Getting the all clear

One of the prerequisites for the MDS is passing an electrocardiogram and a doctor signing off a compulsory medical certificate. The rules of the MDS state that the ECG and medical certificate must be completed less than 30 days before the 29th March (Day 1 of the race).

Some of the running/MDS forums had talk of £500+ for getting this 10 minute job done - BUPA I'm sure! I decided to look close to home and try my local docs at Bridge Cottage Surgery, Welwyn. After explaining what I was up to and why I needed it, they kindly agreed and gave us both a super discounted rate.

I had been getting a bit worried about it, as in theory the doctor could find something that I didn't know about and not sign me off to run, which would mean no MDS. The previous weekend in Nottingham I had witnessed this first hand, when a doctor would not sign a runners certificate due to high blood pressure.

Thankfully both Ben and I got the all clear. I even came in with a respectable resting heart rate of 51 bpm.