UKC

I want to enter a race in the French Alps. I've already run the route and would have been in the top 50% if it had been race day. The entry form requires some kind of medical form to say I'm fit enough to take part It is only a 30km run.
Any suggestions gratefully received.

In reply to marmot hunter: Find a doctor and get them to fill in the blanks on:

http://www.lepape-info.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/CERTIFICAT-MEDICAL-ty...

What matters is that it says "course à pied en compétition". When I have to do this I usually add in anything else I do as well (alpinism, cycling, sheep rustling) and might conceivably need a certificate for.

If it's a French doctor then they know the game and will sign assuming you look vaguely healthy. There's always a risk that a British doctor might take the whole thing a little too seriously.

In reply to marmot hunter: I've forged them in the past. They are strict in France. In the UK you just go to the Drs and get a signed letter really. Cost varies.

In reply to EwanR:

I live in the French Alps and am entering several races this year. However in previous years I've just got my UK GP (we had a GP service at the office) to do it. They basically check you're not going to die and sign it.

However, every time I hand in the medical form at the event (Etape, ultras etc) they hardly even glance at it, so I would say you could easily fake it. Its not like they call up the Dr to check*

There is often a pro-forma one you can download and print out on the event website (which is it, out of interest).

Anyway, this year I'm going to go to the doctor as I need to register with a French GP now that I live here. I've heard that its the French Drs who take it too seriously (they're a nation of hypochonrdiacs and people like to get their money's worth) but I'll let you know in a week or so. Anyway, I'm as fit as I've ever been so I guess if there is anything that comes up, I should take it seriously.

*Disclaimer: I'm not advocating faking it, just saying that it hardly seems to be worth the paper its written on as evidence of being fit to compete.

In reply to yorkshireman:

>I've heard that its the French Drs who take it too seriously (they're a nation of hypochonrdiacs and people like to get their money's worth)

Not near me! Admittedly the first time the doctor did take my blood pressure but the second time (with a different doctor) I just asked them to sign the certificate and after some disbelief about what I was going to run they signed it without laying a finger on me.


Quite. They're just one of those things the French love to do to remind you that personal freedom is merely an illusion and the state controls all.

In reply to yorkshireman: I think all it is is a box ticker.. so it clears them if you have a heart attack or something.. forging it would just invalidate your insurance really.. but i've done it a few times as I didn't see the point of paying £10 to get told I run too much and eat too much..

In reply to marmot hunter:

I filled one out for a friend doing a run in France 6months ago. Just give it to your doctor to sign, or if you know any doctors, ask one to sign you off fit, which it certainly sounds like you are!

In reply to IainRUK:
Thanks everyone I'll er, make an appointment immediately. Or maybe not! Cheers again!

In reply to marmot hunter:

What event are you running btw?

Always interested in discovering other races (I'm southern alps/Vercors)

Good luck

In reply to yorkshireman:
Val Cenis trail Race
http://www.edfcenistour.com/fr/index.html

In reply to marmot hunter:
£20 each my GP wants!
What makes me mad is a fat XXXX gets all sorts of 'help' to lose weight. I have to pay to show I'm not a fat XXXX, how does this encourage people to keep fit and healthy?

In reply to marmot hunter: My GP chargers £20 as well. Needed one for working off-shore and driving a minibus in the past. Guess what, same one couldn't be used for both (and forging was not an option)!

Guess you just have to put-up with these things in life.

In reply to marmot hunter: Google and forge..

In reply to IainRUK:

^^^^^^^^

When I asked my GP in London once he wanted to charge £60 and do a full medical. I protested, and he reluctantly agreed to sign it for nothing. I'd just turned up to a normal appointment, I wasn't going to pays his extortionate rate and he saw sense.

Seriously, you would think people would be encouraged to take part in healthy activities!