The dust has settled and the sequinned costumes are back in the box, after another amazingly successful Playtex Moonwalk in London.
A steady drizzle and freezing temperatures didn't dampen the spirits of 15,000 intrepid women (and a few men) power-walking the full-marathon distance for breast cancer research.
It was my first outing as a power walker - and a memorable night in more ways than one. It can be magical striding around monumental parts of London in the middle of the night. Almost all of the fantastic women I was with had stories to tell about why they were taking part. I can't tell you how many times I choked back tears as they recounted the mothers, sisters or daughters they had lost to cancer and whose memory they were honouring on that chilly May evening.
But it was a far from depressing night: flagging spirits were lifted by close encounters with drunken partygoers coming out of clubs at 5am and wondering what planet they had landed on as they ran into thousands of scantily clad moonwalk competitors. I can't resist sharing the tale of a Smooth Radio colleague who wouldn't put up with the queues for the official loos and found a sneaky corner down a sidestreet to answer the call of nature. After 21 miles the legs are not as steady as they might be and she lost her balance - grabbing a car bumper and setting off an early morning car alarm. It took all of her legendary charm to persuade the police officer who arrived to investigate not to march her off to the cells on the spot. It had been too cold at the start for all but the most determined to strip off - but most of us were determined to show off our creations by the time we walked into the morning sunshine in Hyde Park.
For the record, I finished in just over seven hours. But, far more importantly, thousands of pounds have been raised to help fund scalp-coolers, which will help women to keep their hair while they undergo chemotherapy. That's definitely worth the price of a few blisters. Bring on 2009!
· If you would like to make a donation please visit www.justgiving.com/sandywarr
