Week 8 Interview

MW: It's been 8 weeks, how do you feel?

Chuck: I feel that I've made decent progress, not as fast as I would've liked, but decent. I've enjoyed doing this project as it's made work seem a lot less like work.

MW: What are you climbing now?

Chuck: I flashed a 5.10+ lead last night, my first one ever. I felt pretty solid and didn't have much trouble with it. I've top-roped 5.11- and am now working on a couple of 5.11s. I've noticed a considerable ramp-up in difficulty just from 5.11- to 5.11, leading me to believe there really is a complete step in between each a, b, c, and d. Technique hasn't been so much an issue on these as strength. My strength has been increasing steadily the past several weeks on a consistent scale, leading me to believe that I could increase one grade every 2 weeks. If that's true, and 5.14 is achievable, I should be there around July 10th, 2000-in theory, anyway. I feel I could've possibly climbed 5.11 last night, but my strength was zapped from a sunburn from playing golf earlier in the day.

MW: Poor thing.

Chuck: I know, it's rough.

MW: What are your thoughts about reaching the ultimate goal?

Chuck: I think this has turned less into a search for 5.14 as it has a search for what the common man can climb while still holding down a 40+ hour a week job, having a family, a mortgage, etc. I think that is the true quest now and it is more applicable to climbers as a whole.

MW: So, are you saying that 5.14 can't be reached by "Joe"?

Chuck: I don't think it can be done without these three key components. One, you must have the drive to want to climb 5.14 and it must be a burning passion inside you. You literally must eat, sleep and drink climbing 24/7. If this is not inside you, you'll never get there unless you possess freaky strength. Two, you must be willing to give up everything to get it. You must be willing to quit your job and climb full-time as your profession. I was talking to Brian (one of the guys who has helped us out and works at Paradise Rock Gym) and he feels the same way. He's a 5.12+ climber and has been climbing for years and has climbed with guys like Tommy Caldwell. He says these guys climb constantly and also possess the last key element: incredible tendon strength. You know the type, they shake your hand and you think they've just crushed every bone. The tendon strength is the one thing that you can't really train for, you either have it or you don't. You're born with it. Without this supernatural strength and the other two components, it's my opinion that climbing 5.14 could possibly be out of reach for most people.

MW: So you're saying it can't be done, the experiment is over?

Chuck: Hardly. It's really just begun. I still don't have proof that it can't be done, these are just things that I've gathered from talking with other people in the industry and through my own observations. I'm certainly holding on to the fairy tale, but at the same time trying to be realistic and even scientific in my approach. If in fact 5.14 is unachievable, I think that it is just as important for people to know what is achievable by everyday joe. The majority of climbers out there are just like you and me. They have steady jobs that keep them from climbing five days a week and hours at a time and they have families they want to spend time with. Though climbing is a very integral piece of their life, it doesn't take precedence over these other areas.

MW: Then what is your prediction for the outcome? Just spit it out: 5.14 or not?

Chuck: I've done a lot of research and talked to a lot of climbers and feel I have a decent grasp on whether or not it can be done. But, I don't have any scientific proof, meaning the experiment must continue. So, you're just going to have to wait and see. :)

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