Moonwalk, The big event

All was ready, well as ready as was possible without the medics to cover the event!  Saturday early evening, lots of ladies of the female persuasion (and a few blokes) arriving at the big pink tent, the sound system was blasting out, people were stashing there personal stuff in the storage tents and re-appearing in their walking gear, plastic ponchos were being handed out in an effort to ward off the dampish weather and meals were being handed out to all participants.  Meanwhile the Rescue Medic team were beginning to arrive, Doctor, Resus Officer, Nurses, Paramedic crews and First Aid teams.  Vehicles were allotted to various teams, the Doc and her staff checked through the treatment and resus bays, coffees were drunk and meals scoffed.  At ten the crews were briefed on their areas of responsibility, a last minute sorting of bits and pieces and crews covering the first miles of the route were off to take up position and stand by.
In the big pink tent the walkers were gathering in their colour sectors which governed their start times, the big screen was on showing folks on stage doing Mr Motivator type warm up exercises to a heavy bass beat.  At the other end of the Moonwalk site the course marshals had been briefed, fed and watered, there were trays of muesli bars to take for snacks, loads of fruit and take-away tea, coffee or soup.
The walkers started at half past ten, some of the serious ones shooting ahead (and maintained a cracking pace throughout the event)!  The marshals had been transported to their areas, porta-loos were strategically sited around the route and food/water stops set up and manned.  The event is a huge undertaking by the organisers and all for a very worthwhile cause.
I and Pip, my partner for the event were sited out towards Leith (mile 14) and so had a bit of time in hand before any walkers were due there, but as things were hotting up at the base, some casualties turning up before the walk started!!  We decided to head off, get to our area to be covered and 'sus out the scene'.  A ten minute drive to the spot, park up and chance to catch an hour's kip before any action.  The reversing horn of a truck woke us, it was the delivery of tables, trays of fruit and pallets of water bottles.  The food stop crew were already there waiting to set up and shortly after that the first walkers appeared, the first girl was going like a train and storming on.  She was built like a racing snake and had the trained athlete's walk racing bum wiggle (sorry no photo, but try this one instead!).

Janey showing off!

The second walker was about two minutes behind, with number three close behind her.  Hours and walkers passed, encouragement was shouted, food and water dispensed by the volunteers, and Compeed, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen and knee support strapping dispensed by us.  Once the main body of walkers had passed through our brief was to move along the route on the lookout for anyone with problems and either treat or transport, but prior to moving off we got a shout from Base informing us of a person collapsed around the twelve and a half mile mark, no further details.
The road we needed to head along was coned off and closed to traffic and had a marshal and motor cycle cop in attendance, a quick word with the policeman and we were off! he told the marshal to move the cones,  jumped on his bike and with blue lights flashing we followed him up the road well over the 30 MPH limit.  Our collapsed walker was a 30 something bloke, slightly overweight, who had just 'overdone' it, run out of steam and had to lay down!!  To be fair, he also had some medical and medication issues which were causing him problems but wanted to do the walk in memory of his mum who had recently died from cancer.  We suggested that he might want to speak to the doc about his current stability and medication, he agreed to this and with our police escort we made it back to the pink tent in record time!!

Dawn breaking near Leith

Back out on the road shadowing the 'tail end' walkers, we were dealing with blisters, strapping up ankles and knees and transporting those few who had just plain run out of energy.  Our last stint on the road was static watching walkers stride out (or shuffle) into their last mile to the finish.  Sunday morning and not far from Innerleith Park, I felt sure there must be a coffee shop open somewhere close by.  Success!  A proper coffee emporium with a Barista making a proper brew!  Two large double shot lattes and a chocolate brownie to share, things were looking up!  It was gratifying to see some of the folks that we'd treated earlier on still on the move and heading for the finish line.  Marshals were with the last pair of walkers and so we were free to go back to Base.  The last of the sick, lame and weary were making their way off to get lifts or taxis, Med Base was nearly empty and striping down, folding screens and packing equipment was well under way, within an hour most of the packing was done and equipment loaded into the ambulances which were going back up the road to Roy Bridge were about to move out.  Paul had some final bits to do but was staying most of the following week to provide cover for the riggers striping the marquee and the guys de-rigging the Moonwalk Village.  In the meantime we were making tracks out of Edinburgh aiming for the A9 North.