It was a beautiful day for it.

Team Bah! assembled. Miraculously, we managed to all find each other in a park with 5000 people in pink t-shirts milling around in it. (Hanging out by the toilets was a good ploy.)

From left to right, that’s Fiona with baby Jacob (yes, we sneaked a boy in!), Sandi, Gerri, Emma with her daughter Hannah, Nathalie, me, Sandi, Jude, and Joy and Erica in front.

I think Joy and Erica pulled off the pinkage best.

Though all credit to Alan who got into the spirit too. (And took all of the photos that I’m not in. Except this one, obviously, which I think Sandi took.)

We joined a sea of pink snaking around Regent’s Park, and we walked, and talked, and thought we might have tutus next year. (We also met up with Diane, who volunteered at the event and was in charge of a Very Important Corner. She had a radio headset and everything.) It was a calm, happy, and moving experience: there are back signs that break your heart. So many people lost to cancer.

Joy’s and Jude’s back signs really touched me:

(Stevie is my nickname.)

As did Emma’s. I didn’t get a photo, but it said, ‘I race for life for everyone touched by cancer. Health + Hope.’ I couldn’t have put it better myself.

We all finished – Joy and I had a few tears at the finish line – and ate ice cream, and Hannah modelled her medal – and her face paint – for you.

We’ve raised over £1500 so far. Feel free to add a donation here, or enter Race for Life yourself – it’s not too late. Cancer Research UK’s slogan is ‘Together we will beat cancer’. Seeing thousands of women commemorate, honour, celebrate and fundraise under the serene blue sky makes that feel possible. Likely, even.

Let’s keep going.