It's not much of a race if you fall. Really, it's the least I can do. You're doing something rather treacherous with this being your first climb and lack of harness.

[But with the insistence that they continue he doesn't argue, already feeling for a new rock to help pull him further up the wall. It is a race and he does want that win to secure someone voting his way when the time comes. (This turns out to not be a problem in the future.)

It's back to the thrill of scaling something. He feels like he's making good time despite his self induced impairment. It forces him to be more careful and make sure his every hold is secure. Slower but more caution than he usually shows to indoor rock walls.]