Kumari Shreya
With names like Jason Momoa, Chris Sharma, and Meagan Martin attached to it, HBO Max’s ‘The Climb‘ quickly became a fan favorite. The reality series not only brought attention to the sport of rock climbing but also introduced viewers to several talented people within the field. However, few gained as much fame as Cat Runner, who became the winner of the show’s very first season.
Given his awe-inspiring performance throughout the competition, the climber amassed a following that is nothing short of impressive. Naturally, many of his admirers are eager to know more about Cat’s whereabouts, and we are here to answer the same!
Cat Runner’s The Climb Journey
Having entered the rock climbing show as one of the 10 participants in season 1, Cat Runner was determined to show the world just what he could do. In fact, his agility and talent became evident in the very first route of the show as he was one of the only two people to complete the climb, the other being Bradford “Brad” Lee Burns. The deep-water soloing route, known as Golden Shower, was 45 feet high and proved challenging to all the participants.
As the competition progressed, Cat maintained a strong position as he continued to perform excellently. Throughout his time on the show, the Kentucky native was never among the bottom 2 participants and almost never climbed a route that would lead to direct elimination. During his time on the show, Cat became good friends with Tiffany Soithongsuk and was much concerned about her health and placement when the latter tested positive for COVID-19.
Since Tiffany had to sit out the fifth round of the competition, the other 5 participants had the unique opportunity to claim a first ascent. While Cat himself could not complete the route, his performance did put him in the top 2 participants. This meant that he and Alice Hafer competed against each other in order to be safe from being eliminated in the next challenge. However, since he did not rank at the bottom in the next round, the advantage was never utilized.
For the finale, Cat had to go against Dominique “Dom” Terrill Barry and Robyn Michelle Ragins, both of which had been performing excellently well throughout the show. While both Cat and Dom completed the main climb of the finale round, Robyn ended up getting eliminated. Both of the remaining finalists went on to complete the next route and were taken to the third challenge. It was at this point that Cat ended up winning the competition as he had been able to beat Dom on the climb known as All Cats are Black in the Night. For his victory, the season champion won $100,000 and a prAna sponsorship.
Cat Runner Continues to be an Advocate of LGBTQ+ Community Today
Based in Lousiville, Kentucky, Cat Runner is an avid photographer who specializes in portrait photography and filmmaking. The transgender climber is also the founder of Queer Climber’s Network, an organization dedicated to supporting the members of the LGBTQ+ community within the field of rock climbing. A long-time advocate of trans representation in sports, Cat was naturally excited to be a part of the HBO Max series. He felt that his presence on the show would allow for much-needed conversation with the rock-climbing community surrounding inclusivity.
Needless, to say, Cat’s performance in the competition, which did not even factor gender in, certainly helped boost his cause. The fact that he ended up winning the show has only made him and his supporters happier. “There are truly no words to describe how incredible and magical this adventure was. I keep saying that but there’s really no way,” the climber stated in the Instagram post above. “To the trans people who came before and were there when I was younger, today we are seen,” he went on to add.
As it turns out, rock climbing is not the only sport that Cat is dedicated to, as he is also an accomplished obstacle course racer. Additionally, Cat is apparently the organizer of Queer and Trans Climbing Club at Lousiville’s Climb NuLu. The reality TV star has been frequenting the establishment since it opened in 2015 and decided to create a safe space for people within the LGBTQ+ community. It seems like Cat is still close to the friends he made on the HBO Max show, including Tiffany and Brad.
Read More: Is The Climb Scripted or Real?
