Episode 111: How Do You Climb a Mountain? with Dierdre Wolownick

Everything is a choice.

Dierdre Wolonick is an accomplished woman who speaks 8 languages, is a professor, published author and speaker, plays several instruments, founded and conducted the West Sacramento Orchestra. This is just the tip of the iceberg. She raised 2 ultra athletes, but never thought of herself as an athlete. Funny enough, a simple walk with her dog and conversation with her son, Alex Honnold, changed her life. 

At 55, she began running, and has since done marathons, half-marathons and other races. At 59, she began rock climbing, and at 66, she became the oldest woman to climb Yosemite’s iconic El Capitan. Last year, she celebrated her 70th birthday by going up El Cap again and camping on the summit. Whenever we feel that fear that’s stopping us from getting what we want we can remind ourselves that our reaction to that fear is a choice… and that we never climb the mountain all at once… we do it 3 feet at a time… Babysteps are the key to doing anything you want to do.

To learn more about Dierdre Wolownick you can: 

• Get a copy of her memoir, The Sharp End of Life: A Mother’s Story. 
• Watch the trailer of the upcoming documentary about her by Melissa Davey Climbing into Life.
• Stay tuned for updated on the documentary Climbing Into Life on Instagram
• Watch Free Solo, the Academy Award winning documentary about her son, Alex Honnold’s preparation to achieve his dream of climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without a rope or safety gear. 
• Visit her website to read her blog or find her on Instagram.