If you happened to be in London’s Hyde Park or the city centre of Edinburgh in May this year, you may have been confronted by thousands of women walking the streets in trainers, running trousers and decorated bras. It wasn’t some sort of massive hen party or end of term celebration for students, it was the Moonwalk, one of the biggest and most successful fund raising events of its type.
Moonwalk
The moonwalk, as the name suggests, is an overnight walk which starts at midnight. Participants have the choice of doing either a full marathon of 26 miles or a half marathon, and the whole point of the event is to raise as much money as possible for breast cancer charities. The events have grown from small beginnings to much larger walks which raise £7 million per year for charity. The majority of people taking part in the Moonwalks and similar events are women, but men are not banned from taking part, as long as they are prepared to get into the spirit of the event and wear their decorated bra too.
Training
One of the main appeals of doing a walking event rather than a run, is that training is easier. Nearly all of us can incorporate some walking into our everyday lives and there is no special equipment needed. A good pair of trainers or running shoes will help with the blisters though, and reflective clothing will keep you safe if out walking at night. Walking is a sociable event and nearly everyone taking part in a Moonwalk does so with a group of friends. When training, go out walking with friends and gradually build up the distance until you are walking 10 to 12 miles with ease.
During the Event
The atmosphere at Moonwalks and other overnight walks is great, with everyone excited by the challenge and keen to have some fun along the way. Many participants take a helmet camera which can be worn on their head to record the event along the route. This is a great way of preserving memories of a unique event, but when choosing a helmet camera remember that weight should be the main consideration as lugging around heavy kit will be tiring after a few miles. Regular feeding stations will be set up along the route of the walk, and take the opportunity to have drink, something to eat and perhaps a few minutes’ rest before moving on to the next part of the route. Walks are not a race, and participants are not competing against each other which makes for a team atmosphere.
Afterwards
The day after the event, you will be tired and need to catch up on your much deserved sleep. A bath will help soothe any aches and pains and many people like to book a massage or a spa day to help recuperate in style. Collecting sponsorship after the event is easiest done online as your sponsors can pay directly to the charity without any inconvenience. Then all that remains is to start planning for next year.
You can find fantastic helmet cameras at Vision MX to capture those adventurous moments.
I very rarely do activities outside the home at night, except maybe for this one. But in my area, it is very rarely held events like this except on New Year’s Eve, of course.
I really like your blog and each time I see great ideas you make real. Fundraising is not an easy task, it’s important to find people who can help to get money for charity and share your ideas. Fortunately, I think that charity and helping those in need has became more popular, lots of people are intested in doing something good or something it’s possible to proud of. Living for yourself only isn;t really interesting – you can feel completely happy only if you can make some one happy too. It’s great that there’s a place for such events which help to raise money and help those who really need it.
What a fantastic idea! I wonder if there will be any “ghost walks” on Halloween next week, which combine thrill seeking with charity?
Yes! In my local area, there is a Zombie Walk taking place that is raising funds for charity.