WORDS OF WISDOM from the women who’ve been there…

‘BUILD UP GRADUALLY AND FIND YOURSELF A BUDDY’

For Paula Wight, 43, the journey began when she saw an ad for the Moonwalk in a newspaper: ‘I started small, with just two miles a day, and gradually increased it to three or four, then eight miles at a weekend and finally 11. Signing up for the Moonwalk and asking a friend to join me really helped, because it gave me something to aim for and meant I didn’t want to let myself or my friend down.’

‘TAKE THE TRAINING SERIOUSLY’

Veteran marathon walker Yvonne Cunningham, 53, has 14 Moonwalks and four Sunwalks under her belt. ‘Anyone can do it, but don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s only a walk – you do need to train. When I did my first walk 10 years ago, I was overweight and hadn’t done any regular exercise since I was 18. When the training gets tough, focus on what you’ve already achieved.’

‘BRAVE THE ELEMENTS’

Determined to be ready for anything, Dawn Sandison, 41, trained in all weathers for her first Moonwalk last year. ‘You don’t know what the weather will be like on the night – and, in fact, it actually rained for the last four-and-a-half miles of the real thing.’

‘SET YOUR OWN PACE’

Just 360 days after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Jackie Scantlebury, 49, did her first Moonwalk. ‘I started training in February right after finishing treatment, but I still managed the Moonwalk in June! You’ll be surprised at how quickly you build up your fitness and stamina. My advice is not to be too hard on yourself – it’s a way of getting fit, having fun and raising some money – so have a plan, but be flexible. It should be enjoyable.’

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