Going Running?

If you are ever planning to take up running please do me a favour. Go and see your doctor beforehand and get a thorough check up. Does this sound over the top? I don't think so and the reason I bring it up is due to the death of a man at the Edinburgh Marathon on Sunday. I am not sure just yet as to the cause of the mans death but it strikes me as strange that my country of residence, France, seems to be the only one that requires a medical certificate before entering any race. Whether its a 5k race or a 100k race you must have the all clear from your doctor, and I'm not talking about a stethoscope quickly pressed against your chest and then getting the all clear. No, the first time I did mine I almost needed a warm down run after it was completed. I was doing push ups, squats and various other cardiovascular exercises in the Doc's office to get the heart pumping and the blood flowing. And, no matter how fit you are you must go back the following year and renew it all over again. The Doc gave me a thorough break down of my health, computer read outs for my efforts and general advice on all things body related. Could a trip to the Doc save your life..... It just might.

Looking back to last year I remember the Detroit Marathon where 3 men died in the span in 16 minutes. This was not the first death in this race as a man had also passed away in 1994. These stories reminded me of a letter a guy wrote to the running bible Runner's World last year. The man in question, Mr David Reed, was entering the Paris Marathon and because of the requisite medical check up went to see his Doc. Here's what he wrote....

"I duly went along to my GP, only to be told that my blood pressure was high enough to put me at serious risk of a heart attack or stroke. One year on, my blood pressure is at normal levels thanks to medication, which I will now be on for life. The cause of high blood pressure was genetic. Just because you're fit doesn't mean you can't be at risk. Thanks to the French rules of participation I'm still around to enjoy running"

I echo his sentiments completely and if you are new to regular exercise then get the all clear before you start galloping up any mountain sides, it will be a load off your mind.

See you (in a Doctors office) round the bend,

Mally.