EP 201: James Pearson — The Full Redemption Story, Proposing the Mythical Grade of E12, and Climbing Harder After Kids

EP 201: James Pearson — The Full Redemption Story, Proposing the Mythical Grade of E12, and Climbing Harder After Kids

James Pearson is one of the world’s best trad climbers. We discussed a 15-year-old controversy that nearly ended his career, how meeting his wife Caroline saved him, climbing his first 9a after learning how to train, eGrader and quantifying E grades, his decision to suggest E12 for his new route ‘Bon Voyage’, why he was afraid of becoming a dad, what kids taught him, and much more! This was one of my all-time favorite interviews.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

  • Michael Roy, Craig Lee, Mark and Julie Calhoun, Yinan Liu, Zach Emery, Alex Pluta, and Matt Walter

Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/james-pearson

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:01:35) – Getting settled

(00:03:13) – Why I feel like I know James

(00:05:33) – Introducing the Redemption Story

(00:08:10) – Internet backlash

(00:10:05) – Coming full circle

(00:13:33) – Why it felt important to grade ‘Bon Voyage’

(00:17:10) – The full story

(00:28:47) – Compassion for himself

(00:30:53) – Moving to Innsbruck to work on his sport climbing

(00:36:05) – Thinking his pro climbing life was over, meeting Caroline, and their trip to Turkey

(00:41:18) – Learning how to train

(00:46:33) – 7b+ to 8c+ in 6 months

(00:52:32) – Fun and performance

(00:53:23) – E grades

(00:56:16) – Trying to flash E10 in Pembrook, and falling in love with climbing again

(00:59:43) – Returning to ‘Rhapsody’

(01:02:10) – Flashing V13 (8B), and his struggle with projecting pressure

(01:08:50) – Climbing V15, craving the next level, and living the pro climber dream with Caro

(01:17:10) – Why he left the UK, and why it felt important to return to ‘Rhapsody’

(01:24:53) – Searching for his hardest trad route

(01:25:59) – Making the Redemption film

(01:29:21) – eGrader, and understanding E12 and beyond

(01:35:47) – Climbing a 9a right after ‘Bon Voyage’

(01:37:15) – Talking to Hazel Findlay, and PTSD

(01:38:58) – Presenting E12 again 15 years later

(01:45:04) – Backlash about grades, and Anna Hazelnutt’s thoughts about Walk of Life

(01:49:02) – Breaking down E12 and ‘Bon Voyage’

(02:00:53) – Finding ‘Bon Voyage’

(02:08:08) – How dangerous is ‘Bon Voyage’?

(02:20:23) – Being more scientific about grades

(02:24:54) – Why give ‘Bon Voyage’ an E grade?

(02:38:44) – Becoming a dad

(02:47:47) – What kids taught him

(02:53:57) – Rules for climbing with kids, and sending without expectations

(02:58:17) – Tips for climbers with kids

(03:03:36) – James’ advice for his younger self

(03:11:15) – Climbing matters

(03:16:45) – Accepting some selfishness, and Caro’s mom

(03:23:36) – Training with Ollie Torr for ‘Bon Voyage’, and Caro’s journey back to hard climbing after pregnancy

Episoder(385)

EP 295: Sam Watson — The Fastest Climber in the World on His Routines, Mental Process, & the Olympics

EP 295: Sam Watson — The Fastest Climber in the World on His Routines, Mental Process, & the Olympics

Sam Watson is the current world record holder in speed climbing (4.64 seconds) and an Olympic Bronze medalist. We talked about breaking the world record in Paris, how he makes a living, building a soc...

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EP 294: Melissa Strong — Dying and Coming Back to Life, Having Her Arms Sewn Together, and Returning to Climbing with 7 ¾ Fingers

EP 294: Melissa Strong — Dying and Coming Back to Life, Having Her Arms Sewn Together, and Returning to Climbing with 7 ¾ Fingers

Melissa Strong is a boulderer and restaurateur based in Estes Park, CO, who nearly lost her life in an electrocution accident in April 2017. We talked about her accident, what she experienced on the o...

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EP 293: Joel Unema — Unlocking V14 Finger Strength, the Key to Long Roof Boulders, and a Better Way to Train Power Endurance

EP 293: Joel Unema — Unlocking V14 Finger Strength, the Key to Long Roof Boulders, and a Better Way to Train Power Endurance

Joel Unema is a high-performance rock climber and coach for Climb Strong, and has climbed V14 and 5.14b. We talked about how Tyler Nelson helped him unlock V14 finger strength, how Steve Bechtel helpe...

23 Feb 2h 4min

EP 292: Tom Randall — How to Program Your Training Like a Pro (Repost from Patreon)

EP 292: Tom Randall — How to Program Your Training Like a Pro (Repost from Patreon)

Today, I am resharing one of the most valuable episodes I have ever recorded. This episode with Tom Randall was originally aired on Patreon in Feb, 2022. We talked about how to use your friends to dis...

9 Feb 1h 48min

EP 291: Charlie Boscoe — Pro Climbing League: Comps Are About to Change Forever

EP 291: Charlie Boscoe — Pro Climbing League: Comps Are About to Change Forever

Charlie Boscoe is a former IFSC commentator, writer, and co-founder of the Pro Climbing League, a bold new head-to-head bouldering series debuting on February 28. We talked about his first experience ...

26 Jan 1h 18min

EP 290: Chris Schulte — Developing Your Own Style, Age-Proof Motivation, and Redefining Progress Beyond Grades

EP 290: Chris Schulte — Developing Your Own Style, Age-Proof Motivation, and Redefining Progress Beyond Grades

Chris Schulte is an elite boulderer known for bold first ascents, compression mastery, and a thoughtful approach that prioritizes style over grades. We talked about his evolution as a climber, develop...

12 Jan 2h 25min

EP 289: Christian Beckwith — The 10th Mountain Division, WW2 Guerrilla Warfare Stories, and the Birth of Modern Climbing Gear

EP 289: Christian Beckwith — The 10th Mountain Division, WW2 Guerrilla Warfare Stories, and the Birth of Modern Climbing Gear

Christian Beckwith is the former editor of The American Alpine Journal and Alpinist Magazine, and the creator of the award-winning podcast, Ninety-Pound Rucksack. We talked about the formation of the ...

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EP 288: Carol Simpson Returns — Life After 80 Years Old, Longevity Routines, and Training for a World Record

EP 288: Carol Simpson Returns — Life After 80 Years Old, Longevity Routines, and Training for a World Record

Carol Simpson returns to the podcast to talk about life after 80 years old, and everything she does to stay healthy and climb hard. We talked about making the move to Salt Lake, discovering Dr. Peter ...

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