Endurance and Ultra Endurance events are becoming popular. It's a  great way to be active and healthy and live an exciting life rather than being inactive on a  TV couch  . A key part of this is being proactive on wellness rather than waiting for illness .  We've had many discussions on this starting with #HeartTalk in 2015.  Body undergoes many changes as one ages and these changes should not be taken for granted. Pushing limits on an untrained body is a risk  at the same time your body will undergo changes during ultra endurance events and might not be able to cope up with the stress . So what should you do ? Make regular visits to the doctor and discuss some of these Tests by specifically mentioning your lifestyle. A sudden death during or shortly after a hard cycle ride  is very rare, but it is  found that most of  such cases occurred in people who had preexisting heart disease or a congenital heart problem. In simple TEST up before you Buckle up   1. Complete Blood Count (CBC) test --This test measures your haemoglobin levels, the amount of white blood cells and platelets in your blood. It simply signifies if you are free from infections and how good your immunity is. Right now your body might be fighting Dengue  2. Cardiac health tests A. ECG/Stress test--ECG or the electro-cardiogram measures the electrical signals that travel through the heart. Importance-This monitors the functioning of the heart, which can help in preventing sudden heart failure post a hard ride  B.Lipid Profile test--This test maps your serum and blood lipid levels and can estimate the HDL/LDL ratio.  Importance--High LDL level is detrimental to the heart because it combines with other molecules and tends to clog the arteries. HDL removes the LDL molecules and protects the heart against the effects of LDL. C. Creatine PhosphoKinase (CPK) test--The CPK tests measure the amount of enzyme creatine phosphokinase in the blood. The enzyme is found primarily in the heart, skeletal muscles and brain tissue and the test measures the damage to heart muscle. Importance-- High CPK levels in the blood indicate a muscle/ heart/ brain injury that can be aggravated by intense training for the marathon. 3. Diabetes test A. HBA1c, also called the glycated haemoglobin test--It is used to diagnose type 2 diabetes. It measures the amount of sugar attached to the haemoglobin in the blood. B. Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) test--This test measures the blood glucose levels after the person has been fasting for eight hours. C. D3 Hydroxybutyrate test-- It measures the ketone level in the blood to detect diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a life-threatening complication of diabetes. 4. Calcium and vitamin D tests for bone health Vitamin D and calcium are important for maintaining bone and muscle health. Low levels of these indicate that you may be prone to ligament or muscle tear or bone injuries. These deficiencies also prolong the healing process. 5. Kidney Function Test Importance-- Kidneys play a significant role in maintaining the water and salt balance in the body, thereby maintaining the body's blood pressure. It also plays an important role in the production of RBCs (Red Blood Cells) . A well-functioning kidney is critical for intense cycling  training and ultra endurance events  6. Liver Function Test Liver plays an important role in digestion, metabolism and detoxification. During hard cycling training, toxins are produced in the body that need to be eliminated and hence monitoring the liver becomes necessary (Adapted from Dr Nilesh Shah's work)  Watch #HeartTalk   ​