GirlBeta.com: Fueling Psyche in the Women's Climbing Community

Logo courtesy of Mercedes and http://www.girlbeta.com

After spending time with Alison Vuocolo discussing her efforts to get more women out bouldering, it seemed no less than necessary to profile Mercedes Pollmier. Mercedes launched Girl Beta back in January, a website dedicated to igniting passion and inspiring the women's bouldering community by sharing knowledge through written posts and videos. It's definitely a site you'll want to keep your eye on!

Mercedes on Authentic Battle Damage Stand, Boulder Canyon.

Mercedes hasn't always been a climber, but has a significant amount of experience as an elite athlete. After amassing a number of accolades as a tennis player, including an NCAA Division I scholarship, she started strength training with Dave Wahl out of the Paradise Rock Gym in Denver and became a member of the National Mauritian Tennis Team. Despite her love of tennis, she couldn't resist bouldering on plastic while spending so much time in a climbing gym and learned to love the sport. Mercedes says she climbs because it's "a personal challenge, a problem to solve, [and] requires a lot of body awareness. The climbing community is a great thing to be a part of." Now, Mercedes is a strong, talented climber with ascents of problems like Dark Continent (V7-V8) and Authentic Battle Damage Stand (V8).

Mercedes was inspired to start Girl Beta during a road trip to Red Rocks. She'd searched for videos of women climbing the boulder problems she wanted to do, but couldn't find any. "Generally, there are not enough women climbing together and I would love to see more of that," she says. "I think [it] would take away some of the shyness, hesitation and fear of failure...sometimes, having the boys around can be intimidating and may be a limitation for some women."

Mercedes recognized a clear lack of resources specifically for women to help them achieve their climbing goals. With that in mind, her aim was to create a blog that would help female climbers and generate buzz about women in climbing. Mercedes wants to help women unlock beta and sequences for specific problems they might not otherwise be able to work through.

Mercedes climbing hard in Joe's Valley.

Pretty soon, Seattle-based women's-specific rock climbing clothing company Vertical Girl took notice, and is now the website's sponsor. According to Mercedes, the partnership makes complete sense. "Vertical Girl and Girl Beta share the same philosophy and goals in growing the female climbing scene." she says. The two organizations are now working together to develop Girl Beta and hope to reach more of the climbing population. So far, Girl Beta provides information on problems in five states ranging from V4 up to V10.

But Girl Beta doesn't just exists as a medium for sharing videos of hard climbing. In keeping with the site's tagline, "Inspiration. Information. Improvement," Mercedes and the Vertical Girl team work together to share training tips and other knowledge with the women's climbing community. Recent additions in that section of the website include discussions about women's physiology and using video analysis to improve climbing technique with Flannery Shay-Nemirow.

The women behind Girl Beta and Vertical Girl are working to inspire women who love to climb, and to help us all achieve our goals. You can help by contributing information, training tips and beta, by suggesting a problem to them, even by climbing with them! For more on how you can get involved, visit GirlBeta.com or send a note to info@girlbeta.com.

“Where My Girls At?” Alison Vuocolo’s Quest to Build a Women’s Bouldering Community in Philadelphia

Alison on Firestarter (V3) at Rumney.

Alison Vuocolo started climbing almost two years ago at Go Vertical in Philadelphia, but if you saw her climb, you'd think she's been involved in the sport much longer than that! After countless suggestions from her boyfriend, also an incredibly talented climber, she made it to the gym to help him celebrate his birthday. She was instantly hooked on bouldering and bought both a gym membership and her first pair of climbing shoes within a week. "It's hard to put into words," Alison says, "but as soon as I started climbing, it just seemed like a necessary thing to do all the time."

Through climbing, Alison gained self confidence she never knew she had, and a new way to engage the problem-solving part of her brain. "Climbing is the only physical activity I've ever been able to perform on pure intuition...[it] made me realize my brain has more technical capability than I ever assumed...eventually, your body learns to generate both technical and powerful moves."

After trying out V0 boulder problems and solving them without difficulty, Alison started projecting harder climbs. At a recent bouldering competition, she climbed a 900-point problem without any trouble! Even when some of the guys Alison boulders with tackle problems she can't, she's still confident and says, "...at the end of the day, I'm always so happy that I climb."

Alison on an unnamed traverse at Hunter Rocks

Climbing Like a Girl
Alison noticed a lack of women boulderers at our home gym and that the super hard climbs are largely dominated by men. But instead of accepting it, she's doing something about it. "I was inspired to create a tighter community of women boulderers when I started bouldering outside. " Alison says. "The difference in climbing technique between men and women becomes much more apparent when the problems are on real boulders where the variations in beta are much greater."

Despite being one of the strongest lady boulderers I know, Alison explains she's had a tough time bouldering outdoors with men because of these variations. "They can usually get my projects in one or two goes and I end up climbing by myself or moving on." She longs for a group of girls to boulder with and has seen what having a tight knit community of lady climbers around can do for performance. "I've envied the groups of three or four girls that go together and project the same climbs. Sometimes I'll get on stuff with them, but the whole time I'm wishing that I had that same community."

Alison was also inspired by discussions around Angie Payne's first female ascent of The Automator (V13). "Basically, Flannery [Shay-Nemirow] seemed to believe we would have already seen a female ascent of a V13 if the pro women climbers went on trips together more and projected things together like so many of the male pro climbers do." Alison explains. "You see a lot of videos of strong...female boulderers working their projects solo or with other male pro climbers. It's rare to see a group of strong female boulderers working these hard projects that, up until now, only have 'male beta.'"

Creating a Women's Bouldering Community

Alison rocking an unnamed route at Hunter Rocks.

Alison took a huge step in helping create a community of lady boulderers in Philadelphia by working with Go Vertical general manager Kathleen Walker to set up a three part women's bouldering clinic. She's also getting teaching tips from one of the best female boulderers in the world - Alex Johnson!

The first class is aimed at beginners, the second at women comfortable on slightly harder climbs and the third at all levels with the goal of designing bouldering sessions for progression in climbing. From how to read problems to warming up, from static to dynamic movement, from finding weaknesses to projecting climbs and everything in between, Alison is sharing her expertise with the goal of getting more women out bouldering. By hosting this clinic, she hopes that participants start establishing "their own female-oriented climbing circles. It not only helps make things more comfortable and less frustrating, but also relieves some of the more counter productive female competitiveness too."

The first clinic of the three part series takes place this Friday, April 22nd at Go Vertical. But if you're not signed up already, it's a bit too late; all three sessions filled up in less than two days. To me, that speaks volumes. When asked why she thinks the clinic filled up so quickly, Alison explains, "I had this feeling that a lot of women are just psyched out about bouldering by themselves. I sort of knew this might happen." Hopefully, it will mean a second series of clinics and more women on the bouldering wall at our gym, then eventually, more local women bouldering outside!

Bottom line - women aren’t staying away from the bouldering wall for lack of interest. So then, what is it? Is there a lack of opportunity for women to get involved in bouldering?

Governor Stable Meltdown Outdoor Bouldering Competition Recap

Some Governor Stable boulders, a little wet after the prior day's rain.

Governor Stable, located in Lancaster County, PA, is a 37 acre tract of land with over 100 climbable boulders no more 15 minutes of walking apart. According to Lancaster Online, a group of climbers first secured a lease for ten acres of the land from private landowners when bouldering started gaining popularity. Trespassing problems forced them to shut down climbing for several years, but the Friends of Governor Stable (FroGS) organization recently signed a new lease and reopened the area officially in January of 2011.

Climbing is allowed to members only eight months of the year for a $60 annual fee. “Open Climb Days” are held some weekends throughout the year, and the general public can purchase a $10 day pass to climb there. To me, the membership makes sense. It’s meant to promote responsible climbing and will help preserve access for future generations. Last weekend’s Meltdown Bouldering Competition was my first opportunity to visit Governor Stable, and the first outdoor comp I’ve done.

Meltdown Bouldering Comp Format

After watching rain fall all day Friday, we were all concerned the comp would be postponed. Thankfully, it wasn't, and FroGS assured us the rock was dry. It was, mostly… Competitors had from 10am to 5:30pm to climb and the top ten problems counted toward each competitor’s total point score. No bonuses for flashing problems were given and two fellow climbers had to sign off on each completed problem.

Competitors received a mini guide with a list of every established problem in the area, its name and rating along with a short explanation of how the problem is meant to be climbed. To climb Casablanca (V3), for example, climbers are instructed to “Start on big square cut jug and pull through to a thinner top out.” These one liners certainly weren’t beta, but did help us make sure we climbed each problem from the correct start to the correct finish.

All climbs were assigned a point value from 20 to 1200 and climbers could earn bonus points for climbing a circuit of specific problems. In addition to beginner (V0-V2), intermediate (V3-V5), advanced (V5-V7) and open (V8+) categories, an climbers could enter the "enduro” category and win by climbing the highest number of problems. Strangely, no one entered it!

Paul Esteso on Moby's Dick (V5/V6).

Bouldering Outside ≠ Bouldering Inside

I’d considered the intermediate category during preregistration given the grades I typically climb indoors. But, as we all know, climbing outdoors is different from climbing indoors. It almost feels like a completely different sport to me, and the number of days I’ve bouldered outside remains in the single digits. Throughout the day, I couldn’t come close to consistently climbing the grades I’ve achieved inside. I also don’t ever recall a day where I’d managed ten problems at V3 and above indoors! So, into the beginner category I went.

I warmed up on Biscuit (V0) with Paul and two other climbers spotting. The problem is easy, but it had been at least a year since I’d topped out on anything. I reached the top and hesitated while Paul told me I had as much time as I needed. Throwing my toe over the last edge, I mantled up on my right hand and crawled to the top of the boulder, heart pounding. It took all day for the adrenaline rushes to fade each time I came close to topping out. I was, as always, surprised and elated by the support from other climbers!

It was humbling to spend the entire day working problems V3 and below and to battle so much fear on the top outs. Some of the boulders were definitely still wet from the downpour the day before, which made me nervous, as did the thin layer of green moss that had seemingly appeared overnight on some of the surfaces. But with so many boulders in such a concentrated area, there was no shortage of climbing!

The Results

Jed working on my favorite problem of the day, Casablanca (V3)

I had an amazing group of people to climb with. I was, as always, surprised by and grateful for the amount of support I got from strangers. After listening to a group of guys I didn’t know cheer me on side by side with good friend Paul during my first knee-shaking top out of the day, I knew I was among my community. (And FYI, Paul is one of the best climbing buddies anyone could ask for!) When I left my crash pad for friends working Casanova (V6), a complete stranger offered me her pad while I worked Chai Right (V2) and gave me a spot for the downclimb.

My favorite problem of the day was, by far, Casablanca (V3). It’s an area classic with a beautiful jug to start on and a significant lack of footholds to go with it. With enough body tension, I was able to keep my feet on the wall for the first move, a long throw to a knob with the right hand, which you have to hit before both feet peel off. There’s a heel hook and a bump from an intermediate to a crimp, the crux of the climb for me. It took a handful of tries, but I sent it and it was my highest point valued problem that day.

I ended up climbing eleven problems, earning just under 1000 points and winning the beginner category. Sponsors including East Ridge Outfitters, EMS, Climbnasium and Organic were incredibly generous with donated prizes, and my package included a free pair of Evolv shoes. I chose the Hera model and can’t wait for them to arrive! I also can’t wait for the next open climb day. Governor Stable is an amazing place!

Where My Girls At?

There was a significant lack of female representation in general at the comp, and no one entered the Women’s Advanced or Open divisions. In past comps I’ve attended, including PRG’s Winter Burn and the Earth Treks Roc Comp, the number of men competing was twice that of the women competing. Where are all the girls?

Good friend and kickass lady boulderer Alison Vuocolo aims to do something about that disparity at our home gym, Go Vertical. She's leading a women’s bouldering clinic series beginning at the end of April, which I'll write about on Adventure-Inspired next week. Her clinic filled up in less than a week, which says to me it’s not about lack of interest from the ladies. So, why are there so few women competing?

Have you been to Governor Stable? Do you have favorite climbs there? Tell me in the comments!

Adjusting My 'Tude and Getting Out of My Head

Warming up at PRG Oaks. (Denis Brenan)

Yesterday was a mostly typical Sunday. Typical Sundays either involve rounding out a weekend-long trip or what today involved - sleeping and climbing. I woke up at 11am after allowing myself to truly indulge in a long night's rest. I pushed two cats off of the bed, rolled myself out and made a giant mug of steaming hot peppermint tea. I popped a frozen quiche from Trader Joe's in the microwave, too impatient to make my usual egg whites and vegetable concoction. After the quiche, the tea and little bit of puttering around the apartment, it was time to go climbing.

The plan was to spend the day toproping. but as soon as I walked into the gym, I remembered a suggestion from (seriously badass climber girl) Alison via text two days prior. It was something like, "Get on the new V2 I set. It's on the inside of the pants."

The pants refers to one of the walls in the gym, and I knew exactly where Alison meant. She's teaching a women's bouldering clinic soon and set a handful of easier routes to teach on. This climb was certainly tailored to Alison's climbing style - deliberate, delicate and powerful. I pulled on my harness and walked over to the boulder wall to warm up, intending to try a few things and move on to the ropes. But the day became bouldering-focused after a few tries on Alison's problem.

The problem, called "Stretch it Out," is a sit start. I hate sit starts. There's something inherently humiliating about pulling yourself three inches off the ground, reaching, the falling those three inches back to Earth and landing square on your bum. Anyway, the start hold is a big, round, hollow formation with plenty of room for both hands. There's a chip for the right foot and the left foot needs to be placed just so on the blank wall. Keeping body tension, you pull, push and lift, reaching for a good pinch with your right hand. It took me at least five tries to get the start. I did the entire problem without the start on the first try, no big deal. But I had to do the whole thing from the beginning, and there's something about landing right on my butt five times in a row I couldn't handle. I walked away, took the harness off, came back, sat down and sent it. "I should have flashed that," I thought.

At PRG Oaks on a day where everything felt right! (Denis Brenan)

Things just felt off yesterday. Walking up to boulder problems and figuring them out was a struggle. I didn't feel strong. My mind and body weren't communicating. It was as if my last day at the gym was a month ago, not four days ago. After going through a few more "I should have flashed that" moments, my attitude was a mess. I walked to the center of the gym, sat down next to my backpack and took a 10 minute breather. My 'tude  needed adjusting, and I had to figure out how to stop taking the day's frustrations to heart.

There were at least ten familiar faces at the gym on Sunday, and I noticed two other #kickassgirls I knew bouldering up random routes around the gym. One of the best things about living in the same place for a while and climbing at the same gym is, if you make an effort, you can make friends with just about everyone who climbs there regularly. Though I certainly don't know everyone, I love walking in the gym doors to a familiar faces.

My two friends were climbing until exhaustion after a few hours of leading that morning and I joined in. The exercise was to boulder up to the first clip of all of the harder lead routes and to top-out height on some of the harder toprope climbs. You only rested for as long as it took the other two to climb. Their enthusiasm was infectious. Before long, I was laughing, smiling, and taking things a lot less seriously. I was also fingertip burning forearm pumping exhausted.

My relationship with and attitude toward climbing ebbs and flows. Being passionate about something means understanding that some days are going to be disappointing and frustrating, though hopefully less numerous than the exciting, ground-breaking days. Recognizing that I needed to take myself out of my typical routine made all the difference, and luckily, I had friends to help me whether they knew it or not.

You've Got Holes In Your Climbing Shoes...Now What? A Beginner's Guide to Resoling

My Scarpa Technos in need of a little TLC!

About a month ago, I noticed that my well-loved Scarpa Techno rock shoes were developing holes in the toes. The rubber along the ball of my foot felt thinner than it used to, and the inner edges were looking a bit rounded. I've had the shoes for almost two years now, and prior to my purchase of the La Sportiva Miura VS shoes, they were my only pair. I'd use them for everything - indoor climbing, outdoor climbing, bouldering - and they were in desperate need of some attention. I finally made the decision to get them resoled and am so glad I did!

Why Not Just Buy New Shoes?
This is the obvious question. If your shoes are worn out, there's always an option to go buy new ones. But most of us take a while to break our shoes in. We love them. I have sentimental attachments to a number of intimate objects. Plus, good climbing shoes are expensive unless you're lucky enough to have a pro deal. I'd much prefer to resole my Scarpa Technos for $42.50 than pay upwards of $100 for a new pair.

DIY or Go With The Pros?
It is possible to resole climbing shoes yourself, though I don't know anyone who has. (If you have, tell me in the comments!) I read this article and decided that wasn't an option for me. After polling the twitter climbing community for the best place to send rock shoes for resoling, the obvious choice was Rock and Resole in Boulder. Aside from doing a bang up job on my shoes, they were incredibly helpful in explaining the parts of a climbing shoe, the different kinds of rubber, and what kind of resole I'd need.

Parts of a Climbing Shoe
The sole is the bottom part of the climbing shoe, and the rand is the rubber layer above the sole that wraps around the shoe, including over the toe. Most rock shoes have a tongue, heel and lacing or velcro, just like normal shoes. This page has a great illustration of the various parts.

Types of Resoling
Rock and Resole and equivalent shops will offer different types of resoles depending on the damage. Options usually include half and full resoles along with rand repair. A half resole involves just replacing the rubber at the ball of the foot while a full resole involves replacing, as you might guess, the entire sole. Shops will usually charge separately for rand repair, which you'll need if you've really blown through the toes. The folks at the shop will either grind off or release the rubber from the shoe and glue on new rubber while doing their best to maintain the shoe's original shape.

Bouldering at Earth Treks. (P. Esteso)

Types of  Rubber

This is an exhausting concept to learn about. Most long time climbers have a wealth of knowledge about how each brand of rubber wears and a subsequent brand preference. What I know is only a minuscule drop in the ocean that is information about rock shoe rubber. Rick Radliff wrote a thorough post about it and I'd highly recommend it. Rock and Resole carries what they consider the best on the market, and they believe the differences between rubber are minimal. They carry La Sportiva XS Edge 4 and 5mm, Five Ten C4, Onyx and can create a mix. I opted for the XS Edge 4mm because that's what my favorite bouldering shoes, the Miuras, come with.

Regarding thickness, the guys at Rock and Resole explained that thicker rubber will give you less sensitivity, but more durability. The majority of shoes come with 4mm rubber, but depending on the type of climbing you're doing, thicker might be better. Though thinner rubber wears out faster, it's often preferred because of the increased sensitivity.

The Verdict After My First Resole
The folks at Rock and Resole did a fantastic job. I ended up getting half soles on both shoes and one toe cap for $42.50 including shipping. I sent the shoes out from Philadelphia on January 21st and they made it back to me in less than two weeks. I'd consider that a pretty quick turnaround with shipping time included. The shoes look and feel like they've got a better edge than they did when I bought them. They're still soft, flexible, a lot stickier and a lot less stinky!

Have you ever resoled your own shoes, or had them resoled? Do you think it was worth it? Tell me in the comments!

Interview: Alli Rainey on Quitting the Real World, Our Climbing Training Mistakes, and Being a Complete Human Being

Alli on Canadian Jackhammer, 5.13b/c
Ten Sleep Canyon, WY. (K. Wilkinson)

Alli Rainey is a professional rock climber, freelance writer, Harvard graduate (with a major in Modern European History), climbing coach and all-around inspiring human being. Aside from her literary prowess (she's written a "few books"), she's got an impressive climbing resume - three 5.14a redpoints, 50 5.13 redpoints and onsights of more than 200 5.12s. Alli agreed to an interview after we connected on twitter, and I'm psyched to share what she had to say! 

How did you and climbing meet?

I had a boyfriend my senior year of high school who was really into rock climbing. He tried to get me to try it for a few months, so when I had to cut my nails for softball season, I finally agreed. My first day, I made it about three feet off the ground since all of the routes at the Arches (an outdoor bridge made of giant granite blocks) were way too hard for me. I was instantly hooked; all I wanted to do was solve the puzzle. It took me about three months of trying the same route to get to the top without falling!

You lasted a year in your real-world job after graduating from Harvard. What tipped the scale in favor of a life based around climbing?

I kept hoping I'd find a job/occupation that instilled even an iota in me of the passion I felt and continue to feel for living when I'm climbing, but nothing ever lit my internal fire in the same way. I didn't want to spend my whole life wondering what if I'd chosen  to make climbing a priority, and I figured (and still figure) that if and when I'm tired of climbing, I can always pursue something else.

What’s your favorite climbing discipline and why? I'm a boulderer at heart and was excited to see your blossoming relationship with it! 

I love sport climbing more than any other climbing discipline because I love climbing solely for the movement (not exposure or danger--I'm a chicken), and the harder the moves are for me and the more of them I have to do in a row, the more I enjoy the experience. I like the challenge of moderating the pump and pacing myself that comes on longer sport routes, the mental challenge of holding it all together until I get to the anchors. I do like bouldering, and I boulder every winter for a break from sport climbing, but every time I tie in and start sport climbing again, I forget about bouldering until the next winter.

With your incredible climbing resume, a girl's gotta know - what's your secret?

No secret. I'm stubborn and I never quit if I really want to send something. It doesn't matter how long it takes me or how much of a beat-down I get. When I'm attempting to onsight something, the higher I get, the harder I try and the more willing I am to lay it on the line. When I'm redpointing, I will studiously revisit places I'm struggling with and adjust my beta over and over again, adding specific training to my regimen to work particular weaknesses if necessary. Whatever it takes.

Alli on MayDay, 5.13a.
Lakit, BC, Canada. (K. Wilkinson)

You're an inspiration to female climbers everywhere, especially with three FFAs under your belt! What's the hardest climb you've ever done and why?

I think I'd say in terms of mental struggle and fortitude, the Hellion (13c) in Ten Sleep (another FFA; I have a lot of those here). I could one-hang it anywhere, but I couldn't put the thing together. It opened my eyes to how far I had to go to train my weaknesses. I had to rest three days after every one climbing day. I didn't give up, and I finally sent it on my last day of climbing here for the season. It was raining and cold and my hands were totally numb, but I fought through and clipped the anchors on my third attempt that day...after that, I started training for real.

Age is just a number, but knowing your first 5.14a redpoint came after 35, what are some tips you can offer to women who might think their age could prevent them from climbing?

You can start/get better at climbing at any age and you can excel at it at any age. I have seen people almost twice my age crush routes harder than I can climb. It's more about training properly, eating properly, resting properly, and understanding that developing technique, strength and power takes time and effort. The key is to never lose faith and also to only compete against yourself instead of comparing yourself to others.

Climbing has taught me much more than I expected about life. Though it might be a bit cliché, why do you climb?

Nothing else makes me feel more complete as a human being. It pulls together my mental, physical, and emotional being into a complete, in-the-moment experience. The challenges are never-ending and no two climbs are ever the same, so it's never boring or repetitive. Climbing offers endless diversity and potential for self improvement in all areas of personal development (emotional/mental/physical control, strength, endurance, discipline, tolerance for failure, etc.). You can take what you learn in the climbing arena and apply it to other life experiences, too.

In addition to being a rock star climber, you're a climbing coach - cool! What is the biggest climbing training mistake people make? What can we do about it?

Not focusing on training weaknesses and climbing to and training their strengths. Get an independent party (or several), like your climbing partners or a personal coach to evaluate your climbing and be prepared to accept what they say, especially if you get a consensus feedback. Create a climbing training regimen that directly addresses your weaknesses and stick with it, understanding that it may take months or even years to improve those weaknesses, depending on how long you've let them flourish while climbing to your strengths.

What are some of your favorite tips to help climbers with goal setting?

Start with setting your dream goals--those long-term goals representing your ultimate climbing (or life) dreams. Then, build in medium-term goals that are realistic to accomplish in the next year or two. Finally, set some short-term goals for yourself on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to help guide you toward those medium-term goals and keep you focused and directed.  It's okay to change them, too, as needed. Goals should be used to motivate and inspire, only in a positive way.

All smiles! (K. Wilkinson)

What's next for you? Any exciting projects you're working on?

Always! I have a list of like 40+ climbs I want to do in the Red River Gorge as I continue my pursuit of becoming a somewhat decent steeper-rock climber. I also have a list of really hard routes I want to redpoint in Ten Sleep Canyon (my best style; vertical/technical crimps and pockets). I have some training goals, too...and I'm writing blogs for PrAna regularly now, plus keeping up my other writing stuff (my own blog, Suite 101, and other such endeavors). On top of all that, I'm trying to finish InFamous on the PS3 and become a hero before I play it all over again as a bad guy. :-)

Secrets to a Successful Bouldering Competition

Competitors warming up before the Winter Burn comp at PRG Valley.

This weekend's Winter Burn, hosted by Philadelphia Rock Gyms, marked my third bouldering competition. Over my short comp career, I've amassed a set of skills I owe to experience and advice from other climbers. We all define success differently, but for me, success means climbing as hard as I can and having as much fun as possible. These seven "secrets" helped me find success this weekend. So if you're new to competing, or if you're a comp veteran, these "secrets" can help bring you success too!

Secret 1: Show up! Most comps have different divisions for each gender - novice, intermediate, advanced and open. They have problems for climbers of all abilities; there are no barriers to entry. Don't let the word "competition" scare you. I had friends from my home gym hesitate to enter because they didn't think they were good enough. Most of them ended up placing in their divisions. You are good enough! 

Secret 2: Warm up, the most obvious and most ignored piece of advice. You won't climb well if you're stiff. I sat in a car for an hour traveling to PRG Valley for the comp and made sure to do a little jumping around to wake my muscles up. I stretched out and got on the wall a bit. Starting with a handful of problems two or three grades below your ability is a great strategy for warming up climbing muscles. 

Secret 3: Strategize. Most comps have route guides available that list each route by point value and location. Scout out the climbs you want to try and remember where they are. Find problems at the top of your ability that play to your strengths, and have a plan for tackling them. Space your climbs out in the time you're given. Having a plan helped me focus, prevented me from pumping out too quickly and ensured I could complete the required five problems I needed to finish to comp.

Secret 4: Climb with a friend...or eight! One of the best things about competitions is listening to dozens of strangers cheering for you while you're on the wall. But people you climb with regularly know you. They'll be yelling louder than anyone when you send something they know took every ounce of effort you had. I was lucky to have eight friends from Go Vertical competing; it seemed there was someone I knew cheering for me every time I turned around. A recognizable encouraging voice can make all the difference.

Contemplating reaching for the finish hold. (Matthew Botos)

Secret 5: Breathe, relax and rest. It's a competition; you're bound to get a little nervous. It's a good feeling, unless you let it get the best of you. This was the first time I made an active effort to pay attention to nerves and stayed relatively calm. Typical comps like the Burn last for hours; there's no reason to pump yourself out during the first 30 minutes. Just take a deep breath or two, relax, break for a snack and a drink, and proceed to the next paragraph.

Secret 6: Remember, it's about FUN! Don't sweat the small stuff. We do these competitions because we love climbing; it's not about putting pressure on yourself. There will be problems you try that you can't do, but that's okay. And if you don't place where you wanted to, there's always next time! I entered the intermediate division, but was bumped to advanced based on the problems I completed and my score. Thinking about the fact that I could have won intermediate bummed me out, as did knowing I could've placed higher in advanced had I finished harder problems. But being bumped is a good thing, and I ended the night with a personal best number of points. I'm doing my best not to sweat the small stuff!*

Secret 7: Watch and learn. Watching climbers who are better than you work problems you can't do is an valuable learning experience. They'll try things you've never seen before. Someday, I'll be good enough to compete in the Open division and qualify for finals. But until then, I'll keep compiling mental photos of climbers better than I am practicing skills I need to learn. It's inspiring!

Do you have any other tricks you've used to have a successful comp day?
Share them in the comments!

*big thanks to PRG President Dave Rowland for taking the time to explain the bumping process and how PRG handles division cutoffs at comps!

Big Risks Can Mean Big Rewards, Even If You Fail

our cool down: pulling on Nalgene bottles! (A. Keyes)

I got one of the best compliments I could've gotten from anyone with respect to my climbing last night. It came from someone I've climbed with for a long time, and someone who knows both me and my climbing well. It came at the end of a wonderful night; a night filled with new friends. It wasn't anything about my technique, how good I am, or how awesome my Cryptochild shirt was. It was simply, paraphrased, 

"You've been taking some much bigger risks lately, really going for it. I'm proud of you."

The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward, right? That's how the old adage goes. Risks can also be dangerous, both literally and figuratively, and really scary. But I'm slowly learning not just to accept the idea that taking a risk in climbing is acceptable, that I probably won't get hurt, but putting it in to practice. And though the intended reward is success, the actual reward from the risk might be better than that.

I went to the Philadelphia Rock Gym in Oaks, PA last night, easily one of my favorite bouldering gyms of all time. (They made holds on the practice wall out of old Nalgene bottles, pictured above. How cool is that?!) Friend Randy put together a mini-tweetup of sorts, which meant starting the night off with meeting fun new people. That's always a good start to a night. I ended up on the bouldering wall, as usual, and found myself working a V5- route, normally out of my range. The first move was the only one I didn't have to throw for. I shy away from dynamic moves because they're scary, especially high off the ground, but with a giant pile of crash pads and a few phenomenal spotters, I went for it...at least a dozen times.

On my final attempt, I made a desperate throw for the finish hold, a giant knobby, slopey mess. My hand hit it, gripped it, then slipped off and I came crashing back down to Earth. One ounce of my being didn't believe I could make it, and that was enough. The landing was epic (by my standards), but safe. I took a risk throwing for the finish, a risk I normally wouldn't have taken. It didn't end with success, but it didn't end badly, and it was actually fun! Dynamic movements are fun and it's one more experience of risk taking that didn't hurt me I can to add to my growing arsenal. And just in time for the Winter Burn bouldering competition tomorrow!

Bottom line: Taking risks can be unbelievably rewarding. Duh, right? But even if you fail, the reward you receive for taking the risk might end up being more important than success. I didn't know if I'd make the finish hold, I didn't know if I would succeed, but I trusted crash pads and my spotters and went for it. Unknowns are a huge part of life, but we can't let the fear of failure hold us back. Having someone notice I've been making an effort to do things outside of my comfort zone and telling me about it was an incredible reward.

What are some unseen rewards you've received as a result of taking big risks? Tell me in the comments!

Climb Philly Part 2: Indoor Skills Lessons and Fun for Intermediate Climbers

In Part 1, we talked about ways to start from scratch in rock climbing. Part 2 of the Climbing Philadelphia series focuses on indoor learning and social climbing experiences for intermediate climbers. Classes are geared toward climbers with experience indoors who need to hone skills, and for folks looking to meet other climbers around Philly. 

Philadelphia Rock Climbing Meet-Up Group - This group, supported by TerraMar Adventures on Meet-up.com, is designed to connect Philadelphia-area climbers. It's how I made the bulk of my climbing friends when I moved to Philly in 2007, and I'm so thankful for all the folks who took the time to get me involved in the group.

TerraMar and the meet-up group after ice climbing last winter!

If you're new to the area and need a gym intro, looking for a climbing partner, or just want to climb with some friendly folks, this group's the ticket. Between Go Vertical evening climbs, trying out other Philly area gyms, and the occasional outdoor climbing trip in the summer, it's a great way to meet fellow rock enthusiasts. The message board is full of folks requesting partners and looking for others to climb outside with. While it's not only reserved for intermediate and advanced climbers, it's certainly preferable that you've got belaying experience for the evening climbs. If you don't, here are some great ideas about how to get started! Outdoor trips are also geared toward all skill levels, and there will even be an occasional guided ice climbing trip. Costs vary, but membership is free! Event length and gear requirements vary. RSVPs required, some events required advance payment.. More info here.

Fighting Gravity Series (Climbing 201), Philly Rock Gyms - This three-night course covers proper body positions for climbing efficiency, dynamic movements, and learning how to use your legs to climb. It's a perfect way to really hone those movement skills, and to understand how to be more efficient on the wall. Climbers can attend all three sessions, or an individual evening to brush up on a specific skill. Then, when you're ready for the next step, take their Fighting Gravity Series: The Next Step (Climbing 202) classes! Costs $80/person for all three sessions, $30/person for a single session. Each session is 1 1/2 hours in length.Reservations required. More info here.

4-Part Climbing Clinic, Go Vertical - This four night course focuses on learning to climb stronger and more efficiently through new techniques and identifying both strengths and weaknesses. The series must be taken in its entirety, as each class builds on what climbers learn and practice in the previous sessions. Sessions cover footwork, bodywork, dealing with overhangs, and drills to practice. Costs $165/person. Each session is 2 hours in length. Reservations required. More info here. 

Local Bouldering Competitions! Bouldering comps can be an amazing way to meet new climbers, hone your skills, and bring out your competitive edge. Even if you're a V0 boulderer, they're a blast. You'll find yourself elbow to elbow with some of the best boulderers out there, and when you're up climbing, they'll be cheering for you. I've found most competitors friendly, helpful, and encouraging. They can be a great ego boost, and seeing how the pros do it always helps. I went to my first one last fall, and it was both confidence building and incredibly fun!

Most bouldering competitions are split into categories for scoring so you can be sure you'll be measured against climbers of similar abilities. The Philly Rock Gyms host a handful of comps throughout the year, including the upcoming Midnight Burn in January.

Climb Philly Part 1: Beginners, Getting Started Indoors

This two-part post focuses on the best ways to get into Philadelphia-area climbing during the off-season. We'd all love to be outside right now, but if you're just getting into the sport, want to hone your skills, or lead climb like a pro and want some serious skills lessons, area gyms have some fantastic options. If you're not based around Philadelphia, odds are your local gym will have similar classes to help you hone your skills indoors.

Part 1 of the Climbing Philadelphia series focuses on indoor climbing classes for absolute beginners. These classes are all geared towards folks who have little to no climbing experience, but are more than ready to learn! All are great options, and each comes with unique features.

on belay at Go Vertical, way back in 2008!

Getting Started Class, Go Vertical - This class is for beginners, and involves 2+ hours of instruction with a Go Vertical instructor. You'll learn climbing basics, the basics of top-rope belaying, and have plenty of time to practice what you've learned. A belay test is still mandatory after the class for self-sufficient climbing, but the class includes two day passes (without gear rental), which makes coming back easy! Costs $65/person. 2 hours in length. Includes gear and 2 additional day passes. 4:1 instructor ratio. Reservations required. More info here.

Intro to Climbing Class, Philly Rock Gyms - Also for beginners, PRG instructors teach basic rope skills, knot tying, and basic movements. The class lasts three hours. A belay test is mandatory after the class for self-sufficient climbing. Costs $42/person. 3 hours in length. Includes gear. Reservations required. More info here.

Deluxe Intro to Climbing Pack, Philly Rock Gyms - A longer version of the Intro to Climbing class, complete with an extra hour of small group instruction and two return visit day passes with equipment rental. Costs $75/person. 3 hours in length. Includes gear. Reservations required. More info here.

Basic Climbing Class, Doylestown Rock Gym - A four week class, one session per week, focused on helping new climbers become completely self sufficient in the gym. The class focuses on belay skills, climbing technique, and safety.  Costs $50/person. 6 hours in length. Reservations required. More info here.

Local outdoor adventure group TerraMar Adventures will also, on occasion, offer a chance for Philly area folks to get together and learn as a group. TerraMar guides work with local gyms to set up group climbing events that are beginner-friendly. They're also a great way to meet like-minded outdoorsy folks! Keep your eye on the event calendar here and here.

Of course, one of the best ways to get try a new sport is to, ahem, ask your friends if they'd be willing to take you under their wing for a day! Climbers are, in my experience, a unique breed. If you know someone who climbs, and aren't ready to fork over the dough for a lesson on your first trip to the gym, enlist the help of a climbing friend. Most, if not all, will be more than willing to help! And a climbing lesson can also make the perfect holiday gift. Give the gift of a new experience!

Hanging on to Small Victories

Many of us underestimate our accomplishments and the small strides we make toward much larger goals. We think, “It wasn’t that big of a deal,” or “this little thing I did doesn’t compare to big things other people are doing.” But no matter how small a victory might seem, it's still a victory. Succeeding at our long term goals often requires these small victories. They add up over time if we let them, and can help motivate us to keep reaching. They confirm we're doing something right.

Small victory, yay!

The Small Victories 

I kept trying to convince myself the lead at Rumney last weekend wasn't a big deal. It was only a 5.7, only had 5 bolts, was only one climb, anyone can set up a top rope, and the list goes on and on. I looked at all the climbers around me and thought, “How can I be proud of one easy lead when everyone else here does the same thing, but harder, and five times more often?” But it was a big deal, and a small victory I needed to hang on to. As someone who’s particularly critical of themselves, the act of practicing my fist pump and using it regularly is so important.

My Gym Climbing Nemesis

My small victory and I went to Go Vertical this weekend to work on my nemesis. I'd call it a project, but to me, projecting means finding a beautiful, intriguing route just beyond your ability, just out of reach, and working it in pieces until you get it. My nemesis - a straightforward but extended, overhanging, juggy, pumpy mess - doesn't fit the criteria. It's among the "easy" lead climbs in the gym, and rated 5.9-. The beginning is steep, then it levels off slightly until about 15 feet from the chains at the top where it steepens again. That's where the fear set in. I'd get through the steep part in the beginning, enjoy the slightly less overhanging middle, then look up and see what I had left. It looked like miles of climbing. I'd start breathing harder, over-grip, and finally yell, "Take!" before I even had the chance to fall.

I called it my nemesis because no matter how fresh I was, how in shape I felt, or what I ate for breakfast, I couldn't get myself to push through without resting. I was too scared to fall, and was convinced it was inevitable as soon as I moved on to the steeper section. I'd tried everything from jumping on it as soon as I got to the gym to warming up on confidence-building easy routes first. I'd even tried telling my belayer not to take in slack when I asked for it, just to let me fall. Nothing worked.

An Army of Small Victories

On Saturday, I got to the gym and roped up quickly. I didn’t give myself time for negative self talk, just like I'd done at Rumney. I was so gung-ho and jittery I managed to back-clip the rope into the first draw and I had to start over. With a renewed focus, I got on and made it through the first two thirds of the climb, pausing just below the last, steepest section. I looked above me, and for some reason, the last third didn’t seem that intimidating. It was still a bit of a distance, sure, but only a few more clips. I was breathing hard, sure, and shaking out didn’t seem to relax my arms at all. But for the first time, I believed, and I made it. Now I have two small victories to use in my quest to overcome my fear of falling. I'm building an army.

“But it was only a sport lead in the gym. It was only a 5.9-, and probably doesn’t deserve that grade.” My self-critical brain started trying to minimize what I'd done as I lowered to the ground. But I pushed it all away, hugged my belayer, and let myself be happy if for no other reason than I wouldn’t have to get on the climb again!

The next time you succeed in making a stride toward a larger goal, allow yourself a real fist-pumping cheer. Then take your small victory, relish in it, and use it to fuel the next stride. You deserve it!

My growing army of small victories. (Can you tell I drew it myself?)

What Happens When You Take Three Months Off From Rock Climbing

Whether intentional or not, I took a break from climbing this summer. Trips to the gym were few and far between in June. I didn't climb at all in July or August. The most recent formal Philadelphia Rock Climbing Meet-up Group event I set up was back in May. Weekends were spent hiking, backpacking, and visiting family. Weeknights were spent training, or recovering from training, for Rainier. And honestly, it was all just fine with me. Now that I've started getting back into it, I'm discovering exactly what happens when you take three months off. 

Those climbing muscles get a little weaker. But they can get stronger again. Rock climbing is, in good part, an anaerobic sport requiring strength and endurance in very specific areas. You need to use those muscles to keep them strong. Even with a day or two a week of upper body lifting, I didn't do a great job of maintaining my back strength. And my forearms? Forget it. The only workout they'd been getting was periodically opening and closing my Nalgene. I was pretty darn sore after my first day back at Go Vertical last week. It was expected, and felt great! It was my body's way of gently reminding me of the muscles I'd been neglecting.

The first few routes feel a bit weird. But muscle memory lasts a long time. I walked in to Go Vertical and noticed one of my projects, a long, balancy face climb requiring a high-step every other move with lots of finger pockets, was still there. Phew! I walked to another wall and I clipped in to warm up on a nice, gentle 5.6. The first half of the route felt strange. I was making rookie mistakes - not keeping the weight on my legs, over-gripping, spending a lot of time "dancing" on holds, etc. After a few more easy-before-the-hiatus routes, I felt normal again. But it'll be a few more weeks before I'm ready for the project!

First day outside in ages, Ralph Stover. Sept 2010.

There may be a step or two, or five, backwards in the fear-conquering department. Climbing, being up high, and falling from up high scares the crap out of me. This is nothing new. As much as I hate to admit it, exposing myself to my fears is the best way to begin accepting them and not letting them get in the way. Exposure and desensitization. The problem with an extended hiatus is time away from the fears. They multiply like bunnies, grow quickly, and before I know it I've got a big ball of bunny terror in the pit of my stomach. At least the ball is smaller than it was before I started the exposure-desensitization routine, right?

Climbing buddies will still invite you to climb, even if you can't. And when you come back, they'll be there, and you'll be ecstatic to see them. I sent way too many "no" replies to outing invitations this summer from the various groups within the Philly climbing community. I missed a lot, without a doubt. But walking in to the gym and seeing familiar faces was wonderful. I'm grateful for their presence and for the fact that they kept inviting me along!

You have a chance to rekindle, renew, even reinvent your relationship with climbing. I promised myself I'd work to develop a healthier relationship with the sport after the Mt. Rainier trip. Climbing and I have our ups and downs, our silent arguments, and our bad days. Such is life. But a lot of things continued to eat away at our relationship, and I want to work on them.

First, I resolved to stop putting so much pressure on myself. No pressure to push my physical and mental limits every day, unless it's fun. Climb because it's fun. Reasonable expectations are key.

Second, I resolved to climb for me. I have trouble separating my expectations from others', and climbing is no different. Do I climb because I want to, or because I feel like I have to? I've been an organizer for the Philadelphia Rock Climbing Meet-up Group for two years. It's been a great way to meet other Philly area climbers, introduce new people to the sport, and to hang out with some incredible folks. Many of them are my go-to friends for local outdoor climbs, and I wouldn't trade the group for anything. But organizing got to be more stressful than it was fun, and I finally admitted I needed to take a step back. Saying that out loud felt so, so good.

Third, I resolved to practice letting go, both literally (exposure and desensitization!) and figuratively. I want to learn to let go of my fear of falling and of failure. There's  no reason to worry about not being good enough when I'm doing something I love because I love doing it. It's a lot easier to go with the flow when the flow looks more like a gently meandering stream than a rushing river full of giant boulders and whirlpools.

If you've ever taken a break from a sport or other endeavor you loved, what did you learn? Leave your thoughts in the comments!