Episode 8: Jeremy Fullerton — Managing the Hustle

Pro climber Jeremy Fullerton, 28, ain't no trust-funder. Although he spends the majority of his waking minutes either climbing or shuffling his schedule to get to the crag, he's not riding the wake of mom's expenditure account. Instead, he plugs hours at Fed Ex, freelances as an auto mechanic, landscapes, walks dogs...he relentlessly hunts a way to fund his own path, whether it be paying rent in Boulder or hopping a flight to South Africa. Not every pro climber is so forthcoming, especially in this era of massaged Vimeo clips and desperately curated social media. It's rare for a professional athlete of any stripe to place authenticity above adoration. Jeremy, however, gave it all up for climbing, at this moment, at this point in his life. Sure, he wants kids, he wants a family, he wants a career. Right now? He wants to crush the gnar with good friends in the most beautiful mountainscapes he can find. Jeremy sat down with Fidi and I to chat about the hustle of the pro climber, the authenticity with which he tries to weave his way through life, and how following your dreams is hard work that pays well. He also lets slip that he almost died on a boogie board. Twice. Seems like moving to the mountains was a good choice... Have a question, suggestion, pitch, or criticism? Drop us a line at [email protected]. We respond to every note we receive. Thanks to Ryne Doughty, as always, for the harmonious jams! Cheers and thanks for listening to the Thunder Pod. Climb with vigor and authenticity! PS -- We love the Enormocast. And The Bad Beta Podcast. And The Power Company Climbing Podcast. And The Dirtbag Diaries, The Firn Line, The Run Out, and on and on and on. Listen to them!