A 5k to remember (long, x-post, lots of pics)

I did it!  I completed my first 5k exactly 6 months after my RNY surgery.  It was an adventure for sure.  My Mom drove up to walk it with me.  She actually surprised me by walking in my door on Friday when I wasn't expecting her until Sunday.  We spent the weekend together and had a great time.

Sunday rolled around and we got ready for church.  When we left church we stopped to get a bite to eat.  I had 1/2 of a small chili at Wendy's.  Yumm!  Then we had to run home, change clothes, and grab some chicken that I had left marinating.  I've been craving some grilled chicken something awful, but our grill broke so we were going to cook it at Dad's house for supper.  We stopped to pick up my cousin, Ashley, and then met my Dad and stepmom, Tina.  They were kind enough to watch the kids for us while we did the 5k.

So we finally made it to Fletcher Park around 1:20.  The 'race' was scheduled to start at 2:00.  Let me tell you, it was HOT.  The temp was in the upper 80's and there was not much shade at all.  We had anxiously been eyeing the weather all week in hope's of a cool, cloudy, breezy day.  No such luck.  But there was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity I'd been waiting so long for.  Previously, I had been walking about 2.5 miles in  right at an hour, but it was usually in the morning or evening, not in that kind of heat.  So I was nervous.

We checked in and got our shirts.  I was pleasantly surprised with them.  I had been expecting a plain, white t-shirt, but these were a jersey kind of material and were bright blue.  So off I ran to the bathroom to change.  Here we are before it started.

And here is my good friend, Jan.  I hadn't seen her in 2 years and was so happy to spend time with her again!

Here is part of the crowd.  There were over 250 registered walkers and many more who didn't register.

So off we went in the horrid heat!

Nearing the finish line...

My goal was to finish in under an hour and a half.  My actual time was this.  I was pretty darn happy with that.  I felt good- didn't hurt anywhere.  I was just quite tired.

Oh, and I wasn't last!

Here's me and John resting in the shade afterwards.  See how red my face is.  This is where it's about to get really exciting...

The park had supplied snacks for after the 5k, but they weren't very pouch friendly for me so I brought a protein drink.  I never got a chance to drink it though.  When it was time for my Mom to go, I stood up to give her a hug bye.  I told her not to let go of me because I was really dizzy.  I've been having trouble with dizziness for about 4 months now due to my blood pressure lowering.  It's always high in the dr office though so that haven't really been able to figure out what's up.  At one point they were talking about putting me back on my high blood pressure medicine.  I'm glad they didn't.  I sat down but felt increasing nauseous and dizzy to the point that I passed out.

It was so super embarrassing.  There were so many people around watching me.  Somebody from the park took a big bag of ice from some random picnickers and plopped it down on my shoulders.  Brrr!  there was cold ice water running all down my very hot body.  Someone called 911.  By the time the paramedics got there I was feeling a fair bit better.  Still dizzy, but not as nauseous and not like I was going to pass out.  They took my vitals.  My bp was 92/52 (I think that was it.)  I can't imagine how low it must have gotten when I passed out.  So they worked on me a bit and I was feeling increasingly better, so I signed the paper saying I didn't need to go to the hospital.

The lady who had iced me down recommended that I try to get up and walk again before the paramedics left.  So I did.  I made it about 10 steps before I passed out AGAIN!  So obviously I got a fancy ambulance ride to the hospital.  The poor paramedics had to lift this heavy ol body onto the stretcher.  I kept apologizing over and over because I was so stinkin' embarrassed.  They had some trouble starting an IV.  Apparently I was quite dehydrated also.  I had been drinking water like crazy that day and the day before, but the 4 days prior to that I couldn't get as much water as I needed because everything i put in my mouth was causing my stomach to hurt.  If I had  know I was dehydrated, maybe I would have postponed the 5k.  Maybe.  I was pretty determined to do it. 

At the hospital my bp continued to be really low.  I think the lowest I remember was about 76/42.  That's quite a difference from someone who was on medication for high bp 6 months ago.  The nurses had a hard time getting blood from me.  It wouldn't even come out my IV thingie.  So I had the pleasure of getting poked several times. ;-)  After I arrived at the hospital and got the wet clothes off of me I started freezing.  I shivered for at least 2 hours. 

I had lots of visitors, including the manager of the park where the 5k was and his wife, who I found out is the lady that iced me down.  After 6 hours, several bags of liquids, hundreds (seemed that way) of bp readings, bloodwork, and an ekg I was finally discharged.  At 8:30 I finally got some food again.  The dr brought me a hard boiled egg and a couple ounces of cheese.  It was the best think I'd had all day.

Now was that a 5k to remember or what!

Wow, that really is a 5K to remember!!

Congrats on conquering the challenge!  Sorry to hear it ended up in the ER, and I certainly hope you are feeling MUCH better now.  Very glad there were some smart people around you to give you ice, call the EMTs and not let you send them off before making sure you really were ok - since you were NOT.

Make sure to follow up with the docs about your BP!

I hope your next 5K is MUCH less eventful!!

PS - you LOOK amazing!!  Congrats on all your hard work paying off!!

Thanks Sue!  I am feeling better.  I just have a killer headache today.

Apparently the folks who run the park are very competative in running events also, so they recognized what was happening to me and knew what to do.  My hubby told me later that if I was going to pass out, that was the place to do it.

I've got a follow up appt scheduled for the 3rd!

yikes!  wow, sorry your first 5k experience ended up in the ER, that really stinks!  hope you are feeling better, and congrats on finishing.

Congrats on the finish of your first 5K and sorry to hear that it ended with an ER visit.  Hope this doesn't make it your last 5K.

Why no!  I still plan on being able to run this thing one day!  My parents and grandparents on the other hand are not too keen on the idea.  I'm sure they'll get used to it though.  I'll only improve from here.

Now that is the attitude to have .  It takes work and learning your bodies limits, just remember hydration is critical as you unfortunately learned the hard way.

Wow Jennifer, you certainly know how to do your first 5K in style, eh?!  So very sorry to read that it did end up in the ER for you but glad to know it has not dampened your spirits to continue with this.  Way to GO!!!

You look marvelous and I am proud of your work.

Wow, that was quite an adventure for your first 5K. Way to finish in good time and not last! I know that feeling from my first event. You should be very proud of yourself. Sorry the heat got to you and you ended up in the hospital. Glad you are feeling better. Can't wait to hear about your next event.
Jan