Steve House Quotes
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I can respect the gulf that separates alpinism from a running race and still appreciate that the physiology that accounts for endurance is the same if you are running a foot race in the city park or front pointing up the second ice field on the north face of the Eiger.
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In no organized sport do the participants have to endure days of struggle just to get to the starting line of their event. The option to drop out of a race that is going badly does not exist for a climber halfway up a big route, and may entail more risk than pushing on. A team of volunteers will not be waiting with warm blankets and hot food at the next bivy ledge. When you reach the summit, having overcome the challenges that inspired you for months or years, you are not at the finish line. The race is not over. You can't relax and let your guard down like a normal athlete.
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Within alpinism's narrow framework we seek transcendence and relentlessly pursue what remains hidden from us on flat ground: our true selves.
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We climbers have much to learn from the training done in conventional sports.
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The depth of any story is proportionate to the protagonist's commitment to their goal, the complexity of the problem, and the grace of the solution.
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Alpinism places unique demands on its practitioners.
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Historically, many of the great names in alpine climbing seemed to have just gone climbing as training. In fact, the model alpinist has often portrayed himself in literature as a half-crazed nonconformist, living life on the edge every moment he's sober enough to climb. It is true that amazing feats of skill and daring have been accomplished using this rather random approach. For some climbers that "life on the edge" approach may be the only way they can accomplish these feats, but there are far better methods to prepare for the challenges of alpine climbing.
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Traveling fast over complex technical terrain requires a high level of technical ability and the endurance to support it. These two quite divergent capabilities need to be developed over years of practice. Omitting either limits your potential.
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The descent is often as much (or more of) a challenge as the climb.
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Many would argue that alpinism is art, not sport.
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Climbers are a universal tribe: we share the knowledge that things are not important. Experience is important. Feeling is important.
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You will never exploit your full technical capacity if your fitness remains a weak link.
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In the mountains, fatigue is the biggest controllable limitation that will come between you and success.
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Conventional sports have undergone an evolution in training methods during the last fifty years. Curiosity and the inherent improvement brought about by competition have driven this evolution to a state of high refinement such that today's athletes have a very specialized approach to training at the elite levels.
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You can’t coach desire, and no matter how fancy your training plan or how high your stated goals are, it comes down to getting out the door and doing the work day after day.
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The simpler we make things, the richer the experiences become.
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On big routes in big mountains, speed equals safety.
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Related Authors
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Reinhold Messner Mountaineer -
Mark Twight Mountaineer -
Greg Child Author -
Lynn Hill Rock Climber -
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Conrad Anker Rock Climber -
