In this episode, we hear from Jared Lenahan, a US Navy Veteran. He was a combat medic for the Marine Corps known as a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman. After an accident overseas in 2016, he found himself going from climber to paraclimber.

He used adaptive climbing as an integral part of his recovery and has competed as a US Paraclimbing Team Athlete for four years. Jared is also an ambassador for both the National Ability Center and Move United (a Warfighter ambassador for MU). Because the outdoor adaptive community has been so critical to his personal recovery, he started a program to help other wounded warriors get reintegrated into community through adaptive climbing.

This program called “Climbable” introduces warriors to the adaptive sports community before they lose their military community and shows them a streamlined path to transition from recovery to the rest of their lives.

In this interview, Jared and I talk about disability identity, imposter syndrome, addiction, and how climbing as a through-line in his life has guided his life decisions — especially the decision to start Climbable. We recorded this conversation in early 2024 with Jared hoping to officially launch the program by the summer of 2024.

Join us in a conversation with Houston-based coach, Dru Stulb, in this episode of Sends and Suffers. Host Mario Stanley and Dru discuss climbing evolution, coaching, and personal growth. Learn about Dru's journey from enthusiast to coach, the role of climbing coaches, and their impact on the sport.

Discover the joys of coaching, challenges faced, and the rewards of seeing athletes grow. We also discuss the socio-economic challenges facing aspiring climbers, personal struggles, and the role of coaches in shaping expectations and growth.

Finally, learn about unique teaching methods, understanding individual goals, and the power of a transformative community in sport. This episode is a deep dive into the heart of coaching and its influence on shaping the future of climbing culture.

Welcome to this special episode of the Sends and Suffers podcast. Join host Mario Stanley as he engages with the passionate climbers and industry experts at the Indoor Climbing Expo. Hear the thrilling stories of their experiences, organizations, and their substantial roles in shaping and supporting diverse climbing communities.

Click here to find Katie Joe Myers

Pete Woods walks you through the thrilling world of climbing. A highly respected ESPN climbing broadcaster and experienced youth coach, Pete provides a fascinating glimpse into his climbing journey's exhilarating heights and challenging lows.

Pete shares his early days of climbing passion that fueled him to coach young climbers. Pete's unwavering enthusiasm for the sport and commitment to the climbing community is palpable from coaching to broadcasting. He discusses how his coaching experience has honed his skills as a sports commentator, providing invaluable ability to explain the sport’s intricacies to a broad audience.

Pete also delves into some surprising revelations about his approach to coaching. He shares his enjoyable experiences of coaching renowned climbers like Sean McCall and Jason Holloway during the youth world championships. Hear about his emphasis on understanding complex movements and the joy he experienced in seeing them grow and excel.

To kick off this special collaborative podcast project, we’ve got a conversation with two undeniable pillars of the adaptive climbing community, Ronnie Dickson, and Maureen, better known as Mo, Beck. We're talking about the annual Adaptive Climbers Festival. The festival was started by a whole rowdy crew of climbers and allies -- Ronnie and Mo are two of the current organizers.

Ronnie is based out of Chattanooga and leads the group, Prosthetic and Orthotic Associates of Tennessee specializing in custom prosthetics. He was also the first American above the knee amputee to send a V10 and climb 5.13c.

Mo has served as an athlete ambassador or representative for organizations including with the American Alpine Club, USA Climbing, and Paradox Sports. She was also named National Geographic's "Adventurer of the Year" in 2019.

Host, Emily Chen-Newton produced a documentary style segment about the Adaptive Climbers Festival in 2023 for the show, Inside Appalachia. You can listen here.

In this enthralling edition of the Sends and Suffers podcast, delight in a deep dive into the adventurous and exciting world of rock climbing. Our host, Mario Stanley, brings to life the spectrum of experiences and passions that constitute the climbing culture.

In this episode, Mario brings our attention to the heart and soul of a unique indoor climbing gym, The Blök, in Fort Worth, Texas. He ventures into the lives of this gym's visionary owners, Skylar and Vanessa, who uprooted their life in California to pursue their passion in Texas.