The Rich Roll Podcast How Emily Harrington Became The First Woman To Free Climb El Cap’s Golden Gate In Under 24 Hours
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Oct 6, 2025 
Emily Harrington, a trailblazing rock climber and the first woman to free climb El Capitan's Golden Gate in under 24 hours, shares her incredible journey. She discusses her harrowing 50-foot fall, the impact of an eating disorder, and the emotional strength she found in vulnerability. Emily reveals her innovative double-shoe technique and reflects on the loss of her mentor, Hilary Nelson. With candid insight, she emphasizes the delicate balance of ambition and motherhood while encouraging young female athletes to embrace their fears and forge their own paths.
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Family Caregiving And Difficult Choices
- Rich Roll describes a tense family period moving his mother into memory care and the emotional strain it caused.
- He frames the experience as sober service and a painful but necessary act of love for his father and sister.
Why El Capitan Captivates Climbers
- Yosemite's El Capitan is both a historical proving ground and a uniquely polished granite testpiece that draws climbers worldwide.
- Emily highlights accessibility, solidity of rock, and the wall's cultural lore as its magnetic pull.
Presence Outweighs Productivity
- Facing family caregiving clarifies priorities: being present and sober mattered more than productivity.
- Rich calls showing up for loved ones the central gift of recovery and service.
