2014 was quite a year. 

I started studying massage with Holistic College Dublin. My wife and I got our first cat together - Arthur, the green eyed gentleman - you'll be forever missed mate. And I signed up to run my first marathon.

I've been a running enthusiast for as long as I can remember. Growing up in New Zealand I used to compete in school athletics competitions and loved the cross country running events that would be held around the wider Wellington region - I have vivid memories of my first cross country event as a young boy in the woods and park land of Pinehaven, north of Wellington. As I got older I competed in less official 'meets' but would still run as often as I could. Eventually the lush terrain of Mt Victoria and the Green Belt became the site for regular runs. It was an opportunity to not only stretch those underused muscles but to also revel in the sights and sounds of the world going by that we don't always pay attention to whether on a bus, a bike or some other form of transport.

After completing a half Marathon earlier in 2014 I decided that I was ready to attempt my first full marathon and The Dublin Marathon was it. I spoke to people who'd completed marathons themselves to get an idea of what I could expect - the pain, the preparation, the over whelming sense of accomplishment upon finishing. While peoples experiences were all rather different there was one thing that everyone agreed on: the need for quality preparation before and recovery afterwards. A marathon, by definition, isn't something to be entered into halfheartedly and so I threw myself into training full of gusto and wide eyed enthusiasm. As well as focusing on nutrition, appropriate hydration and getting the training miles under my belt I knew I had to incorporate regular massage into my training. Whether it was sessions of holistic massage to relax my whole body and prepare for the training ahead or targeted sports massage to work out the strains from my calves following a hard week of training, building massage into my training routine was a vital ingredient in getting me from signing up for the marathon to actually finishing. My therapist was wonderfully open and eager to assist me in the goal of running the Dublin marathon and she developed a dedicated massage plan to work alongside the hours of training I was doing. Every second Wednesday I would visit her and we'd discuss how my training had been between sessions and from there work out what was going to be the most beneficial form of massage for the following fortnight or what parts of my body (very often the legs, I won't lie) needed a little bit of extra attention.

After the marathon I was sore. I hurt - again, there is no point in my acting like a superman here - but I was able to recover faster than I otherwise would have by having my muscles, as well as my mind, in good shape pre-marathon. This was in no small part due to the regular massage hours that had been a part of my training. I booked in for a couple of recovery massage sessions in the week or two after the marathon and the feeling of relief for my tired and worn muscles was amazing.

As marathon season is fast approaching here in Ireland, I'd recommend everyone who is in the midst of, or just starting, their training to consider building regular massage therapy into their schedule. At Michael King Massage Therapy we can tailor a massage development plan just for you to ensure that your muscles AND your mind are ready and willing to push you through those tough times, to achieve your final goal and get you across that finish line. Don't hesitate to contact me and book an initial consultation in the therapy room of the iyoga studio's in Phibsboro. Reach me at mkingmassage.com, via email at [email protected] or via Facebook (Michael King Massage Therapy).