Podcast 264: Living on the Edge with Alex Honnold

On this week’s episode, WHOOP Founder and CEO Will Ahmed is joined by rock climbing legend Alex Honnold.

You probably know Alex Honnold from the incredible Netflix documentary Free Solo where he scaled the famous El Capitan mountain face. Alex joins us to discuss his next greatest challenge a route called, Bachelor Party, and it’s graded 9a/5.14d. This is going to be the most challenging climb of Alex’s career and he will be wearing WHOOP throughout his training and during the climb.

Will and Alex discuss some major life updates, a day in the life for Alex, pulling back from free soloing, risk and consequence, how life has changed since becoming a father, and his role as a public figure.

EPISODE CHAPTERS:

• 1:40 - Major life updates from Alex
• 8:18 - A day in the life for Alex
• 9:44 - Pulling back from free soloing
• 12:56 - Risk and consequence
• 22:30 - Dealing with negative thoughts
• 25:24 - The flow state of climbing
• 29:44 - Life changing as a father
• 32:15 - Getting nervous
• 35:06 - Alex’s next challenge “The Road to 9a”
• 48:21 - Alex’s hiking journal
• 52:03 - Alex’s role as a public figure