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Nicky Chisholm - 52, a self-confessed adventurer, loves a challenge, delights in cold shenanigans and is ready to embrace the next stage of her adventure life!

Tough Girl Podcast

Release Date: 02/06/2024

Carol Devine: Researcher, writer, artist, climate activist and humanitarian professional. From Antarctica's Ice to Scotland's Seas, A Journey of Activism and Adventure. show art Carol Devine: Researcher, writer, artist, climate activist and humanitarian professional. From Antarctica's Ice to Scotland's Seas, A Journey of Activism and Adventure.

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Carol Devine embodies a diverse array of roles, seamlessly intertwining her work as a researcher, writer, artist, climate activist, humanitarian professional, and explorer. Her pursuits range from spearheading groundbreaking ecological expeditions to championing causes such as combating plastic pollution and empowering women in adventure sports. She spearheaded the first civilian volunteer ecological expedition in Antarctica, collaborating with the Russian Antarctic Expedition. Additionally, Carol has actively participated in and documented environmental initiatives, such as Clean Up...

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Gráinne Moss is arguably Irelands most accomplished female open water swimmer.  At 16 she was the first female to represent Ireland in open water swimming at the World Championships.  At 17 she became the first Irish woman to swim the English Channel. She has continued to achieve many firsts including the first Irish woman to swim Cook Strait (2001) Foveaux (2022), Lake Taupō (2021) and the Channel of Bones in Hawaii (2023).  Gráinne holds three Triple Crowns of Open Water Swimming (awarded when a swimmer has completed three of the toughest swims in any nation) - including...

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In this episode of Tough Girl Podcast, we explore the incredible journey of Fatima, from her early years in Afghanistan to her pursuit of education, independence, and empowerment in Italy. Fatima's childhood was marked by challenges, but her curiosity and determination to learn led her to secretly educate herself. As Afghanistan's first female tour guide, she defied expectations and empowered herself economically. Threatened by the Taliban, Fatima made the courageous decision to flee to Italy, where she faced new obstacles but persisted in pursuing higher education. Now, as a refugee with a...

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Dr. Meera Velankar, a mother of two with a doctorate in life sciences, embarked on a transformative journey over a decade ago. Feeling unfit and discontent, she turned to cycling, becoming a seasoned endurance athlete since.  Her achievements include completing numerous running and cycling events, earning the title of an Ironman 70.3 finisher, and conquering the Super Randonneur norm three times, with a podium finish at the Tour of Nilgiris. In 2022, Meera made history by setting a Guinness World Record for a self-supported cycling journey from Agra to Umlingla, covering a distance of...

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Join us for an exhilarating journey into the world of long-distance hiking with Arlette Laan, affectionately known as "Apple Pie."  In this episode, Arlette shares her awe-inspiring tale of becoming the first woman to hike all 11 National Scenic Trails in the USA, covering over 35,000 miles on foot. From her childhood adventures in Holland to navigating the rugged terrains of America's most iconic trails, Arlette's story is one of perseverance, passion, and the sheer joy of exploration.  Tune in as she delves into the essence of long-distance hiking, the challenges she faced along...

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Nicky is a self-confessed adventurer, loves a challenge, delights in cold shenanigans and is ready to embrace the next stage of her adventure life. Her super powers are making things happen and connecting people and she is the Queen of pushing herself out of her comfort zone.

Nicky lives in Brighton with her husband, 2 teenage boys and Daisy the camper van. 

At 52 her adventure journey has changed many times over the years, from a 20-year-old canoeing and sailing instructor, to a Mum with young children teaching them to embrace the outdoors through camping, building dens and cooking on open fires. Her boys are now in their late teens now and are slowly flying the nest, it is here she finds herself, ready to embrace the next stage of her adventure journey.

Her adventures have included; fire walks, abseiling down castles, coast steering, a cross country ski marathon in the Arctic Circle, a wing walk and running a half marathon in Greenland which included training in an Environmental Cold Chamber at the University of Sussex at minus 20!

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Show notes

  • Her love of adventure
  • How her adventure journey has changed as she’s gotten older
  • Where her adventurous spirit came from 
  • Being inspired by her dad
  • Why you can have adventures on your doorstep
  • What does adventure mean to Nicky
  • Why adventure is so many things
  • Why you can fit adventure around your life 
  • Why adventure is there for the taking, but you may have to be creative.
  • Her first job working in a water sports centre
  • Working for World Challenge
  • Having children and going camping with 2 young children 
  • Making adventure part of family life
  • Having to put solo adventures on hold with having a young family
  • Parrot hunting on the Amazon (finding and taking photos)
  • Going to the Artic Circle to do a cross -country ski marathon 
  • Doing a big challenge every year from 40 - 50 to raise money for charity
  • Being drawn to the cold 
  • Needing to do the training to enjoy the experience 
  • Planning future challenges
  • Running her own business for 18 years 
  • Deciding to go wing walking!
  • Doing a fire walk 
  • Feeling empowered after doing challenges and stepping outside her comfort zone
  • Doing a half marathon in Greenland at 50 (a big, bold, cold, challenge)
  • Deciding to step down from her business 
  • Liking a spreadsheet and being organised with her training 
  • Working with a specialist performance coach 
  • Working with the Environmental Extremes Lab at Sussex University 
  • Getting to experience minus 20 and the impact on her body
  • Being set up for success and learning how to manage herself in extreme conditions
  • Going to Greenland and why it was outside her comfort zone 
  • Learning how to deal with panic on the start line 
  • Turning panic into power
  • Wanting to run a happy race and take it all in
  • Dealing with the adventure blues
  • Completing a 5k sea swim
  • Working with Genny Brown and helping her with her social media 
  • Looking at the North Pole Marathon 
  • Svalbard? 
  • Daisy
  • #pinknicky 
  • How to connect with Nicky on the socials
  • Working with Outside & Active
  • Doing an International Women’s Day Sea Swim with Land & Wave in 2024 
  • Wanting to elevate women 
  • Final words of advice for other women
  • Make an Adventure Action List 
  • Find people who inspire you
  • Take mini steps 

 

Social Media

Instagram: @daisyvw1 

Facebook: @nicky.chisholm 

 

Nicky runs an annual event in Brighton to celebrate International Women's Day (8th March), she organises a mega sea swim for over 500 "mermaids" supporting surfers against sewage. 

 

Land and Wave are an Official Event Partner. Join her Saturday March 9th 2024