For a long time I was stuck somewhere in the middle of the Advanced and Open categories. Not wanting to sandbag the advanced category, I competed in Open for 3 years (2006, 2008, and 2009). In 2008, I decided to do the whole Triple Crown, all three events. My best score: I barely broke 5000 points in the LRC event. I didn’t place, making fourth overall. I took with me my experience to 2009, and came fourth overall again. I had done much better than the previous year and ended up with a Hound Ears score of 5421, a fourth place score of 5864 for HP40, better than the last year but still not good enough to place, and 5800 at LRC. I was burnt out and not happy with my fourth place result.
I took a few years off. The Triple Crown requires a lot of effort, A LOT, to do well and keep pace with the locals who know the boulderfields. Ten of the hardest boulder problems you can send in a day is difficult to accomplish and training for it requires a much different set of tactics than trying to send harder and harder grades. I wanted to spend more time projecting and less time sending problems I had done many times before. I eventually got much stronger, sent V10, another long-time goal, and relocated to Chattanooga, the heart of Southern bouldering. I ended up with the most fantastic climbing partner, my husband, Mike.
Then I was inspired to try the Triple Crown this year. I am stronger and lighter now and my new husband was wanting to compete. He was coming off an injury. Repeating old problems he knew wouldn’t hurt his injury, was seeming to help him get back into shape. I was bored and angry in the gym and wanting to climb outside, but it wasn’t quite the season for projecting yet. So we decided we would compete in the Triple Crown.
I came up with a dream list of problems. The list I had wanted to put together for previous Triple Crowns, but could never execute. I decided I would only do problems I loved doing, that way the competition would still be fun. I was surprised the first time we went out to LRC and got on some of the problems that had come easy to me in previous years. They didn’t feel so easy in 85 degree heat and 98% humidity! But the temperature and humidity kept creeping down and I got very good at feeling comfortable sticking to moves I was slipping from.
It was strange for me to be bouldering in the heat. Once I attained a certain level in bouldering, I turned my nose up at climbing in the heat. I didn’t like lowering my expectations and my motivation was undermined by the drop in ability with the heat, so I quit climbing outside during the off-season. But circuiting added a new element of motivation. I dropped my level of expectation and the focus was on trying to do the ten hardest problems I could do given the conditions. While I couldn’t send my projects, I could send a pretty good list of V7 through V9 in the hot and humid weather.
Comp day was here. I was excited and ready to go, and ready to win. I forced myself into my go-to attitude of success. I knew no one could beat me, or at least that’s what I told myself. Kasia was turning her attention to the West, and I thought, "it’s my turn now".
And then suddenly people were disappearing into the woods and onto the boulderfield. The comp was on. I waited in line for my first warm-up, “Incredarete”. It was a V2. I’m sure there was a time when I couldn’t do the first move on this problem but I cannot remember it. But here I stood on the Organic pad looking up, incredulous. After 5 tries, I could not get my foot to stick on the first move!!! I was embarrassed, but passed it off to nerves, and after the fifth try I said to myself, “OK, move on, don’t get upset, just go to the next warm-up”. I proceeded to “The Main Event” and did it with no effort, locking off the crimp. That was all I needed to get my thinking back on track.
Next up was “I Think I Can”, a crimpy V9 infamous for its variability in difficulty for different body types, but on my circuit, normally a warm-up. However, some of the key holds in the middle of the boulder problem that I was accustomed to using, were taped off, a small pocket and a key foothold. I was worried I would have to revise my strategy right off the bat, but I still had my three tries according to my rule. After three tries, I have to move on to something else. On my first attempt with the new beta I was hesitant, and tried to adjust in an uncomfortable crimp and slipped. I came up with a plan of action for my next try and decided to execute. I wouldn’t adjust on the crimp, I would use it how I grabbed it, and throw for the next crimp. I was unstable on every move with the new beta, but climbed through it to a ballsy jump to a jug at the end. This send was all I needed to get me pumped.
The next problem I was worried about was "Dr. Atkinson". I sent it for the first time last year in cold weather and I had sent it once this year when conditions were pretty good. But the key hold was very temperature dependent and required a lot of force on the pointer finger, and I could only pull into it with the best of friction. It is an understatement to say it was not a good friction day. The other issue was I had slashed that necessary pointer fingertip on a crystal on Cleopatra a few days earlier so I had tape wrapped all over my fingertip. The taped finger wasn’t bothering me up until now, but I couldn’t make it work on "Dr. Atkinson". I had to give up after my 3 tries and move on to "Now and Zen".
Me attempting the crux on Dr. Atkinson.
The organizers had also made Now and Zen different by adding an extra move onto the beginning but didn’t cause me too much of a problem.
Me topping out Now and Zen.
Mike and I proceeded to a few more boulders and Gina and Ray took pictures and carried pads. I felt like a rockstar with an entourage. We then went to “Spank the Baby”. Jill was there and I arrived just in time to see her send it. It was her first time sending this problem, always an awesome accomplishment for the competition if you’re a local, I think. I love getting a new send at a Triple Crown but I wasn’t expecting to get one.
Jill avoiding the tree dab on Spank the Baby
I tried to send “Spank the Baby” but kept falling where Jill had executed perfectly. I had had issues on that heel hook in the past but didn’t think it would be a problem. I even changed from my Shaman to my heel-hooking Talon but that didn't even work. I had to give up on it after spanking the baby too many times.
Me trying to get the heel perfect on Spank the Baby
I was in dim spirits because I had only done 3 problems and Mike had 7 already! I knew this inequality could happen and was prepared for it, but it was difficult to not let it get to me. He was almost done and I had almost a whole card to fill up!
Mike crushing Grimace.
Things weren’t looking much better when I went to “Man Hands”. The boulder was in the sun. Mike was giving me words of support but I interpreted it as he thought I wasn’t doing well and what I needed was to believe I was crushing. I got my feet set and then I was off. Sometimes I have a hard time starting because I know I will either succeed or fail and how I feel when I start will affect the outcome. I think, “Will I succeed now, how about now, maybe it will be better in five seconds, if I chalk up once more, if I brush the holds once more”. I made it through the crux and was getting ready to throw to the last jug and everything blew! My hands burst out of those little greasy seams and Mike caught me. Everyone was feeling my despondent energy. It WAS hot, hotter than I knew how to deal with. I had to pick it up here or I wasn’t going to make it.
I had seen a lot of strong girls in the boulderfield; among them Carrie Cooper, Sarah Grainger, Francesca Metcalf, Jill Sompel, Kaitlyn Honnold, even girls from other countries. I didn’t know who all was competing in my category but I knew there was some competition out there.
I tore the tape off my pointer finger, chalked up, pulled hard into those seams, and crimped my way through Man Hands like my life depended on it.
Me setting up for the crux moves on Man Hands
I felt so good on the top-out even though I was pumped! I was back in. From there I crushed the rest of the problems I got on. I even sent “A Face in a Crowd” which I hadn’t sent yet this year, and hadn’t planned on doing for the comp, because despite what people say, it’s freaking hard!!
Me on A Face in the Crowd
Both Mike and I had 10 problems and thought we were done. I had 7920 points. But somehow neither of us wanted to be done. We still had an hour and a half left and after my final problem, he wanted to go try Psychosomatic and I was wondering how I might get above 8000 points. The crew journeyed back into the boulderfield. Gotta hand it to Ray and Gina, they were truly a fabulous couple to spend the day with and they went back and forth across that boulderfield with us many times.
Awesome couple Ray and Gina
We met up with Zach Campbell at “Psychosomatic” who suggested we go to “Cloud Nine”. Mike tried Psycho a few more times and determined he wasn’t going to do it so we pressed on to “Cloud Nine” with Zach.
I learned a lesson at Cloud Nine. I had never been on Cloud Nine, never seen video for it, didn’t know any beta, and didn’t know if girls had done it. The jug for hands was taped off and apparently increased the grade from V6 to V8. While I have done V8 in a day, I had never done it when it was over 80 degrees. I saw Mike and Zach do it easily and in my head wondered if it was possible for me. I noticed I was thinking negative thoughts. Tentativeness is a weakness of mine. I know some problems are height dependent and so I always wonder if this is one of the problems that I won’t be able to do. Both Mike and Zach had made a big move around the arête and I wondered if I could also do this move. I had a hard time figuring out the first move but learned it and then was stopped by the greasy sloper at the top. I couldn’t hang onto it. I was getting very close by setting a heel hook and throwing around the arête like Mike had done. Then I noticed a point on the topout much closer than where the men were throwing to. Next time on the problem I found the right spot on the sloper and locked off to the point. I need to keep in mind that there is always different beta, and I should never hold myself back wondering whether it is possible for me, of course it is!
The extra 200 points for sending Cloud Nine was enough for me to break 8000 points and I ended with 11 problems V7-V9 including a new send and a 10 problem score of 8172, crushing my previous Triple Crown records and winning the event! I had placed in a Triple Crown and sent my dream list. Mike won the Stonemaster category and we were both a very happy husband and wife!
Mike and I!!!
Next stop, HP40!!
