Bud Miller

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Questionnaire

1.  Year of birth:  5-23-35

2.  Height & weight (now and at younger age):  5'7'', 160 now, 5'8'', 155 when younger

3.  Year you began rock climbing and/or bodyweight athletics:  1979

4.  Are you retired? Still working?:  I retired in 1999 and one year ago I went to work part time for Nelson Driving School as a driving instructor

5.  Is your family supportive of your rock climbing and/or bodyweight athletics:  Yes, very much so. My wife and I climbed together for many years, which is a very important part of my climbing experience. Also, I have been able to introduce climbing to some of  my grandchildren and nephews, and that was more rewarding than I can express. I think it was very rewarding to them too and helped them with some of their teen trials.

6.  How important is the social aspect of the activity for you?:   Very important. Some of my earlier climbing , I associate with who I climbed with, rather than what the climb was. An example is my second climbing partner, Kerwin Klein, and I would travel to Leavenworth, Wa. for a three hour drive and the time traveling just flew by  in conversation and made the climbing much more meaningful.


1.  Type of rock climbing or bodyweight athletics you now enjoy:   Most of the year I now climb in an indoor gym. My preference outside is trad. An example of what I now like is: a climb my friend Steve LeBaron and I did at Red Rocks, Nv. last year. We have birthdays a day apart, May 22nd and the 23rd, and we have gone on a climbing trip on those days for a few years now. We wanted to to Crimson Chrysilis, a 9 pitch climb on the 1200' Cloud Tower for some time and so that was our agenda that trip. On the 23rd of May we were at the gate to enter Red Rocks Conservation Area when it opened at 6 A.M. and drove to the trail head. As we were getting our gear ready a car pulled up and two guys grabbed their packs and were on the run. A few minutes later we were on our way. We hadn't been to the climb before and there are trails everywhere and we ended up getting lost. It took us 3 hours to get to the foot of  the tower, and looking up, above us were the two guys I mentioned in the parking lot. They were on about the 2nd pitch, we didn't think that would bother us and so were geared up and started. It is a wonderful climb, trad and sport. As we climbed we got closer to the two guys above and started talking to one another. It turned out that one of the guys was George Urioste, who with his wife, Joanne,  put the route up in 1979! George asked me how old I was, which was 71, and he replyed, darn it you got me I'm 70. Then he asked me how old my partner was, which was 63 and he replyed, ha, we got you, my partner is 64. We climbed as fast and steady as we could knowing we would be short on day light. We got on the summit and spent about 10 minutes to take a few pics and started rapping, 7. We had to free the rope quite often and we ended rapping the last two pitches in the dark. I have a bad knee and didn't feel I could safely  make the descent in the dark, and so we had an unplanned bivy. What a great way to spend one's 71st birthday!

2.  Type you enjoyed at a younger age?:    Much the same, long routes, the more climbing the better. I liked crack climbing then, but now have an arthritic index finger and have to be careful on cracks, especially finger cracks.

3.  Do you engage in auxilliary training or associated athletics?:   Hiking

4.  How often do you climb or exercise now? At a younger age (<65)?:    2 to3 days a week in a climbing gym. I try and hike 3 times a week also. When younger, I worked out 5 to 6 times a week.

5.  Length of climbing or exercise sessions now?:   2 to 3 hours in the gym and the hikes are uaually 3 to 4 miles

6.  How long does it take for fairly complete physical recovery?:  2 days

7.  At what level of difficulty do you now climb or what are the most impressive bodyweight exercises you now do? Past levels or performances?:   I climb up to 11- indoors at the Coquitlam gym in B.C. Outdoors I climb at 5.9 or easy 10. I recently onsighted a 5.11 b/c in the gym.

8.  What changes have you observed in strength and endurance over the years?:  The change is like I have gone from one end of the spectrum to the other. I now rely on what I've learned and apply it with technique, which I believe the indoor climbing has helped tremendously developing.
Grip strength?  Arm & upper body strength? Legs?  Grip isn't there, arms are fair, but the back is holding up better. My legs are good, but a bad knee limits them.

1.  Any injuries or illnesses since age 65 affecting your climbing/exercising?:   I've had a carpel tunnel operation on both wrists and two meniscus operations on my left knee.

How have you coped?  NSAIDs or other medication?   I'm using caution, I want longevity. I use very little medication, but have had a series of  3  knee injections twice, which act like a lubricant.

2.  What kind of diet do you follow, if any? Vitamins? Stimulants?:    Low fat, with plenty of fruits and vegtables. I take vitamin E and C.

3.  Special food or drink after a workout?:     Nothing after, but I like a high carbohydrate meal the day before a work out, and if I do, I can really feel the difference. I usually drink a quart of Power Aide during a workout.

4.  Water or fluid intake? High? Low?:    Low

1.  What is your current philosophy of your sport?   Has this changed with age?     I think each of us has a desire to reach out to the unknown, it sets us free for awhile to be at one with creation, and He who made it. I think it is very therapeutic.

2.  What are your current goals and personal rewards from the sport? Has this changed with age?:  Longevity is my goal and climbing such climbs as will help to achieve this. Everytime I climb it is so rewarding and I do appreciate each outing, gym included. And what a wonderful way to stay in shape!

3.  What is your opinion: Is rock climbing  or bodyweight exercise performance – at any age - influenced more strongly by genetic attributes or training and experience? (Nature or nurture?) Is it even possible to generalize?:    I'll answer this in a different way. I am a Christian and beyond a doubt I truly believe that the Lord has given me the desires of my heart and allowed me to climb. I think desire has a lot to do in how well you perform. Hard work will achieve wonders! And there is such a variety of climbing now, there is something for everyone

4.  What are your predictions for the future of rock climbing?:  Growth....