After a 100-Foot Fall, He Rebuilt His Life — Then Rock Climbed a 3,000-Foot Wall in a Day | Craig DeMartino, 64

Ageless Athlete — Healthy Aging for a Strong, Capable Life

Ageless Athlete — Healthy Aging for a Strong, Capable Life
After a 100-Foot Fall, He Rebuilt His Life — Then Rock Climbed a 3,000-Foot Wall in a Day | Craig DeMartino, 64
May 16, 2024 Season 1 Episode 21 Kush Khandelwal

Most people never experience a literal 100-foot fall. But most of us do face a moment that changes what we think our future can be.

Craig DeMartino is a climber, coach, and adaptive athlete who rebuilt his life after a devastating accident—and later climbed a 3,000-foot wall in a single day. This episode isn’t about climbing feats for their own sake. It’s about recovery, identity, and the long, unglamorous work of becoming capable again.

In this conversation:

  •  What it actually takes to rebuild after a life-altering injury 
  •  The mental shift from “returning” to adapting
  •  How to set goals that restore agency, not ego 
  •  Why community matters when you’re starting over 
  •  Craig’s work helping veterans and people with disabilities experience challenge—and possibility—again

Cover Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/bearcam/?hl=en

Craig DeMartino's Website:  CraigDeMartino.com, Instagram

Adaptive Adventures: The non-profit organization Craig works with, providing outdoor sports opportunities for individuals with disabilities. AdaptiveAdventures.org

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Ageless Athlete is a podcast about healthy aging for people who want to stay strong, active and capable for life. Conversations explore strength, endurance, mobility, recovery, VO2 max, muscle and bone health, and what it takes to keep doing the things you love as you get older.

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