Just like not everyone who climbs is a “climber,” not everyone who runs is a “runner,” and I’ll be the first to admit that I’m the former, not the latter! And while most people probably can guess that rock climbing is great exercise, it’s not all-inclusive, so for me, running has always played a smaller, [...]
Two Questions
February 1, 2013 By 18 Comments
During my phone interview to be an Athleta sponsored athlete this year, I was asked two questions that I wish I could answer again, more coherently. I’m perpetually a mess on the phone, and am much more comfortable one-on-one, in person. So I’d like to take advantage of my first blog post for Athleta to [...]
Finishing a Goal
December 10, 2012 By 1 Comment
Twelve 5.12’s for 2012! As this year draws to a close, I am excited to share that I wrapped up a year-long goal of mine just a few weeks ago! At the tail end of 2011, I managed to send my very first route at the 5.12 difficulty grade. (Non-climber translation: a “send” means leading [...]
Power of Heart
October 18, 2012 By 7 Comments
For those of you readers that are on the other side of 30, you may remember a TV show called Captain Planet. The heroes of this kid’s series were five environmental good guys, known as “Planeteers,” each possessing a magic ring that controlled an element of nature (earth, wind, water, fire) that they would use in [...]
A Life Exposed
September 2, 2012 By 4 Comments
Exposure is a commonly used term in rock climbing that might not be familiar to those outside of the sport. I found an online dictionary that defined it as “being in a situation in which you are very aware that you are high off the ground.” In other words, standing on a large summit that [...]
The Art of Projecting
May 27, 2012 By 2 Comments
For those non-climbers out there, the term “projecting” is used to describe the process that one goes through to successfully redpoint a route near or at their limit. A route is considered “sent” (aka redpointed) when the climber is able to lead the route from bottom to top (bringing the rope up with them and [...]
Stop and Look
March 19, 2012 By 2 Comments
“Don’t forget to look out!” I’m a little better about it now, but when I first started climbing outdoors, I was notorious for climbing to the top of a route, getting lowered down, and then proceed to hear every person that climbed after me rave about the spectacular view they had when they turned around [...]
Climbing 101 – New Adventures for a New Year
January 31, 2012 By 21 Comments
When people find out that I’m a rock climber, the usual reaction is something to the effect of – “Wow, I could never do that!” My response is almost always “What’s stopping you?!?” So many times we as women refuse to undertake new adventures because of fear – fear of the unknown, of failure, or [...]
What Is Commitment? Ask Janelle Smiley.
December 1, 2010 By 5 Comments
by Ashley McCullough, Team Athleta | As athletes, we all have very specific relationships to commitment. It’s something realized over a long period of time as a sport becomes more than just fun and turns into an integral, necessary part of life…
Breaking Point
October 26, 2010 By 3 Comments
by Janelle Smiley, Featured Athlete | It happens to everyone, no matter the context. To some people it happens more, to others less. But regardless it happens. It comes in many forms, sometimes it will sneak up on you and other times you know it has been coming for days or even years…
