When you hit rock bottom, the only way back is UP!!!

There were a series of events that prompted me to look back at what truly defines an athlete. Not one who goes on smooth sailing through life, bags the prizes, and basks in the adoration of fans. No. It's one who gets side-swiped by life, run over but gets back up and throws it down through the pain and odds.

One of these events is from this year's Tour De France. Of Dutch cyclist Johnny Hoogerland in a breakaway from the pelaton going for the stage win when he and Juan Antonio Flecha got side-swiped by a careless driver. Flecha received the major impact hitting the road at full speed but Hoogerland took the brunt of the crash, landing on a barb wire fence.




The aftermath of Hoogerland's brush with a barbwire fence.

Astoundingly, both Hoogerland and Flecha picked themselves up and crawled to the finish. Hoogerland received 88 stitches for his escapade and the win of the pokadot jersey.



Three weeks ago, I got to meet Noelle Pikas-Pace at the annual UAHPERD conference up in Park City. Noelle's a skeleton racer who competed from 2000 to 2010.



She won three medals at the FIBT World Championships with a gold and two silvers.
After winning the silver medal in the women's skeleton event at the 2005 FIBT World Championships in Calgary, she emerged as one of the favorites to medal at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Turin. That would change on October 19, 2005 at the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in Calgary when she broke her right leg after she and her teammates were hit by a four-man bobsleigh that failed to brake after the finish line. The bobsleigh ejected out of the end of the track and hit Noelle and teammate Lea Ann Parsley, narrowly missing three other teammates. She suffered a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula, and underwent surgery to repair her broken leg, including an insertion of a titanium rod in her right leg. Instead of quitting and wallowing in her predicament, she started aggressive physical therapy and returned to competition seven weeks later at Igls, Austria, finishing 20th.

In 2007, Noelle went on to win World Championships, by the largest margin in history, while breaking the track record in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and again becoming the first American Woman to obtain the title of World Champion in the sport of skeleton.

I know that most of us regular Joes wouldn't face anything this dramatic but we do get hit by life in our own unique ways. Take Tanleng for example. She had her foot dislocated and leg broken in Feb. When it happened, we just couldn't believe how she's gonna get back to normal function, let alone do the things she loves.



But in the end, we got it fixed...with two plates and nine screws.



Those months of recovery were tough on both of us. But through all the pain, pills and tears, she's now back in action. Recently, she sent a 12d and flashed a 12b in a day. 12s are usual fare now and she about to send one of the stoutest 13a in American Fork.

Strangely, we both now have the same story to tell with our right foot. Though I haven't broken my leg, I have dislocated it bouldering in SAFRA Bukit Merah in 1998. Had it fixed with surgery and was out of action away from climbing for a year. During that time, I was getting really good at Counter Strike, school and dating Tanleng. It helped that my wife, who was my girlfriend then, had so much love for climbing that I got drawn back into climbing. Progress came slow with an impaired right leg but it all worked out in the end. I started to love climbing all over again and got in shape at the same time. Very good shape....especially when it comes to bouldering. And when all the tertiary institutions like NUS, NTU and SP started their inaugural series of bouldering comps, I pretty much won every single one they put out.


Here are some of the hardware my brother randomly found in my storage stash in Spore. Don't really know where the rest are. Nevertheless, this is just a reminder that those years from 2000-2002, were my golden times as a competitive climber. I also got sent to the first Asian Championship for bouldering in 2001 and made it to the Finals alongside the usual Japs and Koreans. That was a proud moment.

And with every tide of success, there'll always be a lifespan for every athlete. Having a full time job took its toll but amidst the madness of work, I managed on last hurrah in the South East Asia Climbing Federation(SEACF) Circuit in Malaysia.



Jay recently reported on his blog that the SEACF circuit have been revived this year. Proud that he won the gold and that once again, Spore has a young and strong contingent.

Anyway, if you're reading this and you're in the pits of despair surrounding the circumstances of your situation, you just got to make up your mind about where to go from here. Remain in despair, or pick yourself up.

Contact 2.0

The Demon have been serving me well and is my weapon of choice for outdoor sends...check, Big G. The Mad hommies were kind enough to send me a pair of Contact when I sounded to them that I was toying with the idea of having an indoor training/gym shoe so that I can preserve my Demon.



I received the new Contact three weeks ago and I've got to say that these puppies are a step beyond the ones I used to have. Let's not forget that the Contact were the shoes that got me up my first 5.14.


Lateralus, post send with the "old" Contact.


The technology that these guys have thrown into their new range is just staggering.


A look at the sheer quantity of innovation and workmanship of the new products more than convinces me that the new Contacts (or any other Mad equipment) will perform remarkably.

I also had an opportunity to contribute to Madrock's 2012 catalog with a written section on friction. It is a real privilege to be working with such a cohesive and innovative team.



The Mad hommies will be in town soon for the annual Outdoor Retailer Tradeshow in two weeks. Can't wait to check in and hang out with the Mad crew and sample the new products...oh, and did I mention that they have a new Flash in the pipeline? Can't wait...then check it out here!

Open publication - Free publishing - More belay device

Big G, 5.14a

The Big G went down yesterday!! This beast links the cruxes of Body Count and Cop Killer.



This one's legit, bitches!!!

SCS Youth Divisionals 2011 - Updated

It's been quite a season for the Front Climbing Team. Considering the fact that this is our first season competing on the ropes, the team has done an awesome job holding their own against competition that specializes in difficulty. It's been an enriching experience working with the kids in the team. A truly wonderful bunch who are dedicated, and joyful. Real gems. The Youth Divisionals will be held at Momentum gym this weekend and everyone's psyched about it.


The future...the SLC and Ogden Youth Climbing Teams coming together to prepare for a strong showing at the SCS Divisional Comp coming up this weekend!

Honestly, there were many doubters at the beginning saying boulderers can't rope climb. Yes, we get pumped quickly but give us time, we'll be up and running. And the kids' showing for the past comps are testament to that. And don't forget, as Tony Yaniro used to say..."If you can't do the moves, there is nothing to endure."

Update: Axel Dillman qualified for the Nationals after last weekend's Divisionals representing in his new Demons! Props to the Mad hommies for getting the shoes to him in time!

Madrock Commercial

The Mad hommies just put up this commercial. I love working with these guys and it's been a real privilege to be representing a company that is driven by innovation, interaction with the community, and most importantly, a great love and respect for the outdoors. Enjoy!

Demon 2011 - Long Term Review

It's been 2 months since I've received the Demon 2011 in the mail. Having tried on the demo at the Winter OR, the excitement of anticipating for it to arrive at my doorstep was reaching boiling point. As you would've expect, the shoes went to work immediately upon arrival at the my local gym...The Front SLC.



Since Tanleng is recovering from her traumatic ankle injury, pretty much all of my climbing has been confined indoors. The crappy weather compounded this problem but hey...isn't that what SchidzoSpringnia's all about.

Anyway, the Demon felt much smaller than the outgoing model for the same size but I was sure a little breaking in will do the trick of softening it up. Initial trials out the box was assuring when it came to precision footwork due to the fit of the shoe. The fit was like a glove thanks to the new material used in the uppers of the toe box. Typical material by most manufacturers have been leather and synthetic codura to limit stretch. This new material is a compound made almost entirely of rubber, thus allowing the toe box to flex (hence the name Powerflex) over the knuckles of the toes, alleviating pain often associated with tight shoes.

The shoe is super downturned but the unique thing about it is that the shoe has been able to hold its original shape throughout these 3 months. Again, this is only possible due the introduction of a new midsole material...polycarbonate. Unlike most shoes with midsoles, the Demon possess a great balance between stiffness and flexibility due to the use of this polycarbonate concave midsole. Enough stiffness to stand on the smallest of jibs and enough flexibility to toe grab on the steepest of caves. The new feature on this shoe is the heel cup jointly developed with Dai Koyamada. The heel cup fits snuggly considering that my low volume heel and doesn't let off any bagginess, often associated with shoes made without molded heel cups. Here's a vid of Dai climbing Agartha V14 in a Demon prototype.

AGARTHA V14 from project_daihold on Vimeo.

Prior to the Demon, I was a huge fan of the Super Locos and the Contacts. They were the only shoes I've worn on all my 5.14 sends but I'm sad to say that they have now been relegated to storage due to the phenomenal performance of the new Demon.

On the whole, this shoe pretty much does it all and it has been delivering since day one out of the box. Either that or I'm actually getting strong climbing in the gym this whole time...or maybe both.

And speaking of the gym, the Front's owner, Dustin Buckthal, and his crew of dedicated wall builders (Vertical Solutions), gym staff and phenomenal setters, have been hard at work organizing the FCC Semi-Pro Bouldering Series. The series consisted of 3 separate qualifiers in the Front SLC, Front Odgen, and Front Boise, with 10 competitors from each qualifier battling it out this Fri (Semi Finals) and Sat (Finals).



I managed to qualify for the Semis this Fri and here's the starting order based on qualifying results:



Looks like I've managed to put my dismal Spore climbing episode behind me and gotten my health back. Time to bring my A game this Fri and most important...my new kicks! It's been a real privilege representing the guys at Madrock cos these Mad hommies never stop innovating. And this latest performance shoe is a testament to advance technology applied to a product with great workmanship available to everyone at a reasonable price.

Swizzy Bouldering with Martin Keller

It's great news to know that my Swizzy homie, Martin's representing Moon Climbing. We first met Martin on one of our most memorable Krabi trips with me achieving a personal milestone, sending Asia's Shadow Play and Cara Cangresso, downing tons of mango sticky rice and Chang beer in the process.

Though both of us have moved on to bigger things with our climbing, Martin's progress in bouldering has been absolutely astounding, with sends of Dreamtime Stand v12, Collateral V14, The Dagger V14, and Confessions V14, to name a few.



This one's for the ladies.

Here's a interview Moonclimbing did with Martin.

The pic of me on ASP is also courtesy of Martin spending an entire day in the scorching sun snapping me hamming it up for the camera. Thanks dude!!

You can view Martin's blog by clicking his link on the right column under my fav links and blogs.

Show of Hands

Our last trip to Moe's was eventful to say the least. Eversince Tanleng had her ankle broken, she's feeling alot better coming out of surgery cos we've been diligent at nursing the injury. It's also at times like these that your friends show who you how much you mean to them.

Anyway, it's been two weeks since the accident and I haven't had the chance to climb. All my time has been spend taking care of Tanleng's needs and that's simply way more important than anything else right now. Nevertheless, I had the chance to get to the Front for a sesh last Sat after two weeks of being sedentary and gravity hit me like a massive brick wall. I must say I was unpleasantly surprise cos two weeks prior, I was getting to the point where I felt I was in shape. I was super pleased with sending Show of Hands, Lindner Roof, and Underwhelmed, all in a day. But the sesh at the Front left me feeling like the way it was when I was in Spore...super drained, peeling off holds I can usually crush. I'm glad I recovered from that episode of being super ill with a bad bout of flu. I guess there's some truth to the adage "you snooze, you loose." Then again, I really shouldn't be complaining cos being out of shape is still alot better than my wife's current predicament.

Here are two vids of Show of Hands. One's by Joe Kinder and the other's by my buddie Scott Hall who pretty much cruised the climb.

show of hands from jorge visser on Vimeo.

Show of Hands V11, Moe's Valley from Scott Hall on Vimeo.

Scott's feet beta worked like a charm. Thanks!!!

But being 5'7", I had a hard time coming around the arete for the left hand bump to the better hold. That called for some drastic but novel measure...busting out a Sharpy to make a mark on my left forearm to make sure I bump far enough around the arete for a blind slap for the good hold. That was all I needed for the send.

Tanleng's Injury Update

I'll like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for dropping in with their well-wishes, encouragement, and prayers, and also those who came by to visit. Really appreciate it. I would also like to thank Marc & Sybille Le Menestrel, Mike & Amy Beck, and all the members of the church in SLC for going out of the way to comfort and assure us that everything's gonna be ok. Big props to Chad and Scott for hauling Tanleng out of Moe's. I would also like to give a big shout out to the kid who helped call 911 and went out of the way to guide the EMTs to us. I must apologize for forgetting your name but hit me up if you have the chance.

It was really unfortunate that Marc & Sybille came all the way from Spain for this to happen. Would have loved to spend some time together but it was really comforting to have them by our side when Tanleng was stretchered out of Moe's.

Mike and Amy also went out of their way to make some really important phonecalls to the right people in the orthopedic community. Come to think of it, it's really crazy how small the world is and how connected we are to some people than we actually know. Turns out Amy's dad's Thomas Rosenberg of the Rosenberg Cooley Metcalf Orthopedic Clinic up in Park City. They were the ones who operated on Tiger Woods' knee. The surgeon who operated on Tanleng's Dr. Tim Beals, who's a surgeon at the U Orthopedic Center and also a partner at the RCM clinic and apparently is the best ankle & foot surgeon in town.


Dr. Timothy Beals

The surgery took about 3.5 hours cos the team need to fix quite a substantial amount of ligament damage. As for the tibia and fibula, it came down to plates and 11 screws.


X-Ray of the injured leg pre-op.


The shoe that I had to cut up just to get it off her foot.

Tanleng's doing pretty well post-op. There doesn't seem to be a substantial amount of pain but any type of pain associated with a surgery is bound to keep anyone in a certain level of discomfort any time of the day.

Dealing with this injury has affected both of us quite a bit. Week 1 was pretty rough just to get simple chores (ie. cleaning and dressing up, getting up and down our apartment) done. As a friend said, "there's always more than one victim in any accident." But that's why I married her in the first place. Going through life in sickness and in health isn't just lip service.

Calamity!!!

We've been heading to St.George, Utah every other week just to get away from the winter chill in SLC. The sportclimbing on sandstone is quite a draw for many Salt Lakers but we decided to check out the bouldering at Moe's Valley last Sunday in hope of kickstarting our bouldering season.



Show of Hands, V11

Unfortunately, the season ended as quickly as it started. All was good with my one day send of Show of Hands, until Tanleng fell and dislocated her ankle. Her fibula and tibia were also broken and it looked pretty nasty. Worst part was being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cellphone reception. Good thing there was a kid with a working cellphone but the 911 operator had no clue where we were despite our best efforts in describing the location. All that finally done, the EMTs couldn't get the ambulance in there so they had to get in there in a truck and then hike the rest of the way in to us. Pretty epic if you think about my poor wife having to wait all that while with the foot completely out of place. When the EMTs finally got her stabilized, we had to haul her out of there on a stretcher and props to everyone there especially Chad and Scott!!! Beer and food on me the next time!


Tanleng's feeling a little better now that the docs managed to put her foot back in place and splinted her up for our 300 mile drive back to SLC.

I'll update this blog again for the latest on her condition.

So much for our plans and aspirations for 2011.