As an endurance athlete it is important for me to know how my body is responding to training, not just from a fitness perspective, but from a physiological and chemical/hormonal perspective. I’m lucky to have linked up with medichecks to be able to track my blood values to make sure that everything is how it should be.

I take the elite endurance test which tests for over 50 different blood values from a full blood count through to hormone through to proteins.
The tests are very simple to conduct. You order your kit online, it comes within a few days with all you need included. You then go to a local clinic and get your blood taken. For my test it was 3 small vials which needed to be taken fasted and at least 12 hours after any physical activity. I didn’t need an appointment at the clinic I just popped in. Once the bloods were taken I sent them away in the prepaid package and within a few days I had an email with all my results and a full explanation of what they all meant.
This is my 3rd round of tests so I now have a pretty good baseline to compare. From previous results I have found that my ferritin levels can be slightly on the high side and that my thyroid was also slightly high but everything else was where it was expected to be.
This time around everything but my urea and vit b12 levels were good. My urea was showing as slightly high which was probably due to dehydration, I must admit, my hydration hasn’t been as good as it normally is so only myself to blame. My vit b was within the normal range but very close to the bottom so the doctor advised me to take a supplement and hopefully we should see an improvement in my next tests in 12 weeks time.
These tests aren’t just for elite athletes, anyone can take them. I find them essential, especially when in hard training or about to start a hard training block as all of my efforts can be in vane if my body is low or high in certain areas. If anyone wants to do a test themselves, have a look at www.medichecks.com there are loads of different tests available so you are bound to find the one you need but anyone doing an endurance sport I can really recommend the elite endurance pack. Don’t worry if you know nothing about what the results will mean, you get a full interpretation from a qualified doctor who understands sport and recommends any interventions which may be needed.
I always say we can’t all be Olympians but we can all know our bodies like Olympians!!