Sports massage for runners is not a light pre-event oil-down.
I work the tissues that actually limit stride. Calves and Achilles. Hip flexors and glutes. TFL and the lateral chain people call the IT band. Plus the low-back tightness that shows up when mileage outruns recovery.
The studio is on El Camino Real in Los Altos, a short drive from the loops in Palo Alto, Mountain View and Sunnyvale.
Built around how you train
Tell me what you are building toward, whether that is a first 10K, a Boston cycle, or just staying healthy on lunch-hour miles. I bias the session there.
Pressure goes genuinely deep when the tissue can take it, and backs off when bracing would undo the work. You stay clothed. No oils, so you can walk out and train or go back to work.
Book heavier work a few days away from a key race, not the night before. In the week after a hard effort, the goal is to restore glide and quiet the spots that would otherwise change your form on the next long run.
Common runner bookings
Calves and Achilles
The first tissues to bark when volume jumps or hills return.
Hips and IT band
Lateral knee or hip tightness that shows up after the same few miles.
Plantar fascia carryover
Heel and arch irritation that is really a calf and load problem. See also plantar fasciitis massage.
Pre- and post-race
Sharpening tissue before a goal race, and cleaning up after a long run.
Elasticity is the whole game for a runner
Running is loading and unloading, thousands of times an hour. Muscle and connective tissue have to lengthen, shorten, absorb force and return toward their resting shape.
After an injury or a layoff, that quality goes first. Movement gets guarded. Tissue feels less willing.
My goal is not to make you loose. It is to restore comfortable mobility, controlled movement and the ability to tolerate load again, then progress you back to full mileage rather than letting you jump there. The reasoning is in understanding fascia, soft tissue and elasticity.
I come to you after a long run
Recovery work at your house so you are not sitting in a car on tight calves. Same clothed sports massage. I bring the table. In-home sports massage is $400 an hour. The Los Altos studio is $160 if you drive in.
Explore related services
Sports Massage After a Long Run
When to wait, what I treat, and when a physician should see you instead.
Plantar Fasciitis Massage
Hands-on work for the calf, Achilles and plantar fascia, not a gadget.
Deep Tissue Massage
Strong, precise work for chronic tension and the demands of serious training.
Sciatica Massage
NMT and deep-tissue work for hip and low-back patterns that refer down the leg.
49ers & Football Athletes
Independent sports massage for football athletes near Levi’s Stadium.
Frequently asked questions
When should a runner book around a race?
Keep deep, change-oriented work several days away from a goal race. The day before is usually the wrong time to chase a stubborn knot. After the race, wait until the worst soreness has settled, then come in to restore range rather than pound already angry tissue.
Is sports massage the same as a spa massage?
No. This is clothed, assessment-led work aimed at how you run. Relaxation can happen, but it is not the point.
Do you treat IT band and plantar fascia issues?
Yes, as soft-tissue patterns. The IT band itself is a thick band of fascia, so I usually work the muscles that tension it. Heel pain is covered in more depth on the plantar fasciitis page.
Do I need to undress?
No. Wear running shorts or tights you can move in. No oils or draping.
How do I get back to full mileage after time off?
Progressively. Tissue needs to be reloaded, not surprised. I will work the restrictions and give you the stretching and mobility work to do between sessions, and I would rather you add mileage a week later than lose a month.
Do you come to my house for a runner sports massage?
Yes. In-home sports massage after a long run, or before a race if we time it. I bring the table. The Los Altos studio is $160 if you want to come in.