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I’ve always been fascinated by ultra running and I’ve always been fascinated by ultra running and those runners that seem to defy physical and mental limits with distances I can’t quite contemplate. I’ve watched all the documentaries I can find, read various books and find the subject very alluring. I’ve loved running at times myself, I get it in some ways, but I’ve never been fit enough to go to those extremes nor understand them on a personal level.

Charlotte Gibbs (@lottiee78 ) is a an experienced ultra runner. From being the winner and course record holder at the Beacons 50 mile race in 2018 to taking part in multiple Skyrunning races in the UK and Europe, she has a wealth of experience in this fascinating sport. 
Charlotte was also diagnosed with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport in 2019 after suffering with multiple stress fractures as well as the eventual loss of her periods and has been working on recovery ever since. She is so open and honest about her experience and that really makes this podcast a breath of fresh air in understanding the psychological drivers that can lead a person to an unhealthy place. We also talk a bunch about ultra running itself, the mental and physical contributions to performance and enjoyment as well as the toll it can place on the body when left unchecked.

For more of a deep dive on RED-S check out a previous episode Hazel and I recorded together on this syndrome.

Link to this episode in bio 
#curiousclimberpodcast #podcastpunters #stayathlne #arcteryx #running #ultrarunning #climbing @hazel_findlay @arcteryx @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @sterlingrope @wildcountry_official
Our next #curiousclimberpodcast episode is a conve Our next #curiousclimberpodcast episode is a conversation between @hazel_findlay and Nasim Eshqi (@nasimeshqi ). If you’re a climber in the West you may have imagined that your experiences and opportunities might be different if you’d grown up, and become a climber, in Iran. Especially if you’re a woman. Or you may not have thought about it at all. Whatever your preconceptions about Iran, Iranian culture, gender politics under a theocratic government, being an independent woman in a male dominated country, you’re likely to learn a lot from Nasim. .
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Oh and Nasim is no ordinary climber. She’s opened close to 80 routes (sport and trad) in 6 different countries, (despite the fact it’s very difficult to travel as an Iranian). She was Iranian kickboxing champion 10 times in a row before she started climbing 😳 She’s bolted and sent up to 8b. She works with women and youth groups in Iran with the aim of sharing her knowledge. She was awarded the King Albert memorial award for sustainable and exceptional services in connection to the mountains. Just all-round an impressive person.

Photos 1+3 : Moritz Attenburger, Photo 2: Jan Novak
@arcteryx @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @sterlingrope @wildcountry_official #podcastpunters #arcteryx #climbing #climbing_pictures_of_instagram
Ooosh another #curiousclimberpodcast episode! We a Ooosh another #curiousclimberpodcast episode! We are making an effort to get these out more regularly to keep everyone motivated, occupied and (hopefully) stimulated/inspired. .

This episode is a lovely chat I had the pleasure of having with Prerna Dangi (@thepahadigirl ). Prerna is based in Delhi and is the definition of an all-rounder. From early on in her climbing life she wanted to do a bit of everything: bouldering, sport, trad, ice climbing and alpinism. She clearly loves to be challenged and to learn but she also places emphasis on giving back to her community. From organising festivals (from bouldering to ice climbing and trad) to working with the social enterprise EcoFemme to educate girls about menstruation, she is an example to us all.
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We talk about lots of different things in this podcast from her personal development and experiences and her contributions to the climbing community to discussions around the cultural and social environment within climbing in India. Link in bio 😊

Photos: 1+2: Praveen Jayakaran, 3: Kiran Deep Kuar.

#climbing #podcastpunters #climbing_pictures_of_instagram #indiaclimbing #arcteryx @arcteryx @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @sterlingrope @wildcountry_official @hazel_findlay
Special extra release podcast! . @hazel_findlay t Special extra release podcast!
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 @hazel_findlay talks to Virologist Levi Yant about COVID-19. This episode was recorded today so it’s a timely presentation of the current situation. They talk about what this virus is and how it works, what the implications and predictions are, they explain some of the stats we are seeing and also discuss measures in place, what our various responsibilities are at this point and how they may affect outcomes. Wondering what kind of approach you should be taking in these strange times? This is worth a listen. Link in profile.
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Levi Yant has a postgraduate degree in Virology in HIV vaccine development. After forming a research group in evolutionary biology at Harvard, he moved to the University of Nottingham and is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
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#curiousclimberpodcast #covid19 #coronavirus #bouldering #climbing #climbing_pictures_of_instagram @arcteryx @fiveten_official
Our next episode of the #curiousclimberpodcast is Our next episode of the #curiousclimberpodcast is out! This one is a conversation between @hazel_findlay and Cameron Norsworthy from @theflowcentre and it’s all about that infamous flow state, also known as 'being in the zone'. This psychological state could be responsible for our best climbing performances but also our most enjoyable moments. .

I definitely recognise that experience; the total immersion in a moment, where time slows down, when you find the the perfect balance between challenge and ability. Digging deep on a redpoint (like on the final rail of Nordic Plumber in this picture from 2018) often brings this out for me: complete involvement and focus, what feels like effortless movement and exhilarating sensation. I also get it when writing actually, hours go past and it’s like I wake up from a daze with pages of text in front of me. There are definitely ways we can access this when at home too during this strange time. 
Cameron has a PhD in flow and has coached world champion athletes, CEOs and climbers with the aim of finding more flow in whatever they do. Enjoy! Link in profile. . #curiousclimberpodcast 
@Photo: @esteban.ele.eme @arcteryx @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @sterlingrope @wildcountry_official
This week’s #curiousclimberpodcast episode is wi This week’s #curiousclimberpodcast episode is with Sports Psychologist Madeleine Crane ( @climbingpsychology ) and is actually the first one I recorded, back in December 2019. .

I first met Madeleine in Tivoli, a small bouldering wall in Innusbruck. We were both competing in the 2013 Innsbruck Boulder World Cup and we were there with friends to have a session a few days before. We ended up climbing together, working the same boulders, and got chatting. I remember just thinking “this woman is so nice - friendly, fun, supportive and switched on”. I instantly liked her and we have stayed friends since, crossing paths in a number of climbing areas since. .

What I didn’t know at that initial meeting is that Madeleine is a sports psychologist, an intelligent and observant person who spends her time supporting people to perform their best, enjoy their sport and have a healthy outlook on their process. .

In this episode we talk about building confidence, comparison, body image, vulnerability, the role of a coach and emotional regulation.
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Link in bio - enjoy! Photos thanks to Peter Crane.
#podcastpunters #sportspsychology #climbing #arcteryx #podcast @arcteryx @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @sterlingrope @wildcountry_official
Fontainebleau: the perfect place to get back into Fontainebleau: the perfect place to get back into the groove of climbing again. Lots of circuit problems and good quality boulders in the easier grades. .

It’s really interesting to see what feels different and what feels familiar to me after 3 months off climbing (and all exercise). I’m heavier and weaker than I think I’ve ever been but my movement on rock is still there. I am way more scared on high boulders, not as trusting in my body as I am not sure what it can and can’t do. I often look at a move and think “yeah, fine” and then my body says “no, that’s too hard”. Expectation is best laid aside.
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It’s a fine line to make sure I don’t overdo it. This feels hard because my instinct is to “get back into shape” but I don’t want to go back to square one. In the first few months of recovery it’s easy to scare a period off again🩸and send my body back into shut down. Luckily my patisserie game is strong so carbohydrate availability is not an issue. 😂
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Photo @davidmason85 
#climbing #bouldering #climbing_pictures_of_instagram #fontainebleau #pastries #arcteryx #fiveten
The next episode of the #curiousclimberpodcast is The next episode of the #curiousclimberpodcast is a joint conversation with @hazel_findlay and me. We plan to do a few recordings like this, each one with a focus topic that we feel is important or interesting. In this one, Hazel takes the lead as we talk about my experience of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, all the things that lead to it and what recovery looks like as well as a wider discussion of weight and body image in climbing.
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We also talk quite a bit about the route Rainshadow (pictured); how I enjoyed having it as a project, the ups, the downs, the accidents and the final step away. I realise I haven’t really talked about this much since I broke my wrist and was forced to stop trying it. RED-S quickly threw another spanner in the works and I’ve been pretty distracted to be honest. But it’s interesting to look back and also to see how I feel about the whole thing now with some distance.
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Anyway, we hope you enjoy our chat 😊 Link in bio.

Photo thanks to @liamlonsdale 
#arcteryx #fiveten #podcastpunters #malham #red-s #reds #relativeenergydeficiencyinsport #periods #climbing
Complete rest, more food (so much toast), some tim Complete rest, more food (so much toast), some time, a whole heap of acceptance and patience....and I got my first recovery period 🩸 after being diagnosed with RED-S! .

Although a huge relief and very encouraging, this isn’t quite the end yet. I’m due a second one soon but 3-6 regular periods and other hormones (e.g. thyroid) also in normal range is considered fully recovered. I also need to slowly add climbing and other exercise back in a balanced and gradual way. But for now - YAY!! It’s the beginning of the end. .
The pictures show a story: first one from @etteloc is from climbing in the Red just before I pulled the plug on exercise, then one from my sister of the many walks I’ve been on during this rest time, and then finally....
. ....yes, the third picture is a period cake. When I started my period as a teenager, my mum made me one of these to celebrate my entrance to womanhood. She was so ahead of her time and I think we need more of this kind of acceptance, openness and celebration. .

I joked with friends that when I got my period back I’d make another period cake...well those lovely friends beat me to it and made me this one! Thanks @greenall_michelle and @rowanne_climbing 🙏 xx
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N.B If the cake picture grosses you out please think about why an image like this may make you feel uncomfortable. It’s happening regularly to half the population and it being taboo or creating feelings of squeamishness is a result of a long history of censoring the female body. I felt uneasy about discussing my period and showing the cake picture initially, so I totally get it, but it really shouldn’t be something we feel shame about. 
@arcteryx @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @sterlingrope @wildcountry_official #periodcake #redsrecovery #nearlythere
Its nearly that time of year again - the @arcteryx Its nearly that time of year again - the @arcteryxacademy will be back in Chamonix on the 2-5th July. Looking forward to another great event that bring people together to learn, develop and enjoy the outdoors. #arcteryxacademy
Our next #curiousclimberpodcast conversation is wi Our next #curiousclimberpodcast conversation is with Gilly McArthur. Gilly is a lifelong climber but she also swims in ice cold water 🥶. It might seem a bit crazy (and maybe it is) but it’s a really interesting experience that, through Gilly, @hazel_findlay and I have both come to love and reap the benefits of. .

In the podcast we talk about the physiological and psychological experiences of cold water swimming, the benefits it offers, the parallels that can be drawn to experiences within climbing, mental health and mindfulness, body image and non-striving versus performance.
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We do have some gents on the podcast soon too, we realise it’s been all women so far!
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Photos thanks to @hddnmedia  and @charliewoodburn 
Another big thanks to @alex__dempsey for the sound edit.

Link in bio 😊
#podcastpunters @arcteryx  @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @wildcountry_official @sterlingrope
This move was balancy, nuanced and delicate. Like This move was balancy, nuanced and delicate. Like a lot of climbing moves, I only managed to do it when I moved intuitively without thinking too much. Conscious controlling doesn’t work here, you have to trust your body to understand what it needs to do and how to do it. Looking back, I’ve always had a deep and innate trust in my body on the rock. I often can’t describe how I “should” do a move, but have to get on the rock and feel what works.
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Despite this trust in my body on the rock, I’ve had a hard time in recent years balancing and nurturing a good relationship with food. I’ve micro-managed what and how much I thought I should be eating and not eating. I labelled foods as good and bad. I berated myself for wanting more food, thinking I was greedy rather than really listening to my body telling me what it needed. .

Learning about intuitive eating has been a breath of fresh air. It has its issues and isn’t appropriate as a stand alone method in all contexts (for example due to the appetite suppressing nature of exercise or hormonal disregulation) but the basic practice of listening to and respecting my body has been a hugely beneficial paradigm shift for me. These last few months during my time away from climbing in recovery from RED-S, I have been making peace with food. This means unconditional permission to eat (not needing to earn or burn off food), respecting my hunger signals, accepting my body as it is in this moment (hard one), and rediscovering guilt-free enjoyment of food. .

A short Instagram post isn’t enough space for this subject but essentially I’m learning to trust, listen and respect in a new way. Transferable skills and all that. 
Photo @etteloc 
@arcteryx @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @sterlingrope @wildcountry_official #arcteryx
The next episode of the #curiousclimberpodcast is The next episode of the #curiousclimberpodcast is an inspiring and heartfelt conversation between @hazel_findlay and @nikkik_smith . Nikki is an accomplished climber on rock and ice, a writer (including many guidebooks) and a photographer. In the podcast she also speaks openly about her experiences as a trans woman and shares her story of finding freedom and expression as her true self.  Link in profile. Enjoy 😊 
#podcastpunters #arcteryx
I used to think I was quite good at dealing with u I used to think I was quite good at dealing with uncertainty and discomfort. .

What I realise now is that actually what I was good at was taking uncertain or uncomfortable situations/feelings and making them more certain/comfortable through controlling the variables that I could and project managing solutions and pathways. I’m a problem solver at heart. .

That is very different to really just sitting with uncertainty and discomfort. And there are always going to be things, as I’ve been learning in a number of ways over the last few months, that can’t be planned around or fixed. The very things I want to control I have to intentionally let go of and the things I feel uncomfortable with, I have to lean into. .

Understanding that this is a totally different skill has been really helpful.
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I’ve found this exact parallel in cold water swimming. The sensation of the cold is sharp but you can choose to stay calm, breathe and watch those feelings in your body. The water doesn’t get warmer but I have got better at habituating myself to the sensation of extreme cold. I react less and relax more each time. If you let it, it pulls you into the present moment and into your body really acutely. It’s like training for adversity.
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Anyway, it looks totally bonkers but I’ve grown to love it and benefit from it hugely. Thanks @gillymcarthur and @madeleine_cope for a great weekend and look out for a future #curiousclimberpodcast episode with Gilly about cold water swimming. Also give Gilly a follow and check out her process of swimming everyday in January to raise money for @mindcharity .

Photos thanks to @charliewoodburn @arcteryx @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @wildcountry_official @sterlingrope #coldwater #coldwaterswimming #lakedistrict
I first met @sheneenagins on a bouldering trip to I first met @sheneenagins on a bouldering trip to the states a while back and it was immediately clear that she was intelligent, fun and a climbing force to be reckoned with. When @hazel_findlay and I first hatched the idea of The Curious Climber Podcast, I had only recently watched Nina’s segment in the 2019 @reelrock and, as a fellow highballer, I was full of questions about her process with those tall boulders. How did she view risk and danger and was there a process around managing them that enabled her to perform? Does she feel a professional responsibility for showing what is perceived to be dangerous climbing? If so what does that look like? Where does her motivation come from to take on that type of challenge and does she need to check in with herself sometimes that she is climbing for the right reasons? 
This conversation with Nina was really enjoyable for me because she was so open to talking about and exploring the nitty gritty of her experiences. We discuss many of the questions above but also talk about things like what drove her to cheat as a young competition climber (and then bravely write about it), her perspective on the FFA, returning to studying and the effect that has on her sense of productivity and climbing identity.

Link in bio. Hope you enjoy it. Massive thanks to @alex__dempsey for helping us out with sound quality 👍🏻😊
#curiousclimberpodcast #podcastpunters 
Photos thanks to @james_lucas 
@arcteryx @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @wildcountry_official @sterlingrope
Almost any process is a bit like climbing a route. Almost any process is a bit like climbing a route. A start, a middle and an end. A cruxy section or maybe a few. Once you get through the hardest part it might be plain sailing to the top or maybe it’s tough right to the very end. Sometimes there are rests, sometimes it’s relentless. 
I think I’m about halfway up my “recovery route” and I wanted to share some things that I’m grateful for so far: 🔹Learning to really listen to my body; I now simply eat when I’m hungry and rest when I’m tired (not when I “think” these things should happen but when I FEEL them). That includes snacks at 11pm if that’s what my body says it needs. Zero guilt for any of it. 🔹Realising that my world didn’t end when I couldn’t go climbing or running for a while. 🔹My most recent blood test (mid Dec) showed improved levels of sex hormones - so rest and food is working and my body is responding. 🔹Diversifying. I’ve started a podcast with the lovely @hazel_findlay , I’m learning the piano and re-finding my singing voice, I’m focusing on professional development within nutrition through further study (IOC Sports Nutrition Diploma and Intuitive Eating course) and hopefully starting some volunteering soon. 🔹Cold water swimming through the winter is giving me a lot: time outside, mindfulness, body awareness, it’s invigorating and it also makes me not hide my body. 🔹I don’t have to pee multiple times in the night anymore and I can easily get through a film without a wee break. I had no idea that was connected to hypothalamic suppression until it got massively better. 🔹Toast. I love toast. Didn’t used to eat it much, now eat it everyday. 
I’d be lying if I said it was all good days, there are low days of course. But on the good days I feel a sparkle that is new and exciting. I’m still not recovered fully so this is just the start of the positive change but there is much to be grateful for already. 
Photo thanks to @etteloc of Orange Juice (5.12c/7b+) @arcteryx @fiveten_official @betaclimbingdesigns @sterlingrope @wildcountry_official #arcteryx #routes #recovery #process
Happy New Year everyone! 😊 A while back when I Happy New Year everyone! 😊

A while back when I knew I was in for a bit of life’s rough and tumble (having to stop climbing temporarily for health reasons - see previous posts) I wrote down all the things I would be psyched to do that I never had time to do when I was climbing so much.

I love long-form conversations with interesting people - there’s so much more room for a deeper dive on subjects, nuance and explanation, feeling and understanding.

So the idea of starting a podcast was born. In this current world of short snippets and social media projections, it’s refreshing to put some energy into this kind of project.

The timing was perfect as @hazel_findlay was also planning a similar venture and we decided to join forces 😊

So here we go....it’s not perfect but hopefully it’s interesting and fun....happy 2020, follow the link for a short haphazard intro and our first episode: 
Hazel talking with @bethrodden 😊

Link in bio 👍🏻 Podcast cover photo: @_drew_smith_ 
#curiousclimberpodcast #conversations #arcteryx #climbing #podcastpunters
When I left home to come on this climbing trip, I When I left home to come on this climbing trip, I realise I was in a bit of denial about my recovery from hypothalamic amenorrhea and RED-S.

Eat more and no high intensity exercise - easy right? Turns out it’s really hard to avoid “high intensity” exercise in climbing. Depending on the venue, sometimes just the walk-in alone can be “high intensity”. I focussed on easier routes but that often meant I was onsighting or even quick ticks meant embracing getting pretty pumped - also probably “high intensity”. Eating more was easier in practice but the result was weight gain - there is a time lag between providing the body with the energy it needs and all the chronically down-regulated functions being switched back on and in this time the surplus of energy is stored. Climbs that might once have felt easy, felt hard and moved into the “high intensity” bracket. I questioned everything all the time, worrying that I was doing too much or hindering my recovery. I didn’t recognise the feeling or sight of my body and it’s changing dimensions. Everyday the waist belt of my harness sharply reminded me of these changes. Being honest, it was, and still is, an uncomfortable (and I’m told transitional) process that is requiring a lot of trust.

I spent time in the RRG, went to an amazing @arcteryx athlete meet in Moab and had some fun days learning to crack climb in Indian creek. It was really great and the last thing I want to do is sound ungrateful for these experiences but by the time I met @davidmason85 in Joe’s Valley I was wrecked - mentally and physically. 
So I stopped climbing. It felt like the only option to make progress in recovery. My body felt stressed out and I wasn’t really enjoying it either. It took me ten weeks (since diagnosis) to get to that decision on my own and I needed this trip to show me that I couldn’t just plough through. Sometimes the body just says no.

Almost a month of rest I’m still really tired, my body feels alien and I miss climbing but I’m trying to take the long term view on health. I’ve never been great at delayed gratification so this is a good lesson in acceptance, patience and humility. (cont. in comments)
Photo thanks to @etteloc
December means winter in a lot of places and, for December means winter in a lot of places and, for some of us, that means getting out climbing, skiing or walking in outdoor spaces that we love. Protect our Winters is a non-profit organisation that targets climate change through advocacy, education and community based activism. Consider giving the gift of POW. @arcteryx will match all donations made to POW Canada at protectourwinters.ca on Giving Tuesday, December 3, up to $60,000 CAD. Every donor will also be entered to win one of two Arc’teryx Whiteline outfits. Learn more at the link in my bio.  #POW #ARCTERYX #protectourwinters
Since I started talking publicly about my recent e Since I started talking publicly about my recent experiences with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport I have been overwhelmed by the response I have had from the climbing community.

I’ve received a lot of compassion, kindness and support which has been amazing but I have also had many climbers reach out having or having had similar problems. There have been lots of questions on how to understand the problem and manage recovery as well how to avoid this issue in the first place. 
I see a lot of concern in our community for the long term health of climbers and a growing interest in understanding our physiology and our fuelling needs in the context of climbing and training  performance. 
I’ve teamed up with the BMC (@teambmc) to organise a non-profit event that aims to raise awareness, provide practical information and generate discussion around the risks and health implications of RED-S in climbing. 
The event will be held from 4-6pm at @awesomewalls_sheffield on the 18th January and will feature guest experts Renee McGregor ( @r_mcgregor Specialist Sports and Eating Disorder Dietitian) and Dr Nicky Keay (@nickykfitness Sports Endocrinologist specialising in RED-S) as well as panel and audience discussion with opportunity for Q&As. The dialogue will be centred around climbing but we welcome people from any sport. 
See my profile for a link to the BMC article with more details and the FB event page (both of which have details on obtaining tickets). First photo from the talented @etteloc of me on Skinny Love (7c/12d) earlier this autumn. Before anyone says it - yes I’m enjoying the irony/poignant nature of the route name!! Second picture with event details. 
#redsrecovery #climbing #lowenergyavailability #redrivergorge #sheffield #events
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