The RunOut #166: Melissa Strong: Grit, Healing, and Second Chances

Jonathan Siegrist is a professional rock climber, widely regarded as one of the most prolific sport climbers in the world. He’s best known for pushing very hard sport routes, including numerous 5.15 ascents. This year he’s on track to reaching 100 routes rated 9a or harder. But first, we discuss the latest local drama, from price hikes to redtags, and what it all means when you have to watch some kid put down the hackysack long enough to hike your project Last, Kalous closes things out with his acoustic rendition of the 1972 soft-rock classic “Brandy(You’re a Fine Girl)” — reimagined for climbing. Show Notes Follow Jonathan Siegrist | https://www.instagram.com/jonathansiegrist Jonathan’s 8a.nu | https://www.8a.nu/user/mr-gruntz Training | https://trainingforclimbing.com/jonathan-siegrist-trains-5-15-climbs/ Latest FA | https://www.instagram.com/p/DYaCHlnlO-T/ Red Tagging in Rifle: The Debate Over ‘En Passant’ | https://www.climbing.com/news/red-tagging-rifle-en-passant/ Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

What good is finger strength if you don’t know how to use it?  Lillian Frances is a self-produced indie pop star based in LA who has written a new manual called Finger Banging For Climber Boys* (And Everyone Else). We discuss all things digital stimulation and and celebrate centering female pleasure. But first, what gets you stoked in climbing right now? Yer hyped-up hosts review some of the latest climbing news to surf the swell of stoke. For today’s final bit, of course, we’re bringing back our guest Lillian Frances with her song Touching You. Check out the show notes for links to Lillian’s music, book, and more. Show Notes Follow Lillian Frances: https://www.instagram.com/lillianfrancess/ Follow Finger Banging for Climber Boys: http://instagram.com/fingerbangingforclimberboys Buy the book: https://fingerbangingforclimberboys.com Official website / EPK: https://www.lillianfrancesmusic.com/epk Bandcamp: https://lillianfrances.bandcamp.com SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lillianfrances YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LillianFrances Reagan on Tales of Power in Yosemite: https://www.youtube.com/@reagan_rocks_rides Yannik Flohé downgrades everything: https://www.lacrux.com/en/klettern/Yannick-Flohe-repeats-%22No-One-Mourns-the-Wicked%22-and-downgrades-it-to-8c Patagonia news: https://www.climbing.com/news/climbers-spent-40-days-wall-patagonia/ Adam Ondra: https://www.youtube.com/@AdamOndra/videos New harness bag: https://arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/lithos-sl-harness-9982 Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Matt Samet is a sport-climbing pioneer, climbing lifer, writer, editor, and literary icon. His new role at the American Alpine Club is launching the American Climbing Journal, an annual perfect-bound book documenting the biggest and most interesting ascents of the year. But first, what would it take to get you to quit climbing? Kalous briefly dreams of taking the easy way out before Bisharat knocks some sense into him, as per usual. Last but never least, our final bit comes from climber Stefan Levinson, stage name WITHANEFF and the track Are Zombies Happy. Show Notes Follow Matt Samet — https://www.instagram.com/phorrizzler6514/ Follow the American Alpine Club — https://www.instagram.com/americanalpine/ Follow the American Alpine Journal — https://www.instagram.com/americanalpinejournal/ AAC — https://americanalpineclub.org Stefan Levinson / WITHANEFF — https://soundcloud.com/stefanwithaneff Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

Melissa Strong is a climber, restaurateur, and writer. In 2017, she nearly lost her life in an electrical accident that left her with amputated and disfigured hands. Her new book is called Climbing Through: A Courageous Story of Grit, Healing, and Second Chances. But first, we talk (more) about Dean Potter, the late climbing and BASE jumping visionary who is the subject of a new documentary called The Dark Wizard. Today’s final bit is a listener-submitted homage to some climbing partners and community, from Daniel Kent. Show Notes Melissa Strong: https://www.melissaistrong.com Follow Melissa Strong: https://www.instagram.com/melissaistrong/ “Climbing Through: A Courageous Story of Grit, Healing, and Second Chances: https://www.melissaistrong.com/about Watch The Dark Wizard: https://www.hbomax.com/shows/dark-wizard/76e78c26-21c9-45b4-b84b-4c3e1f8ff763 Still getting “free climbing” wrong: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/the-dark-wizard-hbo-max-review/ The True Story Behind The Dark Wizard, via TIME: https://time.com/article/2026/04/13/the-dark-wizard-dean-potter-true-story/ Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Ethan Salvo is a Canadian climber based in Squamish, who’s best known as the first Canadian to climb V16. That same week, he also climbed Dreamcatcher, Chris Sharma’s 5.14d. And this past he winter, he climbed Lucid Dreaming, the V15 in Bishop. But first, your lukewarm podcast hosts discuss a hot take: Was hang dogging a mistake? Our final bit is Jess Steven with a cover of “Black Flies” Show Notes Follow Ethan Salvo: https://www.instagram.com/ethansalvo Ethan Salvo on Substack: https://ethansalvo.substack.com https://blackdiamondequipment.com/blogs/stories/event-horizon Follow Jessica Steven: https://www.instagram.com/peace.and.choss Jessica Steven: https://jessicasteven.weebly.com/ This episode is sponsored by Patagonia. Check out their new Free Wall Kit: https://www.patagonia.com/free-wall-kit/ Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Margo Hayes is a professional climber, model, musician, and artist — and she’s best known as the first woman to climb 5.15a, a grade she reached not just once, but three times: La Rambla, Biographie, and Papichulo. In recent years, a battle with Lyme disease has made climbing at her limit difficult, and she’s channeled her energy into art, music, and writing. Her new book, The Margo Method, outlines her approach to climbing and health. But first, we pore over the details of a very interesting, precedent-setting case involving a manslaughter conviction after a winter mountaineering ascent turns tragic.  Our final bit is a San Diego rock band called Half Hour Late, with their song Ain’t Nothing New. Show Notes Follow Margo Hayes: https://www.instagram.com/margojain/ “The Margo Method: Strong and Soft”: https://margohayes.com/the-margo-method-strong-and-soft/the-margo-method-strong-and-soft Margo’s music: “Notes To You”: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/margojain/notes-to-you Austrian Man Found Guilty in Girlfriend’s Death on Mountain Hike: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/world/europe/austrian-man-girlfriend-death-mountain-hike-guilty.html Follow Half Hour Late: https://www.instagram.com/halfhourlate/ https://halfhourlate.com https://open.spotify.com/track/3XC0lgx3HJO2zsNoPJ7C2l?si=7a3ef6a566904b5d The new Free Wall Kit from Patagonia This episode is sponsored by our friends at Patagonia. The new Free Wall Kit is a six piece kit designed to help you perform, rest, and recover on multi-pitch climbs. Check out the full kit here: https://www.patagonia.com/free-wall-kit/?utm_source=runout&utm_medium=endemic&utm_campaign=S26_freewallkit

Connor Herson is back. He needs no introduction, but he’s easily one of, if not the best, trad climber in the world at the moment. We talk about his 2025 climbing season in Yosemite, when he ticked the free Nose in a day, got a first free ascent of Triple Direct, and climbed many other major notable routes all while going to school. But first, what’s next for Alex Honnold? We have some ideas. Today’s final bit is from photographer and musician Cliff Ritchey, with the song “Patagonia.” Cliff teamed up with writer Kelsey Timmerman on a book called “Regenerating Earth,” by Patagonia Books, that documents regenerative farming practices around the world. During their travels, they visited Patagonia, and Cliff fell in love with the place, the people, and the culture. The result is this song, titled “Patagonia.” Show Notes Follow Connor Herson on IG: https://www.instagram.com/connor.herson Did Connor Herson Just Have the Best 3 Days in Yosemite Climbing History? – via Climbing.com: https://www.climbing.com/news/connor-herson-nose-in-a-day-and-triple-direct/ Connor’s latest news: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUqlp18j6vL/?img_index=1 Follow Cliff Ritchey on IG: https://www.instagram.com/cliffritcheyart/ Cliff Ritchey photography / music: https://cliffritchey.com “Regenerating Earth”: https://www.patagonia.com/product/regenerating-earth-farmers-working-with-nature-to-feed-our-future/BK935.html Listen to “Patagonia” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/7FI7MHOVpU75neTEUC3JIn?si=df8c08fae8c6469a Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

Mary Eden is known on Instagram as Trad Princess but in real life, she’s one of the sport’s best offwidth crack climbers. Recently she acheived the first female ascent of Century Crack, perhaps the world’s longest and hardest wide roof crack.  But first, we talk about what everyone’s talking about. Alex Honnold and Taipei 101. To listen to the full intro bit, however, you’ll need to head over to Patreon.com/runoutpodcast to become a supporter of the show. With just a few more subscribers, we’ll make as much money as Honnold did free soloing Taipei. Today’s final bit comes from the heavy metal band Bygone, with Canmore-based climber Noah Stachulski on guitar. When Noah’s not contemplating dry-tooling ethics, he’s debating his music bros on how to classify different genres of metal. Little surprise these the two worlds go together so well. Show Notes Mary Eden Becomes First Woman to Send ‘Century Crack’ (5.14b) https://www.climbing.com/news/mary-eden-trad-princess-first-female-ascent-century-crack/ Follow Mary Catherine Eden on Instagram https://instagram.com/tradprincess Alex Honnold Completes Historic Live Climb of Taipei 101 https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/how-to-watch-alex-honnold-skyscraper-climb-live-netflix Bygone on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ii5T8TaNV9XpG2mOkwslf?si=yqRUoJa3QzG11wC4oxoKKg Follow Noah Stachulski on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atthemountainsofradness/ Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Just when you though you understood what a zone hold was … Hasn’t the comp climbing format already been “solved?” Some think there is room for improvement, including Charlie Boscoe, an alpinist turned World Cup commentator. He is the co-founder of the Professional Climbing League, a new comp series launching in London on February 28. But first, Chris sings praise of a crag where people know how to operate, and the wheat is separated from the chaff. Unfortunately, it turns out the chaff is Andrew. For our final bit, friend of the show Christopher Parker returns with the namesake track off his new album, Withered Roses, dropping January 30th.  Show notes Professional Climbing League: https://www.proclimbing.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProClimbingLeague Follow the PCL: https://www.instagram.com/proclimbingleague/ Follow Charlie Boscoe: https://www.instagram.com/charlieboscoe1/ Western Sloper: https://www.wolverinepublishing.com/shop-all-guidebooks/p/western-sloper-4th-edition Christopher Parker Music: https://christopherparkermusic.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qZrlQIIBrZGDvx69AXmus?si=try9WEw7T86bNvCw770smQ Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/christopher-parker/9258292 Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Lara Neumeier is a German climber known for her composure on demanding, heady terrain. Her notable ascents include a repeat of Psychogramm (5.14a trad), Silbergeier and End of Silence—two of the iconic multipitch alpine routes that form Europe’s so-called Alpine Trilogy—as well as El Corazón and the Pineapple Express on El Capitan. Before diving into Lara’s climbing and approach to mental strength, we open with a conversation about the benefits—and potential pitfalls—of choosing a climber as your partner for life, both on and off the rock. This episode’s final bit comes from Dave Pomeranz, a longtime climber balancing life as a dad and guitarist while roaming the American West. His band, Whale Fall, contributes the track “The Dawn Thief,” inspired by long night drives through deserts and mountains on the way to climb. Show Notes  Follow Lara Neumeier: https://www.instagram.com/laraneumeier/ Pineapple Express: https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/lara-neumeier-nemuel-fuerle-repeat-el-nino-via-pineapple-express-el-capitan-yosemite.html Psychogramm news: https://www.lacrux.com/klettern/lara-neumeier-zeigt-nervenstarke-erste-frauenbegehung-von-trad-route-psychogramm/ Thomas Huber: The Day I Sent End of Silence: https://eveningsends.com/thomas-huber-the-day-i-sent-the-end-of-silence/ Whale Fall on Bandcamp https://whalefall.bandcamp.com Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast