Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Games Within the Game — Mastery, Humor, and Climbing for Life | Tom Addison
Description
Get ready to hang with the one and only Tom Addison from Northern California; low-key but outperforming with a lifetime of big wall ascents and a knack for crushing sport climbing up to 5.14. But hold on, there's more to Tom than just climbing—he's opened up countless first ascents across the country and fought tirelessly to preserve public lands. In today's episode, we're diving into Tom's stories, extracting nuggets of wisdom you can apply to your own adventures. From training tricks and overcoming injuries to the joy and wisdom of building a climbing community, we cover it all. Don't miss his key takeaways on resilience, improvement at any age, and the secret to lifelong power training. Plus, he's got a wit sharper than a carabiner! Until next time, keep defying gravity and stay ageless! 🧗♂️✨
References:
Tom’s Instagram
Kush's Instagram
Ageless Athlete Instagram
Advocacy:
Access Fund: A national organization related to climbing advocacy. It is suggested that climbers can find ways to protect climbing areas, participate in existing projects, contribute to the organization, and find resources on their website.
American Safe Climbing Association. Arranging hardware replacement work for climber safety.
Bay Area Climbing Coalition. Place to find local climbing projects that need help in Northern California
Bookshelf:
Covenant for Water by Abraham Verghese (I read Cutting for Stone, loved it, so this one is next for me)
Podcast Chapters:
00:19 Introduction and Welcome
00:40 Introducing Guest: Tom Addison
00:53 Tom's Climbing Achievements and Advocacy
02:04 Catching Up with Tom
02:19 Discussing Climbing Locations
06:44 Tom's Climbing Journey
08:21 Influences and Mentors
14:29 The Climbing Community
15:20 Tom's First Ascents and Advocacy
24:35 Challenges and Triumphs in Climbing
45:37 Early Career and Passion for Climbing
46:42 Transitioning to Retirement and Side Hustles
47:14 Balancing Climbing and Other Life Obligations
48:24 The Importance of a Balanced Lifestyle
50:22 Diet and Nutrition Habits
55:04 The Role of Genetics and Lifestyle in Climbing Success
57:22 The Impact of Training and Persistence
01:12:53 The Joy of Reading and Learning
01:16:00 Getting Involved in Environmental Advocacy
01:20:07 Final Thoughts and Takeaways
📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter !
1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩
🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it
If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete