletes very frequently. The problem with this is that I have to tell them to focus on my legs. I know my back has gigantic knots, but it is my legs that do most of the work. Today's massage therapist was a male. I have no preference to have a male or female therapist. However, today's therapist seemed to be too worried.
He worked on my back then started on my legs. I had told him I have some really bad achilles pain, only on a specific part of my achilles but I want my soleus worked on along with whole LEG. He started off by asking if I needed glute work. My glutes seem to be one of my big (no pun intended) problem areas. When I run long, or race it is my butt that hurts! Right at the hamstring attachment. So, of course I said I would like glute work. He did a little work over the blanket. When I go to some good massage places I get very good butt massages...I know you think this is gross, or weird, but go run and bike and then tell me how good it feels! Anyway, after a sub-par butt massage he started my legs. He did an ok job, but had the blanket stopped about 2.5 inches above my knee. This meant he only worked 2 inches of my hamstring and missed about 6 inches. UGH! When I flipped over this continued. Blanket about two inches above my knee...so very little quad work. I wanted to tell him that when a person gets a massage they dress down to what they are comfortable in...and if he is uncomfortable working on a quad or hamstring, maybe he shouldn't massage people. IF I didn't want him to massage my quad or hamstring for more than two inches, I probably wouldn't be going to get massages, because obviously I would not be comfortable with someone touching me. UGH.
Anyway, note to self, at "general massage" places, ask for a female, maybe they will be less worried?!
Running has been going well. Maybe it is because I am focusing on running with supplemental biking. My long bike right now is 3hours and my long run is 2hrs and 5min. This week I ran 14 miles for the 2hr 5 min run. The day before I ran 9 miles for 1hr 15min run. I seem to be getting faster! I was out for a leisure jog and then picked up the pace a little, where I wasn't too tired, and ran an 8:17pace for the 9.04 miles, and I was thinking it was an easy "ish" run.
I was trying to get my running in early this week since it was so nice, 70 degrees yesterday! I have even gotten a little sun, with hopes of not BURNING like I did last time I was in Puerto Rico. Today it has snowed at least 7 inches of heavy spring snow, with more to come. That is ok, since I have a 90min stairmaster planned for tomorrow!
Nothing too exciting here. Our dance lessons have been going well, we are hoping to get a little more "smooth" and less mechanical. It is funny how dancing is very similar to me teaching people basketball skills and moves. I can tell a big difference in kids that are mechanical and not smooth. In dancing I can feel the difference between being mechanical and smooth, hopefully I will get more smooth!
Pedro had a good time last week he went to WWE with one of his friends. He has been very busy working this week.
Thats it for now! We have Grey's baptism this weekend so we should have some pictures to post then :)
