Emery Wilson

I took a friend's advice and scheduled a massage every day.

It was great! Of course, I had to work to make sure I got into camp in time every day, but I felt much better and stronger because of it. Also, this is a _vacation_ for me, and paying attention and pampering your body is just part of the experience. The deep tissue massage will definitely make you stronger and less sore. I even appreciated the option-day massages, though they weren't as necessary as, say, after Day Two last year [CO 12] . IMHO.

Jason Penney

I had two massages during the last CO. Don't bother with the 1/2 hour session, an hour is required for a good massage. Like you said, it's your holiday, pamper yourself.

Steve Heim

If you can afford the price of every day massages, and register early, by all means DO IT!!

Since CO #6, I have gotten massages every night. There is nothing more effective for getting rid of lactic acid and the muscle tension of the day. I truly believe this is not a luxury - especially for desk jockeys like most of us. You may need to experiment with a variety of LMT's until you find one who works you the way you like - but the reward is worth every penny. Personally, I like a very deep tissue massage. Everything else is wimpy and ineffective for me. But - to each his/her own.

For sure, go for an hour. A half hour is just not enough.

Get your shower, and go for the massage as early as you can. If you are a fast rider you should have no problem doing it.

On the other hand, I now find I do not require the massage work I used to. This is because I now ride a recumbent, which is MUCH MUCH MUCH more gentle on the body. Yes, I still need some work on the quads and calves, but NO UPPER BODY WORK AT ALL!

If you can, DO THE MASSAGE.

Curt Coleman

A greaaaaat massage is the best gift you can give yourself besides a nice hot shower at the finish. Do it...

Beth-Ann Wesley

I'm a full fledged proponent of massage, the more the better. I signed up in advance for one a day, then canceled one. I'm sure they kept me going, feeling better as the week went on. This year, I'll have done much less training and hope the massages will make up some of my slack.

Amy-feels so good to have that lactic acid wrung out- Ream

One more note about LMT's and the like. For those of us with scoliosis/kyphosis, a chiropractor ("Mr. Rice Crispies" to my kids, because he makes you go snap-crackle-pop) is also a boon.

Once a month, I try to line the two up, preferably on the same day. The chiropractor lines up my poor spine & puts my rib back in, and then the LMT whales on the entirety of my body.

If you've never had a massage, remember that you have one responsibility on the table: tell your LMT what feels good and what hurts. My LMT is really good at using a lot of pressure (some won't, no matter how much you beg), but sometimes she starts out with too much. No matter, I tell her, she backs off and works up to it--a minute later, life is sooooo good!

Jason "I need both after flying on an airplane to Boston, and I'm flying back tomorrow" Penney