By Sarah

Are we gluttons for punishment or just determined to prove it wasn’t a fluke?

Lorna and I have been off round London again in aid of research into aniridia. We did the Carrot NightWalk in London yesterday.

This time our starting point was Imperial College in west London at 11pm on a Friday night. The route itself was largely the same as in 2013, just the odd wiggle that was different. There was another charity walk going on in London. We cheered/encouraged each other on.

We were better prepared equipment-wise this year. Lorna had found a couple of headlights that we could use as torches in the darker parts of the route and which would cunningly leave our arms/hands free to get up some real momentum on the straighter parts.

Unfortunately despite our efforts with the headlights our enthusiasm got the better of both of us on different occasions when we had an ‘argument’ with a kerb and ended up rather closer to the pavement than we had planned.

Despite these scrapes we were able to carry on – thank goodness for orange leggings, a phrase I never thought I would say.

Lorna was able to take some photographs this time – the part going over Tower Bridge in the clear of a dry night is worth the effort alone. Lorna took a few other pictures on route.

We were very lucky with the weather yet again. The weather earlier in the week had been wet and mild, but on the night it was dry. The following couple of days saw a return of the rain.

We made good time – 4 hours 40 minutes – and were met at the finish by a remarkably cheeky photographer (my husband) who recorded for posterity the ‘after’. We were quite pleased with the time – it was a bit quicker than in 2013.

To date, between us we have raised £657 for research into aniridia.

It is a great night and you meet lots of good people, whether they are walking or just on the streets in the early hours.