Massage as passive cross training

The slow tightening of my muscles has begun as I get into some of the long distance training and speed work for the spring race season. Also, have I mentioned that my computer screen went black several months ago and I have been able to continue working on the computer's keyboard only with a computer moniter hooked up off to the left? It's creating a muscle imbalance in my neck that is becoming debilitating. If you see me and notice my head seems unnaturally turned to the left, please feel free to stand to my right so that I am forced to contract the muscles on the right side of my neck to speak to you.

In any case, all of this led me to the door of my favorite massage therapist today in search of some muscle balancing. And, oh, it felt good when I walked out of there. It got me thinking that perhaps massage therapy could be justified as a form of cross training. Passive, but effective, cross training.

Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to describe massage as the yin to the yang of marathon training.