Episode 16: Always "Siked" with Dru Mack

For our first bonus episode, we sit down for a much needed podversation to remind us that climbing and training should be fun.  Stoke is high with Dru Mack, and even though he comes about it naturally, we dig into how he brings that good energy, how he chooses partners that aren't energy suckers, and what being a good partner means.  

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FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:

Kris Hampton  00:00

 What's up everybody? I'm your host, Kris Hampton. Welcome to Episode 16 of the Power Company Podcast, brought to you by powercompanyclimbing.com. I'm gonna jump into this thing pretty quick here today. But before I do, I wanted to do a couple of things. Number one, let you guys know that we've got a few openings and our pre written mobile app plans. what those are, is basically we took our most popular Ebooks, that's Boulder Strong, Boulder Better, and Climb 5.12 and improved upon those, updated them, and loaded those into our app so that when you're using it. You have a coach available to you and we can customize it to fit your equipment and your schedule a little bit. So if you're interested, check out powercompanyclimbing.com. Click on the train with us link and you'll find it there. Also, Big thanks to all you guys who've gone out to iTunes and, and reviewed us and rated us we really, really appreciate that. And that's why this episode is here. This is one of the one of the bonus episodes, I promise that'll take us through the end of the year with weekly episodes. So that's pretty exciting. Today, we're going to talk about psych and energy and what you bring to the crag and what your partners bring to you. And I think it's really important. It's a huge part of climbing well, and a good friend of mine Dru Mac is definitely the most psyched individual I've ever met and has been since I met him. And he brings a really amazing energy to the crag that I think we can all learn from and, you know, it's it's hard to get anything actionable out of someone who's just super psyched all the time. And that's just the way they are. But we try to dig in a little bit. And I think you can really learn from Dru. So yeah, with no further ado, let's jump into this thing.

Dru Mack  02:27

You know, I'm inspired by by everybody, not just people like that you see in the movies, they're climbing 5.15 or whatever. That's inspiring. And that's cool. But if you work hard for 5.10 and you do it and you're stoked. You're stoked on it, then then I'm really excited. Pretty cool. Are we going? 

Kris Hampton  03:00

We've, we've been recording? 

Dru Mack  03:01

Okay, cool. 

Kris Hampton  03:05

So we're in a room with several people here. So you hear crazy laughter It's probably my fiance or Johnny lightning. It's gotta be Johnny lightning, actually. We're also in our friend Lee's cabin. So shout out to Lee Smith for letting us use his cabin. He's been one of the earliest supporters of the Power Company. So I'm stoked to be able to hang out in your cabin and record podcasts with none other than the infamous Dru Mac.

Dru Mack  03:36

Yo, yo, yo. Stoked to be here.

Kris Hampton  03:39

So I haven't even told you what we're going to talk about, because that's how I like to roll. But what I want to talk to you about is the fact that, you know, a big part of a climbers success is not only their own psych, like how excited they are to be there, but also their partners. You know, you have to have good partners, you have to have stoked partners. And if there's anybody on earth, more stoked than you i've never met them.

Dru Mack  04:14

Well, yeah, maybe. Yeah, i'd like to meet him. 

Kris Hampton  04:17

Well, I remember when you were, like, just starting to get into the climbing community used to send me these messages on Facebook. 

Dru Mack  04:25

Yeah. 

Kris Hampton  04:26

And it was like half like, dude, I listen to your raps and half like, dude, I want to do Paradise Lost. Like, you were so fucking psyched all the time. 

Dru Mack  04:37

Yeah. 

Kris Hampton  04:37

Where did that come from? Like, did it What did it happen the first time you went rock climbing?

Dru Mack  04:41

Yeah, I think ever since I started climbing, I was just really drawn to, to everything about it all encompassing, just being able to go climbing and I started in the climbing gym and I always just find it. You know, so much fun. And there's also just like an escape from everything else. You know, something that I really, really enjoyed doing and, and, and so I just like fully went into it. I feel like I was also really like, you know, really inspired by other people and watching them like, try hard and put energy into something. And so that that inspiration, you know, was was really cool and led me to be like super psyched all the time I think.

Kris Hampton  05:26

Yeah, and I see you feed off of people that way you know who, who early on were the big inspirers? 

Dru Mack  05:33

Yeah. So you know, you talked about somebody who's always supporting you in that was like Lee Smith was the guy who first kind of took me under his wing. 

Kris Hampton  05:42

Did he take you outside for the first time took me off site for the first time? 

Dru Mack  05:45

Yeah, we went to Long Wall. That was...  Have you been back too Long Wall since? I have once. Once. And you Yeah, yeah. Probably won't go back very much. But maybe one day when I'm place widgets. Yeah, it was cool. Actually, I have a really funny story about the first time I ever went out climbing with Lee. We were driving and if you know, the Red River Gorge, you turn off the Mountain Parkway and you pass the Shell station. By the Shell shell station. There's a big road cut. And in Lee had me convinced that that was the famous roadside crag. And this is just you know, like road cut like.. And you were probably still like, Oh, I'm so psyched. Dude. Like he tells that story to everybody cuz I was just amped I was like, Can we please like go there someday? Like, you know, I want to climb on it all.

Kris Hampton  06:38

 I love it, good job Lee.

Dru Mack  06:40

Yeah, it's pretty epic.

Kris Hampton  06:43

So who other than Lee? Like when you did you see pro climbers? Like were you looking at magazines? 

Dru Mack  06:49

Yeah, I always watch videos. Like every day you know after school I'd come home and I remember Dosage 5 was first movie...

Kris Hampton  06:57

Which one was Dosage 5?

Dru Mack  06:58

Dosage 5 has like Dave Graham and those guys.

Kris Hampton  07:01

You want to quote some of it for me?

Dru Mack  07:05

Yes, I can. I don't know if you want me to. "I just ate a banana in hopes it gives me more solidity" shout out Dave Graham. Definitely... I love it. Dave Graham is a wizard. A classic. I mean, I watch that movie, you know all the time. That has some like some really cool stuff in it. You know, Chris Sharma and all those guys climbing in Spain. 

Kris Hampton  07:29

Yeah, kind of like that crew who was coming up right then?

Dru Mack  07:32

Yeah, yeah, it's incredible. And they're all just so stoked. so psyched. Yeah, for sure. 

Kris Hampton  07:40

Do you? So Lee brings you out, he shows you a road cut. Like, that's where we're gonna climb. And you're and you're stoked to go. You're like running up there ready to belay already.

Dru Mack  07:49

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  07:50

 What was the first time you realized, like, while climbing outside that you wanted to climb hard?

Dru Mack  07:58

Um, I don't know. I think I'd like the whole time all the time. Ever since I started, I knew I wanted to, like push myself and keep growing as a climber. You know, think? Who man there is, I just slowly like built my base. I just wanted to climb on everything. And I wanted to climb on all grades and all levels. And so I just kind of slowly started climbing on everything. And then I you know, I wanted to try harder. I wanted to do harder routes. And so I just kind of kept slowly building my way up. You know, and I felt like I had do a couple of the grades before I would jump into the next one. And, and I just always, like, you know, I had a lot of time to climb as I was here in the Red River Gorge a lot. So I just kind of like, climbed a lot of routes.

Kris Hampton  08:44

Yeah. And I think it's cool that you stopped and built that base up because I know how stoked you were. To begin with. 

Dru Mack  08:52

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  08:52

You know, and you were like, already looking toward Paradise Lost like you were you were so enamored with that climb. And I don't think at the time you had done 5.12 you know, I sort of remember when you did your first 12 I remember hearing about it. 

Dru Mack  09:06

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  09:07

 And you were sending me these messages about Paradise Lost. And I'm like, Who the fuck is this kid? What the hell is he talking about?

Dru Mack  09:14

Yeah, that was definitely one where like, I think I you know, I went out there with some friends in the Purgatory. The crag, the Purgatory has just such an aesthetic feel to it. You walk through that little like tunnel, and you come around the corner and there's just you know, that like, incredible wall. 

Kris Hampton  09:31

Yeah, that crag is like Kenny's masterpiece.

Dru Mack  09:33

Incredible. And it just, it's beautiful. And I knew like seeing it that had to climb on that wall. And then when you know i think i was there with some friends and way out of my paygrade but I got on the bottom of Paradise Lost just to kind of like top rope boulder around and I just found like the holds in the movement to be incredible and I hadn't climbed on anything where you you know you have like a forced movement and like, there's not as many options. 

Kris Hampton  10:02

Right. Right. Right.

Dru Mack  10:04

 Like as though the climbs get harder. I think he have less options.

Kris Hampton  10:08

Yeah, the move get cooler frankly as the climbs get harder. 

Dru Mack  10:11

Yeah. 

Kris Hampton  10:12

We're the friends you were with able to climb on that grade?

Dru Mack  10:15

Yeah, I believe so. Okay, I don't remember exactly who I was with or anything. But you know, I remember that. And I remember just being inspired like, incredibly, like I had never been before. Like, you know, I'd built up and I think at that time, I was probably breaking into the low twelves. But nothing like really stood out to me as like just this like masterpiece until that route, I think. 

Kris Hampton  10:41

Yeah.

Dru Mack  10:42

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  10:42

It's definitely kind of the iconic line in that on that wall. You know, you come around the corner and it's right there. You can't help but stare at it. I think it's cool that you went there with friends who were stronger than you. And rather than just like cower in their shadows, like all these guys are stronger. I can't try what they're trying. You stepped up and tried it anyway. 

Dru Mack  11:05

Yeah. 

Kris Hampton  11:06

What was it that made you do that? was just that the line was cool. Or did you? Was there any ego involved? What What do you think it was? 

Dru Mack  11:14

No, I mean, I think I was like, 13, or whatever. Wanting to climb on the cool route. 

Kris Hampton  11:19

13 year olds got some egos dude.

Dru Mack  11:20

For sure. No doubt. And I'm sure I had one. And I'm sure I was, you know, and you still do for sure. But, you know, I think I just I just wanted to climb, you know, I might have done some of the other routes of the crag. Like, it kind of jumps from like 5.11 5.12a to up into 13. So there's not much like else to do there. If I had done the other routes, then. That was it. So...

Kris Hampton  11:50

Yeah. Were there. So now you're at this point where you're climbing 5.12 you're looking toward these iconic 13's in the red, you know, on 13b is kind of the grade here like,

Dru Mack  12:05

Classics

Kris Hampton  12:05

There are so many amazing 13bs in the Red. 

Dru Mack  12:08

Yep.

Kris Hampton  12:09

 When you were approaching that level, who were the people that were inspiring you at that point? Was Lee still in the picture?

Dru Mack  12:18

Yeah, Lee was definitely in the picture. And that was right, I broke into that those grades, right when I got out of high school.

Kris Hampton  12:26

What do you what do you find right now? Or even in those days, still inspiring about Lee? Like, what is it that gets you stoked to climb with Lee?

Dru Mack  12:36

I mean, Lee took me out side climbing for the first time 10 years ago. And not only is he like my climbing partner, but he's like, my best friend. You know, I train with him. I like, do like my life with him. You know, like, I talked to him about what's going on personally and like, everything.

Kris Hampton  12:52

 So like, more than just climbing? 

Dru Mack  12:53

Yeah, exactly. And so having that, like, you know, we, we support each other 100% I can't complete my goals without him and he can't complete his without me in a way, you know, like its... People have like, compared us to like a married couple. You know, there's like sacrifices that we we make for each other. But we do that because we we love each other and we want to see each other succeed. And I think having that support, like, it goes such like so far, I think, you know, huge. Yeah, it's it's insane. And I think a lot of people, a lot of climbers, like have their weekend partners or whatever, but you know, or climbing friends at the gym. But to have like somebody like Lee, you know, and I have a bunch of other friends that have been like, super supportive over the years. 

Kris Hampton  13:43

Yeah.

Dru Mack  13:44

 But to have like a focus partner that you can always rely on. You can train with him. He understands how I climb. 

Kris Hampton  13:52

Yeah.

Dru Mack  13:53

He knows my weaknesses. He knows my strengths.

Kris Hampton  13:55

Yeah, I think he puts a lot of energy into your climbing and training. And I think you give him a lot of that energy back. So I think that's a good, yeah, that's a really good partnership. 

Dru Mack  14:07

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  14:07

 And so you don't feel like you're outgrowing those partners you started with even though at this point, you're climbing 5.14, you've done quite a few 5.14s now some of them pretty quickly. You don't feel like you're outgrowing those...

Dru Mack  14:22

No.

Kris Hampton  14:22

...those old partnerships.

Dru Mack  14:23

No, man, I get to learn from so many people. Like, regardless of who, who you are, like how much I know you how much I've climbed with you. Like, I get to learn so much from that person and their climbing style and you know, how they climb and everything, you know, I don't like just because I'm stronger than somebody or whatever it doesn't mean I can't, like have an absolute blast with them climbing or, you know, can't learn something about technique or movement or climbing you know?

Kris Hampton  14:55

Yeah, and I you know, you're you're one of those people who whenever we see you, or whenever I talk to you or see you with other people, you're genuinely psyched for what everybody else is doing. And that's, that's more rare than it seems. Because I think that genuine part isn't always there. Everybody acts like they're, they want to hear about your day. But really, when most people say what did you do today, they just want you to ask what they did today.

Dru Mack  15:22

Yeah, I've seen that. For sure.

Kris Hampton  15:23

So that they can tell you all about their day. 

Dru Mack  15:26

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  15:27

 That I think that level of psych for everybody else is rare. And your psych has become a hashtag. Yeah, you know, it's this Dru Mac psyched. Siked. Yeah. Because you couldn't fucking spell when you were a kid. It has become this hashtag. 

Dru Mack  15:46

Yeah. 

Kris Hampton  15:46

Have you? Have you ever like, looked at that hashtag and gone, man, where does this come from? Like, how? How does it get to this point? Have you ever tried to examine your own psych, or where it comes from or...

Dru Mack  15:58

No. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I've definitely thought about it. And it's been something you know, it pops up in like little athlete questionnaires all the time, actually, like, How do you stay motivated and things like that? And I think it's just like, this is something that it feels natural to me like, I love rock climbing. I love being out at the crag with friends and in the culture of it is really, you know, it's my life. And yeah, I don't I don't know, I just like, I'm, I love rock climbing. I love trying hard. And I love seeing other people be involved with that. And also putting in hard work and everything. So you know, that's what inspires me is other people like working hard. And in regardless of like, whether you you know, I'm inspired by by everybody, not just people like that you see in the movies, they're claiming 5.15 or whatever. 

Kris Hampton  16:53

Yeah.

Dru Mack  16:54

That's inspiring. And that's cool. But every you know, if you work hard for 5.10 and you do it and you're stoked. You're stoked on it, then then I'm really excited for you. For sure. 

Kris Hampton  17:06

Yeah, I believe it when you say that. That's Yeah, fucked up thing because I don't believe most people. But so I know you've had some battles with routes. I know you've had

Dru Mack  17:17

 Yeah.

Kris Hampton  17:18

Less than psyched moments.

Dru Mack  17:20

Yeah, for sure.

Kris Hampton  17:22

How long does that last? Like? Is it does it become a real mental battle for you? Have you had any of that happen? Where you're just not psyched to go rock climbing? Or do you wake up every day? Like...

Dru Mack  17:31

No.

Kris Hampton  17:32

Hooray. I go climb today.

Dru Mack  17:33

No man. I'm not like you know, I think in an especially in an age of like, social media of Instagram and Facebook, where it's so easy to just talk about, like, the awesomeness and what's great is going on.

Kris Hampton  17:47

Yep. And that can fuck with you. If you just see everybody else's, my life has amazing posts.

Dru Mack  17:52

Yeah, yeah. I mean, but, but in all, you know, it does. That's only like half the story. You know, and, and I think I don't wake up every day, like, stoked out of my mind. There's some days I'm like, tired and body hurts or whatever.

Kris Hampton  18:09

But in my head, you do wake up stoked out of your mind. You spring out of bed. You're like rapping while you get ready to go climbing? 

Dru Mack  18:18

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  18:18

Super stoked. 

Dru Mack  18:19

Yeah, yeah. Well, you can keep that thought in your head. But yeah, man. I mean, you know, I don't know. I, I'm not always stoked, but, you know, when I'm when I'm able to do what I love and, and regardless of like, if I feel good or feel bad, like, I'm gonna be excited. And it's always like, an opportunity to like, you know, I think learn from whatever. Yeah, if you're having a bad day, and you're not stoked,

Kris Hampton  18:47

I mean, anything in particular come to mind as far as a battle you've had that became a mental thing.

Dru Mack  18:53

Yeah, for sure. Southern smoke. You know, of course, like my longest and hardest, like, battle.

Kris Hampton  19:00

And Souther Smokes a 14c? ls that right?

Dru Mack  19:04

 Yeah. Yeah, sure. Yeah. The hardes rock climb I've ever done, for sure.

Kris Hampton  19:10

Um, how many seasons did you work on it?

Dru Mack  19:13

I tried it for a... I did it at the beginning of the third season. I spent two full seasons trying it.

Kris Hampton  19:20

Yep. 

Dru Mack  19:21

Spring and Fall. And then came back in the next spring and did it pretty quick.

Kris Hampton  19:27

Okay. 

Dru Mack  19:28

Another one that would come to mind would be like Omaha Beach, which would was my first 14a.

Kris Hampton  19:32

 Yep. I remember watching you kind of battle on that one. Yeah, fact I kind of know a little the story of that one. Why don't we? Why don't we talk about that one a little bit.

Dru Mack  19:41

Yeah. Cool.

Kris Hampton  19:41

So tell us I know. There was a moment that sort of mindfuck you with Omaha. In that you got really high and then you started. You progressively got lower. 

Dru Mack  19:54

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  19:54

Talk to me a little bit about that.

Dru Mack  19:56

Yeah. Okay. So um, well, just like start you know, I, I graduated school and I moved out to the Red and I was just living there. And at the time, my hardest redpoint was 13a when I moved to the red that summer, right, and through that summer, I like, my good friend Johnny. And I were climbing like every day just like hustling, you know, just grinding even in the summer he like, just get after it. And through that I like did some some B's and C's and, and I was really motivated. I was really psyched to just be climbing all the time. And and I ended up doing a bunch of the Madness Cave routes, where Omaha Beach is. And so I decided to skip the 13d grade and just start going for Omaha Beach. Stay in the same style.

Kris Hampton  20:51

Same psych you had looking at Paradise.

Dru Mack  20:53

Yeah. So you know, I was incredibly motivated to try this route. And I quickly, you know, was just on it as many days as I could. All the time. And I and I made a lot of progress really fast. Towards the end of the season. I finally had like this huge breakthrough. And I fell higher than probably I would like to bet nobody's ever fallen as high as I fell. You know, I think is good golly.

Kris Hampton  21:29

Good golly.

Dru Mack  21:30

Next subject. So I fell there, I fell there is taking like a 60 footer. It's a winger top of 130 foot route, you know, like, you put so much energy and focus for 130 feet, and then you fall.

Kris Hampton  21:47

 Yeah. 

Dru Mack  21:47

And that's like, That's hard. But you know, I was like, still stoked. I wanted to climb on the route still. 

Kris Hampton  21:54

Yeah.

Dru Mack  21:55

I kind of...

Kris Hampton  21:56

It gave you a little taste, man, you got to go back.

Dru Mack  21:58

For sure. Most definitely. And I kind of had this bad, you know, I had a bad decline. I'd like started falling way lower, I started, you know, being frustrated and tired and beat down. And I think also, you know, being in, it has a hard time for me, like learning about being out on the road. And and what I was doing with my life, I had so many people telling me I should be in college and in doing other things and...

Kris Hampton  22:27

That's tough all that pressure.

Dru Mack  22:29

Yeah, I mean, it's not like, you know, it's not a hard situation to be in rock climbing full time. But, you know, there's, there's a lot of like, you know, self doubt about what you're doing and whether whether, you know, is this the right direction, my life should be in a should I be doing other things should I be doing the normal thing, like, I have so many friends who are now in, in school, and, you know, I'm getting all these, you know, I see all these things on on media that, you know, this person is going to the school and this person is going to school, and I'm just kind of, you know, I'm confused about where I'm at with my life. And so I think that you know, failing on the route...

Kris Hampton  23:05

 And you just punted off Omaha Beach.

Dru Mack  23:07

I punted. As hard as you can. At this point, I'm like, man, I should have played in the NFL, like, I should have played in the NFL would have made a lot more money. I had a heavy decline on the route, kind of turn things around. And then I fell there again.

Kris Hampton  23:26

Oh, man.

Dru Mack  23:27

Devastated. Yeah, who would have thought? Twice, the season closed down and got really cold. But then I came back in the spring and, and just a totally new mindset, I had an opportunity to go to Brazil for two weeks with my pops. And I didn't get to climb there. It was just for this kind of missionary like work kind of stuff that my dad does. And, and just seeing different cultures and being part of a different kind of scene and is really mind expanding to me. I felt, you know, like I'd learned so much from from the people there. And, and that's even like, hard to explain, like, I don't know, I can't like pinpoint what I learned or anything but just...

Kris Hampton  24:11

Sure. 

Dru Mack  24:11

You know, this just different experience.

Kris Hampton  24:13

Yeah, I think you've seen different things. You start to look at your own life a little bit. 

Dru Mack  24:17

Yeah, yeah. Came back in and did the route really quick. So that was really cool.

Kris Hampton  24:21

So in that offseason, when you were in Brazil?

Dru Mack  24:25

Yep. 

Kris Hampton  24:25

Were there moments where you were just like, I don't know if I'm getting back on that route. Like, did it ever occur to you to not go back?

Dru Mack  24:33

 No, it didn't. I don't think I mean, I'm sure at the time. Yeah. Like, I was like, oh, man, like maybe I'm maybe I'm good on that. Maybe, you know, maybe I'll come back in a couple seasons and try it again. 

Kris Hampton  24:43

Yeah.

Dru Mack  24:43

Where I'm stronger.

Kris Hampton  24:44

Because I fell off the last move of Transworld. You might have been there that day. I don't remember.

Dru Mack  24:48

 Um, yeah.

Kris Hampton  24:50

 I  fell of the last move.

Dru Mack  24:51

I was cheering for a while and then and then I walked away I think.

Kris Hampton  24:55

Fuck it. He's not gonna. He's not gonna fuck it up. 

Dru Mack  24:57

Yeah, but it was wet. Right? 

Kris Hampton  24:58

Yeah, it was wet at the top. 

Dru Mack  24:59

Maybe I wasn't.

Kris Hampton  25:00

I battled through the wetness fell off the last move, but...

Dru Mack  25:03

It's a shame that's not on Facebook because there's video of that, right. 

Kris Hampton  25:06

I know there is. 

Dru Mack  25:07

Yeah, you got to relive that. That's a bummer.

Kris Hampton  25:09

Actually, that was cooler than sending it. Really? Yeah, that day was cool, because there's so many people cheering and everybody was stoked. 

Dru Mack  25:17

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  25:18

 And I battled. But yeah, I gave it everything I had.

Dru Mack  25:22

I had that experience on Southern Smoke. This past spring, for sure. I remember telling you about it, because we had a long conversation about, you know, your Transworld battle of how like, it was almost more gratifying when you fell off the top. And I had that, you know, I fell off the last move of Southern Smoke something I'd work for a year trying. And everything I had to work so hard to get up to there. And everything just felt right. I worked really hard to get there. Yeah. But I felt like it felt like, calm and relaxed and like, stoked. And I like was focused. And but at the same time, I was like, very, I was very present. Like I could hear like the birds as like cliche as that sounds. 

Kris Hampton  26:09

Right. Right. 

Dru Mack  26:10

You know, it was like this very, like surreal feeling of like climbing this route. And like every move I did, I was like, Wow...

Kris Hampton  26:16

What you don't know. That wasn't a bird that was Lee down there screaming his head off. 

Dru Mack  26:22

Yeah. 

Kris Hampton  26:23

 Yeah. And then you and then you fell.

Dru Mack  26:26

And then I fell off the last move. Yeah.

Kris Hampton  26:28

On that route. Did it? Did that mindfuck you again, like...

Dru Mack  26:33

Um, that was definitely hard. Yeah, definitely. Like, I think anytime you anytime. That was like, a big breakthrough, I think for me, and at that point, like, you know, you can do the route. You're like, I should have done i that try. And I think for me, I don't, I won't. I'll get upset or whatever. And frustrated that I fell off last move. But you know, then then it's like, then the nerves really kick in for me. 

Kris Hampton  26:57

Right.

Dru Mack  26:58

 Like, I deal better with frustrations than I do with nerves. Because now that I know, I can do the route I get I get really nervous.

Kris Hampton  27:06

Yeah, you get jittery? And do you? Do you have like false starts on the routes? Do you just get on? And like, I don't feel right. I need to come down. 

Dru Mack  27:17

No, I...

Kris Hampton  27:17

Or can you turn it off? Once you start climbing?

Dru Mack  27:19

Yeah, I can normally turn it. I mean, regard like, even if I don't feel good? Or if I don't like if I feel like my head's not maybe not in the right space. Like, I try. 

Kris Hampton  27:29

Yeah.

Dru Mack  27:30

 And as long as like, you know, I'm, like healthy and stuff like that, you know, I don't think you want to try when your body's not in it. Your head's not in it. Like I think you know, some of those times where your expectations are low, you know, and you're just like rock climbing again, you're just like rock climbing because you love it and you want to try hard. Those are the times where like, even if I'm tired, or like third try or whatever, like, I pull it out somehow and do really well. I may not do the route. I may not even get to my high point. But like, you know, climbing well when you're tired and fatigued and, and mentally, maybe not there like that can be really powerful. And like next time you come back.

Kris Hampton  28:09

Yep. I agree. Totally. 

Dru Mack  28:11

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  28:11

 So a person like drew Mac, who's always Dru Mac psyched? Yeah, except for when he has these mental mind fuck battles that most people frankly don't know about. Because by the time you get, you know, back to cell service, and you post something you're Dru Mack psyched again. Yeah. So how do you go about choosing the people that you go climbing with most often? Are they also super psyched like you are? Do you need partners who are always psyched? Or do you kind of provide the psych for the group whenever you go climbing?

Dru Mack  28:49

Um, yeah, I don't know. That's an interesting question. For sure. I think that not everybody's as psyched as me, for sure people are...

Kris Hampton  28:58

There's no one as psyched as you. 

Dru Mack  29:00

Yeah.

Kris Hampton  29:01

Joe Kinder maybe. I can see that.

Dru Mack  29:02

 Shoutouts to Joe. Thanks for the inspiration. People compared me to Joe a lot, actually. But uh, no... Yeah, I don't know, hustle. I think that i think that I want to climb with people who are genuine. And who are psyched on like, trying, you don't have to be psyched on like, you know, like, fully, like, just super out there with it. Like, I think I'm allowed, like, kind of a loud psych. You know, I think that as long as you're just not bringing negative energy to the crag. 

Kris Hampton  29:39

Yep. 

Dru Mack  29:40

Like, you don't have to be the most psyched person there. But like, if you're not, you know, complaining about being outside and one of the best climbing areas in the world and, you know, good weather and great people. If you're complaining about that then like, I'd rather climb with other people.

Kris Hampton  29:58

Yeah, have you had and we don't have to name names here cuz you know who you are.

Dru Mack  30:01

Kris Hampton that's a joke. That's a joke.

Kris Hampton  30:06

Do you have you had partners who bring that negative energy?

Dru Mack  30:10

 Um, I wouldn't say like partners, I would say that there's definitely like people out there that I've like, been at the crag with that maybe I've gone climbing with. I think partners is like a very high like.. Okay. I have a high standard of like, well, I want to, you know, I may go climb with somebody and like, hang out with them or go to the crag with them, but they're like few people that I would fully call like, my, like a climbing partner. 

Kris Hampton  30:31

Yeah, I respect that.

Dru Mack  30:33

That's what that's like. Yeah.

Kris Hampton  30:35

Let me rephrase. Have you climbed with people who brought negative energy?

Dru Mack  30:40

 Yeah, for sure.

Kris Hampton  30:40

 To your climbing. What happened to those people, you just, you just don't climb with them anymore? 

Dru Mack  30:45

No, I mean, I'm cool to be at the crag with them and hang out with them or whatever. And a lot of them are like really cool people. 

Kris Hampton  30:52

Yeah, for sure.

Dru Mack  30:52

You know, but, but everybody has their own pursuit and climbing. Everybody has their own, like, you know, level of psych and, and everybody deals with different things differently. People deal with frustrations and failure differently. And so I'm never gonna, like judge somebody based on how they're acting at the crag or, you know, psyched or whatever.

Kris Hampton  31:14

I totally judge.

Dru Mack  31:15

Yeah, I know you do. But uh, yeah, I don't know.

Kris Hampton  31:20

I just, I just cut people off if they suck, like, if they're if their energy sucks.

Dru Mack  31:25

You told me something a long time ago, a shout out to Kris Hampton, who I'm talking to right now. Drove me to Detroit for my 20th birthday to see Nas perform all of Illmatic. One of the greatest experiences of my life. And on that drive, you told me that people have to earn your respect. You don't just give them give it to them. 

Kris Hampton  31:47

Yep. 

Dru Mack  31:48

And uh,  and uh I think that I'm more of the opposite where everybody just you know, you have my like, trust you have my like...

Kris Hampton  31:58

People start at a high level.

Dru Mack  31:59

... my goodwill or whatever. Until, until you screw it up. And then and then I kind of like am more like, just kind of distance myself a little bit.

Kris Hampton  32:08

Yeah, well, that's why most people think I'm an asshole. And most people think you're just Dru Mac psuyched. Your a fucking hashtag. So yeah, dude, I think it's I think it's pretty cool that, that you bring that level of energy to the crag. Like, anytime I walk up to the crag, and you're there, I know it's going to be even if I climb like shit that day. It's still going to be a good time. Yeah, there's gonna be great energy at the crag. Yeah, you know, Annalissa loves to see you at the crag. Everybody does. And it's just a, it's the thing here. Well, that's the people in the Red right now are here because Dru Mac is.

Dru Mack  32:45

Well, that's not true. I think it'd be for the rock climbing. But I think that, you know, like, I'm, I'm in a incredible opportunity. I have an incredible opportunity to rock climb a whole lot and to be part of this incredible community. And that's something that I'm really fortunate to have. And I feel like, you know, I want to share that with people. I want to inspire people that may not get it, like climb as much as me. You know, I think I'm in a position where like, people are watching as well. You know, I think probably pro rock climbers, people who are sponsored athletes, like they're held to, you know, a bit of a higher standard, we should be held to a higher standard, especially as the growth of like climbing comes, as more people come, I think sponsored climbers and athletes who are in that position, like have to like kind of step up to.

Kris Hampton  33:38

Yeah, and you've been, you know, you've been traveling a fair amount. 

Dru Mack  33:41

Yeah. 

Kris Hampton  33:41

And you're headed to Spain soon. You're gonna go there for a while.

Dru Mack  33:45

 Yeah.

Kris Hampton  33:47

 And you're just you're spreading the dramatic site, which I think is...

Dru Mack  33:51

Thanks.

Kris Hampton  33:51

 Extra extra cool. Because this, this community needs more of that, frankly. 

Dru Mack  33:55

Yeah. 

Kris Hampton  33:56

You know, there's only a handful of dudes who you know, are always super high. Super good energy.

Dru Mack  34:02

Yeah. I mean, there's a lot of people who are super high.

Kris Hampton  34:04

There's a lot of people who are super high that's a fact. 

Dru Mack  34:06

Super high energy. It matters where you put the comma in that sentence.

Kris Hampton  34:11

True. It's true. Yeah. But yeah, so you know, I appreciate you sitting down and inviting us over to Lee's cabin.

Dru Mack  34:20

Yeah, for sure.

Kris Hampton  34:21

To talk cuz, you know, I just appreciate your energy. And I think people need to, or could learn from that. They don't need to they could be dicks.

Dru Mack  34:29

Well, you know, to each their own. 

Kris Hampton  34:30

Yeah. 

Dru Mack  34:31

Yeah, for sure.

Kris Hampton  34:32

Yeah. So thanks for sitting down with me Dru.

Dru Mack  34:34

Awesome. Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it.

Kris Hampton  34:36

Yeah man. And if you guys out there listening, want to follow the dramatic psych? Where can they find you?

Dru Mack  34:43

Check out my Instagram. It's drumack5. 

Kris Hampton  34:47

drumack5.

Dru Mack  34:48

 I'll post a lot of photos and stuff like that.

Kris Hampton  34:51

And Psych. S-i-k-e. 

Dru Mack  34:53

Lots of psych Yeah, for sure. motivation.

Kris Hampton  34:57

Alright man, thanks. 

Dru Mack  34:58

Alright. Thanks.

Kris Hampton  35:00

 Guys, that was a freebie. That's the first of the free ones that you guys get the bonus episodes for going to iTunes and rating and reviewing us if you haven't done that, go do it now. And this is not a it's not a light one. Let's be clear about that Dru Mack brings amazing energy to the crag every single time he's there. And he's lifted me up on more than one occasion and if you've climbed around him, you felt the same thing. So, go follow Dru and, you know, be a good partner. Take Take some of what Dru said and and apply that to your own climbing. We could all use a little more of that, especially today. So thank you guys for listening. You can find us at powercompanyclimbing.com You can find us on the Facebook's you can find us on the Instagrams but the Twitter's you won't find us there. We don't tweet we scream like eagles.