Nationals of Climbing - Kyle McFarland

While everyone returns to work next week following the celebration of our Nation's Birthday, Climbin' Kyle will be getting set to take Ann Arbor by storm at the National Championships of climbing.  Having placed 1st in speed and 3rd in difficulty at Regionals, we're hoping he brings home a National Championship.  We asked Kyle to share his experience from Regionals with us... pease read on to enjoy a great insight into the mind of a young, up-and-coming competitor.

Climbing and Coaching – An Insider’s Look at Competition Climbing 

I was in

Albuquerque

,

NM

in early June for the USA Climbing Sport Climbing Series Divisional Championships hosted Stone Age Climbing Gym. I was there not only as a competitor, but also as a coach. I had trained furiously with my nine year old student, Megan, for over a month, and this competition decided if my protégé and I would advance to the USAC Youth National Championships In Ann Arbor, MI.

 Though my check in time was normally

2:00

or

3:00 pm

, I arrived at the gym at

7:00am

on both the days of the competition. As a coach I felt an obligation to be there for Megan when she checked in. Unfortunately I was not allowed in the gym to see her climb since I myself was a competitor.  I sat nervously in the 90 degree parking lot for at least three hours to hear how she did. Around

noon

she emerged from the gym with a grin on her face. That look alone was motivation for me.  I was officially stoked.  

 Another two hours passed before I was able to check into isolation, and once inside it was another two hours before I could climb. I can’t begin to explain how nerve racking those few hours are. You sit in a room staring at all the other competitors, trying to size them up. “Is this guy strong? Should I worry about him?” I finally crank my iPod up and begin my warm-up routine. Finally its time for the route preview, a surge of anticipation rushes through my body. I step out to size up the route and get a feel for the energy in the crowd. Not long after that we are shoved back into isolation and they start bringing the climbers out one by one.

I was the fifth climber in my category.  I walked out and listened to the cheering to get pumped. I chalk up and start to climb. At first the crowd is very mild I had done nothing spectacular to cause a riot. I moved through the first crux slowly trying to stay in control. I get to this nasty sloper and I find my self stuck. I’m hesitating and feeling the lactic acid in my forearms. Finally I let out a very unnecessary grunt and threw for the next hold. I stick it barely and hear the volume of the crowd grow; I knew I had

high point

! I climbed through a few more moves and just became too pumped to climb any further.  I fell before reaching the final section of the climb. 

 As I was being lowered to the ground I felt disappointed and proud at the same time. The clapping is telling me I did well but I knew I had more in me. I awaited the awards ceremony anxiously for two hours. I was so proud when I saw Megan standing on the podium shaking hands with her fellow competitors as the Divisional Champion for her category and national invitee. It was my category’s turn to go up to the floor.  As a result of all of my training efforts I found myself in first place for speed climbing and third place for the difficulty part of the competition. I too earned an invite to the Youth National Championships.