When Should You Book Sports Massage During Marathon Training?

Megan Clements
Dec 10, 2025
4 min read

If you're training for a marathon, you already know how much your body is going through. And at some point, you’ve probably wondered:

“Do I need sports massage? And when should I actually book it?”

Some runners book weekly. Some avoid it entirely. Most are confused and end up guessing their way through the whole training block.

As a sports therapist and running coach who has supported hundreds of marathon runners inside TAP, here’s the truth:

Sports massage only works when you use it at the right time. Get the timing wrong, and it can actually work against you.

Let’s break it down clearly so you stop guessing and start using it as a performance tool.

Base Building Phase (Weeks 1–8)

During these early weeks, your mileage is growing gradually, your body is adapting, and here’s the part most runners don’t realise — you usually don’t need regular sports massage yet.

But you should book during this phase if:

You’re carrying tightness or niggles from a previous training cycle
You’re returning from injury
You already know you have predictable hotspots (calves, hips, hamstrings)

Think of this as the foundation check. Identify issues early, and you avoid a problem later when training load spikes.

Micro yes:If you’re already thinking “that sounds like me,” you’re exactly the type of runner who benefits from an early assessment.

Peak Training Phase (Weeks 9–14)

This is where your body feels the real pressure: Higher mileage. Speed work. Back-to-back long runs. Cumulative fatigue you can’t shake off.

During this block, sports massage becomes a strategic recovery weapon not a luxury.

Book every 2–3 weeks and aim for sessions:

Within 48 hours after your longest run
When tightness is affecting your gait or stride
When you’re feeling heavy legged or under recovered

This is the period where runners who don’t stay on top of tissue quality begin to break down. And the runners who do stay ahead of it? They glide through the hardest part of training with fewer niggles, better form, and more confidence.

Future pacing: Imagine hitting week 13 feeling strong instead of held together by hope and Deep Heat. That’s the difference strategic treatment makes.

Taper Phase (Final 2–3 Weeks)

Here’s the biggest marathon massage mistake:

Booking a deep tissue massage the week before race day.

Your legs don’t need stress now they need recovery, calmness, and familiarity.

Follow these taper rules:

Book no later than 10 days out
Keep it very light, maintenance focused
Avoid new techniques or unfamiliar therapists
If you’ve not had massage all block? Skip it entirely

Taper is not the time to introduce new stimulus. Your job is simply to arrive fresh.

Race Week

Unless it’s a soft flush out with a therapist who knows your body extremely well, avoid it.

A poorly timed or overly deep session can leave your legs feeling:

❌ Flat

❌ Bruised

❌ Heavy

❌ Sluggish

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

This is where runners trip themselves up:

❌ They wait until something hurts.

❌ They book only when desperate.

❌ They treat sports massage as damage control instead of prevention.

By the time you’re limping into the clinic, the issue has already been building for weeks.

Strategic massage prevents the niggle.Reactive massage chases it.

How to Use Sports Massage Properly (The TAP Method)

1. Book a baseline early.Weeks 1–4 is the perfect window to spot weaknesses before load increases.

2. Schedule around peak weeks. Look at your training plan and pair treatment with your hardest blocks.

3. Communicate with your therapist. Tell them what’s coming they should tailor treatment to your training load.

4. Don’t rely on massage to “fix” things. It works best alongside strength work, mobility, sleep, and proper fuelling.

5. Let pain guide your planning. If you constantly feel like you “need” massage just to get through training? Something in your structure, load, or strength plan needs adjusting.

The Reality Check

Sports massage won’t:

❌ Fix poor programming

❌ Make up for skipped strength sessions

❌ Override under-recovery

❌ Magically solve overtraining

But it will:

✅ Improve tissue quality

✅ Speed up recovery

✅ Reduce niggles

✅ Improve gait and loading

✅ Help you move better under fatigue

✅ Make peak training feel smoother and more manageable

This is exactly why marathon runners at TAP Clinics use massage throughout the whole block not as a last minute rescue plan.

If You Want to Do This Properly…

Your body will tell you what it needs if you listen.Your training plan will show you where the high load weeks are. And a physio who understands marathon periodisation will help you map out the right treatment strategy.

If you want support with that:

👉 Book your marathon massage assessment at TAP Clinics (Warwick or Stratford-upon-Avon). We’ll assess your movement, look at your training schedule, and build a tailored treatment plan that actually supports your goals not interferes with them.

You’re not guessing anymore.You’re training smart, strategically, and proactively.