I started climbing at age 11 through a school club. That Christmas my Dad bought me a chalkbag and I have never looked back. Climbing became my life, and by 13 I was a member of the GB climbing team.
Climbing is my way of expressing myself. The highs and lows that I experience through climbing are the lens through which I view the world.
When I climb in a competition, outside, or at the wall, I like to show my emotions. I don’t try and hide my disappointment if I fall, or mute my elation if I top, and I think people really connect with that.
When I’m climbing in a competition I try and give the audience a show, I want them to be having as much fun watching me as I’m having on the wall.
Climbing has shaped the person that I am today: not just through the experiences that I have had and the places I have been, but through the people I have made connections with. I now have a network of friends across the world and have exposed myself to more viewpoints than I would have ever anticipated growing up in the South West.
I am relentless in pursuing my goals; that is why I have taken the leap to become a professional climber and train 8 hours a day to try to become one of the best in the world. I have always tried to be as open as possible about my goals, and to document, warts and all, the process of achieving them.
It’s very easy to let social media become a highlight reel of all of the good moments, but by acknowledging the downs, the journey becomes so much more meaningful. I want my social media profile to be a place where people can come and be inspired. To motivate people to work hard at their goals.
Stay tuned for more from Alex in the months ahead.