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
Follow-Up: Katie Lamb — Box Therapy V16, and the Willingness to Persist (Teaser)
EP 186: Q&A 7 (feat. Ethan Pringle) — Rocklands Wrap-Up, Bat Hang Shenanigans, and Challenging Your Perceived Limits
EP 185: Mattias Braach-Maksvytis — All Things Dynos, Why Boulderers Should Train Their Legs, and How to Enjoy Your Climbing
EP 184: Nic Rummel — Embracing Thickness, Lessons From 9 Years of Hangboarding, and Doing Whatever It Takes to Feel Like a Badass
EP 183: Jenn DeBellis — Chasing Dream Boulders, Turning Small Wins Into Big Wins, and Sustaining a Full-Time Job on the Road
EP 182: Carlos Tkacz & Steph Letourneau — Lessons From 7 Trips to Rocklands, Being Good at Being Consistent, and Writing Novels
EP 181: Charlie Schreiber, Adam Shahar, Noah & Benn Wheeler — Accidentally Flashing V13, Board Training, and Ultimate Dream Sends
EP 180: Troy Fauteux, Austin Hoyt, & Bryce Viola — Times We Almost Died, Toe Hook Training, and Laughs and Sends in Rocklands
EP 179: Cat Runner — Life After Winning The Climb, Embracing Trans Pride, and Sending Big at 5’0”
Follow-Up: Ollie Torr — How to Improve Your Critical Force, Training Endurance at Home, and Listener Q&A (Teaser)
EP 178: Ethan Pringle Returns — Two Things He Does Every Day, Taking Your Time, and Honoring His Dad
EP 177: Tiba Vroom — Confronting Fear of Failure, Being the 8, and Taking Responsibility for Your Life
Follow-Up: Dave MacLeod — Lessons From Recent Diet Experiments, the 9a+ Goal, and Getting Stronger After Age 40 (Teaser)
EP 176: Eric Hörst Returns — Top 7 Most Common Training Mistakes
EP 175: Ady Wright — The Pressure of Opportunity, Acts of Rebellion, and Eating Oreos for Breakfast
EP 174: Bernd Zangerl — Developing World-Class Bouldering in the Himalayas, Entering the Easiness, and the Power of the Mind
Follow-Up: Hazel Findlay — Top 3 Performance Hacks (Teaser)
EP 173: Louis Parkinson — How to Break Down Dynamic Movements, the Benefits of Indoor Climbing, and Cultivating Confidence
EP 172: Brittany Leavitt — Seeking Change in Climbing, Unmasking, and Top Lessons From Teaching Kids
EP 171: Leo Houlding — A Life of Adventure, Climbing Big Walls With Kids, and Epic Stories From El Cap
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