The Impossible Climb: Chris Sharma

The Edge of Insanity

Being a little bit of an adrenaline junky I decided at the end of last year to take up the adventurous sport of Rock Climbing. When I first began a veil of ignorance to what accidents might actually befall (sic) me gave me brave courage to clamber up the rocky faces - a full on blinkered approach to get to the top and quickly too.

Now that I've put in a few more climbs and lead climbed a couple of times, my self preservation mode has kicked in and I now warily contemplate the bolted route questioning whether it's even possible.

This new found caution disappoints me. Is it age that makes us question our every move? It surely cant be experience since I'm yet to take a nasty fall. Despite every thigh shaking, eye-widening climb I still descend, look up and say "hey, that wasn't that bad". If only I could say that when my left elbow is jammed into a ledge, right leg is extended in a hamstring-tearing stretch and right fingers rapidly sweating their way off a miniscule handhold.

I take comfort however in the brave - or maybe insane - souls who attempt grades of climbs that the rest of us look at and say "IMPOSSIBLE!". After all, life is about pushing our boundaries, daring our minds to break through its self-created concepts of what can't be done and turning them into - Climb that? Sure, let me just put on my climbing shoes!