TBP 203 :: Under-the-Radar V14 Boulderer Katie Lamb

The TrainingBeta Podcast: A Climbing Training Podcast

Katie Lamb is a 24-year-old boulderer out of the Bay area who has proven her abilities over and over with consistent sends of V14 boulders. Included in her resumé are The Swarm (V13/14) in Bishop, New Base Line (V14) in Magic Wood in Switzerland, Jade (V14) in Rocky Mountain National Park, Direct North (V14) in Bishop, and so many more.

She’s a Stanford graduate and works half time as a data scientist focused on clean energy, but her main priority is climbing. She’s surprisingly not sponsored, and I asked her why that is and if she would be a full-time climber instead of working as a data scientist.

I also asked Katie about what sets her apart from other climbers–what makes her sooo good at bouldering. She started climbing at a really young age just outside of Boston on a youth team that emphasized the importance of outdoor climbing. She’s taken those values to heart and hasn’t competed indoors for a long time, preferring to spend all of her time outside on hard projects.

One of the reasons I asked Katie to be on the show is that I heard about her willingness to rest a lot when she’s projecting. I really appreciated that coming from such a strong climber, as most super strong climbers I know do not rest more than 1 or 2 days at a time, ever.

Katie tells us all about her mindset in climbing, her training program she just started (and whether it’s helping her), and how she’s prepping for her summer Rocklands trip. I really enjoyed talking with Katie, and I found myself mulling over some things she’d said for weeks after we talked. She’s wise beyond her years and takes this sport very seriously – I hope you enjoy!

Katie Lamb Interview Details

• How she developed as a climber
• Why she goes after aesthetic, historic lines
• Why she’s not just a sponsored climber
• Why THINKING about climbing a lot helps her send
• Why she only climbed every 5 days while trying The Swarm
• Whether or not she’d be happy just climbing and not working
• How many is too many tries on a boulder – when she gives up
• What sets her apart from other climbers
• Her new strength program from Natasha Barnes
• Why she regressed on her project recently

Show Links

• Instagram @ktlambies
• Climbing Magazine article about Katie
• Work on your nutrition with me

Photo Credit

Photo of Katie on The Penrose Step (V14) in Leavenworth, Washington by @keenantakahashi

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