TAKE the LAKE is an event at Lake Waccamaw, NC each Labor Day week-end, sponsored by The News Reporter, Collier’s Jewelers and other businesses in and around Whiteville, NC. The events are: run/walking 15 miles around the lake, biking 15 miles around the lake, swimming from the dam to Dales seafood, and kayaking. There are no fees to join in this activity, it is fully sponsored.
This is the first year that I have participated, I signed up to walk the 15 miles. I did some training, apparently not enough. During my training for the walk, the most distance I walked was 8 miles, and I got sick then.
All along the way, residents of the lake had set up pit stops for water, small snacks, Gatorade and bathroom breaks. The park rangers were constantly riding up and down the route, making sure everyone was ok.
Saturday, the walk was going really good, I was maintaining my average speed of 3mph (this may seem slow to some.) After 8 1/2 miles, I still felt good and was ready to finish the walk. With 4 1/2 miles to go, I got really, really sick, throwing up and dizzy. I rested for a few minutes and decided I could finish the walk. I never could get my speed back to 3mph, but I keep going.
At 13 miles completed I stopped to take some Tylenol because my hip was hurting. I got sick again, just dizzy and nauseous, did not throw up. I asked to use the bathroom, the lady came to check on me just as as I getting back in the hallway. As we were walking down the steps, I told her I wanted to rest a bit and continue. She discouraged me in such a caring way. The park rangers met us on her walkway and insisted they take me to the finish. At this point, I knew I could not finish. Physically I was spent.
Will I try this again, maybe next year. I learned quite a bit from this walk. I was advised to eat something salty and sweet about every three miles, this did help. Next year, I will only drink water when I am thirsty, not just because I think I need to drink to keep myself hydrated. I really think the reason I got sick was because I drank too much water. Another walker said that she quite drinking water because every time she drank, her stomach did not like it. I should have stopped drinking when my system told me I had enough fluids.
