CLIFFHANGER

Birth Name: Raymond Schutz

Age: 36

F3 Start Date: 10/11/23

Main AO Post: Fart Sacking, Shootout, and the Mill

How did you hear about F3 and how did you get your F3 Nickname?

Hofbrau kept insisting about this free morning workout. But he was very subtle about it. He

would sprinkle sales pitches throughout conversations. Paraphrasing:“It’s good to get a mix of fitness surprises every now and then.” “Working out with others motivates you better than if you were by yourself.” Each conversation was polite, and never felt pushy. I also had no rebuttal. I would often end with, “yup. Good point. Maybe I’ll show up for one”. Since I was just waiting for the climbing gym to open, joining a free workout was no big deal. I was already a morning person, so there was no other reason why I wouldn’t show up for a workout; maybe just once. Which answers the 2nd question, my proudest accomplishment is climbing El Capitan in Yosemite (No one needs to know we called it quits after 200ft). My proudest climb I finished though is Castleton Tower in Moab, UT.

What is your favorite part of F3 and how has that impacted you the most in and out of the gloom?

After my first BD as a FNG (and splashing a bit of merlot), I was quite concerned about what kind of cult I had just joined. See lexicon for cult acronyms. My interest was piqued, and I was cautiously optimistic. I thought to myself, if this didn’t pan out, I can prioritize morning climbing after the gym opens. Having an exit plan made me feel save to keep coming out to the gloom.

What surprised me about F3, was that it was the disruption I needed. I was in a rut in more ways than one. I was waiting for the climbing gym to open, but I was really waiting for positive change to happen. F3 is the fitness fix I needed, and it is the positive community I didn’t know I needed. What’s kept me around is that F3 community. Because the workouts are free, the motivation is genuine. Everyone wants everyone to do their best. That’s very much the vibe at a climbing

crag. That’s the kind of tribe I can get behind.

In a very short time you are building quite the F3 HIM type resume with recently becoming a site Q at the new AO The Mill, jumping on board with The Driving Force Committee for the H.I.M. Foundation as well as coordinating and setting up a F3 Team for a recent Spartan Race…what led you to feel compelled to be such a strong contributor?

To be honest, it’s the follow through from so many different HIMs. Hofbrau talking about wanting to start an AO over by our work; then months later starting it up. Stand-in volunteering to take a phone call, and ending up with discount codes to the Tough Mudder; which he ultimately led as well. Patch asking about what is the process before starting the Tribe…and well, here we are celebrating that new AO as well. There’s no forms to fill out. There’s no red tape. People feel motivated to take action, then make it happen. What’s compelled me? It was finally realizing that F3 isn’t a cult or a front for The Proud Boys. It’s good guys, wanting to better themselves, and better the guys around them. Ultimately, that snowball keeps growing when we are all back at home, at work, and the community around us. It’s positive change. And I can get behind that with my time, energy, and money….F3 is free, but MudGear isn’t.

What’s next for Cliffhanger…..and where do you see that next 43 feet going in your F3

Journey?

I’ve always wanted to run a marathon before I was 40…so I’ve got ~3 years to check off that bucket list goal. Marathon Tough Mudder 2027? We’ll see. For now, the next 43 feet…it’s figuring out what laying roots looks like after moving so much.

Raising 3 girls. Maintain a work life balance. And finally realizing I don’t need that climbing gym membership. I’ve always said the climbing gym is just training ground for climbing better outside. I’ve found F3 to be that training ground, and then some.