Stranger than Fiction (5.14b/8c): Interviewing Lor Sabourin

Lor Sabourin has been in the climbing scene for a while now! They made the first no-falls ascent of the route, ‘Cousin of Death’ (5.13+/7c+) in Northern Arizona, back in 2020. Then in 2021, they did an impressive ascent of ‘East Coast Fist Bump’ (5.14a/8b+).

This was only the beginning though, this autumn, Lor outdid themselves by sending the infamous “Stranger Than Fiction” (5.14b/8c). This was the first redpoint since the first ascensionist Mason Earle sent the route in 2015.

Lor’s projecting process fascinated and continues to impress us here at Lattice, as they have a unique approach to dealing with the physical, mental and technical aspects of projecting complex routes over a long time period. Whilst Lattice has worked with many athletes over the years who’ve had season-long projects, it’s always remarkable to see someone achieve their multi-year project!

Key topics:

1. Lor finding and sampling ‘Stranger than Fiction’
2. Mental tools for dealing with the uncertainty of technical trad routes 
3. The type of training they did with their Lattice coach Maddy Cope
4. Using gratitude as a tool when long-term projecting
5. Juggling work with the climbing lifestyle
6. Tools they used to progress every season on ‘Stranger than Fiction’
7. How their training led to a leap in their bouldering grade

Want to learn more about how a Performance Coaching Plan can help you achieve your goals? Head over to the Lattice Training website to find out more!

The Lattice jingle is brought to you by Devin Dabney, music producer of the outdoor industry who also hosts the American Climbing Project.

The Lattice jingle is brought to you by Devin Dabney, music producer of the outdoor industry who also hosts the American Climbing Project.