The big day dawns....

I couldn’t believe it when I woke up wide awake at 9:30 this morning. A million thoughts rushed in to my head and I struggled to relax, but I tried my best and went back to sleep an hour later for another hour and a half.

I got up and had ‘breakfast’ at 12:30 and went out to do the shopping. Once I’d done that and all the other little jobs, it was time to get changed. I put my outfit on and got Steve to write my name across my chest and facebook and the forum down my arms.

I was meeting Sam and Amanda at the station at 5:30. They got tickets and we went up to the platform and got on the train with about 20 other Moonwalkers – I don’t know where they all came from. We were talking to a lone Half Mooner so we invited her to sit with us and we just chatted on the way up. We got the tube over to Hyde Park Corner and as we came out of the tube station we were just greeted with a sea of pink. It was brilliant. Mind you I think we walked a mile to join the back of the queue and it took us a while to get in. Sam met up with the person doing the walk with her, and our Half Mooner went off and met up with her friend. We met Diane just inside the main entrance and then got our outfits ready. The photographers took some photos of us, and we took photos of each other. We then went in to the tent to get the food they provide and it was so manic we lost Sam and her friend. Myself, Amanda and Diane sat outside the tent eating our food but then it started to get cold. We took our bags to check in and split up as we were all in different colour groups. I then texted someone I knew from another forum who I had never met in person. She only got diagnosed with cancer recently and has battled her way back enough to complete the half moon. Respect! It was nice to sit with a group and chat whilst the compere put on a show and introduced the celebs taking part, like Paul O’Grady and his flashing bra.

Then the warm ups started and the yellow group left the tent. Then another warm up and the green group left the tent. My new friend and her group all wanted to go to the toilets so I said goodbye and joined in with the third warm up and then the orange group left the tent. Then one last warm up and it was the pink groups turn – they saved the best til last LOL

We moved out to the start line and I spotted some empty toilets so I grabbed the opportunity for a quick wee and joined the rest of them at the start line. We were stood there nearly 10 minutes and Nina herself was keeping us all amused. At 12:04 we were off...

Moonwalk minus 1 day

OMG it's tomorrow.


I had today off and slept in until nearly ten, had breakfast at gone 11 and tried to keep my mealtimes behind for the rest of the day. In the morning, I went up to our local Boots to get some more toe separators. I had bought 4, but had lost 2 along the way so wanted 2 more. I then went to Tesco on the way back to stock on the last minute bits, like sweets, batteries for my camera and some coloured sharpie pens. I had to be back for 1pm as we were having our house alarm tested, so while I was waiting for the man to come round, I ironed my t shirt and jogging bottoms, packed my check in bag and faffed about on the walk the walk forum. Steve got back from work and I went over to a neighbours to borrow some hot pink nail varnish, I told them I was staying up late and they told us to go back after tea and they would help me stay awake. Which they did until 1:30. When I got back home, I watched the tele for an hour and finally went to bed when I couldn’t stay awake anymore.

Moonwalk minus 2 days

I had this morning off work. I had originally booked the whole day off but we had an important meeting I had to be at, but as it was in the afternoon, I booked the morning off and had a lie in. I got up at 9:45 and got the 11:03 train in. That got me in for 12:30 and then I worked a 7 hour day from there, including lunch, and left pretty late. I'm trying to trick my body clock into thinking it's a bit behind so it doesn't notice the missing night's sleep. Not sure how well it will work, but it's worth a try.

Nothing much else to report, my day was took up with my wonky day at work. I went to bed about 1:30am and have tomorrow off work.

Moonwalk minus 3 days

Working again. Walked the mile in and the mile out, and also a mile at lunch, and a mile after work. I needed the fresh air but didn't want to walk too far, I've still got a sore toe and a sore bit on my heel which I don't want to aggravate.

I posted a picture of my bra on the walk the walk forum last night and got a really good response. I really hope all the tiles don't fall off!

I left work a bit earlier today because I wanted to get up to Hyde Park and have a quick look at the big pink tent. I got the bus up to Oxford Street and then walked up to Park Lane and could see it as soon as I got there. It was surrounded by a big fence, but I walked up to it and had a peek through, I'm sooo excited

Then I had to rush back to Westminster for my belly dancing class. I didn't wear my new pink scarf, stuck to one of my old ones, I'm saving my new one for the night. I was also paranoid of falling over, I have been all week. But I sucked my tummy in for the whole hour - good practice for the photos!

Once I'd got home, I soaked my feet and gave them another scrub. I stayed up til midnight tonight as I have tomorrow morning off work to allow me to get a lie in, and to stay up even later tomorrow night.

Moonwalk minus 4 days

In work again today. Nothing exciting to report. Soaked my feet in salt water again, no idea if it’s helping, but I’ll try anything.

I did sit and create a Moonwalk playlist on my ipod though. I’ve stuck those Justin Timberlake songs on there which seem to make me walk faster. I’ve got an Classic Euphoria album on there because the whole of the two discs are remixed at the same beat, and it’s about my walking speed. I’ll need to use that after halfway once my speed starts dropping. I’ve got another few dance songs in there, Insomnia by Faithless because I think it’s appropriate, and then a few Linkin Park songs, just because they are my favourite and I know all the words so I can sing along. The last song is No Ordinary Morning by Chicane. It is one of my favourite chill-out songs ever, and let’s face it, this will be no ordinary morning. I’ll save it for after the finish line though otherwise I’ll just sit down and stare at the sky before I’ve done.

That all adds up to 6.5 hours of music, which should more than cover me, because I am planning on talking to people at some point. If I don’t, there is always the trusty Scott Mills podcast which has seen me through many a training walk. All assuming the battery lasts that long obviously.

How to make a disco ball bra

You know, just in case you find yourself with a bra, some mirror tiles and a spare afternoon. You never know.

Take one bra, any size, moulded cups are way better for this job, but I didn’t work that out til too late did I??

If it is already pink, then woo hoo, if not, may I recommend Dylon Flamingo Pink fabric dye. Stick this in a bowl with your bra, swish it around a bit (or follow the instructions on the packet) and rinse and spin it a few times. Then hang it up to dry, but nowhere where you don’t want pink dye splots. Like for example, the slabs under your washing line. Just saying.

When it’s dry, spread yourself out over a table. Get some epoxy glue, some 1cmX1cm mirror tiles and, if you’re not using moulded cups, something to put underneath, like rolled up socks, or flask lids.

Put a bit of glue on a few tiles and start sticking. This stuff takes about 10 minutes before it’s unusable, so don’t throw it all out at once. Do it in bits, mix it, apply it to tile, stick tile down.

Although it only takes 10 mins to dry, the tiles can still fall off for another 20mins so try not to move it around too much. Do a section, leave it to dry for an hour, do another section.

Leave it all overnight and then give it a good shake, because some tiles will fall off, and better for them to fall off now than whilst you are wearing it. Stick them back on, leave them all to dry for a bit longer.

And bob’s your uncle. A disco ball bra.

I'm going to take a few spare tiles with me on the walk and put double sided sticky tape on the back, just in case.

Of course, thehot pink belly dancing scarf, pink 80’s style fishnet gloves, hot pink moonwalk cap, glo-stick bracelets and pink feather boa are all optional accessories.

Moonwalk minus 5 days

I was in work today, but only doing 3 ½ days this week, using up annual leave to prepare my body for a night without sleep.

I walked the mile in and the mile out, that’s all the walking I needed for today. I still have two sore bits on my feet which I’m hoping won’t be too troublesome on the night, the rest should be healed up come Saturday. I hope.

I sent an email round work asking for sponsorship and had a really good response. I’m only about £25 off my target, which I didn’t think I’d reach. I’m really pleased and it’s motivated me even more to think how generous people are being.

The only downer for today was that the Tamils kicked off AGAIN in Parliament Square. That’s the 4th time they’ve shut off the Square in as many weeks, and I had to walk back to the station a different way as Whitehall was just covered in bottles and clothing and stuff that had been thrown everywhere. I sincerely hope they don’t kick off on Saturday night as I don’t want to be diverted and have to walk further than I need to. They tend to kick off with no warning either so I hope the organisers have contingency plans in place.

On the way home from work I popped in to Tesco, Amanda had told me about some glo-stick bracelets they were selling off. I found 4 bracelets and 2 glo-sticks, all in pink. Haven’t used glo-sticks in years! I also bought some nurofen express and some antiseptic wipes for when I’ve burst my blisters – the last few bits for my bumbag.

I finished sticking the tiles on my bra tonight. I had to put it on to work out what was missing so I spent the first half of 24 lying on the floor with glued tiles drying on me, with my feet in a bowl of salt water. I’m sure this wasn’t in the small print when I joined up.

I’m in two minds whether to put the belly dancing coins around the bottom of my bra or not, it would mean more of my stomach was covered but if I make a hash of the stitching it could irritate my skin,

I think that’s it, I’m good to go now.

Moonwalk minus 6 days

After a lie in this morning I got up and spread newspaper all over the dining table and got all my bits and bobs out to decorate my bra. It is now a beautiful hot pink colour, perfect.

I propped the cups over the lid of a couple of large flasks and sat putting tiny little mirror tiles on to the fabric. I did try not to get too much on me, but it wasn’t entirely successful. I got as many tiles on as I could without moving the bra around and then left it to dry for an hour. Whilst I was doing that I heard Sara Cox on Radio 1 saying that she is doing the Half Moon.

I then got a text from Amanda because I had mentioned she could come round and decorate her bra with me if she wanted. She turned up late afternoon and she sat sticking layers of sequins on her bra, whilst I stuck a few more mirror tiles on mine. Something different to be doing anyway.

It’s nearly finished now, I just need to stick a few more tiles around the very edges, but I think I’m going to have to put it on to do that. I was going to put tiles over the straps as well, but I don’t think I’m going to have enough. Pah!

So I left it all out to dry overnight and sat and got all the bits and bobs together that I’m going to need on the night. I’ve got two piles on the floor now, the pile for the bumbag and the pile for the holdall I can leave in the tent. And a shopping list to get everything that is missing.

I had good fun today, I spent most of the day focussing on the little details, rather than the bigger issue. So I’m looking forward to it now.

Moonwalk minus 7 days

Oh, it all seems so real now. This time next week it will be the big day. Although technically, it we set off after midnight, the big day isn’t until Sunday, but Saturday is when it all starts.

My feet are healing well, I don’t have any infection, the blisters are drying out nicely, but the skin on my feet is just very uneven. I think I need to soak my feet every night for the next week and pumice them really well to even out the holes the blisters have left everywhere. Nice. I'm not going to do any walking other than to and from work until the big night now, it's just not worth the blisters.

Today I met up with Diane, Amanda and Sam for a coffee. We wanted to get together and discuss all the little things – like what train to catch, what to put in our bumbags and what we are doing with our bras. We were there for a couple of hours just chatting about things, and then we went up to Claire’s Accessories where I bought a lovely pink feather boa and some 80’s style fishnet arm gloves. Then we separated and realised that the next time we saw each other, it would be the big night. Myself, Amanda and Sam are all travelling up on the train together and meeting Diane there.

I’d walked last week in the bra I’ll be using on the night, I wanted to make sure it was suitable. So I’d washed it and dryed it, and in the meantime I’d bought some Flamingo Pink fabric dye. So I stood for an hour swishing my bra round in bright pink water and put it on a couple of rinse and spins to get rid of the excess colour and then hung it up to dry overnight.

I was babysitting for a neighbour tonight, so I had a few drinks and a curry to make the most of my last night on the booze. It’s no alcohol or spicy food for me for the rest of the week and two litres of water and plenty of carbs instead.