It may still feel slightly cold outside, but the sun has definitely started to break through the clouds, signifying that the Tour of Tameside will soon be on its way.

Local athletes will be tying their laces and preparing to log the miles soon, as they get ready to face the ultimate running challenge.

The Tour is an event like no other, with rapid recovery times forcing runners to condense their usual rest periods in order to keep racing over the four days.

Recovery methods couldn’t be more important for an event like the Tour of Tameside.

This year we will be joined by the talented Ben Warren of Rebuild Reform Massage Therapy, who will be on hand to provide that much-needed post-race boost.

Ben, who has been qualified for nine years, is looking forward to joining us at the SPAR Series.

He will be providing 10-minute sports massage for just £5 during the Tour of Tameside, open to any of our runners.

Runners are also invited to try 10 minutes in a pair of compression boots for the same price.

These techniques will help to rapidly restore the legs, and ensure they are ready to race again.

But why is physiotherapy important for runners, and what does massage actually do?

If you run regularly, you’ve probably suffered with sore legs. Sports massage can help remove waste products of exercise, aiding in muscle recovery after long training runs and events.

Sports massage also improves circulation, allowing the recovery process to potentially shorten.

It helps to improve muscle flexibility, leading to greater muscle length and range of motion at joints.

Ultimately, these benefits will mean your muscles are less likely to strain, reducing the risk of injury.

Post event sports massage will help to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS as they’re commonly known.

For the Tour of Tameside, this is vital. DOMS can take you from competing for the yellow vest to struggling to carry yourself around the course.

Most runners put in hours of training before attending an event, but there’s little point in running miles and miles if you’re not caring for your body in other ways.

Running is demanding on the body. Your hips, knees and ankles take most of the impact.

Physiotherapy and massage can help to pinpoint painful areas and eradicate them before they worsen.

Thankfully, local runners can rely on the services of Ben and Rebuild Reform to keep their running journey active.

With different therapies aimed to provide different recovery methods, Ben has an array of options available.

“Acupuncture, cupping, and sports massage all aim to calm the body and loosen the muscles. Certain trigger points work better than other areas, so it’s important to focus on these places.

“I like to perform gliding cupping, where the cup is moved around the tissue to provide the therapeutic feeling of the tissue being worked.

“I work on range of movement and flexibility, so that the athlete can continue training the following day,” Ben said.

A sport enthusiast, Ben has always been surrounded by sport, so a career in the sector seemed very fitting.

“I’ve always been interested in the body. I think it’s important to keep the body healthy.

“I love to help people get better, fitter, and stronger, I like to call it a body MOT.

“If you are running every day, eventually your body will start to give in, so massage is so important to fix that.

“I’ve also got compression boots, that help to eliminate muscle pain. They will help you to recover faster and allow you to train frequently at a high intensity.”

Keen runners can utilise the services of Ben at the upcoming Tour of Tameside, which is now just 2 months away.

He is also offering £5 off treatments between now and the race for customers, they just need to prove their race registration to access the deal.

The Tour of Tameside will soon be on the horizon, setting up a fantastic summer of fun.

🏃 Tour of Tameside 2023 🏃

We're proud to be delivering this year's four-day running festival, which takes place from 15 to 18 June. 

Find out more and book your place here. 

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