This week I scored a 7 day trial pass to the South Austin Life Time Fitness center. It’s working out really well. They have two 25 meter pools (or at least I hope they’re 25 meters, ‘cause otherwise I’m swimming really slow), and some other stuff I don’t use. Actually, I was all prepared for a negative rant and rave due to a bad experience with the massage studio, Life Spa, but I held off a day, and LTF made it all better.

I got a massage on Wednesday when they had a $60 for an hour special. It was advertized as a “sports massage” and I asked for someone who would know how to work out really tight muscles (post-race soreness can be debilitating). I spent the hour asking the therapist to go harder and receiving a glorified back rub. They had a fancy bed and smelly oils and a bunch of stuff that I don’t care about, and a therapist that wouldn’t respond to my needs, even when asked. Afterwards she asked me how it was and I grunted that it was “relaxing”, then wasn’t quite sure what to say to the front desk when asked to pay. I went home and tried to find a massage studio, but Courtenay told me I was being a bad patron by not telling the management that I was unsatisfied. She told me I should have just walked out, but that since I didn’t I should at least write an email to Life Spa. I did, and this morning they told me I could come back in for another massage on them.

My second massage at the Life Spa was with a girl named Nicole, who is in school learning to be a Physical Therapy Assistant. She’s a small girl, but she packs a punch. It was exactly what I needed. She got in deep and broke up plenty of knots. I didn’t moan, or grab the table, like I do with Jenny (my therapist in Seattle), but I was definitely at my pain threshold – which is what a “sports massage” should be – a little pain for an hour, and then days of improved training.

Thanks Life Time Fitness!

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