Banff Mountain Film Festival visited Boone for the 21st year in a row this week. It was in Charlotte on Sunday. I was lucky enough to get tickets and a babysitter for Saturday. We saw several smaller adventure films and one longer one. They were all inspirational. The films that spoke to me were about a young climber who is expected to be one of the best in the world. The other was about four people who took up rowing around the age of 50. Within three years they were rowing 3,000 miles together across the Atlantic. They are all women.
Ashima Shiraishi will soon turn 16 and she is a force. At a young age she broke records in climbing, not just for women.
The next story is about four women who met in the school drop off line. They became friends and started working out together, that led to rowing, which naturally led to rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic. Their team is called Yorkshire Rows.
The clips above are not the same ones shared at Banff Mountain Film Festival. I would encourage everyone to watch those. The film festival came at a very important time for me. This coming Saturday I’m traveling west to run my first half marathon. I’ve spent the past two weeks riddled with anxiety and guilt. I’m worried about leaving my family for an adventure of my own. This is entirely self-induced. What I took away from watching the movie about Ashima was the importance of not only having a goal, but to have a quiet mind and soul while reaching that goal. What a powerful lesson to learn from a teenager.
The Yorkshire Rows team was just awe inspiring. While my goal of running a half marathon can’t compare to rowing across the Atlantic, I felt connected with the four women. Pushing yourself to the limit, no matter your age, is life changing. I’m not a runner, but setting this goal and accomplishing it (hopefully) is a reminder that I can do hard things. It has taught my child that while I’m his mom, I’m also my own person with my own dreams. I hope he learns that he should never feel guilty for following his heart and doing things that make him feel alive. And that he can do hard things, too, even if they seem impossible.
Wish me luck in beautiful Zion National Park and tell us about any adventures you have on the calendar!
