Tough Girl Podcast Lisa Thompson - From Novice Climber and Breast Cancer Survivor to summiting Mt. Everest and K2. Inspiring others to reach new heights through her book "Finding Elevation: Fear and Courage on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain”.
In a world where mountain climbing is still considered a male-dominated activity, Lisa Thompson is a force to be reckoned with. The second American woman to summit K2, Lisa has overcome countless obstacles in her journey to become one of the world's top mountaineers. From her early days of hiking and climbing in the Pacific Northwest to leading all-women expeditions in Nepal, Lisa's determination and perseverance have been the keys to her success.
Lisa's journey has not been without challenges, including a breast cancer diagnosis in 2015. However, she refused to let this setback define her, and instead used it as motivation to pursue her passion even more passionately. She founded Alpine Athletics, a training company that helps aspiring climbers reach their mountain goals, and has since led expeditions to some of the world's highest peaks.
In her recently released book, Finding Elevation: Fear and Courage on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain, Lisa shares her personal journey of climbing K2 and the lessons she learned along the way. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance, determination, and self-belief, and is sure to inspire anyone who is looking to take on their own personal challenges.
As Lisa says, "The right path is always to be true to who you are." Whether you're a novice climber or an experienced mountaineer, Lisa's story is a reminder that anything is possible with hard work and a little bit of courage. So, if you're looking to push yourself to new heights, be sure to check out Lisa's book and connect with her through Alpine Athletics. Who knows? You just might find your own path to the summit.
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Show notes
- Who is Lisa
- Living in Seattle in the USA
- Starting climbing in 2008
- Wanting to give back to the climbing communities
- Her early years and growing up in a little farm town in Central Illinois
- Being outdoorsy but not sporty
- Starting to push herself more in the outdoors and in the mountains
- Wanting to be seen as capable by her peers
- Starting to get into hiking and climbing
- Climbing Mt. Rainier (also known as Tahoma), 4,392 m, located in Washington State
- Having a desire to prove people wrong
- Often being the only female on the team
- Using spite as a motivator to start
- Starting to climb mountains for herself
- Taking it to the next level
- Being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 at 42 years old
- Planning to climb in the Himalayas for the first time.
- Wanting to climb Mt. Manaslu (8th-highest mountain in the world, 8,163 metres above sea level)
- Making big changes in her life in 2016
- Choosing to end her marriage and quit her corporate job
- Dedicating herself to her passions
- Selling everything she owned and going to climb Mt. Everest
- The process and method used for starting again
- Listening to her gut and knowing that she was doing the right thing for her
- “The right path is always to be true to who you are”
- Sharing big goals publicly or keeping it private?
- Deciding to climb K2
- Tips for handing stress and pressure
- Focusing on breathing and using breath as a way to calm her nervous system
- Using mantra in the mountains
- Her experience of climbing Mt. Everest in 2016
- Descending the Geneva Spur by using an arm wrapping technique
- Finding her voice in the mountains and starting to stand up for herself
- Dealing with the Adventure Blues after doing a big challenge
- Planning future climbs while on the current climb
- Enjoying the process of training and keeping fit
- Book: Finding Elevation: Fear and Courage on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain
- Making the decision to climb K2 in the Summer of 2018
- Questioning whether or not she was doing the right thing
- Knowing that she was capable of climbing the mountain
- Making two promises to herself - that she would not climb above her ability and doing the best she could every single day.
- Dealing with self doubt
- Working as a mountaineering coach
- Starting her training company - Alpine Athletics
- Leading an all women’s climb in Nepal
- Planning future all women expeditions in the USA and Nepal
- How to connect with Lisa
- Final words of advice for women who want to take on their own personal challenges
Social Media
Website: www.lisaclimbs.com
Instagram: @lisaclimbs
Facebook: @lisatclimbs
Book: Finding Elevation: Fear and Courage on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain
About the book: An inspiring story of danger, daring, and triumph on the world's most dangerous mountain. Finding Elevation is the story of mountaineer and cancer survivor Lisa Thompson as she climbs through the "death zone" of K2.
Defiance led Lisa Thompson to the male-dominated world of mountain climbing. But after battling breast cancer, she needed to understand the motivations behind the risks she took while climbing. Finding Elevation is more than her climbing memoir. It is an examination of the human spirit and motivation.
Readers will be gripped by Lisa's path from amateur mountain climber to world-class mountaineer as she:
- Becomes the second American woman to summit K2
- Conquers the world's most dangerous mountains
- Defines her own limits, and
- Discovers what she's truly capable of
In this inspirational book, readers will be moved by Lisa's story of heartbreak, resilience, and the discovery that we must define our own boundaries, find our own happiness, and face our fears head-on.