THEY did the gruelling training, put on their extravagantly decorated and colourful bras and last night finally set off through the darkness to raise millions of pounds for charity.
As the countdown began, 12,000 women and men gathered on the Meadows in Edinburgh for the 2008 MoonWalk. So popular has the event become that the available places on the walk were filled months in advance. So generous is the response from supporters of the aims of the Walk the Walk charity that more than £3m is expected to roll in from sponsorship.
The money raised from the event – of which Scotland on Sunday is proud to be the media sponsor – will go to vital breast cancer causes in Scotland.
Throughout last week, pavements in Scotland were being pounded by groups of women and men doing their final training. Contingents also arrived from the rest of the UK, France, Belgium, the US and Canada.
The thousands of participants, from the oldest pensioner at 79 to teenagers, could choose between the 13-mile HalfMoon and the 26.2-mile FullMoon route, which takes walkers from the Meadows through the city centre and down to the shores of the Firth of Forth.
From there, they were due to walk the long stretch to Portobello before turning back towards the city centre and the finishing line back at the Meadows early this morning.
Many had survived breast cancer or another form of the disease, or knew someone who had, and wanted to make a contribution to the care of future patients. Support came from an army of volunteers who organised and manned the route. For the first time, businesses and public organisations along the route agreed to light up the façades of their buildings in pink to encourage the walkers along.
These included HBOS on The Mound, Harvey Nichols in St Andrew Square, the Balmoral Hotel on Princes Street, Scotsman Publications at Holyrood, the National Gallery and the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith.
Before the walkers arrived yesterday evening, organisers at the Meadows spent the day on final preparations, including erecting a giant welcome tent called MoonWalk City.
Katie Roberts, 23, from North Wales, said: "It is a long way to come, but we really fancied the challenge so we have made a weekend of it. It's a really important cause – we are all women, we all have breasts and we might need the support of these charities one day."
Samantha Fyse, a radiographer from Glasgow, said: "There has been some training, but not as much as we would have liked, but we just didn't have the time. I don't care what time we finish in, just as long as we finish. It is such a great occasion."
The pre-walk party began with a 24-strong troop of drummers welcoming the marchers to the Meadows.
Glittering cowboy hats, butterfly wings, funny ears and Hawaiian skirts were all on show as the walkers dressed to impress.
Shortly before 10pm, as the temperature dropped, many drifted into the event's huge pink tent, where they were treated to ceilidh and salsa bands which got the party mood going.
Among those taking part was former Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus, who had to drop down to the HalfMoon from the FullMoon because of a scheduled appearance at Glasgow's West End Festival today.
The 28-year-old singer was taking part for the second year.
She said: "I lost my gran to cancer and I know three people who have died of breast cancer who were not that much older than me."
A minute's silence was held at 11pm in memory of all those who have lost their lives to breast cancer. Nina Barough, founder and director of Walk the Walk, said the excitement was starting to build. "The nerves are starting, but they're good nerves," she said. "Everything's just about in place, everything seems to be going according to plan, so it's just a question of waiting now. There's that vibe, like just before a huge party or a concert."
Shortly after 11.30pm the waiting was finally over. The thousands of walkers, cheering, shouting and waving balloons, began to stream out of the Meadows and onto city streets lit with special bulbs to show them the way.
Spectators wolf-whistled and a 20-strong women's steel band played to encourage the walkers on their way. By midnight, the last of the three waves of walkers counted down to the off.
Sally Orr, the event's PR co-ordinator, said the number of people taking part in the Edinburgh event had risen from 8,000 in 2006 to 12,000 in 2008 – with men as well as women donning the self-designed bras. "We do get quite a lot of men doing it because breast cancer is something that affects entire families and, of course, men can get it too.
"I don't think there are more men doing the walk than women, but they seem to stand out more. They seem to really throw themselves into it. Some of them are really flamboyant."
As well as the walkers, the event involved a team of 900 volunteers who were due to guide the participants along the route and provide assistance if needed.
Walk the Walk, which originally launched the MoonWalk in London, has raised more than £36m for cancer charities.
The Edinburgh version raised £4m in the first two years, but organisers hope to beat their own record this year. Numbers participating have risen by 50% over the three years.
The money will stay in Scotland and some will go towards setting up a new Maggie's Centre for cancer care in Glasgow.
Each year in the UK, more than 12,000 women die from breast cancer, but over the past decade the chances of survival have improved by 20%, largely due to increased awareness, early detection and treatment. Now women have an 84% chance of living five years after the disease is discovered.
The MoonWalkers were last night playing their part in raising funds and awareness about the disease.
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