Catching Up

I haven’t been very good about blogging lately, so there’s really quite a lot to catch up on with this one. I’ll start with a list of all the important things that have happened since last July…

•  Went to pre-worlds camp in Victoria, B.C.
•  Competed at the Youth World Championships at Boulders gym and got third in speed climbing (somehow…)!
•  Went to my Grandpa’s funeral in Michigan.
•  Attended two comps in Boston, MA; the all-women’s “The Heist” and the classic east coast comp “Dark Horse.”
•  Went to the opening of the Midwest Climbing Academy.
•  Set for VE’s ABS local comp; Octboulderfest.
•  Got accepted to CU Boulder and confirmed enrollment for fall 2014!
•  Competed at ABS youth Regionals and Divisionals.
•  Had a first trip to Hueco Tanks over winter break.
•  Became a second semester senior! (Finally!!)
•  Signed up for ABS Open and Youth Nationals.
•  Began really training for ABS, and got PSYCHED.
•  Won Female Open at Adventure Rock’s annual Quick on the Draw comp.
•  Set for VE’s annual Passion for Flashing comp.
•  Attended Shane Messer’s pre-nationals training camp. 

Wow ok. I’ll keep everything kind of brief then.

Right now, being in training mode for ABS feels amazing. Bouldering is, by far, my favorite type of climbing. I love being able to do crazy moves during competitions that setters normally wouldn’t put on a rope climb. If you don’t know this; I like overhanging climbs. B2, really the only wall I climb on in Minnesota, is about 35 feet wide and probably 12 feet tall, straight up. It goes from a 45 degree overhang, to a 50, to a 60. Of course, this means I don’t get to practice slab much. We always set super powerful problems up there so everything is usually super hard, but that’s what makes it great for training. Also the 6 brand new pads make the landing MUCH better seeing as we don’t have quite as likely of a possibility of landing in the rubber (oh yeah, my gym has the cut up tire-rubber as the flooring). But we always get good seshs up there, with Nic harassing people and yelling at me to be “more manly” (while climbing, that is), Noah grunting and showing off to the random college club guys who come up, Tyler looking at the 10 day forecast and getting more depressed about Minnesota winter, Caius thinking of more ways for us to get new holds, and Wei somehow managing to crush v10 while eating only gummy worms and Red Bull all day.

Ok onwards to another bullet point.

So nationals is in like... less than a week now. I wasn't really nervous for the Open comp, because I try not to put pressure on myself for that. It’s just a great experience and an awesome comp. But youth nationals is always nerve-racking. Right now I’m trying not to think too much about it and just look forward to climbing some sick problems and seeing everyone again. 

Open ABS Qualifier #3
Photo: Keith North

Next.

I’ll mix all the random comps I’ve been doing into one paragraph, so that would be Dark Horse, Quick on the Draw, Regionals, Divisionals, the Heist, and Passion for Flashing. I think my favorite one would have to be either the Dark Horse of Quick on the draw. Both had amazing finals with TONS of energy from the crowd. I was expecting that at the Dark Horse (because that’s kinda what it’s known for) but I was really psyched to see it at a comp in the Midwest. Quick on the Draw was also my first ever time climbing in black light, which is pretty darn cool. The Heist also had some super fun finals, but I was pretty disappointed at the end because I thought the scoring didn’t really reflect how I climbed (which is always frustrating). I love the idea of an all-women’s comp though! They did a great job pulling it off, now I think there’s going to be something similar at the Metro Rocks in Boston?

Dark Horse Finals Problem #2

Regionals Qualifiers! 

Quick on the Draw Podium!

I've also started really enjoying setting for comps, I've now helped with two; this year’s Passion a week ago and Octboulderfest in October. Both times I ended up staying past 1am on the night before to finish taping starts and labeling climbs. So you all better appreciate how beautifully taped everything was if you went!

Onwards.

One of the highlights of my summer was of course the Youth World Championships in Victoria, B.C. Except, while I was there, my mom was in Michigan with my grandpa who suffered from Emphysema. Two days before the comp started, I got the call from my mom telling me my grandpa had died and that I’d be flying to Michigan and not back to Minnesota the day after the comp. That news, of course, was hard to take. It’s hard to explain, but competing with that in my mind wasn't easy at all. Michaela Kiersch, was an amazing friend during that and helped me deal with it the most, so thanks Michaela :).

Michaela and I at Open ABS (Father photo-bombing in the background)

I’d like to think my grandpa would have been super proud of how I did, so that at least made me feel a little better. I just wish he could have watched. 

Qualifier One, Youth World Championships  

Qualifier Two, Youth World Championships

SPEED

We’ll move on to happier subjects.

At the beginning of January, I officially decided to go to school at CU Boulder next year! I think it’ll be the place that will make me the happiest, and therefore be the best for both my education and my climbing. Side note: I’m hoping to break the stereotype of the “move to boulder for school—end up dropping out and becoming a climbing bum.” Not that being a climbing bum would be a bad thing. I fully expect to do that at some point; I’m just going to try to make it through college first. 

Along with that, I’m now in my FINAL semester of high school, and I really couldn't be more excited about it. Attempting not to senior slide is kind of hard, but at the same time, I’m already accepted into college. I should be fine.

Sooo outdoor climbing.

This fall, I was able to get out to one of Minnesota’s best bouldering areas a fair amount; Sandstone. I haven’t done a lot of the things there, so I was really psyched on the climbs. The goal before the end of bouldering season is to finally send Pocket Hercules, a v8 that is super hard for me. There’s a really extended move on a short roof that involves a hard foot cut.  Super dab-y and super core intensive. Really fun. I also went to check out this problem that is on a river. Literally, over a river. Like, the ice has to be frozen to climb it. It's a v10 called Icy Hot put up by Nic Oklobzija, it has a really intense right foot heel hook that i majorly messed my knee up on, but whatever, it'll heel! (haha--get it? It's a pun). 

GoPro Photo at Icy Hot! Noah climbing, Tyler being pro at spotting.

Noah and Tyler talking beta at the River Boulder in Sandstone!

Route Climbing at Sandstone
Photo: Kyle (Kylo) Struthers

Just how pretty Sandstone is in the fall!

This winter break I also had my first every trip to Hueco, which I was ridiculously psyched about. Although the trip wasn't what I was expecting, I of course enjoyed the climbing there. I want to go back and get on more of the classic crimp climbs, because I didn't really get to try any. I also want to try to send Free Willy, the v10 on North Mountain and TenTen, the super dab-y power endurance roof on East Mountain. Both are climbs that I fell on the last move of. But the psych is high for next winter!!

Sunset in Hueco

Last notable thing.

I attended Shane’s camp at CRG (Central Rock Gym) this past weekend and it was amazing. We had phenomenal setters who set mock comps for us twice a day and tried to mimic what we would be seeing at nationals. I went to this last year as well and thought that it was extremely helpful. I think it was again! Just getting onsight practice like that is super necessary before a big comp. Also, I sort of have a lack in the coaching department in Minnesota. Meaning, I haven’t had a coach in over two years. So, getting the top notch coaching there was great.

So that’s like half a year in review and super quick, but now it’s time to focus on next weekend’s nationals! Can’t wait!