09/09/2026
I had no plans for this trip. No goals, no structure, no training plan leading up to it, something entirely foreign to me.
I’ve been climbing outside very little, and most of what I have been on has been obscure, with pretty innocuous grades. The irony is that this has perhaps been the most fun I’ve had, and some of the best I’ve ever performed, on a climbing trip.
This past year has forced me to wade into the murky waters of motivation, dedication, and commitment, and the paradoxical relationship between all three and performance.
I’ve always sought certainty in my training plans, my goals, and my strategies. But lately I’ve been wondering if, somewhere in that pursuit, I’ve missed some of the magic in finding the balance between Chris Sharma’s tranquillity and Adam Ondra’s obsession.
Like so many things in life, performance is so far from black and white. And this trip, which I’m only halfway through, has continued to solidify that for me.
The Bee Professor V9
