Jo Moseley has won the hearts of thousands for her perseverance and dedication to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

JO MOSELEY was inspired to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support after both her parents  suffered from cancer – her mum passed away in December 2013. She set herself a challenge to row 1,000,000 metres on a rowing machine and the rest is history as she went on to complete the challenge and surpass her target aim of funds raised, reaching almost £10,000. She has since gone on to swim a mile across Lake Windermere raising money for the same charity.

We were delighted when Jo took the time to talk to us about the challenge and how important raising money for Macmillan Cancer support is to her. Her enthusiasm to pursue more physical challenges and raise money for such a great cause is inspiring on all levels and sure to leave you in awe of her tenacity and love of life.

To find out more about Jo connect with her on Twitter by following @onehappyrower.

Jo’s 1,000,000 metres for Macmillan Cancer Support was completed on a rowing machine.

What inspired you to start your challenges and had you always been a sporty person?

My inspiration for the million metres and marathon row was very simple – I wanted to raise funds to say thank you to Macmillan Cancer Support for helping my parents when they each had cancer. My dad had had breast, bowel and skin cancer and my mum had recently died of lymphoma in December 2013.

As a girl I had been sporty and outdoorsy – on my bike, in the sea & loving gymnastics. However, I didn’t enjoy hockey, netball or athletics at school and in my teenage years lost a lot of confidence and interest in sport. In my 20s I was a keen sub aqua diver at university, learning in the wonderful waters off the west coast of Scotland. I spent a summer kayaking in Alaska and hiking in Virginia.

After starting a family, like many mums, my interest in and confidence around sport dipped. In my 30s and 40s, I found I only ever ran after my boys and took them on adventures on the beach or the Yorkshire Dales.

By the time I started indoor rowing in summer 2013, because a friend suggested it might help me sleep, I hadn’t been in a gym for literally decades! I didn’t feel I belonged and was very unsure when I first arrived!

Could you tell us about the 1,000,000 rowing challenge and what training was involved in getting to a level that you knew would enable you to complete it?

I didn’t really train to start the million metres – I simply started it and trained as I went along! As the advert says – I just did it! 

I completed the million in 200 days so I was essentially rowing 10,000m every other night after work. I posted photos of the Concept 2 rowing machine’s monitor after each row on Twitter. It made me accountable to my friends and followers, and was a great way to track the challenge. Rowers started suggesting ways to improve my stroke per minute and technique – it was a huge learning curve and I had great support! I realised that I needed to get some expert advice and spent time with Eddie Fletcher, a sports scientist and expert in indoor rowing. I learned so much and he gave me a huge amount of confidence.

Jo’s story was picked up by many media outlets.

By the time I rowed the marathon on December 21, 2014, the first anniversary of my mum’s death, I had completed three half marathons – including one on a bandstand in the middle of Ilkley! I had already rowed the equivalent of Berwick-upon-Tweed to Paris and knew I just had to trust my body and believe I could do it. If my legs failed me, I was going to finish the 42195m/26.2 miles with my heart – I was so passionate about finishing it! Only two women my age group rowed a marathon in 2014 to 2015 in the UK. To be one of them was an absolute honour and very special.

How did it feel to smash your target of money raised and how special is it to know that the money will go to an organisation so close to your heart?

I was overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity as we raised over twice the original target! It is incredibly special to me that the funds will go to Macmillan Cancer Support so that they can help other families facing a cancer diagnosis. Macmillan’s goal is that ‘no one should face cancer alone’. Knowing that more people will have that support at such a difficult time in their life makes every single blister and aching bone worth it!

Jo pictured with her two sons who have supported her challenges and dedication to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Has all the rowing and training taken its toll on your body or have the results only been positive?

Indoor rowing is brilliant because it is low impact on joints, which was perfect as I turned 50 five days after completing the marathon row! I’ve always had a dodgy left knee and it was only painful for about three weeks of the whole challenge. Although I can’t deny I was pretty exhausted afterwards, it was a great boost to my fitness, endurance and self confidence. 100 per cent positive once I had rested and refreshed!

Could you tell us about your swim across Lake Windermere and how difficult was it compared to the rowing challenge?

Applying to swim a mile across Lake Windermere with the Great North Swim was very much a spur of the moment decision because it looked fun! Again I was swimming for Macmillan Cancer Support. It turned out to be a wonderful, exhilarating experience! Although I had spent time beneath the surface when I was diving, I had never actually swum so far in open water and it was quite daunting. 

I had swimming lessons to improve my technique and discovered a lot had changed since my last lesson 40 years before! I also swam in our local lido to try to acclimatise myself to cold water – I am someone who really feels the cold in or out of the water! 

The swim was tough but it was all over in one day. The rowing challenge lasted eight months, day in, day out, and was a much harder challenge, physically, mentally and emotionally.

Jo received tips and advice from experts on the best rowing technique.

How does it feel to have got so much media attention and to find yourself the subject of interviews and articles?

Once again I was overwhelmed by the support and media attention I received from the radio, press and on social media. When I saw an article about my challenge on BBC Get Inspired I literally gasped with amazement! I am grateful for every article, interview or retweet as they all raise the profile of the challenge and Macmillan Cancer Support. 

I often receive messages from people saying they’ve started training for a race, tried indoor rowing or gone for their first swim in a while because they read about my rowing or openwater swim. It is such an honour and very touching to think someone like me could encourage anyone to try something new. 

I’m on Twitter at @onehappyrower if anyone would like to get in touch.

What’s your message to people who are inspired by your triumphs and how have you managed to keep yourself motivated?

I would simply say, take the first step, start small and build up, don’t over-think it. A little bit every day adds up over time, make it a habit and one day you’ll look back and think, ‘wow! I did that!’ 

Never compare yourself with anyone else – this is your training and your journey, and that’s all that matters. Absolutely find a sport that you love (try lots!) and which lifts your spirit as well as your heart rate. If you do that, then even the tough days will be positive. 

Above all, enjoy the process – the courage you find to face your fears, the strength to go on when you feel disappointed and the person you become along the way.

I’ve been able to remain motivated because a) I’m very grateful for all the support I received during my million metres & the friends I’ve made along the way. I love cheering them on their adventures! It’s a real team spirit. b) The confidence and lessons I learned have impacted upon so many areas of my life. I want to keep that happiness, sense of achievement and feeling of health & well being as I go through my 50s!

Have you set yourself any more challenges for the year ahead and beyond?

I would like to continue to improve my swimming, learn the butterfly and swim two miles at the Great North Swim in 2016, 5km in 2017. I’m also going on a freediving course in the autumn.

I do have a very long term adventure in mind – still at the early ideas stage as it’s pretty huge and quite scary! I’ll let you know as soon as I have done my research!