Climbing Up Walls

[Image: Eric Foltz]

Last night I started an intro to indoor climbing course. It's a small class - there are four of us in it. I decided to take on the class as I'm nearing the end of the Peak Condition Project. There are a few things about the PCP that have been super challenging to me (surprisingly, I got over the chocolate cravings in the first 30 days. I don't miss it at all now). Here's what I do miss: community. I miss working out, talking about working out and swapping experiences with other people. And, more specifically, with women. I can't stress how crazymaking it has been not having someone to share the journey to peak condition with - there weren't people in my "group" on the site here, so, in a sense, I had no folks to be accountable to. Besides Patrick. And he doesn't count.

I joined the climbing course for a few reasons. One, accomplished climbers have told me I have "the body for it." Two, I get the sense it doesn't require a whole lot of coordination. And three, it gets me in contact with other folks.

The first lesson went well. We learned:

- to tie knots
- to belay
- to be safe when climbing (we're learning to climb in pairs and check one another's gear out before we begin climbing)
- basic climbing commands (which I promptly forgot once I got up the wall)
- how to get into our harnesses

Taking on a new practice is a lot of fun. This one, in particular, as it turns out, is both fun and challenging. For me it was less physically challenging, more mentally so. You have to think before releasing a hand from the wall. You have to think about the knot as you tie it. Starting from fresh with something really does force you to be mindful about it. I'll keep you updated as we progress through the course.