As runners, we’ll obsessively track our cadence, sleep cycles, and the exact mileage on our favorite pair of daily trainers, yet we often accept a generic “you’re good to go” at our annual physical without a second thought. We don’t want to tell your doctor how to do their job, but understanding your lab work empowers you to request metrics tailored to your personal needs. According to “5 Blood Tests You Might Not Be Getting at Your Annual Physical,” standard panels sometimes miss early markers of chronic issues. You might consider asking for a 1-hour glucose tolerance test to check for prediabetes, Lp(a) to assess genetic cardiovascular risk, hs-CRP to gauge inflammation, UACR for early signs of kidney disease, and FIB-4 to check for liver fibrosis. Speaking of blood work, endurance athletes frequently struggle with maintaining the components inside those red blood cells, as detailed in “Iron Deficiency in Athletes.” Dr. Elissa Rosen writes that iron is crucial for oxygen transport, yet runners lose it through sweat, the gastrointestinal tract, and even the mechanical destruction of red cells during heavy footstrikes. Female athletes face an elevated risk due to menstruation. If you experience unusual fatigue, a drop in exercise capacity, or an odd craving for ice chips, consider requesting a ferritin test, with a general goal of at least 30 to 40 ng/mL. Because oral supplements can cause stomach discomfort, dietary replenishment is generally preferable. “7 Iron-Rich Foods That Can Help Boost Your Levels Without a Supplement” highlights bioavailable heme sources like cooked oysters, chicken liver, and beef liver. For plant-based non-heme options, try soybeans, pumpkin seeds, lentils, and spinach. Since plant iron is harder for the body to absorb, you can boost uptake by pairing these foods with vitamin C while consuming them separately from calcium supplements. 

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