Short blog because I have a long walk ahead and need to conserve my energy for this weekend.

My Oldest Friend (OF) and I are off to complete the London MoonWalk together – thereby hoping to nail the marathon distance after my shameful DNF at Brighton Marathon.

OF has nothing to prove, she knows what she is doing with this event and I am her novice; she has walked this walk before and this charity is particularly close to her beautiful heart. She has also completed miles and miles of training. By dropping, ‘why not join me on the Moonwalk?’ into my post Marathon pity party, OF knows that I will take the bait.

OF shows her veteran approach to this event by gifting a ‘design my bra’ project to the Textiles Department in the school where she works. She also remembers to tell her colleagues that this year’s theme for the walk is Musicals. She is now the proud owner of a stunning ‘South Pacific’ over the shoulder boulder holder and, while her colleagues are sewing, she is out walking the South Coast in preparation.

By contrast I show my novice approach to Rambling Club membership by accepting a charity shop bra from another friend (it will not be Victoria’s Secret for much longer) and decide that I will swamp said bra with an infestation of hand sewn dragonflies in memory of my sister. I forget all about the musical aspect of this challenge and now realise that – as well as yearning for a glue gun – I should compose a themed musical before we set off on Saturday night. Apparently ‘Madam Dragonfly’ is too derivative. I may need to wing it or find an alternative explanation for my ‘Sister Act’ approach to walking.

I need to keep this blog brief because I have other dilemmas that need attention:

• Staying up all night at an age when ‘pulling an all nighter’ means not waking up for a wee.

• Wearing a t-shirt under my bra. OF will not. She is not convinced by my argument that I feel the cold. She has known me for too long and is well acquainted with the muffin top and back fat I am hoping to hide.

• Deciding when and what to eat. We are booked in for a pizza before the event – something I have never eaten before a marathon, but OF tells me it is part of the prep. She has not even mentioned porridge, but this is her event, so I trust in her expertise.

• Wondering if it is acceptable to be slightly tiddly en route – I feel I will need alcohol if I am to pretend that I have themed my bra to match a musical. I did not touch a drop of the hard stuff before Brighton and look where that got me. The hip flask comes with us.

• Finding a bum bag that is big enough for all my snacks. With a backside of my plumptious proportions I need to find a bag that will balance my ‘look’. I am well acquainted with hydration packs and running belts, but the MoonWalk organisers advise bum bag only. How the heck do you get a rain poncho, hip flask and stash of salt n vinegar crisps secreted in a discrete running belt? It is enough to make Betty Sweat.
  
• To sleep or not to sleep pre or post event. Something tells me that I need to make it back to work on Monday morning if I want to keep financing my ‘can do’ attitude. My smug OF does not work Mondays. It will be a walk in the park for her and black coffee for me.

Anyway, I will keep this blog shorter than the event and aim to return with tales of my walking brassiere (now that has the makings of a title for a musical, surely?). I know nothing about long distance walking but I do know how to chat and OF has spent years keeping me on track and reminding me what I was just about to say. I am genuinely excited to have a dragonfly adventure with the youngest looking OF a girl could hope for. Despite my lack lustre underwear, we are going to have ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ – and probably some enchanted sunrise too. The next blog should write itself.