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Beyond Limits: A Life Through Climbing
Beyond Limits is the autobiography of Steve McClure, one of the world's top rock climbers. From his childhood encounters with the sandstone outcrops of the North York Moors right up to his cutting-edge first ascents such as Overshadow (F9a+) at Malham and Mutation (F9a) at Raven Tor, Steve explores his deep passion for climbing and how it has dictated and shaped his life. Introduced to climbing by his parents at an early age, Steve quickly progressed as a climber, developing a fascination with movement and technical difficulty. Rapidly reaching a high standard, Steve became torn between the desire to climb increasingly bold routes and his hesitant approach to danger, with a series of close calls forcing him to seriously question his motivations. Searching for a balance between risk and reward, he struggled to find his place as a climber. Having dropped out of the scene, a chance encounter led to his discovery of sport climbing. Free from fear, Steve plunged headlong into this new style and surged through the grades. Pushing everything else aside, he allowed climbing to take over his life. He reached world-class levels of performance, but once again found himself searching for a balance between risk and reward, yet this time the risk was of losing what is truly important in life. As he searches for what really makes him tick, his climbing comes full circle and returns to where it started � climbing for the love of it. Beyond Limits is the story of a climber and his obsessive exploration of the sport, of finding a true passion, taking it to the limits and attempting to delicately balance this passion against other aspects of life to give the greatest rewards.
248 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 15, 2017
I’ve now read Ben’s book, Jerry’s, and Steve’s. I enjoyed them all greatly given their profound historical relevance and context.
Beyond Limits really goes deep into the mindset and tactics of hard climbing. I felt like I received just a little bit of Steve’s wisdom, crystallized some of my own scattered thinking on the matter and came away inspired. Rated!
Probably my favorite climbing bio to date.
Beyond Limits really goes deep into the mindset and tactics of hard climbing. I felt like I received just a little bit of Steve’s wisdom, crystallized some of my own scattered thinking on the matter and came away inspired. Rated!
Probably my favorite climbing bio to date.
January 15, 2021
I, myself, had met Steve along time ago at Plas Y Brenin National Mountain Centre in Snowdonia North Wales where he was participating in the Marmot Rocks international meet and I was doing a two day climbing course there, I later bumped into Steve at several indoor climbing walls in London - but it was recently during the pandemic we kept in touch via email. I found Steve to be a very honest and down to earth man and it is portrayed in his autobiography.
During the current ongoing pandemic I read quite a few books but it was Steve's book that I found the most entertaining and most addictive to read. Steve not only talks about his climbing life and what it takes to climb at his level but also talks about other aspects of his life including work, education and family. This book not only kept me thinking about climbing through out the crisis but inspired me to aim high in sport climbing - Steve, himself, as an older climber like myself, has become a true inspiration to me. I think a lot of what Steve has written in his book has rubbed of on me. I have leant that climbing hard is all about mental strength and believing in yourself.
During the current ongoing pandemic I read quite a few books but it was Steve's book that I found the most entertaining and most addictive to read. Steve not only talks about his climbing life and what it takes to climb at his level but also talks about other aspects of his life including work, education and family. This book not only kept me thinking about climbing through out the crisis but inspired me to aim high in sport climbing - Steve, himself, as an older climber like myself, has become a true inspiration to me. I think a lot of what Steve has written in his book has rubbed of on me. I have leant that climbing hard is all about mental strength and believing in yourself.
February 20, 2018
Probably one of the best climbing books I've red. Amazing autobiography... a natural storyteller with a flowie style.
January 11, 2023
Steve McClure gilt als einer der besten Kletterer Großbritanniens. 2017 realisierte er sein Langzeitprojekt, die Route Rainman. Mit ihrer Bewertung 9b gilt sie als die schwierigste Route Großbritanniens. "Beyond limits" beschreibt er seinen Weg vom deprimierten jungen Mann zu einem der Stars der britischen Kletterszene.
Als ich das erste Mal von Rainman las, war ich fasziniert. Nicht unbedingt wegen der Schwierigkeit, aber wegen der Beharrlichkeit, mit der Steve McClure sein Ziel über sieben Jahre lang verfolgte.
Deshalb hat mich der Anfang von Beyond limits überrascht. Denn der junge Mann, den Steve McClure dort beschreibt, hat nichts mit jemand zu tun, der über zwanzig Jahr später das Selbstbewusstsein und die Ausdauer für ein Langzeitprojekt hat. Dieser junge Mann ist in Selbstmitleid versunken. Er lässt sich durchs Leben treiben und erwartet, dass es für ihn die Entscheidungen trifft.
Aber wie kam es dazu? Wie kann jemand, der schon als Kind mit seinen bergbegeisterten Eltern an die Kletterwände herangeführt wurde, plötzlich aufhören mit etwas, was jahrelang Teil seines Lebens war? Es klingt banal, aber der Grund ist, dass er mit dem Klettern aufgehört hat. Nach einem schweren Unfall, bei dem ein Freund fast gestorben ist, war dieser Teil seines Lebens zwar nicht Geschichte, aber er war nicht mehr wichtig. Davor war das Klettern immer mehr Spaß als Ehrgeiz. Oft gingen er und seine Freunde völlig unvorbereitet an die Wand und mehr als einmal werden schwere Stürze einfach weggelacht. Andere Spitzenkletterer waren in seinem Alter schon international bekannt und hatten schwierige Touren gemeistert. Auch deshalb fand ich seinen Werdegang so ungewöhnlich.
Steve musste sich und seinen Weg erst finden. Aber auch, als er ihn gefunden hatte, ließ er sich eher auf diesem Weg führen als dass er selbst darauf lief. Dazu bringt er ein schönes Beispiel aus der Zeit, als er noch als Anhalter durch Großbritannien gereist ist: er hat sich oft an der nächstbesten Kreuzung absetzen lassen und hat so seinen Weg von den Leuten bestimmen lassen, die ihn mitnahmen.
So ungewöhnlich wie sein bis zum Spitzenkletterer, so ist auch seine Einstellung. Sicher, er hat Sponsoren. Aber nur wenige, denn er hat gemerkt, dass viele Sponsoren zwar viel Geld bedeuten, aber auch viel Einbringen von seiner Seite aus. Für Steve sind seine Familie und seine Unabhängigkeit das Wichtigste, deshalb hat er im Gegensatz zu manchen seiner Kollegen nur wenige Sponsoren und wenig Medienpräsenz. Er ist kein Showman.
In den Passagen, in denen mir die Namen von Routen und Bewertungen nur so um die Ohren geflogen sind, fand ich "Beyond Limits" manchmal etwas anstrengend. Und hey- der Schleierwasserfall liegt NICHT in der Schweiz, das ist ein grober Schnitzer. Aber unterm Strich fand ich Steve und seine Geschichte sehr sympathisch.
Als ich das erste Mal von Rainman las, war ich fasziniert. Nicht unbedingt wegen der Schwierigkeit, aber wegen der Beharrlichkeit, mit der Steve McClure sein Ziel über sieben Jahre lang verfolgte.
Deshalb hat mich der Anfang von Beyond limits überrascht. Denn der junge Mann, den Steve McClure dort beschreibt, hat nichts mit jemand zu tun, der über zwanzig Jahr später das Selbstbewusstsein und die Ausdauer für ein Langzeitprojekt hat. Dieser junge Mann ist in Selbstmitleid versunken. Er lässt sich durchs Leben treiben und erwartet, dass es für ihn die Entscheidungen trifft.
Aber wie kam es dazu? Wie kann jemand, der schon als Kind mit seinen bergbegeisterten Eltern an die Kletterwände herangeführt wurde, plötzlich aufhören mit etwas, was jahrelang Teil seines Lebens war? Es klingt banal, aber der Grund ist, dass er mit dem Klettern aufgehört hat. Nach einem schweren Unfall, bei dem ein Freund fast gestorben ist, war dieser Teil seines Lebens zwar nicht Geschichte, aber er war nicht mehr wichtig. Davor war das Klettern immer mehr Spaß als Ehrgeiz. Oft gingen er und seine Freunde völlig unvorbereitet an die Wand und mehr als einmal werden schwere Stürze einfach weggelacht. Andere Spitzenkletterer waren in seinem Alter schon international bekannt und hatten schwierige Touren gemeistert. Auch deshalb fand ich seinen Werdegang so ungewöhnlich.
Steve musste sich und seinen Weg erst finden. Aber auch, als er ihn gefunden hatte, ließ er sich eher auf diesem Weg führen als dass er selbst darauf lief. Dazu bringt er ein schönes Beispiel aus der Zeit, als er noch als Anhalter durch Großbritannien gereist ist: er hat sich oft an der nächstbesten Kreuzung absetzen lassen und hat so seinen Weg von den Leuten bestimmen lassen, die ihn mitnahmen.
So ungewöhnlich wie sein bis zum Spitzenkletterer, so ist auch seine Einstellung. Sicher, er hat Sponsoren. Aber nur wenige, denn er hat gemerkt, dass viele Sponsoren zwar viel Geld bedeuten, aber auch viel Einbringen von seiner Seite aus. Für Steve sind seine Familie und seine Unabhängigkeit das Wichtigste, deshalb hat er im Gegensatz zu manchen seiner Kollegen nur wenige Sponsoren und wenig Medienpräsenz. Er ist kein Showman.
In den Passagen, in denen mir die Namen von Routen und Bewertungen nur so um die Ohren geflogen sind, fand ich "Beyond Limits" manchmal etwas anstrengend. Und hey- der Schleierwasserfall liegt NICHT in der Schweiz, das ist ein grober Schnitzer. Aber unterm Strich fand ich Steve und seine Geschichte sehr sympathisch.
August 7, 2023
Great book by one of my climbing heroes: Steve McClure. I was first drawn to Steve through the Britrock film covering Neil Gresham's ascent of Lexicon, which included the infamous clip of Steve's whipper. I then searched up more videos with this mad-lad, to discover that (1) Steve was (probably still is) one of the best sport climbers in the world and (2) Steve's done his fair share of sketchy climbs involving some massive mind-control (3) Steve is such a chill, regular guy: by the way he talks, you'd never think he was a climber at all! Alongside Dave Macleod, Steve offers a picture of an absolute crushing climber while simultaneously being a regular guy with a family, job, and responsibilities. Since I started climbing in my early 20s, these are the people I look up to with some degree of relatability (I look up to Ondra but qua alien).
This book was super engaging, and fun to read as well. It was more than just a mere romp through his climbing history: the two most interesting threads included his experience with depression--all throughout his life--and also his risk assessment with respect to the kinds of climbing adventures he's keen to sign up for, and the one's he's perfectly fine with letting pass.
It was cool to read about the ups and downs of climbing for Steve, and how, unlike lots of pro climbers, there were many moments when he didn't give a crap about climbing at all, took massive breaks, and just went and did other things. But at the same time, he's a climber through and through.
Ultimately, the title "beyond limits" refers both to his personal conquests in the climbing world, but also to the idea of being beyond limits themselves: just playing out on the rocks without a care at all for performance.
One cool idea I'll carry with me is Steve's idea of the 'Performance Tunnel', and what it meant to him to be in the tunnel and also able to step outside of it with ease. It's something I personally want to master, as someone who loves big days out climbing V-easy, but also pushing it to the max on hard routes.
A memorable passage:
"Right now I'm richer than I've ever been, richer than I ever will be. I need to see it, to see what I've got, and to understand that I'll never really find the perfect balance. I'll always be looking for something, pushing at the balance, gently rocking it, testing the limits. There is no eternal perfect balance, that's the point, it shifts because that's our design as we follow a constantly changing path through life. The key is to look inwardly and seize the day, see it for all that it is.
Blink, and you'll miss it"
This book was super engaging, and fun to read as well. It was more than just a mere romp through his climbing history: the two most interesting threads included his experience with depression--all throughout his life--and also his risk assessment with respect to the kinds of climbing adventures he's keen to sign up for, and the one's he's perfectly fine with letting pass.
It was cool to read about the ups and downs of climbing for Steve, and how, unlike lots of pro climbers, there were many moments when he didn't give a crap about climbing at all, took massive breaks, and just went and did other things. But at the same time, he's a climber through and through.
Ultimately, the title "beyond limits" refers both to his personal conquests in the climbing world, but also to the idea of being beyond limits themselves: just playing out on the rocks without a care at all for performance.
One cool idea I'll carry with me is Steve's idea of the 'Performance Tunnel', and what it meant to him to be in the tunnel and also able to step outside of it with ease. It's something I personally want to master, as someone who loves big days out climbing V-easy, but also pushing it to the max on hard routes.
A memorable passage:
"Right now I'm richer than I've ever been, richer than I ever will be. I need to see it, to see what I've got, and to understand that I'll never really find the perfect balance. I'll always be looking for something, pushing at the balance, gently rocking it, testing the limits. There is no eternal perfect balance, that's the point, it shifts because that's our design as we follow a constantly changing path through life. The key is to look inwardly and seize the day, see it for all that it is.
Blink, and you'll miss it"
December 20, 2023
A great read. Both a biography of Steve’s climbing achievements and a deeper insight into his motivations and mindset. The book is well written and has helped me to understand how to better apply myself to sports climbing. Inspirational!
April 29, 2024
“On their deathbed, nobody ever wished they’d spent more time in the office.”
October 27, 2024
Love it when a book finds you at the right time. Thanks for the suggestion Pete!
March 21, 2021
This must be one of the best, if not the best, climbing biographies I have read. I have enjoyed every page of it. From my point of view, there is a perfect balance between narrating Steve’s climbing achievements and digging into his personal life and mindset. I would recommend this book to any climber and, probably, to non climbers as well.
June 1, 2015
Excellent read. Humble account by UK's best sport climber.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews