James Pearson is one of the world’s best trad climbers. We discussed a 15-year-old controversy that nearly ended his career, how meeting his wife Caroline saved him, climbing his first 9a after learning how to train, eGrader and quantifying E grades, his decision to suggest E12 for his new route ‘Bon Voyage’, why he was afraid of becoming a dad, what kids taught him, and much more! This was one of my all-time favorite interviews.
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Show Notes:
thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/james-pearson
Nuggets:
(00:00:00) – Intro
(00:01:35) – Getting settled
(00:03:13) – Why I feel like I know James
(00:05:33) – Introducing the Redemption Story
(00:08:10) – Internet backlash
(00:10:05) – Coming full circle
(00:13:33) – Why it felt important to grade ‘Bon Voyage’
(00:17:10) – The full story
(00:28:47) – Compassion for himself
(00:30:53) – Moving to Innsbruck to work on his sport climbing
(00:36:05) – Thinking his pro climbing life was over, meeting Caroline, and their trip to Turkey
(00:41:18) – Learning how to train
(00:46:33) – 7b+ to 8c+ in 6 months
(00:52:32) – Fun and performance
(00:53:23) – E grades
(00:56:16) – Trying to flash E10 in Pembrook, and falling in love with climbing again
(00:59:43) – Returning to ‘Rhapsody’
(01:02:10) – Flashing V13 (8B), and his struggle with projecting pressure
(01:08:50) – Climbing V15, craving the next level, and living the pro climber dream with Caro
(01:17:10) – Why he left the UK, and why it felt important to return to ‘Rhapsody’
(01:24:53) – Searching for his hardest trad route
(01:25:59) – Making the Redemption film
(01:29:21) – eGrader, and understanding E12 and beyond
(01:35:47) – Climbing a 9a right after ‘Bon Voyage’
(01:37:15) – Talking to Hazel Findlay, and PTSD
(01:38:58) – Presenting E12 again 15 years later
(01:45:04) – Backlash about grades, and Anna Hazelnutt’s thoughts about Walk of Life
(01:49:02) – Breaking down E12 and ‘Bon Voyage’
(02:00:53) – Finding ‘Bon Voyage’
(02:08:08) – How dangerous is ‘Bon Voyage’?
(02:20:23) – Being more scientific about grades
(02:24:54) – Why give ‘Bon Voyage’ an E grade?
(02:38:44) – Becoming a dad
(02:47:47) – What kids taught him
(02:53:57) – Rules for climbing with kids, and sending without expectations
(02:58:17) – Tips for climbers with kids
(03:03:36) – James’ advice for his younger self
(03:11:15) – Climbing matters
(03:16:45) – Accepting some selfishness, and Caro’s mom
(03:23:36) – Training with Ollie Torr for ‘Bon Voyage’, and Caro’s journey back to hard climbing after pregnancy
EP 40: Tonde Katiyo (Part 1) — Discrimination vs. Privilege, and Making a Better World by Making Better Climbing
Follow-Up: Ethan Pringle — The Stories We Tell Ourselves (Teaser)
EP 39: Matt Fultz — ‘Hypnotized Minds’ V16, Strength Before Weight, and Using Your Build as a Gift
EP 38: Solomon Barth — Up-Down-Ups, Veganism, and Working to Live (and Make a Difference)
EP 37: Simon Carter — Action vs. Landscape, The Taipan Closure, and Top 10 Climbing Photography Tips
BONUS: Charlie Manganiello — Goals vs. Actions, Synchronized Swimming, and Magic Bullets
BONUS: Alex Bridgewater — Getting Strong, Speed Walking, and Self-Belief
EP 36: Climb Strong Team — 2020 Training Camp Mashup
EP 35: Steve Bechtel — Changing Your Mind, Lessons From Studying Sprinting, and Creating Better Habits
EP 34: Roger Volkmann — Five Principles of Life, Tough vs. Strong, and Devils Tower
EP 33: Mike Kerzhner — El Cap’s ‘PreMuir’, Emigrating from Russia, and Discipline vs. Necessity
EP 32: Natasha Barnes — Myths and Truths of Strength Training, Calorie Balance, and The Power Mullet
EP 31: Maya Madere — Windsurfing, Endurance Training for Boulderers, and Trusting Intuition
EP 30: Connor Herson — Fourteen 5.14s at Fourteen, Big Wall Free Climbing, and Power Training on a Home Wall
EP 29: Tyson Schoene — Building World-Class Athletes, the Value of Competition, and Drills for Every Climber
EP 28: Blake Cason on Radical Honesty, the Mindfulness Muscle, and Cycling Priorities
EP 27: Audrey Sniezek — Corporate Work, Starting A Gym, and Telling Yourself You Belong
EP 26: Ben Herrington — Go-To Training Sessions, Skateboarding, and Obsessive Compulsion
EP 25: Nathan Hadley — Circuit Sessions, Onsight Practice, and Establishing the First 5.14 at Index
EP 24: Paige Claassen — Pre-Send Rituals, Breathing Techniques, and Learning from Each Attempt
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