Photo by: Gage Hornsby
How Good Company Leads to New Challenges
Something I never saw myself doing was a bouldering competition, but in hindsight, I wish I had done one earlier. Let’s start at the beginning.
I’ve been bouldering for a while at the local Movement climbing gym in Centennial, Colorado. I met a guy named Phil there and noticed over a few months that he was becoming a much better climber. I asked him how he did it, and he mentioned he had been climbing with a group of guys who really encouraged him to push himself.
Eventually, I met those same guys through Phil. True to his word, they definitely encourage you to get better! One day, they (Charlie & Hunter) suggested I sign up for a local bouldering comp called the Mile High Melee. The competition had already started a few weeks prior, so I reluctantly signed up. The rules were simple: I would climb specially tagged routes and log my ascents and attempts in the Kaya climbing app.
I worked on a few routes, logged my ascents, and started accumulating points. Soon, I noticed a strange detail: I was the only male signed up from my specific gym. Assuming more people would join later, I just continued trying existing routes and working on new ones.
Photo by: Anna Hadzi
Leaderboard of One: Punching My Ticket to Finals
And then, just like that, the qualifier round was over. The two people with the highest point totals from each of the six Colorado Movement gyms would be invited to the finals. Oddly enough, I remained the only guy on my gym's leaderboard, which landed me an email invitation to the finals for the novice category! Hey, I'll take a win by default any day
Woohoo!! I was so honored just to be able to attend the finals. Still, I had no idea what to expect. I knew the category was supposed to be V0–V2, which is right within my climbing range. Even so, doubts started creeping in. Would everyone else flash (completing a route on your very first try without falling) all the routes while I became the “old guy” who failed? At 51 years old, I realized I would probably be the oldest person competing in my category, likely by at least 10 years. On the bright side, I would also get to watch the pros compete later, which I knew would be an amazing display of superhuman athletic ability.
Comp Day
The competition started at 6:00 PM. The novice category was inclusive of all genders, featuring women, men, non-binary, and non-disclosed competitors climbing together. As a group, we would have 15 minutes per boulder problem across a total of three routes, finishing up by 6:45 PM. The routes were set in advance, and the gym had actually restricted access to that area in the days leading up to the comp so we couldn't see or practice the routes beforehand.
I showed up early, wanting to get a quick warmup on a V0 or V1. The day itself had gone by agonizingly slowly, but the moment I stepped into the gym, time seemed to fly. When the starting order was read aloud, I found out I would be climbing fourth. For the very first climb, the rest of us had to turn our backs so the active climber wouldn't feel too much pressure.
Am I an athlete?
Route 1: White Holds (V2)
Suddenly, it was my turn. Based on the lack of noise, I thought, Wow, everyone must have flashed the route. I walked up, pulled onto the wall, tried to make the first move, and immediately fell. In this format, once you fall, you have to wait until the rotation comes back around to try again. Fortunately, after everyone's first attempt, we were allowed to watch and cheer each other on.
As it turned out, my thought that everyone had flashed it was far from reality. Everyone was falling off! Eventually, a couple of climbers sent the route, but I never made it past the start. Time’s up!
Route 2: Red Holds (V2)
I tried it once and fell right off. On my second try, I adjusted my strategy and placed my left foot against the opposing wall for leverage. I got up to the hold that had given me trouble, and this time, I executed an "alpine knee” the technique of using your actual knee on a hold instead of a hand or foot.
It worked! I was able to reach the next hold, and the crowd went wild cheering for the alpine knee. As I stood up, I reached the top hold, tapped it with my other hand to match, and pumped my fist in the air. I was so excited to make it to the top. Now I was feeling good.
Photo by: Gage Hornsby
Photo by: Gage Hornsby
Route 3: Red Holds (Final Route - V3)
This last one was set on an overhang and featured a dynamic jump move between holds. The first climber flashed it. The second and third climbers gave it everything they had, and then it was my turn.
I climbed up and launched myself toward the target. I felt my fingers touch the top of the hold, but I just couldn't stick it. Gravity is not forgiving, and I fell back to earth. My next few attempts met the exact same result—always feeling the hold with my fingertips, and always falling back to the mat. The announcer called out, "10 seconds left!" I gave it one final, desperate try, but gravity won again.
No Podium, But a Total Win
I didn't make it to the podium (the top three finishers), but I had an absolute blast and I finished in 4th place. The pure excitement, the enthusiasm of the fellow competitors, and the chance to try tough routes under pressure made it an incredible experience. For me, it was a total win. At 51 years old, I completed my very first climbing competition, and I am proud of the result. I showed up, I had fun, and I look forward to doing another one in the future. Plus, I learned exactly what areas I need to target in my training.
Have you ever tried a climbing competition before? If so, how did it go?
