For 46 days, Taryn Smith, a Girls on the Run coach, faced the vast Atlantic alone, yet the support and spirit of her Girls on the Run community were with her every mile. Like the lessons she taught at practice, she embraced her inner strength and the power of connection until she met her goal.
In December, she became the first solo American woman to complete the World’s Toughest Row, traveling roughly 3,000 miles from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua. She rowed 10-12 hours most days, facing storms, exhaustion, and isolation.
Along the way, she discovered new things about herself and found encouragement in a virtual community cheering her on. As she rowed, she raised funds and awareness for Girls on the Run Nebraska and showed girls everywhere what’s possible when you take on big challenges. Now that Taryn’s back home, she’s ready to continue leading by example and testing the limits of what she can achieve — physically and mentally.
Photo credit: World’s Toughest Row
Why Girls on the Run Came With Her
Taryn first learned about Girls on the Run in high school, when her mom’s elementary school invited cross-country runners to meet a local Girls on the Run team. “I loved it. I loved the mission,” she shared. Years later, she became a coach at Brownwell Talbot Elementary in Nebraska.
“What I love about Girls on the Run is that it’s not about competition,” she explained. “At that age — third through sixth grade — it’s so important to work on camaraderie and teamwork and exercise as a way to come together.”
When she began preparing for the World’s Toughest Row and decided to partner with a nonprofit, the choice was clear. “There was so much alignment between what I was doing and the mission of Girls on the Run,” she said. “It just made sense.”
She has always believed that sports are about more than results. “The world is a better place when girls do sports,” she said. “What I took away from my running career wasn’t about being fast but rather the relationships I built through cross country.”
That belief became the foundation of her fundraising effort for Girls on the Run Nebraska — and the mindset she carried into the open ocean.
Photo credit: World’s Toughest Row
Stepping Into the Unknown
Taryn’s idea to pursue this goal started with inspiration from another group of strong women.
“I read about ocean rowing in a Vogue article about a team that rowed from San Francisco to Hawaii,” she recalled. “I felt really inspired. I thought anyone who would row an ocean had to be an Olympic athlete.”
When she learned that many ocean rowers start without experience, she made a bold decision.
“I signed up having never been on a rowboat before and just threw myself into it,” she said. “I like being a beginner. I like being the underdog. This row gave me the opportunity to do that.”
Taryn was eager to activate her limitless potential, even if it meant exploring uncharted territory.
“Being alive is stepping into the unknown,” she said. “I think that we have to be brave and do big things.”
Fear, she emphasized, is part of the process.
“Before every adventure I’ve ever gone on, I have wanted nothing more than to stay in my bed and just watch Netflix,” she laughed. “But the second I get out there, I’m so happy that I’ve done it. It’s pushing past that fear and knowing that it really is OK to feel all the feelings, but being scared isn’t a reason to not do it.”
Photo credit: World’s Toughest Row
Lessons in Resilience and Community
The Atlantic tested her physically and mentally. But resilience, she says, didn’t come from toughness alone.
“There were a lot of scary moments, but there was never a moment where I would have teleported out of it because I knew that I could do it,” Taryn said.
She credits her community for that certainty.
“Resiliency, to me, it comes from community. It comes from a sense of belonging, knowing that people on land had my back, knowing that I am part of something bigger than myself.”
Even in isolation, she never felt alone.
“The reason that I finished is because a lot of people supported me,” she continued. “What got me through the hard days was messages from kids in schools, comments on Instagram, and talking with my mom and dad.”
She taught these same lessons as a Girls on the Run coach.
“Girls on the Run teaches us that we’re all in it together,” she said. “And that’s what it felt like out there.”
Photo credit: World’s Toughest Row
Joy in Movement
One of the biggest surprises of Taryn’s journey was the joy she felt moving and being one with nature.
“I thought I was going to be miserable the whole time,” Taryn admitted. “But I had so much fun.”
As she rowed, she took in new sights, watched wildlife, and reflected deeply. Her days were stripped down to the essentials: row, eat, rest, repeat. Without comparison or competition, movement felt different.
“My only tasks were rowing and keeping the boat moving,” she said. “My thoughts really became my own. I wasn’t thinking about how I looked or how my body was being perceived. It was the most freeing experience of my life.”
As a runner and yoga instructor, Taryn has long connected movement with mental wellness.
“Exercise has always been about mental health over physical health,” she said. “It feels like a bubble bath for my brain. It just helps me feel really happy inside my own body.”
She expressed the importance of girls developing positive, healthy habits like this at a young age.
“Having a strong relationship with exercise from a young age also helped me feel confident in my body,” she said. “We need to show them that our bodies are things to take care of, and if we do that, we can go out and see the world and go on big adventures!”
Photo credit: World’s Toughest Row
What She Would Tell Her Girls on the Run Team Today
If Taryn could stand in front of the team she coached, her message would be simple:
“Go out there and take on your craziest, biggest, boldest dream because you can,” she said. “It’s okay to be scared. You’re going to get through it.”
For her, bravery isn’t the absence of fear. “Bravery is feeling scared and doing it anyway,” she said.
Photo credit: World’s Toughest Row
From 46 Days at Sea to 46 Days of Community
Now that she’s home, Taryn is focused on giving back in smaller but meaningful ways.
“I was at sea for 46 days, and now I’m doing 46 days of community,” she explained.
From getting her library card to donating blood, she’s finding daily ways to invest in the community that supported her.
“I received so much help getting to the start line,” she said. “Now I want to be really intentional about giving that back.”
She also hopes there will be another challenge ahead.
“There will be another adventure,” she shared. “And I would love to partner with Girls on the Run again.”
Photo credit: World’s Toughest Row
Unlock Your Potential
Taryn carried the lessons of Girls on the Run with her across 3,000 miles of open ocean — confidence, connection, and the belief that hard things are possible.
Girls on the Run coaches help girls build those skills every season.
Want to make a difference and set a goal to give back this spring? Find a team near you to get involved as a coach or volunteer!
