VIVA's Lisa Nicol goes the Whole Hog for Marie Curie Cancer Care

"I get dizzy looking down from the kerb!"

When our Lisa’s not hard at work in the VIVA Customer Services Department she DJs and does all the tecchie, behind the scenes stuff for her Dad’s local radio station, too. So she’s sure not one to let the grass grow under her feet! But on Sunday, 13 May, Lisa won’t be doing any of those things ‘cos she’s got an important date to keep in the heart of East Sussex’s beautiful Ashdown Forest – immortalised by A.A. Milne’s children’s stories about Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh. It’s a challenge that she admits will take her out of her comfort zone, but then it’s all in the very best of causes…

A whole host of military-style assault challenges along the way

The Whole Hog Challenge at Hindleap Warren, is a 10km cross country run with a whole host of military-style assault challenges along the way including balance beams, scramble nets, zip wire, waterfall and various other climbing and water obstacles to negotiate. Already in training for four weeks to build-up her stamina and upper body strength, the distance isn’t keeping Lisa awake at night – oh yeah, I should’ve said she’s also a qualified personal trainer – and the prospect of getting covered in mud doesn’t faze her either.

“My biggest worry,” says Lisa, “is my intense fear of heights. There are all sorts of 100ft obstacles I’ll have to climb up and over, and I’m scared to death of heights. I get dizzy looking down from the kerb! But the aim of the Whole Hog Challenge is to raise money to help the Marie Curie Nurses continue to care for people with cancer and other terminal illnesses. My mum died of cancer five years ago, she was only 55, so I’m doing this in her memory.”

Lisa, who lives in Mijas Costa and first joined VIVA back in 2001, is running in the ‘Mad Hogs’ team, alongside her best friend Paul Nix – who she met at uni – together with his sister Hannah Ryan and Hannah’s partner Jim Atkinson.

If you’d like to help Lisa reach – or better still exceed – her fundraising target for this Marie Curie Cancer Care event, please visit her sponsorship page. Donations can be accepted up until 12 May 2012.

Nice one Lisa… we’ll all be thinking of you! Who knows, we might even buy you a beer when you get back!