EP 27: Audrey Sniezek
July 20, 2020
Audrey Sniezek is a software engineer for Microsoft and a former professional climber. We talked about her beginnings in both computer science and climbing, becoming a morning person, her 4 a.m. warmup routine, starting a climbing gym near the Red River Gorge, coaching in China, self-talk for confidence, and her most recent 5.14a. You can learn more about Audrey at audreysniezek.wordpress.com
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Google Podcasts
Patreon:
Follow-Ups:
thenuggetclimbing.com/follow-ups
Videos:
‘Work Hard Climb Harder’ (Audrey sending ‘Lost Horizons’)
Training Resources:
Climber Conditioning Circuit with Audrey Sniezek
Audrey's recommended Tabata-style warmup (adjust speed and intensity as needed)
Sped up video of Audrey’s core training in China
Routes Mentioned:
‘Lost Horizons’ 5.14b, Little Si, WA
‘Dr. Evil. 5.14a, Little Si, WA
‘Extended Evil’ 5.14b, Little Si, WA
‘Wide World of FItness’ 5.14b, Little Si, WA
‘The Sickness’ 5.14a, Little Si, WA
‘Renaissance’ 5.12b, Little Si, WA
‘Black Plague’ 5.13d, Little Si, WA
‘The Wetness’ 5.13c, Little Si, WA
‘Reformation’ 5.13b, Little Si, WA
‘Drill Sergeant’ 5.13b, Little Si, WA
‘Eagle Scout’ 5.13c, Little Si, WA
‘Unsung Heroes’ 5.14a, Little Si, WA
‘Mon Pote Assis’ 5.14a, Mt. Potisi, NV
‘La Rambla’ 5.15a, Siurana, Spain
Audrey’s Links:
Nuggets:
1:58 – Peanut butter sandwiches, being a finisher or things, the lunch crux, and dry salads
5:48 – Timex computers, studying computer science, and turning down Microsoft
10:22 – Temporary job with Microsoft, REI, and “is there any climbing in Washington?”
12:43 – Bigger and scarier, improving by climbing a lot, lead climbing and pushing personal boundaries
14:21 – Flexibility with work, squeezing in climbing, and “I’m only as transparent as I need to be.”
16:03 – Alpine style sport climbing, and becoming a morning person
17:55 – Audrey’s morning warmup routine
20:58 – Making the most of morning sessions, swapping days, and finding a COVID pandemic buddy
23:45 – Waking up extra early to send ‘Lost Horizons’, and commuting to and from climbing
25:41 – The corporate boomerang, living in a van to climb full time, preferring to stay places longer, and Audrey’s current trifecta
28:58 – Fitness training, healthcare, why Audrey came back to a corporate job after freelancing, and building trust to achieve a better work/life balance
34:11 – A shift in company culture due to COVID
37:15 – A home in Vegas, and starting a gym in near the Red River Gorge
40:34 – Starting a computer science program at the Beattyville high school, and how the Beattyville climbing gym came to be
45:22 – Audrey’s vision for the gym, old-school setting, and watching the kids climb
47:28 – William’s stroke
49:37 – How Audrey uses the Beattyville gym and how she balances climbing and training in general
51:50 – Living in China and accidentally becoming a climbing coach
56:53 – Splitting up training and coaching, the language barrier, a teary-eyed farewell, and Audrey’s training legacy
1:00:20 – Audrey’s training session breakdown, Tabata style warmup, technique drills, going back to fundamentals, and training power on easy climbs
1:03:56 – Why Audrey doesn’t do much Moonboarding or hangboarding
1:05:39 – Recent finger injury, slowly getting back into the swing, and missing the “try hard”
1:08:02 – What factors help Audrey “bring it”
1:08:40 – ‘The Sickness’
1:13:48 – ‘Black Plague’, linkups, milking climbs for all they’re worth, and new projects
1:16:39 – Four-year gap between 5.14s, competing in the world cups, and a hamstring injury
1:18:51 – How Audrey sent ‘The Sickness’ without any specific prep
1:20:50 – Trying a 5.14 at Mt. Potosi
1:23:39 – Goals and dreams
1:26:05 – ‘Dr. Evil’, funky beta, and a surprise send
1:31:03 – “The only thing stopping me is me.”
1:33:32 – 5.14 (or 5.15) in her 50s, “am I a machine”, and trying things sooner rather than later
1:34:32 – How’s Audrey training changed in her 40s, her own fitness and training resources
1:36:57 – What Audrey wishes she had known in her 20’s, confidence, and “I belong here”
1:39:45 – Self-talk, the piece of paper, and “I’m capable.”
1:41:43 – Low confidence, building yourself up, and reminding yourself that you create your results
1:42:41 – Gratitude, heartbreak, and community
1:45:06 – The victory cone