MNHQ are doing the Moonwalk - please sponsor us

Good thinking about getting feedback in right away. Even now, it may be too late to influence 'some' of the arrangements for next year but these things take so much organisation and forward planning that it's important to try as early as possible.

If I did it again I would definitely say I was a super fast walker to get in an early slot (and that would be my advice to others) I was in Group 5 and started just before midnight. we had to be there by 9pm - it was cold, we were on our feet the whole time- something needs to be done about start times. Also the bottle necks must have been avoidable - it made our start so slow and we got cold and seized up.
The water stops were giving out 500ml bottles of water - people were having a few sips and leaving them at the next bin, wall, bridge etc. It was a huge waste and massive quantities of recycling - I am sure there must have been a better way - much smaller quantities etc
The biggest issues are toilets - the literature said there were hundreds on route - not sure I saw more than 100 after leaving the start. The queues were madness (we queued 40 minutes at St James' Park. I didn't drink for the duration, I wasn't thirtsy anyway as it was cold, but I wanted to avoid a toilet stop. I fainted within 15 minutes of finishing and think I was dehydrated without realising. Entirely my own fault I know and I was fine in a few minutes but I wasn't the only person not drinking for this reason - queues are inevitable but at some stops there were only about 10 loos max - for 15000 women.....

Add your feedback to the Walk the Walk facebook page if you have any suggestions/complaints. I personally think it's way too big now.... and if they can afford to have brand new Moonwalk cars and manage to bus volunteers around London, (although we had to wait over an hour to be picked up after we finished) they can manage to install a billion more toilets for the Walkers. Making the finish time after the tubes start running might be a better idea too. If you finish at 5am you're stranded.

So - adequate toilets are a big theme along with timing of start and the shock of meeting pavement walking.

Could they have changed things any to cater for start delays?

we were in wave 3 and had a few bad hold ups. queues for the toilets were horrendous - the pre walk instruction to walk to the next set of loos if there were queues just didn't work!

friends were in wave 6 - they didn't start until 12.30.

There are some common themes coming through from this year's Walkers and Volunteers, if I recall?

I'd like to think so Cozie. I'm not sure I will be as honest next year in the hope I could get away earlier and not be caught up in the awful delays.

I'm sure that if you're already aware of an issue, then the organisers for next year will be alert to any hornswoggling though?

I wonder how many people will embellish their expected finish time next year to get into an earlier start.. I've already seen it discussed in several places. That could prove challenging to the organisers if everyone says they are a 5 hour finisher.

Mice our team was in group 1 and we had very few hold ups plus the queue for the loos was about 5 mins at most. I've done The Shine as well and our "team leader" put us in the sprinters group (hollow laugh). Again, very few delays but we really hammered it and did the half in under 3 hours. That wasn't as much fun as you couldn't chat as much . I've done a few half marathons but not yet had the guts to do a full. Maybe in a few years.........

I finished cozietosie. I'm used to falling over

PS - and well done all those donors as well. 141 of them to the Team Mumsnet target?

Well done Team Mumsnet and all the other Walkers and Volunteers.

There's also a hefty chunk of Gift Aid, I see. Don't you just love taking money from the Revenue?

So maybe a support and advice thread at the beginning of next year? (Not wanting it to run out of steam too early.)

I'll have to defer on this one to the Walkers and Volunteers among us. When might you have found it helpful?

next London walk will be same time next year? Think entries open later this week.

When is the next Walk to be held - roughly? (I'm thinking about the possible timing of a relevant thread.)

about the fallers - we were a group of 6 full mooners and lost one to a bad fall at mile 7....

Agree that some tips for future walkers is a good idea.

We spent ages discussing our bras and decorating them - only to find it was just too cold on the night. I wore the t-shirt, fleece and rain jacket the whole way - and wish I'd worn warmer leggings as maybe (!) they would have helped stop all my muscles seizing up in the last 3 miles.

Did you manage to make it to the end or were you finished by that trip?

I tripped at about 20 miles when I did it. I fell off a high pavement.

Well done all 134 donors, anyway, as well as the Walkers and Volunteers.

Sounds like a good idea cozietoesie - all those women in one place, loads of them must have been MNetters!

Maybe MN could host a support thread with advice and news for prospective Walkers nearer to the next event?

(It could tie in nicely with all Walking Teams and individuals and also raise the issue's profile even further.)

Agree MrDarcy - we took at least 1.5hrs more than we expected too- I was so tired and dehydrated at the end (my fault because I didn't drink because I didn't want more hold ups after seeing the ridiculous lengths of queues at the toilets) that I promptly fainted within 15 mins of getting my medal - nothing sugar water and a lie down on Clapham Common didn't sort out! Also agree about the pavements - one of my friends tripped very early on cutting her chin and knees - but is an absolute trouper and got straight up and carried on completing the walk.
It would really help to have spoken to someone who had done it recently to get insider tips! Most of my team said never again - I am wavering - but only if I was in one of the earlier groups to start off as they seem to get much fewer hold ups!!