Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 7:00AM | Amy C expanding outdoors: climbing in three dimensions with Anne Hughes
Gill's Cheek, 5.11d/12a | Devil's Lake, WI | July 5, 2009Growing up. It’s an unavoidable part of life and something we all, at one time or another, think about. As I approach my 40s, my age feels a little more magnified. Bigger and somehow more present. I feel as though there’s so much in my life I want to see, experience and accomplish and that maybe I might not have time to do it all.
A few months ago, Brad (over at PEMBAserves) introduced me to Anne Hughes when he heard I was interviewing athletes who’d gotten their start later in life, and her story blew me away. It’s helped to remind me that age (and feeling old) is relative.
Our age doesn’t dictate how old we feel.
I hear a lot of people say, “I’m too old to start doing x, y, or z.” Age can be a really convenient excuse... but I strongly believe it’s just that: an excuse. Anne was kind enough to sit down with me over the phone and share her remarkable story.
It’s a story about making choices, finding passions and living with grace and power. It’s about looking at fitness in three dimensions (not only physical dimensions, but mentally and through relationships). I am honored to introduce you to Anne Hughes. Woman. Wife. Mother. Artist. Climber.
Anne on her first mixed lead with Chicks with Picks in Ouray, CO | January 2010
climbing in three dimensions
A couple of weeks ago, Anne sent a 5.11d on top rope at Devil’s Lake, WI, that she’s been working on for a year. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the rating system for rock climbing, 5.11d is really, really hard. And she’s got her sights set on a 5.12a (the next level up) that she’s had on her list of climbs to complete before she’s 60.
Before she’s 60.
Yes, you read that right. Before Anne is 60, she’s targeting a goal to send 5.12a. (My money’s on her doing it much sooner.) Anne isn’t like a lot of climbers that have been climbing since their twenties, where climbing can often feel like second nature.
When Anne was in her twenties, she wasn’t into sports and describes her life as pretty sedentary. In fact, she was an artist who spent a lot of time sitting, “making drawings all day,” and then exhibiting around the country showing her art in galleries. In her 30s she became a full-time mom when her two children were born.
At the age of 42, she was introduced to climbing by a friend and hasn’t looked back. At 56 she is in the best shape of her life, busy teaching, climbing, and experiencing a life that she never imagined.
After talking with Anne and hearing her enthusiasm and passion first hand, I found myself inspired and reenergized about my own life. I hope you will, too. And I hope that her story magnifies and brings light to the idea that it’s really never too late to begin.
Side note: I wasn’t able to record our conversation, so have paraphrased and provided direct quotes where applicable. (Anne has also given her blessings for this post. Thanks Anne!)
the physical experience
What drew you to climbing?
setting up top rope at Devil's LakeFor my husband’s 40th birthday, we threw him a huge party, which was a lot of fun, but I wanted something different when it was my turn. I decided to sign up for a guided women’s backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon. I loved it, and kept in touch with some of the women I’d met on that trip. One of them began climbing and came out for a visit a couple of years later and introduced me to the sport.
What made you decide on an outdoor adventure for your 40th birthday? When my husband and I were just getting to know each other (in our early 20s), we spent three months traveling across the country backpacking. Neither of our families were very outdoorsy, so it was completely new to us.
Having everything you need for seven or 10 days on your back was uncomplicated and appealing. I was really drawn to the simplicity and being in nature.
Tell me about your first climb.
We went to Devil’s Lake State Park on Halloween. It was pretty late in the season to be climbing outside, but the day turned out to be really beautiful. I spent the day learning about staying safe and how to climb on top rope. My first climb was Brinton’s Crack, which is a classic at Devil’s Lake.
What was the first year of climbing like?
Since my first climb was at the end of the outdoor climbing season in Wisconsin, I got home from that first day and began researching climbing gyms in the area. I found a women's climbing club, the Madison Women Climbers, that climbed every Monday in Boulders Gym.
We often climbed in pairs or groups of friends. I loved meeting new people and found lots of mentors there. “I learned a lot that winter in the gym and by the time April came, I had skills. I could climb 5.9.”
deepening relationships
You’ve mentioned that relationships and friendships are really important to you. Your first trip was with women-only, as well as the club you joined at the climbing gym. What’s the significance and draw of the all-female environment for you?
Ouray, CO | Chicks with Picks | January 2010“I really enjoy doing things in the company of women. I like the way women interact. In outdoor activities, women are fun to be with and support each other in different ways than men do. Women are a lot of fun to spend time with.”
“And I think among the greatest things in life are friendships and relationships. Climbing is a really unique sport. You’re taking care of friends’ lives. That part of the sport really suits me. I’ve developed close friendships with women I trust. I take care of them and likewise.” You are (quite literally) holding your friend’s life in your hands. I am lucky to climb with some very close friends.
“I give serious consideration to who I’d like to have as a climbing partner.” It’s a deliberate choice. I’ve cultivated deep connections. We spend a lot of time together. It’s often eight to ten hours of the day. You want to pick those people you really like and absolutely trust.
And you’re having a blast because you love who you’re with. Climbing is special to me that way.
building the mental muscle
A lot of people find making the time for fitness challenging. How do you do it?
“I had to learn that I deserved that time. I’m a homemaker and run the household. I found it hard to justify leaving for climbing.”
“It was hard for me to realize I should ask for what I wanted and to arrange for the help. I learned it was okay. I didn’t have to wait until the kids were 20.
You’ve been described as being “in the best shape of your life.” What does that feel like at 56?
Bouldering at Anchor Point | Devli's Lake, WI“It’s just great.” I’ve had a trainer for the past year and am thrilled with the shape I’m in and where it’s taken my climbing. Climbing is a three-dimensional sport. You move in every direction, in every way. You’re fit for strength, power and endurance and you’re doing everything a body can do. It feels great.
”Here I am, living in a fine-tuned machine, while most people in their fifties feel like their bodies are falling apart. It’s kind of nice that since I wasn’t an athlete in my first three decades, I’ve yet to peak. In my case, I don’t have athletic feats of youth that I can no longer match. I’m still on the journey to see what I can do if I work hard and believe. My future is full of possibilities”
For forty years, my body was a vessel that took my mind, body and soul around. Now it’s an entity in and of itself. I can lift more weight than ever (I have a dead lifting personal best of 225 lbs). I can pull my own body weight in any direction while climbing. I have strength, flexibility and mental fitness.
Tell me more about your mental fitness.
“It’s the biggest challenge in climbing.” For me, it’s dealing with the fear of falling while lead climbing. It’s where my biggest struggle has always been. Working on that mental muscle is such a mystery to me.
”But it is good that my palpable fear of lead falls hasn’t made me quit leading. I can’t say it’s fun, but it’s a challenge. As long as I’m confident I can climb a route, I’ll lead it. As soon as I’m faced with a route at my challenge level, all I want is to not be there. Anywhere but there. I don’t think I’ve mastered my fear yet, but I’m still in there, working on it.
Training with Pat Gilles at Pat’s gym has taught me that “my body can do a lot more than I thought” and it’s helping me develop that mental muscle. I thought I was getting a personal trainer to gain strength, but the biggest benefit has been mental. “He challenges me beyond what I think I could ever do and I’ve discovered I can keep going when my mind is telling me to quit. I believe I can transfer that to climbing.”
How has your attitude toward fitness changed?
I came from a generation where “being fit” was not on the radar for most of us until we were in our 30s. There were jocks, and there were “other people.” There wasn’t the attitude about fitness as a lifestyle or as a health benefit that there is today, and I didn’t think much about being fit. I wasn’t overweight, so it was fine.
”I discovered how good it feels to be fit once I got into climbing. And I got into it because it was fun. I’ve found I can push through things. Climbing’s a great metaphor for life. The way I handle risk in climbing is how I handle it in life.”
What have you learned?
“I’ve learned I can do way more than I thought I could. I’m full of energy, motivation and gratitude for my health. Until the second half of my life, I wasn’t thinking about living in a body. I feel alive!”
I also discovered how much I love teaching. It’s so fun to teach beginners a physical activity. They learn so much so quickly—there’s a steep learning curve—and it’s fun to see the progress. (Editor’s note: Anne loved climbing so much, she got trained as an instructor and now teaches beginning through advanced courses and is a route setter at her local gym.)
moving forward
What keeps you motivated?
Gill's Cheek, 5.11d/5.12a | Devil's Lake, WI | July 5, 2009“The sport. I would have never dreamed I’d keep doing it. I’m still interested in it. I’m becoming better at it, solving harder moves, sending more interesting climbs.”
“I can’t imagine anything more fun. The friends, being fit... I’m hooked on being healthy and strong. It would be so hard if I was injured and couldn’t perform at a high level in some activity. I’m watching it in my parents and their friends (who are in their 80s and 90s). It could be taken away in a moment by a diagnosis.”
“Life is precious. I’ll do it as long as I can.”
I also have a new sport I’m working on. Pat recently put me on a rowing machine and he noticed I have some natural sprinting ability. Climbing didn’t come naturally to me, so it’s exciting to find that I have a natural talent at something physical.
”It has been fascinating to train for my new goal to win the 2000m sprint in the indoor rowing competition next January. This race will be the opposite of sending a challenging 5.12a climb because my rowing event will be short (completed in about eight minutes), measurable, and the movement is linear.”
What are some challenges you’ve faced climbing?
My biggest disappointment in climbing is there’re not a lot of women my age. I don’t see many women around my age climbing hard stuff in the midwest or in the media. I respond really well when I have role models, women to look up to. I don’t have that. (Editor’s note: Do we have a volunteer out there? Pretty please?)
What inspires you?
Redpointing Renaissance, 5.11a | Shelf Road, COI’m inspired by people like Kim Reynolds, who take their passion for a sport that’s inherently selfish and turn it into a foundation for helping others. Kim is the founder of Chicks with Picks, an organization that offers climbing workshops for women. A portion of the workshop cost goes to a women’s shelter in Ourey, CO, and has raised over $150,000 over the last 10 years, helping battered women and children.
“Kim also founded The dZi Foundation, which is making a difference in the lives of people in very remote Himalayan communities. Kim is one of my heroes.”
“The girls camp I went to growing up has a philosophy that inspired me and I still live by it: valuing service to others, balanced living and being my own best self.”
“Mattie Sheafor is one of my heroes, too, and has been a climbing mentor (and treasured friend) of mine for a decade. She is the one who urges me on and sees more in me than I see in myself, often knowing when to push me to challenges in climbing I hadn't known I was ready for.”
What advice do you have for other beginners?
Find a good class or mentor to teach you. Be patient with yourself. Don’t get too serious. As Alex Lowe said, “The best climber in the world is the one having the most fun!”
Read more inspiring interviews from the series here If you (or someone you know) has a story about participating in a new sport later in life, feel free to contact me. I'd love to hear from you.
Reader Comments (12)
Great interview! People are telling me to slow down because I'm getting old and I'm only 28. Now I really have a way to prove them wrong!
You mentioned finding mentors... I wonder if you (Anne or Amy) would be willing to write more about how to find mentors and climbing partners, when many experienced climbers are (very understandably) choosy about who they climb with?
Wow - What an amazing story. Thanks for this! I really wanted to get out there climbing this year, instead I committed to training for another marathon. That's OK for now, but this climbing thing has still got me hooked and this coming fall and winter it's time to train in the climbing gym and get my back looking like that Anchor Point picture again. :D
Thanks Laurel. What a great question. My wheels are spinning. :) I have some ideas on finding a mentor, but I love the idea of a guest.
And I LOVE that you now have ammunition to keep pushing yourself and your limits well into the next decades of you life. It's a huge reason I've started these interviews and a big part of my business... it's truly never too late. :D (It goes back to the excuses post. Being "too old" is an excuse, plain and simple.)
Thank you for this article, it's so inspiring! I took up indoor rock climbing this past May and on my 51st birthday last week, celebrated by climbing rock outdoors, it was such a blast! I love the sport and the feeling of climbing! My goal is to learn lead climb as well as ice climb.....No, its never too late!
Lovey,
I LOVE hearing these stories! Thank you so much for sharing. And happy birthday. What a fabulous way to celebrate.
_Amy
Tori,
I know exactly what you mean. Good for you for having the discipline to focus on one thing at a time. I find when I try to do all the hobbies and activities I love, my training suffers on all fronts. You'll get there. :)
_Amy
Thank you for this amazing interview. I have had the fortune of meeting Anne and spending time watching her climb. She is not only an amazing inspiration as a late-bloomer climber but as a human. Just being in her presence you feel peace and confidence.
Go Anne!
Anne is awesome and inspiring! I met and climbed with her at the first Chicks Rock event. I don't think she'll mind if I say I had no idea what her age was when I met her (If I had to guess then I would've guessed much lower)! She was an impressive, strong and smooth climber and a great camp manager at the event!
For women looking for a female climbing environment, I've reopened my Rockgrrl.com forums, it includes a private forum for women only if you'd like to discuss sensitive topics or find a female climbing partner with more details than you'd like to divulge on a public forum. You can find it here: Climbing Discussion Forums
Tali & Eileen - I'm hoping to be in WI this fall and, schedules permitting, plan on meeting and climbing with Anne myself (yay!).
Eileen - THANK YOU for posting the link to your forum. :)
_Amy
Great to hear from so many. I'm in a remote part of Michigan for a few days but will try to respond soon. I'm touched by the interest this has generated. Climb on, all!
Thanks for posing the question about mentors, Laurel. Amy will be posting my answer and pictures of some of the women climbers I admire very soon. I took the opportunity to ask my most trusted climbing partners and mentors how they'd respond, allowing me to learn more from these great women! I wove their responses into my answer post, just like their shared climbing wisdom informs my own climbing and instructing. And so it goes... I learn from them, mull it over in my head, try it out on the rock and in life, then I pass it on forward to other climbers. Life often parallels climbing or is it climbing informs life? I was at my childhood girls' camp, Camp Miniwanca, when Amy posted my interview. I had been a regular at Miniwanca from age 13 through my mid 20s, the important years that I was growing into my own true self. Influenced both by the camp's mission and the women I admired there, I developed a philosophy of life that has served me well. My camp mentors are now ages 65 through 86. Other women I was with last week are currently in their 40s. They are the girls I knew when I was a counselor. Another group, younger still; women now in their 30s, were the counselors for MY daughter when SHE went to camp! It is a great gift to have continuing contact with all these inspiring women. They exemplify lives well lived, with humor, balance, strength of character and wisdom in the face of adversity. Their example sets a challenge for me, to age as gracefully now that I'm entering the last third of my life. I will try!
Anne's follow-up guest post on finding climbing mentors is posted.
Thank so much to both Laurel and Anne. :)
_A