The Nugget Climbing Podcast EP 87: Alita Contreras — Learning Languages, Coaching Women to Climb Powerfully, and Translating Training Books
Alejandra (Alita) Contreras is a half Colombian half Venezualan professional rock climber, coach, and translator. We talked about the economic situation in Venezuela and why she moved to Colombia six years ago, about living in Germany and translating training books by Udo Neumann, about coaching women, our global climbing family, and her current 5.14a project.
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Show Notes:
thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alita-contreras
Nuggets:
1:50 – Alegria
3:52 – Alita vs. Alejandra
6:40 – The situation in Venezuela, and why Alita emigrated to Columbia
14:21 – Studying languages, Alita’s father, singing opera, and becoming interested in Germany
18:48 – Separating languages in your head
21:13 – Tips for learning a new language
25:36 – Thinking differently, and having different personalities in different languages
28:13 – Bad milk
29:42 – The many things Alita does for work, and coaching a women’s group
34:05 – Patterns Alita notices in working with women climbers, and what she works on with her group
39:23 – Empowering girls and educating guys
41:46 – Researching a new project to help women with cancer regain physical and emotional health through climbing
45:55 – Translating Udo Neuman’s books into Spanish
48:30 – Parallels with translating and the podcast, and the big takeaways from Udo’s books
54:51 – In Search of Greatness (documentary), going with the current of motivation, and being honest with yourself
59:11 – The powerful 13a that Alita is most proud of (even though she has climbed 13d)
1:02:29 – My season of seeking out obscure 12d’s at Smith, and the benefit of climbing easier routes outside of your best style
1:05:16 – Alita’s 14a project
1:08:59 – Macheta climbing area, and a description of the 14a
1:10:45 – Alita’s video of ‘Los Tenahos Contratican’, and similarities to Hueco
1:11:33 – Dreams of climbing at the Red, and climbing in Europe
1:12:53 – Alita’s favorite climbing destinations
1:15:00 – Living and climbing near the equator, and tactics for projecting when you don’t have seasons
1:19:10 – How Alita thinks about yearly goals
1:21:12 – Continuing to improve, and enjoying the process
1:26:07 – Living in Canada, competing in one competition, and Alita’s hype-up song
1:31:33 – Patron question from Eli: What is the local climbing like in your area? Similarities and differences in climbing cultures around the world?
1:36:18 – Gratitude for Alegria (her dog)
1:39:46 – A new opportunity
1:37:25 – Aspirations to be a pro-climber?
1:39:01 – Vulnerability and the gift of sharing
1:40:10 – Gratitude, and meaningful connections