We are celebrating one year of our podcast and taking a look back at the growth and development of the show. From discussing how to cope with traumatic injuries to interviewing climbing legends like Alan Burgess, we've covered a wide range of topics in the past year. These have included belaying, mental health and addiction, physical therapy, adaptive athletes, fear and risk, and much more. We are excited to continue exploring these topics in the coming year and are also excited to announce some updates to the show, including a new brand presence, improved equipment, and enhanced sound quality. In addition, we will be offering ways for listeners to support the show. We are grateful to all our guests who have shared their stories and experiences on the show, and to our listeners who have been with us from the beginning, you are the foundation of this show. Thank you for your support! Finally, we end this conversation with a montage of soundbites from each of the twenty-nine episodes of 2022.
Please rate, review the show, and share this podcast with your friends. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful tools to help us out.
Contact us:
IG: @the.climbing.majority
Email: theclimbingmajoritypodcast@gmail.com
We are celebrating one year of our podcast and taking a look back at the growth and development of the show. From discussing how to cope with traumatic injuries to interviewing climbing legends like Alan Burgess, we've covered a wide range of topics in the past year. These have included belaying, mental health and addiction, physical therapy, adaptive athletes, fear and risk, and much more. We are excited to continue exploring these topics in the coming year and are also excited to announce some updates to the show, including a new brand presence, improved equipment, and enhanced sound quality. In addition, we will be offering ways for listeners to support the show. We are grateful to all our guests who have shared their stories and experiences on the show, and to our listeners who have been with us from the beginning, you are the foundation of this show. Thank you for your support! Finally, we end this conversation with a montage of soundbites from each of the twenty-nine episodes of 2022.
Please rate, review the show, and share this podcast with your friends. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful tools to help us out.
Contact us:
IG: @the.climbing.majority
Email: theclimbingmajoritypodcast@gmail.com
00:00:00:10 - 00:00:04:01
Speaker 1
Hello. Hello. Welcome, everybody, to the show. Carl, how's it going, man?
00:00:04:13 - 00:00:06:07
Speaker 2
It's going really well. Max Happy New Year.
00:00:06:21 - 00:00:24:00
Speaker 1
Yeah, happy New Year to you as well, my friend. So I guess we got something a little bit different today. Or not necessarily different. Kind of like a little bit of a blast from the past. But us, you know, just kind of wanting to do a little recap and check in. So what's the. Absolutely. Today?
00:00:24:15 - 00:00:49:05
Speaker 2
Well, I mean, for people who are just getting to this episode in 2023, we started this podcast about a year ago in the first week of January 2022, right after our injuries. And that, you know, is just the route of this podcast. It was was our injuries. We both sustained bilateral ankle fractures in a climbing fall. Max. You you know, fell on a multi pitch climb in Canada.
00:00:49:13 - 00:01:15:08
Speaker 2
I fell on a single pitch and decked you know we both were just wrecked. Found each other on Instagram and you know just had some really great conversations about climbing and ethics and really thought that we had something to offer the community. And so, you know, here we are a year later. And yeah, like you said, this is just going to be a recap on, you know, where we came from, where we are now and where we're going and where this podcast is is headed.
00:01:15:08 - 00:01:18:03
Speaker 2
So pretty exciting stuff.
00:01:18:03 - 00:01:38:07
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. It's it's been a pretty wild year just from the the personal experiences that we've kind of shared together and what we've been through together. But then also the like crazy roller coaster that that is this podcast that's now this like amazing creative space and something that I'm very proud of and very happy to be a part of.
00:01:38:07 - 00:01:49:07
Speaker 1
So it's, it's been really interesting to have the evolution of both those things, both my body healing our relationship and then this creative project together. Right? It's it's really cool.
00:01:50:10 - 00:02:15:16
Speaker 2
It's really, really cool. Yeah, it's been super exciting and yeah, I mean, we like just to cover a little bit about like what we're trying to do in this podcast for, like I said, someone who might be just be coming to the show, you know, we are the climbing majority, you know. Max you and I were not professional climbers by any stretch of the imagination, even though sometimes we'd like to think that way.
00:02:15:16 - 00:02:18:03
Speaker 3
Yeah, definitely.
00:02:18:03 - 00:02:45:06
Speaker 2
Hey, well, I mean, you just got off some five. You're getting closer than I am, and you got some badges on your chest. Now. But, yeah, like we, you know, we're regular Joes. We've got full time jobs. You're in school, you know, we've got you don't have families yet, but that could be on the way soon, you know, And we feel like we have a lot to say and a lot of interesting topics to cover with people from the perspective of a non professional climber.
00:02:45:06 - 00:03:03:22
Speaker 2
And that is the essence of our show. You know, most of climbing media these days is all based around what's happening at the pinnacle of the sport. You know, Alex Honnold is Superman's dream. Tommy Cardwell, all these crazy people you hear and, you know, not to talk down on anything they've done, like they are pushing the sport and it is absolutely insane.
00:03:04:06 - 00:03:31:18
Speaker 2
But the majority of us climbers, while we can understand what's happening on a on a basic level, we don't really relate to it. You know, there's no personal experience where I can relate to someone free soloing 512 plus on a multi pitch or climbing in Antarctica. You know, like there's these things that are so insane and so we're here to bring the conversation to things that are experienced on a day to day basis by climbers around the world.
00:03:32:08 - 00:03:51:21
Speaker 2
And I feel like we've done a pretty good job so far at covering some super interesting and, you know, really like what? Like we like to say we dive deep, you know, we talk about some really deep topics and yeah, I mean, just a couple. I was actually just listening to, you know, some of our episodes from the past.
00:03:51:21 - 00:04:10:04
Speaker 2
And I mean, just to bring it back real quick to Harvey Merritt, you know, addiction and climbing, you know, these are just some of the topics that we've covered in the last year, and it's been just super eye opening and been, like you said, just super proud of kind of where we've come in and what we're standing for here.
00:04:11:11 - 00:04:37:20
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. I think really, really well said. And obviously the the point of this or I don't wanna say the sole point, but it is that that actual representation and feeling represented by what we call the majority. And part of that is kind of actually sharing struggles in a more relatable way or trauma or, or, or traumatic incidents or addiction, like you said.
00:04:38:04 - 00:05:03:19
Speaker 1
And I maybe I wasn't listening to the rights fears, but I didn't really feel like that was being properly represented in at least the media that I was absorbing. And so I think just bringing it and grounding it to a much realer and relatable conversation is our goal. And that's that that both highlights this kind of dichotomy. Like two different aspects of climbing.
00:05:03:19 - 00:05:27:03
Speaker 1
Like one is it's the most amazing, exciting thing ever and the other is that it's also a really dangerous thing and it can, you know, cost a lot. The entry can be high and it can cost a lot. And questioning, you know, what level of commitment is right for you and is that worth it? And having that kind of a conversation and bringing that to the masses for sure.
00:05:27:03 - 00:05:44:20
Speaker 2
Yeah. I mean, climbing, like you said, is super addicting, especially up front and I think a lot of the you know, a lot of the topics we try to cover are for new budding climbers, especially trad climbers or people who are trying to get into the Alpine. There's just so much to learn before you take.
00:05:44:20 - 00:05:45:06
Speaker 1
That step.
00:05:45:06 - 00:06:02:17
Speaker 2
Safely. And I definitely did not know as much as I should before I took a lot of these steps. And I'm honestly lucky to have gotten as far as I did without getting injured. And it's so funny. Like the way I got injured was it ended up being, you know, the best situation for what it could have happened.
00:06:02:17 - 00:06:26:04
Speaker 2
But, you know, I could have died. You know, there are so many things that I've done where I got lucky. And so we hope that, you know, we're promoting safety and awareness and while still feeding the stock, you know, I think it can be pretty for people who are who are busted up, as you and I, it's it's pretty easy to get a little dark and just like it's hard to hard to swallow what happens sometimes.
00:06:26:04 - 00:06:33:12
Speaker 2
But yeah, just like there's there's a way to be stoked and to be safe and to have these conversations.
00:06:34:21 - 00:07:03:17
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. And I think also just making this a space of, of learning in so many different ways, whether you're a really, really experienced individual or you're a newer individual, or maybe you're not even a climber and you want to hear a discussion about mental health, or are you someone who who's been in a car accident? It's kind of, I feel, just this bridge of taking the lessons of climbing and applying that to climbing, but also applying that to to to just the world and to your life.
00:07:03:17 - 00:07:36:14
Speaker 1
And I think we're we're well on our way to making this a really awesome space for that. And speaking for myself, just showing up and getting to have these really, really rad, amazing conversations with great guests and just learning, you know, whether that's talking about strength and power or physio therapy with Quinn or, you know, hearing from somebody who's been through, you know, mental health and addiction like Harvey, or talking to someone who's been through this irrevocable injury that you just can't even fathom what it's like to experience that and to just bring your life back into perspective.
00:07:37:21 - 00:07:43:18
Speaker 1
You know, it's all just really powerful, amazing stuff. And I'm really excited to be here and to be doing it.
00:07:44:23 - 00:08:10:05
Speaker 2
Yeah, absolutely. I think, you know, one thing that we've learned in the show and, you know, I hope the audience can relate to this and I actually I have heard this from from a comment on our Spotify and actually someone who came to me and I actually saw him in person and said that he listened to our show and it's funny, I get this comment is they're surprised at how applicable the topics that we talk about are to people who don't climb as well.
00:08:10:05 - 00:08:43:05
Speaker 2
And I think that's such a telling statement in terms of what we're covering in this podcast. You know, we are diving deep into these topics and it's so interesting to hear that these experiences we're finding in the world of climbing relate so much to the rest of our life. And I think that says a lot about climbing. You know, it's so there's so much tangent to other areas in our life and it permeates so much of our experience in life that it's really cool to hear that non climbers can relate to the topics that we're saying.
00:08:43:05 - 00:09:00:21
Speaker 2
So, you know, if you are listening to this show and like Max said, like if you know someone that's gone through a traumatic injury, even if it's not climbing related or dealing with addiction or loss of family members, you know, there have definitely been some conversations on the show that would apply to people in those situations.
00:09:02:03 - 00:09:25:16
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. 100%. And and I think that's like bringing it back to the whole point is that it's more than just climbing. Right. I know for myself, since I found climbing, you know, it's allowed me to just be more confident, happier, functioning adult in my life, you know, And obviously it's also brought some serious struggles with these injuries.
00:09:25:23 - 00:09:46:05
Speaker 1
But it it really has helped me come into my own as a person and find myself and to be confident and happy with who I am and to understand that a little more. And and I'm really coming into my own as an individual. You know, I'm 29 years old and and that's been something that that just transcends climbing.
00:09:46:05 - 00:09:49:10
Speaker 1
It goes so far beyond that. So it's really cool. Yeah.
00:09:50:04 - 00:10:00:22
Speaker 2
Excited to see, you know, what is in store for the future for, you know, our our climbing careers and, you know, where we're going. And I'm pretty excited about where this podcast is going.
00:10:02:05 - 00:10:12:04
Speaker 1
Yeah, super, super excited, man. And obviously like a great a great segway there, you know, of like, where are we going, Kyle? What's what's in store for 2023? For us.
00:10:13:00 - 00:10:41:05
Speaker 2
2023 is going to be a big year for for multiple reasons. You know, first off and I've mentioned this in an episode before is, you know, we are a work in progress here. This is our first year of podcasting ever working with audio equipment ever. And so, you know, there's been a learning curve in if you've been with us this entire time, you'll you'll have definitely noticed a fluctuate in of sound quality and, you know, sound quality with us and sound quality with our guests.
00:10:41:13 - 00:11:02:09
Speaker 2
And, you know, it's been a journey and we appreciate you sticking with us. And you know, understanding kind of where we're coming from. But in 2023, I can say that we've we figured it out. You know, things will always get better, but we've made a leap inbound and we've found the equipment that we need and we've found a process to get equipment to our guests.
00:11:02:16 - 00:11:26:17
Speaker 2
And so one of our biggest goals for 2023 is really dialing in the sound quality for us and our guests to really give you guys the best experience, the best listening experience that we can, because when we started this podcast, that was one of the key components that we wanted to provide you as an audience. And so, yeah, get, get ready for some really great sound quality this year.
00:11:26:17 - 00:11:31:01
Speaker 2
And we really hope that you guys, you know, appreciate it as much as we do.
00:11:32:13 - 00:11:53:21
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. You know, just part of the evolution and lots of things coming and I can't even believe just what I'm so proud of, like this project and what Rt-cgm has turned into and it's just the first year, so, you know, a lot of big things coming and and I think it's it's going to be really, really exciting.
00:11:53:21 - 00:11:58:14
Speaker 1
And I'm really excited to, to bring this, you know, to the audience for sure.
00:11:58:20 - 00:12:14:15
Speaker 2
And, you know, you've you've been, you know, tackling the social media and really sharing, you know, some really cool stuff and sharing some personal climbing things like, you know, we have some big things planned for our presence in the digital space too. You want to tell people a little bit about that?
00:12:15:07 - 00:12:37:18
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. You know, we're just going to try and sharpen the product that we're presenting to people. And so that's, you know, rebranding, you know, bringing kind of a crisper, cleaner image to people. And also part of that as well is we want to hear a lot more from you guys from you guys, you girls, you know, from the audience.
00:12:37:18 - 00:12:57:05
Speaker 1
We want to be interacting with you more. And so that's, I think, going to be a large part of what that's going to entail. And we also want to bring, you know, video, you know, getting our guests, getting Kyle and I our faces in there and actually, you know, presenting us a little more because I think that's a that's a nice product.
00:12:57:05 - 00:13:07:14
Speaker 1
And it, you know, brings the audience together with us more. And so that's something we're going to be bringing, you know, to the audience in 2023, which is really, really exciting and awesome.
00:13:08:09 - 00:13:11:22
Speaker 2
Absolutely. Yeah. We're going to be putting on our stage makeup and making sure we're presenting.
00:13:12:12 - 00:13:12:19
Speaker 3
You know.
00:13:12:21 - 00:13:18:04
Speaker 2
We don't get to record our podcast in our boxers anymore.
00:13:18:04 - 00:13:20:09
Speaker 3
I'm in my because, man, I don't know. Yeah.
00:13:20:18 - 00:13:22:02
Speaker 2
It's all from the waist down, right?
00:13:22:02 - 00:13:23:21
Speaker 3
Yeah, yeah. You just got to look professional.
00:13:24:00 - 00:13:24:20
Speaker 1
Chest up and I'm.
00:13:24:20 - 00:13:27:00
Speaker 3
Good.
00:13:27:00 - 00:13:44:07
Speaker 2
Yeah, man. Super exciting stuff, you know? Yeah. Just like you said, you know, digital presence is huge, and, you know, we really want to get our faces out there and start to connect with you guys. And on on that note, like Mack said, we really encourage you guys to guys and girls to engage with us on social media.
00:13:44:07 - 00:14:04:21
Speaker 2
Email us. You know, if you have guests that you're interested, if you want to be on the show, if you think that there's a topic that we're missing or, you know, a current event that you want us to cover, let us know. We are open to all suggestions. And you know, we are here to represent the voice of the climbing majority, and that is you guys.
00:14:05:02 - 00:14:18:19
Speaker 2
So please reach out. Please engage with us, you know, comment on our Instagram posts, write us reviews. You know, we really take all these things to heart and we we're looking for them. So we'd be happy to to hear from all of you.
00:14:19:18 - 00:14:43:04
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, just to hammer the point home and reiterate this as much as I love talking to professional athletes or people in that domain, it's really amazing. And I think it's really amazing content to bring to the audience. You know, the whole point of this is that, like Kyle and I aren't pros that like actually pros have a lot to say, and they understand a lot and they're more relatable.
00:14:43:04 - 00:15:01:18
Speaker 1
So you don't have to be a pro to to reach out or to talk to us like we we want to hear from you. If you have a cool climbing story and interesting story, you have a powerful story. It doesn't matter that you're not a pro athlete, that you're not sponsored, that you're not sending, you know, 515 in some cave in Norway.
00:15:02:00 - 00:15:14:10
Speaker 1
You know, it's we want to hear from you and we think that people also want to hear from you. So, you know, don't hesitate, reach out. And even if you don't want to come on the show and you just want to communicate with us, we want to hear from you. So, yeah.
00:15:15:03 - 00:15:40:11
Speaker 2
Absolutely. Yeah. And, you know, we're going to keep this episode pretty brief today, at least our talking point of it. The last thing you know, I feel like we need to cover real quick is that, you know, this this podcast is a project that we're really, really passionate about and really involved with. You know, Max and I spend a lot of time, you know, talking back and forth, meeting guests, getting, you know, our sound quality dialed, working on Instagram posts.
00:15:40:11 - 00:15:59:02
Speaker 2
You know, this does take up a lot of our time and, you know, we want to try to keep this project viable for the long run so that we can continue to post biweekly, continue, you know, creating these conversations in this space for the climbing majority. So our vision after we rebrand this year is to launch a Patreon.
00:15:59:22 - 00:16:25:20
Speaker 2
We're not exactly sure on the details on how we are going to structure it, but we want to give everyone a chance to support the show and we are going to keep this podcast ad free. We don't feel like that's really the vibe of our show and so we're just going to rely on listener support. And I feel like that's the direction of this podcast and we really, you know, we're going to be doing this regardless.
00:16:25:20 - 00:16:32:07
Speaker 2
So, you know, we want to just open up that channel and allow you guys to, to show your support and and to support the show.
00:16:32:21 - 00:16:55:02
Speaker 1
Yeah, absolutely. You know, I think just this is a really amazing creative space and a really amazing space for climbers. And it's only going to continue to get better and better. And I think that this space absolutely has so much value. And, you know, like Kyle said, you know, we're going to be opening this up to support whatever that means to people.
00:16:55:17 - 00:17:05:05
Speaker 1
I think that's the right decision to go moving forward. And I'm really excited about that. And, you know, want to make this a sustainable long term project. The climbing majority is here to stay.
00:17:06:07 - 00:17:19:13
Speaker 2
It is here to stay as well. Said Yeah, yeah. Sweet, sweet Max. You know, you know, you had wanted to think I think a couple of people for for coming on the show.
00:17:21:00 - 00:17:47:20
Speaker 1
Yeah I mean I think just there's there's too many, you know in general but yeah, like just, just any, any of, you know, any of the guests who participated in, you know, the, the beginning of this podcast, you know, it made 2022 such a special year, even beyond just producing this as a podcast. I've learned so much from these people just being able to sit down and talk with them and to have these conversations.
00:17:47:20 - 00:18:09:02
Speaker 1
The same thing I've learned so much from you, Kyle. So it's really just been this amazing space of learning for me, and I hope for the audience as well too, right? And and I think that's just so powerful and I'm just so incredibly thankful to everybody who, you know, contributed, partook or just, you know, who is a part of the audience, you know, just.
00:18:09:02 - 00:18:09:22
Speaker 1
Thank you so much.
00:18:11:08 - 00:18:31:09
Speaker 2
Yeah, absolutely. Man. Like we we are like you said, this is still the beginning of the show. We've only been here a year. And you know, everybody who is an audience, you know, everyone listening, you guys are early adopters, are early supporters of the show. And, you know, we have seen some incredible stats in terms of listenership and viewership.
00:18:31:09 - 00:18:41:00
Speaker 2
You know, we've we're about to cross 11,000 downloads just this year. And, you know, I think we what I was our goal it was 5000 for the year. That was the initial goal, right, Max?
00:18:41:00 - 00:18:42:09
Speaker 1
Yeah, 5000. Yeah.
00:18:42:09 - 00:19:10:00
Speaker 2
Yeah. So doubling our expectations for the year, you know, we can only thank you guys for, for listening and for being here during the beginning stages. And so, you know, thank you for being here. You guys are the reason why we're sitting in this chair is to represent you and to provide this content to you. And yeah, everyone who came on the show and believed in the project and believed in talking to the audience that we are speaking for just means so much.
00:19:10:05 - 00:19:39:18
Speaker 2
You guys are the heart of the show. So thank you so much for for partaking and believing. That being said, you know, we're going to close off this episode with a montage of sound bites from every episode of the year. We feel like we picked the best sound bites to represent each episode. And yeah, sit back and and relax and enjoy the the flash, the flashback from the past and enjoy the episodes and the progression.
00:19:39:18 - 00:19:44:05
Speaker 2
You get to hear the progression of, of the show, which is, which is pretty exciting. Anything else?
00:19:44:05 - 00:19:51:19
Speaker 1
Max I think that's everything, man. Well said. And yeah, just, just thanks to everyone for being a part of this awesome man.
00:19:51:19 - 00:20:15:07
Speaker 2
Well, happy New Year, everybody. We're excited for 2023. Thanks for being here and can't wait to keep producing for you. We'll see in two weeks. I didn't treat this podcast.
00:20:16:01 - 00:20:16:15
Speaker 1
We created this.
00:20:16:15 - 00:20:17:19
Speaker 2
Podcast because.
00:20:17:19 - 00:20:40:22
Speaker 1
We think there's definitely misrepresentation in the eyes of the media when it comes to the climbing community, and we want to address what we would call the climbing majority, which is the majority of people who are the non professional climbers out there going on adventures, climbing, enjoying the outdoors and we really wanted to connect with that community. And those people.
00:20:41:03 - 00:21:03:11
Speaker 2
Climbing is is really reaching a lot more people than it ever has before. And there's so many more people that have access to the sport. And I feel like it is breeding this new climbing majority. And there's a lot of people that are moving from the gyms and moving outside. I mean, just for myself, I came from a gym, Alex Honnold came from a gym.
00:21:03:11 - 00:21:05:15
Speaker 2
I think. Max You came from a gym as well, is that correct?
00:21:05:16 - 00:21:06:16
Speaker 4
Sure did. Yep.
00:21:07:13 - 00:21:31:19
Speaker 2
Yeah. So there's this giant group of people that are coming out to the outdoors with this stoke and this excitement. And I think a lot of people, especially the older generation, view this new climbing majority with a bit of disdain. And I think that's a bit sad. I think that there's a lot of people who bring a lot of cool adventure and great positivity to the sport that just get overlooked.
00:21:31:23 - 00:21:39:02
Speaker 2
And this whole podcast is about bringing light to these people like you and me.
00:21:39:11 - 00:21:46:09
Speaker 1
Is there's this really famous ski video of Tanner. I think it's Tanner Hall jumping Chad's Gap in USA.
00:21:46:10 - 00:21:46:19
Speaker 2
Okay.
00:21:46:20 - 00:21:51:11
Speaker 1
And yeah, and he cases it and just you can hear like his ankles explode in this.
00:21:51:14 - 00:21:52:14
Speaker 4
Moment and.
00:21:52:15 - 00:21:54:14
Speaker 1
As he's like tomahawks through the air he's.
00:21:54:14 - 00:21:59:01
Speaker 4
Just yelling my ankles are broke. Moyer Just, you know like, just.
00:21:59:11 - 00:22:01:08
Speaker 1
You say that like, made me think of that. I was.
00:22:01:08 - 00:22:02:13
Speaker 4
Like, oh, man, like, so.
00:22:02:17 - 00:22:04:07
Speaker 1
So dramatic and just like, this.
00:22:04:07 - 00:22:04:21
Speaker 2
Terrible.
00:22:04:21 - 00:22:06:11
Speaker 1
Experience for her to go through. Right.
00:22:06:19 - 00:22:07:13
Speaker 4
Right. Yeah.
00:22:07:13 - 00:22:09:08
Speaker 2
Yeah, That's really great.
00:22:09:08 - 00:22:18:14
Speaker 1
And it's really amazing in that eagerness like, we all want that and we definitely want to like promote that because people want to get excited about their sport, but I think looking back on it in hindsight.
00:22:19:00 - 00:22:19:19
Speaker 4
It just would have been.
00:22:19:22 - 00:22:44:05
Speaker 1
Probably more practical and better for me to just do a whole bunch more leads to just take it slow to maybe like bounce test gear, you know, just, just, just have a little bit more in that repertoire and not rely as much on just, okay, I have this rudimentary understanding of a calming device and, you know, like you clearly don't understand the nuance of like connection through the rock.
00:22:44:15 - 00:23:11:23
Speaker 1
Fortunately, like, if you put a cam that's pretty place deep in like Squamish Granite, like, I don't know, it's not a bolt, but like, it's pretty close, you know, like it's some some really good rock quality for sure. But, but yeah, I just think just slowing down, having a more structured approach rather than just, you know, being unbelievably stoic and just sending your body won't actually tell the difference between so-called synthesize happiness or organic happiness.
00:23:11:23 - 00:23:34:03
Speaker 1
So kind of the outlook you're just talking about where we're talking about turning a negative into a positive, looking at a situation, you know, as an opportunity to gain something, to grow, to develop, all these things. I would say a part of what I was reading and listening to today is is is kind of in part a part of like synthesizing your own happiness and manifesting your own your own outcome.
00:23:34:03 - 00:23:57:11
Speaker 1
If that makes sense. Right? Like as opposed to, like you said, just being this beaten dead horse and tired and, you know, ruined and depressed and upset about all this, you kind of just need to look for opportunities where they are and just focus on the things that you can focus on and not get tunnel vision on, you know, what I used to be or what I could do or what I want to do and just kind of be a little bit more present and and do that.
00:23:57:11 - 00:24:01:19
Speaker 1
I'm trying to do that. I'm trying I'm getting better some some days, you know.
00:24:01:19 - 00:24:04:03
Speaker 4
So yeah, I like it. And I live my life.
00:24:04:03 - 00:24:23:04
Speaker 2
Even since I was young, always finding the edges of what I'm allowed to do or what I can do. And it got me into some trouble with the law. And I learned that lesson the hard way. But. But in this injury, I found myself kind of doing the same thing. Like how what can I get away with without exposing myself to too much risk of injury?
00:24:23:04 - 00:24:39:10
Speaker 2
Injury? You know, I was my doctor had all these things like, oh, you can't stand until this day. You can't do this until this date. And I just kind of took it with a grain of salt. Listen to my body and I would like stand on my cast and just put a tiny bit of weight. You know, I was just always finding that edge.
00:24:39:10 - 00:24:57:01
Speaker 2
And how far would how far can I get away with it? And I still I'm doing that. And I think that that helped speed up my recovery process. But I did find that line of safety. And I think that it's really important to note that I probably was risking certain things by taking on the crutches too soon or walking.
00:24:57:06 - 00:24:57:17
Speaker 4
Through.
00:24:57:21 - 00:25:29:09
Speaker 1
Assess the fall consequences, assess your abilities and skills, like take responsibility and commit or fail. And then I have a quote here, which is that just show respect for the gift of life. Timing is dangerous. Be honest with yourself. You can't cheat rock. You know, ego will destroy your potential and rot your mind. So, you know, I think those principles of what I said at the beginning, which is, you know, assess, assess the fall consequences and assess your abilities and then take responsibility and be honest, you know, don't just think I can't climb this.
00:25:29:09 - 00:25:50:02
Speaker 1
There's a really dangerous fall there. So you're not confident. You know, and and and then just go for it anyways. Like that's hubris and acting like that. Maybe it's going to work out for some people. Maybe it's going to work for you that day. But in the long run, as a really poor way to approach something. And you're probably you're probably going to end up with that, you know, with shattered cockiness.
00:25:50:02 - 00:25:53:10
Speaker 1
Yeah, exactly. They're you're like, you know, you're going to.
00:25:54:03 - 00:25:54:14
Speaker 3
If you are.
00:25:54:22 - 00:26:07:08
Speaker 2
Well, understanding of your gear and you really know what's going on every step of the way, you're going to understand what amount of risk that you are exposed to. And that number is going to constantly be changing. And you need to be able to kind of.
00:26:07:08 - 00:26:07:23
Speaker 4
Monitor.
00:26:08:10 - 00:26:25:13
Speaker 2
What you're comfortable being exposed to. And that comes from the education of your surroundings and your own personal gear and your experience. Because when you start to lose that, you start to make guessing games about kind of how much risk you either have. And I think that people can either lean to have or I might have more risk than I have.
00:26:25:13 - 00:26:31:16
Speaker 2
So they don't do certain things or they think they have less risk than they actually have, and they go after these things and get hurt or die.
00:26:32:09 - 00:26:49:20
Speaker 1
I totally agree. And just back to that, that that aspect of confidence and confidence. Right. It's like you want that mortal fear. You want to feel that you want to use that you want to be able to kind of wrestle with that and and challenge yourself and kind of lean in.
00:26:49:20 - 00:26:50:06
Speaker 4
But the one.
00:26:50:06 - 00:27:13:21
Speaker 2
Thing that I notice about all these pictures is that no one's wearing a helmet in any of these pictures. And I was like, huh, That's seems like a statement to me, either by the photographer or by the photographer, by choosing ten pictures, you know, without a helmet and someone else in the comments kind of thought the same thing, that, okay, like you're an influencer, you've got 60,000 followers.
00:27:14:08 - 00:27:34:01
Speaker 2
You're posting pictures of No one with helmets on. Like what do you think your audience is going to think? You know, a lot of new climbers are going to see this. And whether it's conscious or not, they're going to get the message that it's okay to climb trad and hard tread without a helmet. And this guy got ripped apart, just absolutely ripped apart people.
00:27:34:01 - 00:27:48:23
Speaker 2
I'll just read you some of these responses. One of them, I bet you don't drive one kilometer over the speed limit. Someone even argued that helmets don't help you in climbing accidents. Someone said, Guess you wear a mask while you're driving alone in the car.
00:27:48:23 - 00:28:06:15
Speaker 1
And I do see a lot of stuff that I do put under the shame label. And it's not constructive. It's not like it's not like, Hey, man, this was really wrong. And you shouldn't be doing this for these reasons, in my opinion. And like, if you want to have a bigger conversation about this, like, like Demir, you know, let's have a conversation.
00:28:06:15 - 00:28:18:06
Speaker 1
Like there isn't much constructive about it. It's just someone having like an outlet. And I think it's really easy to overlook like how actually impactful that is to the other person on the other end. Like it can.
00:28:18:06 - 00:28:18:18
Speaker 4
Be, it.
00:28:18:18 - 00:28:40:12
Speaker 1
Can be really hurtful to get like simple just hate from people you don't know. Like it can really be hurtful. Yeah. Yeah. You know, and that that's hard to deal with. And I think people really need to think more about their choices online and not just act like it's some like made up media and where like what's happening doesn't actually matter because it really does.
00:28:40:12 - 00:28:48:01
Speaker 1
There's another person on the on the other end of that photo. Right. And it really can matter. And it does matter, I think, because I think if it had been any steeper, I probably would.
00:28:48:01 - 00:28:49:11
Speaker 4
Be dead for sure. Yeah.
00:28:49:19 - 00:28:50:11
Speaker 1
So I think like.
00:28:50:11 - 00:28:55:11
Speaker 4
It being low angles, the only reason like my head stayed up.
00:28:55:18 - 00:28:57:00
Speaker 1
Because I think if I had hit.
00:28:57:00 - 00:29:01:22
Speaker 4
My head even a little bit, it probably wouldn't have made it. Yeah, it's heavy.
00:29:02:08 - 00:29:05:04
Speaker 2
Like just visiting it all right now. It's just like.
00:29:05:04 - 00:29:07:06
Speaker 4
Making me make you.
00:29:07:08 - 00:29:07:20
Speaker 2
Feel heavy.
00:29:08:07 - 00:29:17:21
Speaker 1
It's really crazy. The aspect of, like, just falling out of face and kind of like flying for life and trying to slow yourself down. There's. It's. It's very desperate.
00:29:18:19 - 00:29:27:13
Speaker 4
But yeah, it's kind of nice to know that if a fight or flight response happens that I was at least willing to take the fight. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:29:27:13 - 00:29:38:20
Speaker 1
I'm just like, I'm like, But I mean, either way, though, like, you never really know. And that's that's totally a, that's a response that I feel like your subconscious is controlling.
00:29:38:20 - 00:30:01:18
Speaker 2
Yeah. It's interesting. You bringing up the word confidence a lot. I feel like it seems like, you know, people use the word ego and sometimes that's like use is a bad thing, but it definitely seems like the ego and soloing seem to be tied together a lot. And it's, you know, you had mentioned before, you know, if you think you're going to fall, then you shouldn't be you shouldn't be soloing.
00:30:02:05 - 00:30:18:02
Speaker 2
And yeah, it just seems like there seems to be a pretty big connection between like your confidence in yourself and like how you're feeling and like this, this ego that we have in terms of our own abilities and how we're feeling and soloing. So it's just a pretty, pretty interesting comparison to see.
00:30:18:06 - 00:30:54:06
Speaker 4
Yeah, I feel like that level of confidence definitely like toes the line of being like arrogantly cocky versus like confidently aware of what you're doing. That's the right word. But some it's so easy to get sucked into great chasing it. I mean like that's it's almost sure like kind of like the modern gym era has kind of kind of promoted this, I want to say isn't like a toxic sort of thing, but it's it's so easy to kind of get sucked in when you go to a gym and you have like these rating systems and like, oh, why do I why do I sit in the pecking order of things and how does I expand
00:30:54:06 - 00:31:15:06
Speaker 4
from the gym to the wider community and what am I doing compared to all this ass it's doing is, yeah, it's greater in number and it's always a relative to 21 experience. I mean, if, if I was to reach on to find myself as a climber, it wouldn't be by the greatest things I climb. It would be the character of the roots, the character of the reason I'm trying, the style in which I'm doing it.
00:31:15:06 - 00:31:31:04
Speaker 4
I mean, I would much rather be kind of known to be able to consistently wake up of a match thinking, hang over and go send something like challenging than than to be able to, like, walk up to a crag and to get great. I mean, it's yeah, there are a lot of ways to to measure yourself as a clock.
00:31:31:08 - 00:32:00:11
Speaker 4
I is always kind of like a byproduct of if the time invested. I mean, the heavy periods of time when, when I would have I would associate myself with was climbing, climbing in that way. But it was never, I mean down like climbing out is one of those things. It's realistically it's a privilege, isn't it? I mean, you even you're even genetically gifted or you have the talent for from the get go or do you have the privilege of if time or what responsibilities you have in your life?
00:32:00:11 - 00:32:21:03
Speaker 4
Like what's your work situation with your money situation? What's your general health like now? I think training hard is one of those things that just comes. You invest the time and if you maintain, you maintain a mindset and you look after yourself, you invest in nothing like climbing. Climbing hard is is inevitable. If if you're lucky, tough luck.
00:32:21:10 - 00:32:35:21
Speaker 2
Just has to allow that person to play with the device that they're most comfortable with versus maybe asking them to use an assisted braking device. What do you think the ethical dilemma is there and what is the safest option?
00:32:35:21 - 00:32:52:11
Speaker 4
Am I leading or my top roping leading? If I am leading, I am probably. This is why I'm so happy there. The short answer is I want them to use an assisted braking device. The reason being now, if you had told me before the advent of.
00:32:52:11 - 00:32:54:00
Speaker 2
The tube style assisted.
00:32:54:00 - 00:32:55:13
Speaker 4
Braking device had been made.
00:32:56:00 - 00:32:56:20
Speaker 2
I would have said.
00:32:56:20 - 00:33:17:20
Speaker 4
Well, probably just that the the ATC. Now this is going to be dependent on climbing at my limit. And my climbing things were well within my ability that I've climbed a bunch before. So am I on siding, but well within my limit. And I see where we start to mix and match these these these scenarios. Again, it comes back to me as the leader.
00:33:17:20 - 00:33:20:03
Speaker 2
Deciding what maturity is their attachment.
00:33:20:03 - 00:33:27:00
Speaker 4
To the mountain. The Blair is only needed to keep them from hitting anything or the ground.
00:33:27:19 - 00:33:28:14
Speaker 2
Is the.
00:33:28:14 - 00:33:42:20
Speaker 4
Event in the event they fall. And and so risk being able to analyze risk is something that is just going to come with time for everybody. The more time spent in a more diverse array of environments is going to start you.
00:33:42:20 - 00:33:44:20
Speaker 2
In the process of seeing like, okay.
00:33:45:03 - 00:34:04:02
Speaker 4
When can I make these decisions of of this thing versus this thing? Usually it just doesn't matter. Usually, especially in the area of leading climbing, it comes down to the climbers ability to climb. Now the BLAIR Absolutely. Which I'm sure will get into the ability.
00:34:04:02 - 00:34:06:00
Speaker 2
For there to be a good Blair is.
00:34:06:00 - 00:34:12:04
Speaker 4
Undoubtedly extremely important. It's only second to the climbers ability in the first place.
00:34:12:04 - 00:34:16:16
Speaker 2
I definitely replace gear their ability to make decisions yet not to follow in the first place.
00:34:17:04 - 00:34:22:17
Speaker 4
Right. Like the Yosemite decimal system isn't really linear.
00:34:22:17 - 00:34:23:03
Speaker 2
Thank you.
00:34:23:03 - 00:34:50:15
Speaker 4
Yes, exactly. So, like, that's kind of a huge shift if you're like because, you know, ten, eight is not like 10 to 11 A is not equal to 13 A to 14 it. Yes, right. Exactly. Those are not linear comparing science. And I don't think enough folks actually understand what that means. And so they have these unrealistic.
00:34:50:15 - 00:34:51:13
Speaker 1
Expectations and.
00:34:51:13 - 00:35:26:05
Speaker 4
Goals of what they'll be able to accomplish, you know, like racing from five, 5 to 5, ten. Right? You're like, oh my God, I'm going to be Chris Sharma. And like, you know, exactly. Like, it's not it's not even possible. This kind of three pillar approach. And so the climbing movement is just one component, right? It's like in order to do your your objective view, you have to be able to physically ascend that objective.
00:35:26:17 - 00:35:58:14
Speaker 4
But that's only one of three components. The other two are the technical systems to to make it safe to do so. And the mental fortitude. And so I like to say you can isolate and train those three pillars and then a rising tide will raise all ships, right? And you'll just get better at all three. And then when they come together and you have your like flow.
00:35:58:14 - 00:35:58:23
Speaker 1
State.
00:35:58:23 - 00:36:27:02
Speaker 4
Zen moment in the mountains, it's like a beautiful thing, but you're kind of begging for disaster when you push to us because I think it's easy to see on the outside and look at somebody and say, Well, they don't care. They don't care about themselves, they don't care about their loved ones. But the hardest thing for me about addiction is that I care deeply about my health and well-being.
00:36:27:19 - 00:37:13:03
Speaker 4
And that and of those around me. And I keep doing this thing that is in complete need that violates those values. So it's I think at least I think a lot of people with these kind of struggles and definitely just speaking for myself, I'm a sensitive person and I have that sensitivity to wanting to to be the best I can be and love people best because I think it's easy to see on the outside and look at somebody and say, well, they don't care.
00:37:13:08 - 00:38:03:15
Speaker 4
They don't care about themselves. They don't care about their loved ones. But the hardest thing for me about addiction is that I care deeply about my health and well-being and that and of those around me. And I keep doing this thing that is in complete need that violates those values. So it's I think at least I think a lot of people with these kind of struggles and definitely just speaking for myself, I'm a sensitive person and I have that sensitivity to wanting to to be the best I can be and love people the best I can.
00:38:03:15 - 00:38:33:11
Speaker 4
And I want to say like it's for people that know an addict or know someone that uses or who who has that struggle. Like it's it's completely hard on another level for them to and there's a lot of feelings and fear and care involved and not everybody knows the right way to handle a crisis or challenge all the time.
00:38:33:11 - 00:39:00:01
Speaker 4
Right. So totally this isn't about saying people need to be better or my teachers or parents needed to be better or anything like that. Like, I think everybody's trying their best with what they know, but I just think that what we the way we look at it is starting to change. But yeah, I mean, it's it's still pretty taboo.
00:39:00:01 - 00:39:28:14
Speaker 4
So that's a new part of my body currently having an incomplete injury as full strength are my traps. It's only normal neurologic portion on my body. Everything below that level of injury from my deltoids to my hands, my arms to my legs, like hit back. Everything is neurologically affected and paralyzed in some capacity. And that's what makes an injury, spinal cord injury.
00:39:28:14 - 00:39:59:11
Speaker 4
So an incomplete spinal cord injury and an incomplete quadriplegic spinal cord injury means that signals can bypass bruising in my neck on the spinal cord, but they are rerouted in a way that it results in muscular weakness, severe limp. I walk with a cane. I lack of function in my bladder, lack function like sexual health, lack of function in my down the streets are here, right?
00:39:59:19 - 00:40:26:07
Speaker 4
We're here. We're out doing gnarly shit then said on site 15 or whatever. Right Like and we're doing it with a gnarly disability where we should be dead. Like, nope. Describe it to him, right? Yeah, we're here. Yeah. Yeah. To have knowledge. And this should be acknowledged. This should be appreciated because one in four Americans are disabled. That's a large part of the population.
00:40:26:14 - 00:40:52:20
Speaker 4
So that that inclusion piece and that visibility piece, it's apolitical, right? So when we think about it from a marketing perspective, we think about it from a business perspective, for better or for worse, it is apolitical, which is you're just like, doesn't matter what color, gender or whatever. It's just I have I am an amputee, I have I have complete quadriplegia, I'm in electric wheelchair, I have fibromyalgia.
00:40:52:20 - 00:41:30:05
Speaker 4
And like all these different disabilities and 43% of those fall injuries result in surgical interventions. And finally, 20% of those injuries are ankle contusion fractures. And so, yeah, go go through here for you guys. And I think the most important thing from a standpoint of maybe some of your decision making is that you get to the six meter or 20 foot mark and your odds of fracture by fall are two and a half times and a sprain is three, three and a half, three, almost four times more.
00:41:30:12 - 00:41:55:13
Speaker 4
So if you're out there tried climbing and you don't want to necessarily be thinking, Oh, I've got to prevent myself from an ankle fracture, it's helpful to have maybe put in, you know, that Jesus, not before the six meter or 20, 20 foot fall, right? Yeah, I think that's probably what Jesus might Moses not my buddy starting out the ledge.
00:41:55:20 - 00:42:11:07
Speaker 4
And I'm like, straddling around that big boulder, not touching it at all. And I look back at him and I, I say, Hey, this is the boulder. Like, even though it's kind of leaning against the wall, like, don't touch it. Like, you don't have, like, even standing on this, it might go. So you have to commit to these moves around it.
00:42:11:13 - 00:42:35:13
Speaker 4
And as I'm saying, that, it literally just pops like like a ghost. A ghost pushes it off on me and I start freefalling. Everything goes super slow, time lapse like so slo mo. And this being 20 years ago, I can still relive it. Like every time I think about it or every time I tell the story. It's like that permanently ingrained in my psyche now.
00:42:35:23 - 00:42:57:03
Speaker 4
And instantly I go into like the flying V, so like I'm upside down and this thing's like above my torso I'm like hugging it and I'm like, lights out. Like, it was like definitely one of the closest life flashed before my, my eyes moment that ever is like out of a movie and those rotor blades, I hear them just go bump, bump, bump and stop.
00:42:57:20 - 00:43:18:03
Speaker 4
And that helicopter, like if helicopters here and we're getting winched up, it disappears off the side of the mountain upside down. And that guy grabs me and he goes, I'm so sorry. And I'm like, What the fuck? And we get decked from 500 feet. And I was more or less sitting on his lap and do a bunch of talus and chaparral.
00:43:18:08 - 00:43:43:03
Speaker 4
We bounce about 30 or 40 feet land and that guy took it like a brick, like he was built like a linebacker. And I'm expecting this like internal fireball. And in that moment I look at him and he's like, panicked as hell and he's trying to unclip us and he's like, Damn, damn it! And I'm like, And instantly I'm like, Oh, it's because we're about to get drugged now for who knows how long?
00:43:43:08 - 00:43:47:14
Speaker 4
And he grabs me again and he goes, Hold on again. And we get dragged through the shop roof.
00:43:47:18 - 00:43:56:05
Speaker 1
Probably climbing is something that you do to like facilitate better skiing and bigger skiing objectives.
00:43:56:05 - 00:44:02:02
Speaker 4
A little bit of both. I would say definitely skiing is my preferred method.
00:44:03:17 - 00:44:09:14
Speaker 1
The like, it just sucks walking downhill, you know, compared to skiing. And I always say.
00:44:10:05 - 00:44:10:15
Speaker 4
There's no.
00:44:10:15 - 00:44:12:00
Speaker 1
Way that it's fun, you know.
00:44:12:02 - 00:44:13:03
Speaker 4
Whether you're running.
00:44:13:08 - 00:44:15:08
Speaker 1
Whether you're hiking.
00:44:15:08 - 00:44:19:05
Speaker 4
Skiing is just 100% better. So I would rather be doing.
00:44:19:05 - 00:44:22:16
Speaker 1
That as far as like kind of.
00:44:24:15 - 00:44:26:18
Speaker 4
The ideal day for me is really.
00:44:26:18 - 00:44:31:05
Speaker 1
Like choosing the best tools and like the best style or technique or whatever you want to call it.
00:44:31:20 - 00:44:32:15
Speaker 4
To kind of.
00:44:32:15 - 00:44:40:16
Speaker 1
Accomplish that goal that that I want to set out for, for that day. So like, I like to go to really cool places. I like spectacular views. I like being in technical.
00:44:40:16 - 00:44:43:02
Speaker 4
Terrain and I want to do.
00:44:43:02 - 00:44:48:21
Speaker 1
That in kind of the most efficient and like logical. And can I call you Tommy Caldwell to point out for yourself?
00:44:48:22 - 00:44:52:18
Speaker 4
Exactly. Exactly. Did you get better at climbing after.
00:44:52:18 - 00:44:53:19
Speaker 1
You cut your fingers off?
00:44:53:19 - 00:44:54:20
Speaker 3
That's what I want to know.
00:44:56:08 - 00:45:02:16
Speaker 4
Yes. I got back on site. If you had less if you had left them off, man, you'd.
00:45:02:16 - 00:45:03:22
Speaker 1
Be like 515 by.
00:45:04:07 - 00:45:08:05
Speaker 4
Yeah. Must go.
00:45:08:05 - 00:45:09:16
Speaker 2
What what fingers were.
00:45:09:19 - 00:45:18:16
Speaker 4
On what hand it was. It was the middle finger and the ring finger on the right. Wow. Crazy. Yeah. Wow. At the rate of the knuckle in the middle.
00:45:19:06 - 00:45:20:11
Speaker 2
Oh, did it go through the.
00:45:20:11 - 00:45:24:21
Speaker 4
Geometry above or below the joint? Right through the center. Now, how.
00:45:25:02 - 00:45:25:15
Speaker 1
How old were.
00:45:25:15 - 00:45:33:16
Speaker 4
You. Oh, I think I was about 14. Oh, my God. I was. Yeah. Man.
00:45:33:16 - 00:45:34:05
Speaker 1
That Oh and.
00:45:34:05 - 00:45:36:04
Speaker 4
Shop class at school. I was like, I.
00:45:36:05 - 00:45:37:22
Speaker 1
Feel so bad for your teacher.
00:45:37:22 - 00:45:39:07
Speaker 4
You know what? I know That's like.
00:45:39:07 - 00:45:41:04
Speaker 1
Turn around, have some kids, like, fingers.
00:45:41:04 - 00:46:11:21
Speaker 4
Flying across the room. But they always first, the mechanism of injury really is it's forced extension of the tip of your finger with a flex the middle finger joint. And so and really the the thing about it is a pulley can sustain an enormous amount of force, kind of close to 802,000 Newtons. And so it really has to be either a not warmed up, undertrained or underprepared for that for the situation.
00:46:12:04 - 00:46:35:12
Speaker 4
It has to be a very dependent grip type. It has to be kind of a closed Krampus typically where we'll see these problems and has to be feet blowing. So it needs to almost be a very dynamic movement or almost dynamic off a crimp is where we see this issue come. But when you really break it down, it breaks down into the loading in the progressive nature of of the mechanical stress that you placed on your tissue and if you've exceeded it.
00:46:35:12 - 00:47:11:03
Speaker 4
And so that is a little bit different, right? You've got maybe you don't have like you're saying, like the splitter cracked and your pieces are pretty far apart. So in between that protection, I'm banging on rocks to see if they're good prior to pulling on them. Yeah, I'm in like the stop will want. My two selections are the boots and I'm climbing with up to five the climbing boots that are going to be on the wall or should I or our shoes because my movement's top there.
00:47:11:17 - 00:47:53:07
Speaker 4
And I, you know, I'm like, all this like, helps you build up to being successful, not from where you're like, what harness that you have on your boots, like everything, your rope, like all those things, your partner, your mindset, your placement. It all builds up to being safe. Like safe ish. Now that's like sometimes I do social contracts with people before we even, like, leave the area, like with men and women, or if it's just men versus women or a mixed bag, I'm like, Hey, before we leave this conversation or this group circle to go to our climb, we're going to have a social contract.
00:47:54:04 - 00:48:11:23
Speaker 4
You're not going to talk to me, My co guy, or rather confided any inappropriate way. If anybody does, you get to go down back to the car. I will not put up with that. Now, everyone's going to look at each other. No, they're all going to have the same respect for each other. And if there's any issues, please come to me.
00:48:12:01 - 00:48:31:10
Speaker 4
I'll help you with it. But no one's going to talk down. No one's going to do sexist chats or. Saujani I'm not going to deal with any of that. So everybody needs to say, I agree to this social contract because it might not just be one person going down in your group, especially if this is like everybody knows each other.
00:48:32:02 - 00:48:56:04
Speaker 4
One person can really make climbing so interesting because I find fear in danger are so close, right? In not all cases, but sometimes the line between fear and danger. You know, fear is subjective. It's an emotional thing. It's in your own head. It's differs from person to person. Danger is objective. It's like the rocks are going to fall on you.
00:48:56:04 - 00:49:17:03
Speaker 4
It just is like whether it's an avalanche or it's like, you know, whatever the case is. So but I find fear in danger or like breaking a limb like that, like you know, like I know both you guys with the ankles, it's like that's like, you know, we're really self the self-preservation instinct when you're lead climbing is freaking strong.
00:49:17:03 - 00:49:45:18
Speaker 4
You know, we don't want to get hurt. We do things like to me, it's like you're all of a sudden all your focus goes into the progression, your progression within the sport, right? Like, yes, dirtbags like a state of mind where you're just looking out. One particular window in that window looks climbing. And so like, yeah, I think once you try it, like for the people that it really connects with, they're it's just so stimulating, right.
00:49:45:18 - 00:50:15:14
Speaker 4
Like climbing is so it's, it's a puzzle. It's totally 100% engaging. It's like it's working your mind, it's working your body, it's working, it's social. Like everything about it I craved and I was just eating it up, right? Like, I just fully just, I was soaking it all in. And so, yeah, I think I just I went dirtbag mode free pretty quick.
00:50:15:14 - 00:50:42:10
Speaker 4
Groomer ice just ice that didn't have a crowd on it. And I'm like, All right, I'm going to my wife skiing behind me. I was just doing like tree line. The tree line is just like, yes, turns. And I hit something in my right skills, like made into a right right foot and turn and hit some thought. My ski hit like I'm just ice cookie or something committed weight back to it and just fell through my leg and was like kind of smooth.
00:50:42:10 - 00:51:03:13
Speaker 4
Sit down actually. Like I didn't tumble. I didn't like fortunately, my skis came off at that point. My butt was pretty close to the ground because my knees were bad and I just slid do stop and I'm like, What the fuck was that? Right? Like, I've never really been hurt before. And I was on a knee squared groomer, you know, in Lake Tahoe.
00:51:03:13 - 00:51:21:11
Speaker 4
I'm like, Oh, maybe I was looking up the lake and I see something or whatever and like, down and my boot is like, plopped over on this buckles and like, it's not about exclusion of fluids, it's the addition. And I think a lot of people get that wrong where they don't, you know, they might subtract a lot of different foods to be healthier.
00:51:21:11 - 00:51:48:06
Speaker 4
But what they really should be doing is adding foods, adding different nutrients from those different food sources. And to your first point, yes, totally heard of people having a lot of success. I think there was a female athlete a few years back who went completely towards a carnivore diet and she is still rocking it. But I think, again, those people know we see these outliers and a lot of us think, oh, that's the solution to my problem.
00:51:48:06 - 00:52:04:08
Speaker 4
But in actuality, it's probably not for most people. It's just I think we heavily emphasize and maybe romanticize this like struggle component because we're always trying to reinvent the wheel when we really just need to go back to what the wheel actually should be for us.
00:52:05:08 - 00:52:31:21
Speaker 1
And we die for myself. And I've enjoyed some things about them a lot, and other things have had some drawbacks. And I think classically some people can think of that there is micronutrients that you can be deficient in. So as as a vegetarian or vegan who's listening to this, what are the things that maybe are great about the diet for them and what are some of the things that maybe they want to look out for a little bit?
00:52:31:21 - 00:52:59:04
Speaker 4
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think there is certainly a whole truth to the fact that you can be a vegan or vegetarian and get what you need, both macronutrient wise, calorie wise, and then also the the micro nutrients that you would need as well. But I do think it takes a bit of planning. And so if you're someone who maybe, you know, you don't really have the time to plan, you struggled to understand what what was your.
00:52:59:04 - 00:53:24:03
Speaker 1
Feeling at the time? You know, just you're you're you're out here, you're in this area. You simply just see a magazine cover, obviously, with a little bit of deception from the hotel owner. And you decide to go out and climb this thing, the 65 or 6600 meter mountain that hasn't really been repeated with really limited information. I'm just kind of wondering what what was your your general feeling at the time?
00:53:24:03 - 00:53:29:23
Speaker 1
Like, were you excited? Where you terrified? Were you worried of dying? And how how was your mentality going into.
00:53:30:20 - 00:54:15:10
Speaker 4
Well, savagely optimistic? I love that they could not the climb you see, it starts up through this glacial system that really was very fractured and dangerous to get to the foot of a route, look up at the face and say, this mountain is not going to kill me, not this time. If you can't see that turn around and go back, you've got to have that level of confidence to push, to move.
00:54:16:10 - 00:54:53:05
Speaker 4
You know, not to desert around and to know your own strength that it will not, cannot kill you. Will just conditions normally finish in two ways, commonly not normally commonly summit is reached to get out of that or there's a death on the mountain that you get out on the summit day. And it was I was convinced that if the engine if Joe was pushing Adrian, there were 24,000 without oxygen, the winds were fucking howling, another thousand foot, 50 foot higher.
00:54:53:12 - 00:55:14:23
Speaker 4
They couldn't even put a ten to anything. There's no ice. Gave the fucking wind, it stripped the mountain of all snow stuff up there. So you're going to go from 24 six say to 29 and that without oxygen in the day, in winter with those winds not possible.
00:55:15:08 - 00:55:24:15
Speaker 2
I think it's funny that we always assimilate is not the right word. We always compare like rock fall to appliances, like who was.
00:55:24:15 - 00:55:34:05
Speaker 4
The first one to to establish rock full to appliances like this is a refrigerator sized piece of liquor. This is a microwave. Yeah. The toaster.
00:55:36:22 - 00:55:37:16
Speaker 3
Couldn't have gone.
00:55:37:16 - 00:55:38:02
Speaker 2
A different.
00:55:38:02 - 00:55:41:04
Speaker 4
Direction. You have to go with appliances. Yeah.
00:55:41:10 - 00:55:43:03
Speaker 2
The situation shook you so much.
00:55:43:22 - 00:56:10:11
Speaker 4
Yeah, I think it was it was a combination of there was a ledge and then just me not being or not paying attention enough. Like I was focused on trying to get debris out of the rope and uncoil the rope. Mostly I was like, Oh, she's going to clip in and I'm going to lower, so I need to go ahead and get the rope set to lower, not knowing how pumped out she was, not knowing how that she was like, I knew she was skipping the ball, like I saw it.
00:56:10:11 - 00:56:31:17
Speaker 4
And the people were like, Hey there, she's going to skip the bolt. Yeah. And to me that I was like, as a player, you know, your sole purpose is to ensure the safety of your climber. And I had totally neglected that for a split second and then put it in the situation where she was three, four feet from decking on this ledge.
00:56:31:17 - 00:56:54:03
Speaker 4
That was, you know, a little over a third of the way up this route. So and I was carrying the rope in my pack. And so I was sort of going like over teakettle. And so I remember hitting my head and back and then flipping off the thing and then hitting another ledge and thinking, okay, maybe I'm okay, and then falling again like a block and I'm dead.
00:56:55:07 - 00:57:19:05
Speaker 4
And so I was just tumbling down this face and end up falling about 300 feet. So 80 to 100 meters. And yeah, it and all of a sudden, though, I realized I wasn't falling anymore. And I looked down and all I could see was a pool of blood and it was on a pile of story. And I remember not liking that.
00:57:19:11 - 00:57:32:15
Speaker 4
And I pushed myself up into roll myself over, and that just sent a shock wave of pain to my entire body. And inside that sort of brought me to and I was like, okay, that was a really bad guy.
00:57:32:16 - 00:57:36:14
Speaker 1
So, you know, you had this fall, this traumatic incident, we've kind of gone.
00:57:36:14 - 00:57:37:06
Speaker 2
Through.
00:57:39:02 - 00:57:47:21
Speaker 1
That. And, you know, for me, when I was when I was going through the chronology of this, correct me if I'm wrong, ten months later, you ran in the hard Rock 100.
00:57:49:10 - 00:57:53:06
Speaker 4
Yeah, that was Yeah, so I did. So, yeah.
00:57:53:06 - 00:58:06:22
Speaker 1
I'd love to know about that because for for me, dealing with my own injuries, which I would definitely qualify as lesser to yours, I know ten months out, I was just like, I mean, it's a little bit different, obviously, with bilateral ankle factors.
00:58:06:22 - 00:58:09:02
Speaker 2
I was really 100 miler was not on the run. Yeah.
00:58:09:06 - 00:58:26:17
Speaker 1
Wasn't in the books in general, but just in general, the feat of being able to to compete in a competitive professional hundred mile race in ten months after a fall that you pretty much borderline died in. Like, why don't you why don't you explain a little bit about that to us?
00:58:26:17 - 00:58:53:13
Speaker 4
Yeah. So the more gear I test, the less I trust rock or ice or whatever I'm putting this thing in. It's the gear is pretty good. Usually. It's usually either how you put it in, but I've seen more rock fail than I have. Tamms fail. I think that's where a lot of people's cams will blow on them is usually like, let's say, placement, but the rocks move.
00:58:54:08 - 00:59:43:01
Speaker 4
Let me iterate this sucks. Move. Yeah, they just load cells in audio and video and storytelling and premiere and YouTube and titles and thumbnails and break tests, stretch and steel and aluminum and titanium sparks and you're like, That's good to know. And, and then people's opinions. I have good days and I have bad days on this channel. And the good ones are really good and the bad ones really.