8b under the radar by Margarita Martinez (58)

Margarita Martinez, a former ballet dancer who came to USA from Puerto Rico at 16 years old, started climbing at 34 years old. Having had many injuries, health problems and also working hard baking wedding cakes she stopped climbing having reached 7c+ due to Rheumatoid Arthritis (see picture) for four years until she was 49 years old. At 53, having done several 7c+' again she decided to start pushing harder. Margarita started to focus on pull-ups and also pushing hard on the Maxi-pull endurance hang board until she got a new serious shoulder injury. The doctor suggested a replacement which should have meant stopping climbing. With a magic therapy she recovered again and having done four 8a+'s, she did Whole Shot 8b in Maple Canyon last year which originally was 8b+. (c) Edwin Teran Now she has made great progress on two 8b+ projects but once again she has gotten a serious health problem due to a spinal fracture. "Getting old sucks but you make lemonade with all the lemons of life." Climbing less for the moment she is focusing more on her new business, Drypointe, which is a small ball that will dry out the smell and bacteria from your shoes. How is it possible that your amazing story has not been picked up by the climbing media? Not sure, I guess I don't advertise myself. Some people like to kiss and tell but not me I climb because I love it. The grade or notoriety is not important to me. I don't want to be defined by climbing. I want to be defined by a good person to others, a good mother/wife and a good human.Trainingbeta has done a podcast interview with me.