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Nursing the rock More graceful than Eiler, however, is Ana Lee, a nurse at Georgetown University Hospital. “Ana is the hidden killer,” Eiler said. “She’ll get on a rock and make everyone look silly.” Lee seems to glide across and around the walls, following colored tape which indicates a particular climbing route, determining the difficulty of the climb. “I’ve been climbing for five years, and taken many of the classes here, they have a great program.” she said.

It seems that few who attend the gym go more than three times a week. Lee lives in Silver Spring, Md., but still makes the commute twice a week. “You need downtime. You get really tired and can get injured. It’s really tough, though, especially in the beginning. You love it so much and push yourself so much that you just get kind of addicted to it,” she said.

Lee said that keeping relaxed is a major part of climbing. “That’s why they have Yoga here four nights a week. It’s great for breathing control. You really waste a lot of energy if you don’t breathe correctly.” She, like Eiler, has made friends at the gym. “Climbing here is just awesome and the friends are great.