For example, I have recently returned from the Ironman 2007 at Busselton. In the week leading up to the race you are fine tuning the athletes to help them achieve PBs and course records, podium finishes in respective age groups and so on. You need to target specific muscle groups relevant to the sport. This year I focussed on the cycling as they spend most time on this leg. It seemed to work well as a lot of athletes achieved PBs and a couple broke course records in their age groups.

Immediately after the race you are doing a marathon yourself as there is a long line of athletes who need leg flushes to remove the lactic acid, and believe me there is lots of it after cycling 180km and running a marathon of a further 42.2 km Then there is post race recovery massage the following day. Three totally different techniques of massage then, are needed for an event of this magnitude with almost 1000 athletes.

Unfortunately sports massage is often pretty much glossed over in remedial massage courses. Many volunteers in the massage tent dont appear to know how to do leg flushes. Gentle skin rubs may feel soothing and relaxing to the athletes, but they wont stop them feeling sore as hell the next day!

Mind you, volunteering at an Ironman is a brilliant and inspiring experience and is utterly addictive. There is also one at Port Macquarie.

This years most inspirational story was a lady who had a rod inserted in her spine when she was 12, told she would never play sport or have kids. Now has 3 kids and is an Ironman veteran...

If you care to check out the performances of the athletes I worked on at the Ironman, you can visit themassageguywa.com