inspiration for you ears, eyes & soul
Thursday, 08 November 2018
explorer watch
'In 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans Antarctic Expedition headed for the South Pole and disaster. Shackleton's Captain reveals the truth behind the survival of all the crew and shows how one man's extra-ordinary skill and unsung heroism made it possible; Frank Worsley, Captain of the expedition ship, Endurance.'
This film tells the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's epic South Pole journey that should have been, from the view of the expedition ship Endurance's captain, Frank Worsley.
Shackleton and his expeditions have always been of great interest to me, to hear how these men achieved what they did, back in the early days of exploration is nothing short of incredible. Although the story acted out, with some original footage and true tales told by modern day Polar exploration experts, I found this both a story of utter strength and resilience, uplifting, and also truly heart breaking. A journey quite literally to the ends of the world and back again, and emotions to match.
It's quite difficult to focus on your heart rate on a turbo session with tears in your eyes, but I'd still give this film a good 4.5 Dolly Mixtures (out of 5 - point scoring system I've heard Barry Norman use).
If you can, give Shackleton's Captain a watch.
Mountain watch
'Etheridge tells the story of Sit-Skier Michael Foti’s first expedition in the Australian Backcountry.
Matt and Michael alongside a committed crew consisting of Freeskier Boen Ferguson, Adrian Borcherds, Emily Dorahy, Stefan Doyle and Filmmaker Lucas Wilkinson set out on foot, bikes, skis, splitboards, a wheelchair and a modified electric skateboard that could take Michael further up to the snow-line.
Etheridge; is a heartfelt short film that tells the story of this mission. This is truly inspiring piece that gives a little insight into what this group of friends accomplished.'
A great short film to inspire of mountains and big dreams.
5 Dolly Mixtures
endurance listen
This was a great podcast to listen to while doing my own endurnace session on the skierg. It can really help when stationary for hours and staring at a white wall to lose yourself somewhere else. For me, the Transcontinental bike race was the perfcet place.
A great listen from Emily, sharing her story of a woman who loves to cycle, and took on the world. Well worth a listen.
5 Dolly Mixtutes from me.
POWERFUL watch
This powerful film short, a colaberation with film-maker Dom Bush and outdoor living heroes Alpkit, documenting the internal journey of Ian Almond from climber to an new or unknown identity. This film explores indentity within us all, a moving and thought-provoking watch.
5 Dolly Mixtures is a given.
endurance watch
'Heart: Flatline to Finish Line is the raw and emotional journey of six cardiac patients from hospital beds to the finish line of one of the world's most gruelling endurance events, the Ironman triathlon.'
I remember watching this documentary earlier this year on a turbo session. Myself, waiting for some heart surgery, I found this so relatable in many ways, a complete emotional rollercoaster of a watch. It was sad, it was heart-warming, it was motivational. It reminds us to never give up, it gave hope.
5 Dolly Mixtures.
Give it a watch: Heart: Flatline to Finish Line
spinetingling listen
I love The Dirtbag Diaries podcast. It is definietly my favourite adventure listen. It's gnarly and basic yet at the same time so often there's a certain romantacism about the tales, climbing lives in Yosemite, car camping trips across states and campfire stories for every season.
Every year The Dirtbag Diaries ask for stories to be sent in for their Halloween 'Tales of Terror' episode. Although I'm not a fan of horror movies, getting lost in tales of dark woods and shadowy figures does get the adrenaline pumping and I find them exciting through the monotonous hours of turning the cranks on a turbo trainer.
Always a favourite of mine, 5 Dolly Mixtures to Tales of Terror - Dirtbag Diaries
inspirational watch
'Chef Eduardo Garcia went for a hike in Montana and was shocked with 2400 Volts of electricity when he touched a dead bear. He lost an arm, ribs, muscle mass, and nearly his life, but more important than what he lost is what he found.'
Charged is a documentary, much using self-filmed footage of Eduardo's journey through recovery from a split second, horrific accident. Anyone who has gone through any life-changing event will know the journey all too well, as we watch Eduardo ride the highs and the extreme lows throughout this film, facing loss, but ultimately gaining so much more.
5 Dolly Mixtures for Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story
Check out the trailer here
ultra endurance watch
'Cyclists from around the world follow the TransAmerica Trail in the Trans Am Bike Race. Their mission is to cover 4,233 miles in one enormous stage race, traversing ten states in an epic transcontinental adventure. INSPIRED TO RIDE follows the journey of a handful of these cyclists as they rely solely on their fitness, meticulously chosen gear and mental fortitude to get them to the finish.'
When I decided to watch this for one of my own turbo endurance sessions, I'd picked it just because it was about endurance cycling and a journey, that alone inspired me. Very quickly I realised this was so much more, so much.
The documentary covers the Trans Am Bike Race of 2014. I watched this in the winter of 2017. One particular cyclist stands out from the rest. His total love of ultra endurance racing, his determination and drive like no one can imagine, to push on, to cycle for days and days with little or no sleep, to never stop riding, to never give up. Few cyclists will know quite what makes a cyclist and a person like this, though many aspire to, and many many more will never forget the man who was. That ultra endurance cyclist was Mike Hall.
Watching this, months after Mike Hall's death, of a story about a group of cyclists, all with their own reasons to ride and all with their own stories, it spooked me to look how this timeline panned out. But at the same time, it deeply inspired me. It inspired me to ride, it inspired me to ride long, to take a journey, and it inspired me to never stop. This is a beautiful film. for many reasons, it is both sad and greatly uplifting, and without doubt a favourite training film of mine. If I could give more than 5 Dolly Mixtures to Inspired to Ride, I would.