Medical certificate? Check!

Paris Marathon Training: Week 10 of 18
Today’s target run: 1 hour 24 minutes
Today’s completed run: 1 hour 24 minutes

Yes, marathon preparation is proceeding according to plan. Besides the next 8 weeks of training (and getting travel and hotel reservations in order), I now possess the required “medical certificate” for the Paris Marathon. Even though this is my eleventh marathon, it is surprisingly the first time that I have been required to submit a “clean bill of health” in the form of some written statement issued by medical personnel certifying “that I have no contraindications that would preclude my participation in sports competition.” Come again?

Translation: A doctor must certify I am in OK health to run the marathon.

Now, what does such a check-up in Germany include? Well, yesterday’s visit to my German doctor did involve a check-up of sorts; however, for the receipt of the medical certificate, there was no checking of blood pressure, heart rate, weight, general Q&A such as “How are you feeling these days?” or “So, how is your general health?”

Still, I have complied with the requirement, have the medical certificate in hand, and will mail it to the marathon organizers in post haste. I’d better be mailing it in soon as I have had my ups and downs with Germany post.