Bald Runner

The title of this post is an adaptation of the title of the song “Si Aida, Si Lorna, O Si Fe”. Instead of choosing one from the three different names of ladies, I am choosing only one name from three different ladies with the same name. Very easy to memorize and no way I will commit a mistake in saying the wrong name among the three ladies!

These are the names of my (lady) masseuse in Iloilo City’s Riviera Spa, Makati City’s Island Spa, and in Laoag City.

Last week, I asked my sister where is the best spa where I can get a good muscle massage. She told me that we have a tenant in one of our apartments who works as masseuse in one of the popular spas in Laoag City. So, I told my sister to request our tenant to have a “home service” massage for me. To my surprise, her name is Imelda and she is called as “Mel”. I smiled and recalled that I have now three different masseuse in three different parts of the country with the same names. What a coincidence!

Imelda or “Mel” in Laoag City is one of the ”unique” masseuse I had encountered so far due to her heavier body form (malusog!) and stronger hand pressure. She sees to it that all the muscles, small & large, are made to be tender and soft. It was in her technique where I experienced my sides (from my armpit to my hips) being massaged thoroughly. But she does not have that “repertoire” of stretching my backbone and clicking all the joints of my extremities.

Melanie or “Mel” in Makati City had been my masseuse since I started to be assigned in Fort Bonifacio in 1990 and she had been working at the Olympia Reflexology Center. She is a petite woman with average body-built but with strong arms. She is very reliable and professional in her work. I consider her as the best masseuse among the three. She could stretch my backbone and make my joints “click”. Lastly, she could carry me through her legs and suspend me on “air” while stretching my arms.

Emelyn or “Mel” in Iloilo City’s Riviera Spa is the tallest among the three with a height of 5′ 5″ and has average body-built. She is the most top-rated masseuse in the said spa and she is good with her job. What I liked in her was her service of an extension of thirty minutes of the usual one-hour session of massage.  She uses this extension time to give extra massage to my running legs! To compensate such nice service and additional effort, she receives a “bigger” tip in her envelop.

Now that I am retired, I have only two “Mels” to deal with (in Laoag City & Makati City) and hopefully have a chance to see “Mel” in Iloilo City if ever I will be invited to visit my former camp in Jamindan during the Division’s Foundation Anniversary next year.

Always remember, a runner can not “live” or improve his time without a good massage before and after a road race and during his training phase. But it is better to have somebody who is known to you and well-trained/professional to give you the much-needed massage.

Good luck and “treat”/pamper yourself with a nice and relaxing massage.

By the way, I always ask for the “Swedish Massage”.