Cat Runner is the winner of the HBO show The Climb. Cat sat down with me and Ethan Pringle at our cabin here in Rocklands to talk about what his life has looked like after The Climb, his experience filming the show, the stereotypical trans narrative in the media, why he chooses to be visible, his ungendered childhood, gender roles in sports, why people feel threatened by trans or queer identities, dealing with trolls, owning your accomplishments, building the Queer Climber’s Network, Rocklands highlights, and much more!
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Show Notes:
thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/cat-runner
Nuggets:
0:04:44 – Cat’s tea situation
0:07:53 – Ethan’s coffee addiction, and why he doesn’t drink it before doing something scary
0:11:20 – The Queer Climbers’ Network
0:16:15 – Life after winning The Climb
0:22:23 – Finding community through climbing, and helping others find that too
0:25:37 – Cat’s experience filming and watching the show
0:28:54 – Being trans as part of Cat’s identity, and how that came across in the show
0:30:38 – More behind the scenes, and what the climbing experience was like on the show
0:32:15 – Meeting Jason Mamoa, and meme accounts
0:34:14 – The reaction to the show, and getting messages from trans kids and their parents
0:36:35 – The stereotypical trans narrative in the media, and pushing people into the role of spokesperson
0:39:22 – Choosing to be visible, being proud of being trans, and seeing a future
0:42:36 – Being who he needed when he was younger, and trying to change one person’s world
0:44:14 – What Cat would have benefitted from as a kid, experiencing severe depression, and knowing he’s a part of the future
0:46:36 – Reading The Alchemist, and having intimate connections with individual people
0:51:43 – Cat’s childhood, transitioning within the binary, and how his gender identity has evolved
0:58:14 – Connecting with he/him pronouns
1:00:36 – Why people feel threatened by trans or queer identities, trolls, and the reaction to my video clip with Alayna Joy about climbing as a queer space
1:07:30 – Why Cat is particular about who he climbs with
1:10:28 – The trolliest of troll questions
1:11:16 – People’s insecurities, and “we’re all performing”
1:15:03 – Knowing when to give your energy to people, and leading with respect
1:19:36 – “Trans people are humans”, and the stat that 80% of Americans have never met a person they know to be trans
1:22:00 – An issue of isolation and ignorance
1:25:16 – Hopeful conversations, anti-trans legislation, and false information about gender-affirming care
1:27:56 – Cat’s parents
1:31:50 – Gender roles and sports, and the gender gap in climbing
1:38:25 – Height in climbing, the subjectivity of grades, and why outdoor rock climbing is so cool
1:43:49 – Rapid Fire: Best decision
1:44:19 – Rapid Fire: Most proud of
1:49:09 – Rapid Fire: What frustrates you
2:01:00 – Taking responsibility
2:03:28 – “Take! Falling!”
2:05:02 – Rapid Fire: Favorite rock type
2:07:46 – Rapid Fire: Ultimate dream climb
2:15:36 – Rapid Fire: Favorite send reward
2:17:04 – Rapid Fire: Go-to climbing shoes
2:23:00 – Rapid Fire: Desert Island DVD
2:25:31 – Rapid Fire: Favorite album for a long drive
2:28:49 – The one thing Cat wants people to know about trans stuff
2:31:29 – Taking representation seriously, and how sharing human stories cracks people open
2:38:17 – Doing your best, and sharing information with your circle
2:44:30 – Cat’s ankle injury, and his tick list from Rocklands
Follow-Up: Tom Randall — How to Program Your Training Like a Pro (Teaser)
EP 106: Hans Florine — Speed Climbing on ‘The Nose’, Big Wall Tips, and the Evolution of Speed Climbing Competitions
EP 105: Brent Barghahn — How to Retire Before Age 30, Extreme Unicycling, and How to Free Climb Big Walls By Yourself
EP 104: Amity Warme — Crushing in Yosemite, Growing up in Gymnastics, and Eating More to Do More
Follow-Up: Tyler Nelson — How to Train Based on Your Finger Anatomy (Teaser)
EP 103: Mina Leslie-Wujastyk — Chasing Flow State, The Role of Cleverness in Climbing, and Becoming a Mom
EP 102: Matty Hong — The History of ‘Flex Luthor’, Climbing Waterfalls in Japan, and the Camera as a Gift
EP 101: Nina Caprez — Being a Swiss Machine, Leaning into Womanness, and a Beautiful Story of Failing on ‘The Nose’
Follow-Up: Steve Maisch — My Training Plan for Hueco Round 2 (Teaser)
EP 100: Ben Moon — How Ben Moon Uses the MoonBoard, and the Evolution of Sport Climbing
Follow-Up: Paige Claassen — Dreamcatching, and Learning to Celebrate (Teaser)
EP 99: Q&A 4 — Goals for 2022, Dating on the Road, and What I’ve Learned from Nearly 100 Episodes
Follow-Up: Tyson Schoene — Building Champions, and Keeping Things Simple (Teaser)
EP 98: Kyra Condie — The Olympic Experience, Training With a Fused Spine, and Thriving in Organized Chaos
EP 97: Austin Hoyt — Favorite Zones in the Northeast, Rediscovering Old Projects, and Being a GUNKaholic
EP 96: Joe Kinder — The Love of Projecting, Leaving a Legacy, and the Other Side of Cancellation
EP 95: Tyler Algeo — Starting a Climbing Gym in Africa, Climb Malawi, and Raising Black Sons as a White Dad
Follow-Up: Steve Bechtel — When to Stick With It, and Climbing His First 5.14 at Age 47 (Teaser)
EP 94: Nathaniel Coleman — Preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, Climbing in a Sauna, and Kendama Training
EP 93: Tom Herbert (Part 2) —How to Relax to Improve your Passat Reserves, and Tom’s Life Story
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