Today, the AWESOME is in Omaha, Nebraska. When Taryn Smith decided to row across the Atlantic Ocean, she had one small problem. She had never been on a rowboat. On December 14 of last year, Smith set out on an incredible journey to become the first American woman to compete in the World’s Toughest Row as a solo athlete — one of the most demanding endurance races on the planet. After 46 days, 3 hours, and 37 minutes of rowing, she arrived last week at Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua, completing more than 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. Smith finished fifth overall in the women’s division and first in the women’s solo category, an extraordinary accomplishment for someone who had never rowed. Alone at sea for weeks, battling exhaustion and the elements, Smith proved that courage isn’t about having experience — it’s about being willing to try something hard anyway.
