WHO IS JO MOSELEY? WE LOVE YOUR INSTAGRAM POSTS, YOU ALWAYS LOOK HAPPY – TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF…
I’m a 52 year old working Mum of two boys, 20 & 16, living in a lovely village on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.
As a little girl I was always riding my bike in the countryside, doing cartwheels on the beach or playing in the sea.
However, like many women of my generation, I stopped being sporty at school as I didn’t enjoy hockey & netball lessons. Athletics made me feel quite fearful! It was all about winning or losing, being good enough (or in my case not) to play for the team. There was no sense of joy, freedom or adventure.
Later, at University in Scotland, my sense of adventure and the joy of being outside flourished again. I was a keen sub-aqua diver, exploring some of the most beautiful waters & wrecks on the west coast. In the summer of 1987, I hiked part of the Appalachian Trail & spent a month kayaking in Alaska, studying seals & camping next to glaciers.
After university, I was fortunate enough to be asked to lead the logistics for a scientific research expedition in Tanzania. I also helped a friend with his anthropological research in the Philippines and dived on some stunning, pristine coral reefs. Work, marriage & motherhood then took priority and for many years I really did very little sport, other than walking.
When my Mum died of Lymphoma in 2013, I decided to honour her memory with a fundraising challenge for Macmillan Cancer, rowing a million metres and marathon on an indoor rower. My confidence & that sense of joy of being active returned!
Since then I have gone on to open water swimming, scuba dived with my sons, started running on the trails near my home, cycled in the Dales and fallen in love with bodyboarding/surfriding in the North Sea again.
I started Stand up Paddleboarding (SUP) & was given a paddleboard for my 52nd birthday at Christmas. I wanted to try something new that would bring me close to the water again. I had also read many articles about how good SUP is for core strength and balance. As you get older this seems to be more and more important. I follow Meg Hine, FINDRA Ambassador, on Instagram and her SUP pics also inspire me.
ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE INTERESTED IN STARTING SUP?
My advice would be to have a SUP lesson with someone qualified. It is simple to master the strokes and a couple of hours at the outset will set you on the right path, both for technique and safety. There are also very friendly Facebook groups, where women who SUP offer advice, support and you might find someone you can paddle with locally. Paddleboarding gives me the feeling of being both exhilarated and calm at the same time. Simply standing on the board on the sea is a huge confidence builder.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE OUTDOOR SPACE
My favourite outdoor space is the Yorkshire coastline. I love walking & running along the cliffs of the Cleveland Way or collecting sea glass on the beach. SUP or bodyboarding on the North Sea is truly wonderful and whatever the weather, the sea is inspiring & life affirming
HOW DID YOU DISCOVER FINDRA AND DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PIECE?
I discovered FINDRA on Twitter as I was looking for a cycling top that wasn’t Lycra and didn’t have logos on it. I already loved merino wool for being soft and yet hard-wearing. The FINDRA colours, (usually finding anything navy is very tricky!), simplicity and clever design won me over. I also liked the principles behind the brand, encouraging and supporting women to enjoy the outdoors to their best abilities. This is something I aim for with my blog HealthyHappy50, where I share stories of women over 50 who enjoy being active.
My favourite piece is my navy & grey Rouler top. It was my first purchase and I’ve washed & worn it countless times. I love how warm it keeps me if I’m clambering up a crag in the wind & snow without becoming sweaty and sticky. It really does seem to breath! It’s smart enough to wear if I’m out on errands in town after a walk & I’ve even slept in it on very chilly winters’ nights!
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER ADVENTURES PLANNED?
Family and work commitments mean I don’t have any big adventures ahead. However, I have lots of little adventures to enjoy:
- I am currently completing a challenge I’ve called #rainorshine30 to exercise 30 mins outside every day for a year, which I began to rebuild my strength after falling & injuring my knee. Every #rainorshine30 brings new views and is a wonderful part of my day.
- I would like to build up my SUP skills and experience over the summer.
- I am hoping to go to Cornwall in September for Let’s Go Down By The Sea – a festival celebrating surf riding – for the Bellyboard Club Championships. I imagine my FINDRA tops will be perfect to warm up after the competition and possibly at night whilst camping too!
