Connor Runge does his first 9a

Connor Runge, who had 8b as his PB one year ago, has sent Spirit Quest (9a) in Squamish. Mike Foley made the FA in 2021 of the Tom Wright bolted line.

”I’m really excited about climbing that route. It was an amazing process that started in July, just climbing with my friends and enjoying everyday there. Paradise valley gets kind of crazy weather in august where the air is so humid and there isn’t much of a breeze so I kind of just kept plugging away with low expectations and had the mentality that it was good training. When September rolled around and we got some good weather (cold and less humid) I was ready to get it done! A Low stress mentality and I just felt happy to be there with my friends made for a really wholesome and rewarding journey- or quest ;)”

What is your climbing background?
I started climbing on a back packing trip in Cambodia in 2016. They taught me how to belay and climb on top rope, that progressed to move to skaha bluffs and working at a gym, being psyched on sport climbing, and more climbing trips around the world. Just like so much time climbing outside and also in more recent years, a shit ton of training in the gym for sport routes!

Squamish is kinda rad for that because you have 3 bad ass climbing gyms that you can just train so hard in, with no distractions of good weather in the winter.

What about that great progress from 8b to 9a within a year?
During the winter I dedicated 3 months to training 2 days on 1 off. I trained specific energy systems during this which looked like 2/3rds Max power and 1/3 power endurance with a week and a bit of recovery after it was all said and done. I spent an average of 4 hours training per day doing various exercises and climbing specific exercises.

Now life is a better because I can climb outside and crank with the boys. I have to balance my climbing with my 40 hour work week, morning sessions at the cliff and on my days off. I have a 2 on 1 off schedule and 1 day a week where I do max bouldering, max effort campus, and max effort finger boarding in the Co-op.

What is your autumn plan?
Me and my friends are going to Smith rocks. I’ve never been there before, totally psyched to check it out! And then I’m spending 3 months in Spain and sometime in Turkey 🇹🇷