Marathon Mom: Hurts So Good--Addaday Pro Roller

Disclaimer: I received an Addaday Pro Roller as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Obviously as a runner, a marathoner and ultrarunner, I have a roller. I actually have a foam roller and a stick. They seem to get the job done. I curse them while I'm rolling but am usually happy later that I did it. But once I received the Addaday roller, it was a whole new ballgame.

I chose to go with the Pro model since it had 3 different types of gears. I figured 3 were better than 1 type. There's two gray medium firmness gears, 1 red precision gear and 2 white soft gears. According to the website Addaday rollers are "great for deep tissue massage, designed to massage like fingers and easy to clean"

I agree with their description completely. The shape of the gears really dig deep into your muscles much more so than a regular massage stick. I could definitely feel the difference when I was using it to help me recover from the Philly Marathon. I also liked having several different options of types of intensity. I had some extra sore spots that weren't ready for the extra deep so I used the white gears and then other spots really needed the intense massage so I used the gray gears. And my favorite feature is definitely the little red precision gear. I have had shin splint problems since the day I started running. I've never been able to find something that could really dig into those little shin muscles and give me some relief in that area. That little guy gets in there perfectly, seriously it makes me so happy. The little things ;-)

I've also never had a stick/roller that I felt I could use on my neck, shoulders and back. The gears on the Addaday Pro can really get in those nooks and crannies to work out those knots so now I don't have to beg Emir to give me massages all the time.

And finally, I've found that the shape of the gears are really good on the bottoms of my feet. Lately I've been having some achiness, I'm sure some form of plantar fasciitis. Rolling my feet on a flat stick just really doesn't do it. The curves of the gears really dig in there.