THE NEW NORMAL
Black Diamond Athlete Hazel Findlay sets off on her first climbing trip as a mum, and discovers what the climbing life is, now that everything has changed.
Four months after an emergency C-section, I set off on my first climbing trip as a mum, to Albarracín in Spain. It was my first time packing a pram, nappies, a carrier and a baby alongside crash pads and climbing shoes.
Climbing life is different now: nappy changes between attempts, breastfeeding through the night, naps to organize and a whole new set of challenges to navigate. In some ways, I’m the same climber I’ve always been; psyched to challenge myself, have fun and share experiences. But in other ways, I’m navigating an entirely new body, identity and lifestyle.
Climbing life is different now: nappy changes between attempts, breastfeeding through the night, naps to organize and a whole new set of challenges to navigate. In some ways, I’m the same climber I’ve always been; psyched to challenge myself, have fun and share experiences. But in other ways, I’m navigating an entirely new body, identity and lifestyle.
Arriving on the trip barely able to do a sit-up or a pull-up, I was unsure what to expect from my body. But over three weeks, I went from barely being able to push through my feet to climbing a tenuous, body-tension-dependent V9.
New Normal is a story about returning to climbing after childbirth, adapting to a changing body and figuring out how motherhood fits alongside a passion for pushing myself in climbing.
It's not about “getting back” to where you were, but discovering what climbing and life look like now that everything has changed.
New Normal is a story about returning to climbing after childbirth, adapting to a changing body and figuring out how motherhood fits alongside a passion for pushing myself in climbing.
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