Lindsey Vonn on Running Wild With Bear Grylls (photo: NBC)

Olympic gold medalist in alpine skiing and Rolex brand ambassador Lindsey Vonn appeared on NBC's Running Wild with Bear Grylls this week, an outdoor survival show in which Grylls takes a celebrity on an adventure in each episode. Vonn's episode was filmed on the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea and while she spends most of her time skiing down mountains, climbing the rocky coastal cliffs of the island proved to be a challenge for the athlete.

Vonn tested her individual survival abilities during the 48 hour journey, letting survival expert Grylls know early on that she did not want help getting up the mountain. "One thing I've noticed with Lindsey is that everything's a competition," Grylls said early in the challenge. Her competitive nature combined with an intense work ethic have helped her become the successful athlete she is today, something she would like to pass on to her children someday. "I definitely want to teach my kids that they can be whatever they want to be. Nothing's going to be handed to them," she said. "There's no substitute for hard work."

The olympian entered the challenge wearing a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date, a timepiece that accurately reflects her accomplishments. Vonn was featured in ads for Ladies models, including the diamond-encrusted Pearlmaster earlier this year, but it seems that she prefers the President's Watch for her personal collection. This makes sense to me after watching the episode. While most media outlets focused on her comments about Tiger Woods, I found it interesting that she expressed a desire to compete with men on the slopes as a skier.

Lindsey Vonn may model swimsuits and compete against women in her sport (for now) but what struck me the most while watching the episode is how her spirit resembles that of strong women from the past, like Mercedes Gleitze, the first woman to cross the English Channel unaided in 1927. Her pioneering spirit and commitment to excellence makes her a great representation for the brand and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the athlete.

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