'My personal goal is mostly just to try and maintain this new found perspective and just try and enjoy my climbing, and to not allow that enjoyment to hinge solely on success, because that's just not sustainable in the long run'.

With three of the hardest nine ascents on our recent top ascents list, it's fair to say that Sam Prior has hit some good form.

When I mentioned this to UKC's Rob Greenwood - advertising manager, youtube personality, long distance runner, father of two - he told me that whilst this was impressive enough in isolation, what made it even more impressive was the fact that Sam had recently become a father, and that this good form had somehow coincided with the new and varied challenges that parenthood poses. 

With the hope of unearthing the secrets of 'Dad strength', I got in touch with Sam to ask a few questions about climbing, parenthood, and his plans for the future.

Congratulations on an impressive last month or so of bouldering - Flip Flopera 8B, Keen Roof - Nachos Start 8B, Belly of the Beast 8B/+, and a first ascent to bring the latter two together, Belly Full of Nachos 8B+. Can you tell us a bit about your projecting process on Belly Full of Nachos? Was it quite straightforward after having done it in two parts already, or was it a real battle?

Thanks to having Nachos Start and Belly of the Beast to do I was able to indirectly project the link-up line without even realising that I was even going to try it, so it never felt like much of a process at all. It kind of crept up on me. 

What is it that inspires you most about climbing at the moment? Do you have any particular goals for your climbing?

I've had a very strange relationship with climbing for much of the last decade, I've really over-relied on it as a sort of mental crutch, since my son has been born I think I've managed to take at least a half step back and take a slightly bigger picture view, although it's all a work in progress!

Now I give myself a pretty generous pat on the back for just finding the time to get out there and give it my best shot. Fortunately, my best has been 'enough' quite a bit recently, but climbing form is cyclical, so I know that won't be the case forever!

My personal goal is mostly just to try and maintain this new found perspective and just try and enjoy my climbing, and to not allow that enjoyment to hinge solely on success, because that's just not sustainable in the long run. 

From the outside looking in, I can imagine you're a pretty busy guy. Owner of two climbing walls, co-host of the Careless Talk podcast with Aidan Roberts, and - as you just mentioned - you also recently became a father, congratulations! Is finding the time and motivation for climbing amongst all these things something that you find easy or difficult? Has having a child changed that at all?

Fortunately I don't think I've ever been more motivated than I am after having Freddie. I think before I became a Dad I took a lot of my free time for granted and in so doing wasted most of it! Now when I have an opportunity I seize it with both hands!

As for the time, I'm really lucky that my brother Ben and my Wife Doli both really help to ease my workload enough that I get the opportunities. After that I just really try to prioritise what's important to me, and I've slowly come to realise that's not Instagram or Netflix.

A - slightly rephrased - question from the Dads of UKC:

'When you're absolutely shattered, how do you find the energy to train, and does training ever feel "good", or do you just have to do it regardless?'

So a while back I had a bit of an epiphany, and realised that I'm not a professional climber (shouldn't really have taken me so long to figure it out) and it's no longer important to do things I don't want to do in the name of improvement, I just do whatever I enjoy.

That said, I absolutely love board climbing so I guess I am training in my own way. I don't do any conditioning or other training at the minute, I just don't enjoy it, and climbing for me is just about having fun right now - although I wouldn't rule it out in the future. 

Has it been challenging trying to find the right balance between work, family life, and climbing? Are there any approaches/habits that have been helpful in finding this balance?

In a word, yes.

This is a real work in progress for me and I couldn't offer much in the way of advice as I think I'm more in a position to receive it! I am just trying to grow up, find some perspective, and cut out the many things in my life that I now consider to be a waste of time. 

Are there any other particularly good climbs you've done recently that you'd like to bring attention to?

Right, I must prefix this and say 'good' is a subjective term, and I spent most of the winter apologetically sneaking off to the limestone or the Schoolroom on some of the best gritstone days. Utter sacrilege, I know, and if I bumped into anyone I'd have to pretend that I mistakenly thought the grit would be wet.

My tastes are a little esoteric but I did The Ace (f8B) at Stanage, Superman (f8B) at Crag X and Milk It (8B/+) on a piece of plywood over the winter.

People will say I'm crazy, and maybe throw things in my direction, but for me personally they were as good as each other! Climbing is all about how it makes me feel, not really the specifics of the boulder.

Any ongoing boulder projects that you're willing to share with us?

I'd like to get on Will Smith's Weeding the Lip (f8B+) at the Tor, and maybe when it gets colder I'll head back to impossible roof and have a bash at Serenata (f8C).