With all the high-powered international guests descending on Durban, sitting at a coffee shop with Durban North’s Jackie Moore, she smiles and says, “Our next door neighbours are proper Germans”.
Having grown up on a sugarcane and vegetable farm outside New Hanover and attending both the German Lutheran School and Wartburg Kirchdorf High School, she should know. Jackie has now settled in Durban, working for sport company Salomon. “Nowadays I battle to speak German but I can still understand it!”
A keen outdoor sportswoman, Jackie is currently preparing for the upcoming Umhlanga 12km/18km Trail Run and Walk. “The sport of trail running is becoming hugely popular, I believe it’s because it is very accessible, anyone can take part and walk or jog along the routes. It’s inexpensive and is a fantastic way to spend time surrounding yourself by nature. There are always exciting new venues and beautiful scenery.”
And, of course, you can take a few mates along for the ride (or run in this case), a great way to have fun together and share a few laughs in natural surrounds.
Adventurer
The young adventurer used to be a top paddler who competed seriously for four years. “I started doing a bit of surfski paddling and then built it up to river and flat water paddling. I competed in France in the World Flat Water Marathon Champs in 2006, followed by the World Cup Ski Race in Durban, in June 2007, where I had a bad experience on the water so my paddling took a back seat.”
This is when Jackie looked a little broader within the sports world to include mountain biking, and multi sports: “Since then cruising and exploring trails has been my number one passion, but I still enjoy the odd social river or surfski paddle when the opportunity arises.”
The sport of trail running, according to Jackie, allows your five senses to go wild: “There is so much to see, smell, touch and enjoy. It’s free spirited. And you even get to run through rivers and get your feet wet.”
Having just celebrated her one-year wedding anniversary to husband Dean, she smiles, “Our big day was so memorable and smooth, we couldn’t have asked for anything better. Having grown up on a farm, I always dreamed of a farm wedding and Eden Lassie in Tala Valley was the perfect setting.”
Walks on the beach
The active couple love spending time at home in their garden, pottering around or taking their Beagles for walks on the beach and in the natural bush below their house. “All I can say is that there are so many awesome trails right on our doorsteps, Stainbank Nature Reserve, Virginia Bush, Burman Bush all within a few kilometres of our homes.”
Having just returned after a week in France, Jackie commented, “It was fantastic having the opportunity travelling to Europe again, I love it there. I was fortunate enough to win a ski trip through Thule, where I took part in the Vasalopet Cross Country Ski Race. That was incredible for me, because I have never really been in any snow, and I’ve never done any skiing before. I did one short crash course and then tackled a 14km stint in a relay race and 12km the following day in a social race.”
Currently this active lady is training for the Old Mutual joBerg2C cycle. The nine days will average about 90km a day with the cyclists heading offroad towards Scottburgh. Jackie confidently concludes, “I’m aiming for a podium finish.” – Sophie Thompson