by Shen-Li Lee

Created on: September 07, 2009

Being "in the zone" is the high of an addiction and climbing is my addiction. Basically it boils down to the fact that I'm doing something I love to do - climb. I used to run and I thought that the feeling of running fast was the most exhilarating sensation I have ever experienced. That was until I started climbing.

I have often wondered what it was about running that made me feel good. Yes, I suppose I can attribute some of that sensation with the elevation of endorphins circulating in my brain but there are times I felt there was more to it than that. It was the feeling of being free - like nothing can reach you, nothing can touch you. But I've been "in the zone" during a run and I still can't really say it makes me feel the same way as I do when I climb.

When I'm on the threadmill or that eliptical cycle machine, I can only sustain concentration for a limited interval before the thought pops into my head: "How long have I been here?" When I check my watch, I'll find that it's only been about 2 minutes since I last checked my watch. It is much harder for me to reach "zone" status running than it is when I am climbing. If running is pethadine, then climbing is surely morphine. I can plan to hit the regular gym, but if anyone just suggests the notion of climbing, I can forget about everything else because I already know where I'll be.

Running is like the cake and climbing is the ice cream on top. When I was a runner, I never knew what ice cream tasted like so I thought cake was all I could have. But now I've discovered ice cream, I've realized that I like the taste much, much more than cake.

So what makes the difference?

When I run, only my body is free. My mind is still enslaved by anxiety from the many encumbrances of daily life. Climbing provides me the avenue for true escape. It frees both my body and my mind. When I can enter the state of pure climbing, for that moment, I am no longer affected by the world I live in.

Climbing forces me to release the negative emotions because they detract from my climbing. If I want to climb well, I have to let them go. But when I run, I can still hold the anger inside. If anything, sometimes the anger provides the fuel to run - harder, faster. Running doesn't teach me to let go. If I am angry when I climb, the wall rejects me. My strength is sapped by the energy it takes for me to stay angry. Climbing forces me to take control of my anger and if I fail to do so, I have to get off the wall. Running allows me to nurture

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