UKC

UKC Fit Club is not a substitute for the training diary but to use with ( or without ) it as a motivational tool for all.

For those wanting to find out more about training for climbing a number of physical training articles here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=274502

A new thread is posted each week on Sunday for anyone to jot down their previous week’s activity, noting goals, successes and failures and to swap ideas.

Anyone interested in starting is very welcome but you should aim to post each week, every week, however little or much you have done. By making such a regular public record of your activities and by restating your goals every week this new habit will hopefully improve your training habits to help achieve your goals whatever the level of your chosen activity.

Link to last weeks (177) thread:http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=420309&v=1#x5972009

Thanks for Nick last week for a comprehensive summary of achievements. Biscuit is probably still on a boat somewhere.

Ally - Makes you thankful. Good link and good luck to your friend Mark.
Andy - Pull your finger out you lazy bastard.
Miles - I'm sure your abs look beautiful. Watch that wrist action whilst looking the mirror.
Seankenney - A different world.... hope all is well.
Thickhead
Steve Perry Pez - Tie on a rope and do some leading or Microwave your porridge. Hope you got your 7a.
Chris 05
Mike Nolan - If you're trying to find Bela Lugosi in Cym Idwal your biggest weakness is navigation not Power Endurance.
Humperdink - I kept on wondering what you had for lunch until I realised it was cycling.
MattRM -
AJM - Moisturise and file that skin
Leon - Shit man, just go do some routes. You could do Left Wall and Regent St next weekend never mind 2030. Seriously.
IainRUK - Loads of impressive mileage as usual. You are a machine.
Endless Winter - Stick with it.
Grubes - Exploration of Moorland Grit. Good for the head
Kevster - Top roped an 8b. Get off the top rope and start dogging it. If you're capable the link will come together (See Andy F below)
Derbyshire Ben - Should try harder.
Andy Farnell - Looking more likely eh?
JKArran - If you're plannng to mount your fingerboard. Use the deep rather than shallow mono;s
Nomisb - Always drive West to the Lleyn when it's raining in the mountains.
Liam - Lots of effort.
SteveJohnB - Stick with it, you'll get better.
TonyB - Get off the top rope and on the lead. You'll get it 2nd redpoint.
Waterbaby -
Plexiglass Nick - Thanks for the stats and the effort last week. "Need to spend more time actually thinking about how I'm moving," Nope. Just get moving and stop thinking. (If you get my drift)
PeteStack - Recovery needed.
Sonya - Congrats hope you had a good honeymoon
Shark - Welcome back
Dave B
Rob Naylor - Nearly there Rob.
JimmyK
MattRM - Panicking about Fit Club.

Some people didn't turn up this week and I'm sure some new people posted - welcome.

There ya go. Now get on with it. For the sport climbers top roping their routes. Just try it without this week and go bolt-to-bolt on the dog instead to work your moves and then go for the red point. I guarantee some of you will surprise yourselves and tick your projects.

ieIn reply to Derbyshire Ben: Cheers mate.

Mon - rest
Tues - Fingerboarding
Wed - rest
Thurs - Kilnsey. Bolt to bolt GA, first redpont wake up at the jug, realise where I am, shake out lots, get the crimp. Pull and fail. 2nd and 3rd RP's get to the jug. Powerfade. Do Comedy putting the clips in, fall going for the cigar 10 mins later.
Fri - intend to finger board, feel too battered.
Sat - chill.
Sun - Kilnsey. Bolt to bolt GA. Belay for 20 mins.

Tie in.
Breath.
Liquid chalk.

Flake. Pocket. Jugs. Undercut. Crimp. Sidepull. Sloper. Pocket. Clip Sidepull. Sidepull. Crimpy pocket. Undercut. Good hold. Clip. Breathe. Sidepull Foot up. Pinch. Feet up. Pinch. Foot up. Jug. Clip. Breathe. Sort hands. Breathe. LF move, RF move, Slap LH. Crimp LH, push RH, Move RH to crimp, RH bone the crimp. LF up on jug. LH flake. Swap. LH micro jug, swap feet. RH micro jug, LF on nubbin, body tension, LH jug, RF on crimp. LH in jug, breathe, clip belay. Scream YYFY.

4+ years of effort distilled into less that 3 minutes of climbing.

Andy F

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Monday- Run 4miles flatish
Tuesday-Swimming 1500m breaststroke 29mins
Wednesday
Thursday-
Friday- outdoor swim approx 1500m in wetsuit (pah!)Hate wearing it.
Saturday- run 3 miles hilly
Sunday- Swimming indoor 1500m, no accurate time approx 34 mins but had to keep stopping firstly because of slow swimmers in medium lane and then I moved to fast lane but breaststroke wasn't fast enough, so every 3rd length I had wait to let two freestyle blokes pass!

Feel good this week, managed to get the swimming in and do an outdoor session in wetsuit. I've decided to do breaststroke for the Great North Swim, as really, I hate crawl. So I'll be slower but so what, I'll still beat loads of crawl swimmers. 3 weeks and counting.

If anyone would like to sponsor me for Macmillan Cancer Support, please go to
http://www.justgiving.com/Vicki-Gibbon
(Thank you Rob, for the donation)
Cheers

I'll be absent now probably until after the swim, as we are away from Friday for 2 weeks. We are coming back a day early, so we can drive North to my parents', the day before my swim in Windermere.

In reply to andy farnell:

Andy F: I guess that means the tick came! well done fella. smiles?

Cheers Ben, yeah, tying in is the hardest part.

For me this week, nothing to report of consequence.

A sad week really, first in ages that real rock hasn't featured. Finally the weather has caught up with me......

Mon-Fri - Physical pulling type work, longish hours, probably some benefit: I got blisters anyway.
Sat - tried some of the new routes at the wall (whole wall being reset, only half done). Tried onsighting/flash all I climbed. Grades not up yet. Failed on 2. they will fall next time, now I know the beta. In my defence one is an absolute sandbag, bit of a "trad thrutch" and the other is long, LONG, reaches between good holds.
Sun - day of rest.

Goals will be posted next week, failed the "on sight all new routes at the wall". At least i tied in to them all on the sharp end, so far. can't wait for the proper nails routes to go up. A change is as good as a holiday.

thanks Ben et al., K

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:


I think you misunderstood. I walked up to Cwm Idwal to have a look at Sub Cneifion Rib, which was busy and we didn't really fancy multi pitching, so we drove to Llanberis and went to the slate quarries for some single pitch.

Pretty disappointed with the sarcasm, been looking forward to some advice and encouragement all week actually.


Anyways, less climbing this week, not had enough money to go to the wall and I certainly haven't had enough to get the train elsewhere.

Monday: Nothing at all. Tired.

Turesday: Bouldered in Awesome Walls. Did pretty well on my first decent V6, but I was pretty tired so didn't quite manage it. Heading back this Tuesday to hopefully get that sorted! Got home then went for a 5 mile run. Did it in 39mins 29secs. Longest run I have ever done, I was fairly pleased with myself!

Wednesday: Rest - I like these days!

Thursday: 3 Mile run. Very windy so I didn't time myself. Fairly slow first half and slightly stronger quicker second, with wind behind me.

Friday: 3.9 Mile run. Was supposed to do my 5 mile route, but it was windy again so I cut it short. Did it in 30 minutes which was a quicker pace than my first 5 miler. Not bad considering the worse weather.

Saturday: Nothing. Girlfriend back from Devon so I went to see her.

Sunday: Work for 2 hours in the afternoon. Ran home, about a mile in boots, and felt really tired, think it was down to the boots, but I may have ran a bit too hard lately.

Busy week ahead of me. Seeing my girlfriend on Monday and Wednesday before she goes away to France, so I probably wont climb or run then, but it should give me a nice break. Planning on bouldering in Awesome Walls on Tuesday and I am off to the Peak District to try and boost my trad grade on Thursday and Friday.

Just discovered that watching climbing DVD's is a great way to gain confidence in gear etc. The falls some people make compared to the fall potential I seem to shy away from, well it's pretty embarrassing really!:L

I really want to get E1 on-sighted this Thursday and then E2 on Friday. Also, I'm hoping to flash V4 -V5 and maybe work a V6 in Stanage on Thursday and Friday.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben: Aarrrrggggggg, I've just signed up for a half marathon! I can usually manage 10k and I've ran 13miles once upon a time. Eeeek! And I've got 10weeks to get up to standard :oD

Mon - went to Ratho to train with RB but she wasn't feeling that well so we sacked it after a few routes.

Tues - local wall. I was climbing badly. Feel like I've forgotten how to climb.

Wed - rest

Thurs - 3mile run with RB.

Fri - Gym. Did some crosstraining - 10mins fast on treadmill, 10mins hard incline on bike, 10mins hard on rowing machine. Weights for shoulders. Was supposed to get out climbing for the first time in ages but something came up and it wasn't worth going out for just a couple of hours so we went to the wall. RB is working a new 7a and I found I was feeling strong and managed to get to the top of a 6b on lead and a 6b+ on toprope (with a couple of rests)

Sat - 4mile run. Didn't feel good running today at all, legs felt like they had no power whatsoever and it was very slow.

Sun - soloed up Tower Ridge with RB, went to Ben summit then down the CMD arete, up to Carn Mor Dearg and next hill along then back down to car. Out for 11hrs. Knackered.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben: Lol, thanks for the advice :P

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday: 75 crunches, 75 leg raises and 150 'oblique crunches'. The others were rest days.

So far my wrist has shown slow improvement which is a good sign but it's painful to do a pressup so I'm continuing to rest it for now.

Hopefully I'll have something interesting to write by next weekend.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben: Thanks Ben!

So this is two weeks in one as I couldn't post last week.

M: Knackered from Dartmoor.
T: Go see a film.
W: Fly to Pakistan (didn't see that one coming on Monday)
T - S: Working all hours in flood-affected parts of Punjab.

M - Sat: More of the same. Thought I'd be home on Wed but trip extended a few days, home on Sat.
S: Exhausted!

That was two weeks of great work and a really interesting time, if rather distressing. Pics are here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=201556&id=533556649&l=b03876e...
Feel free to take a look - the album should be viewable by anyone I think. If you've got a spare fiver please donate it to the DEC appeal.

Now I have time to look at my calendar I realise I've only three weeks until I go to France (Gorges du Tarn I think) and I've done no training for it at all. Any suggestions? I'm figuring I can't get much stronger in that time so best to work my power-endurance like a mad thing until I go.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Hahahahahahaha, man I like your style. Thanks to Ben for the 'tough love' advice for everyone! Thanks for putting the stats up.

STG - 26:30 5k, Consolidate HS (7/10- 2nds | 3/10 leads), 12st 4lbs weight, Onsight 5+ (with out any dogging)
MTG - 26:00 5k, Consolidate VS (2/10 - 2nds | 0/10 leads), 12st weight, Climb 6a
LTG - 25:30 5k, Lead HVS, 11st 10lbs, Climb 6b
VLTG - Lead E1, Climb 6c, maintain weight
Aspirational - Climb E5/6, Scottish Winter VI, WI5, Redpoint 8a, stay injury free & maintain 11st 10lbs

Weight - 12st 7lb

M - Shoulder prehab
T - Shoulder prehab
W - Trad climbing
T - Rest
F - Rest
S - 5k run
S - 6 mile walk - Pen-y-fan and Cribyn

Could have had a better trad session, but it wasn't that bad all in. Unlikely to get out climbing till next weekend, which is a pity. Will try and get some bouldering in. Managed a couple more HS seconds, so getting there on that STG. Hopefully the next solid day I get I'll be able to blow through that STG, if not the VS STG.

In reply to Mike Nolan:

Sorry Mike I didn't mean to offend. It was a lighthearted interpretation of your post rather than a dig..

Andy F - brilliant effort and a reward for all that dedication.

In reply to andy farnell:

Fantastic. Inspirational stuff.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:


M: Body Balance
T: 8 mile run
W: 22 mile run + Circuit training
T: rest
F: 45 min run
S: Body Pump
S: 11.3 mile run

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Monos!... have you been talking to my girlfriend Anyway, thanks for stepping in to cover for Biscuit.

Very pleased to get WYSYWIG ticked last Monday, feeling fresh it went quite easily (4th visit, 1st RP after putting the clips in) which is what I'd hoped for before shooting myself in the foot with previous over-tired siege sessions. Not sure if I get the + for this? Either way I think since it's a STG and I need something to do to keep me out of mischief I'll say 'no' and not tick that one off yet.

Also managed to get out running again. Nothing spectacular but it's hopefully prevented my recent laziness spiraling out of control.

So that's most of my weeks targets hit. Maybe this week I'll be in the mood for fingerboard action...

M: Climbing, Kilnsey. Ticked WYSYWIG then couldn't bolt-to-bolt Comedy, I seem to be getting weaker. Odd!
T: Climbing, Almscliff, civilian evening. Nearly bailed out of South Chimney... would have done were I not so stuck!
W: Climbing, Panorama (Nidderdale). Nice little crag for evening pottering.
T:
F:
S: Run 4.76mi (7:42 pace). Fun but quite hard work.
S: Climbing, Rylstone. Nothing spectacular, mostly sunbathing.

Coming week: Kilnsey tonight. Grit one evening. Run one evening. Sleep more.

STG - By October:
Running 10+mi/week
7b+ RP
5 E3s in reasonable style

M/LTG - By 2011:
E5
V8
F7c / Comedy / Bradda
sub 1:45 1/2

Aspiration:
8a
Divided Years

In reply to jkarran:

well done on WYSYWIG

In reply to Derbyshire Ben: Cheers ben.

STG (end of september): Ricochet Wall (e1) at shooters Nab
Onsight at least 5 HVS starting 02/08
Flash Browns eliminate E2 5b. I have the route info. I just need to get on it.
MTG (end of 2010):
Get solid at E1
develop a proper core routine.
Train indoors properly - set up a circuit at the wall, work it regularly and use the finger boards so I am strong for the winter grit season.
Upside down arete (V4) Tried today no where near
RP 6b+ Flowstone shuffle
LTG (summer 2011):
E3 onsight
Keep my love of climbing

M: Rest
T: Holmfirth circuit started late due to work. repeated a V3/4 felt good and strong.
W: Rain hit on my way to wimberry ended up bouldering indoors. Linked up a problem I had been trying with a drop onto a greasy slooper great fun. crap session other than that
T: Rest
F: Epic drinking session.
S: Still drunk till around lunch time hangover hit just as I met my mate for some food. Rest watched football for the rest of the day.
S: Played 11 aside football for the first time in 3 years. aching all over afterwards.

poor week not enough climbing especially with the amazing weather at the weekend. No progress made on any of my goals. But it was nice to get a match in

In reply to Derbyshire Ben: Cheers

Mon: 9k cycle (basically a rest day)
Tue: 21k flat run with some hard paced 2-3k sections.
Wed: Club run, 16k, lumpy trail route, legs pretty tired so took it fairly easy except for a few short kicks.
Thu: 45mins swim, largely breathing work. I got rather annoyed with people insisting on blocking lanes moving generally a lot faster than their pace- grr.
Fri: Fartlek, intervals of 90-180seconds. Horrible stomach discomfort (I think due to a silly food choice at lunch), so cut it rather shorter than intended.
Sat: 16k run, generally easy pace recceing route for a race in a few weeks.
Sun: 74k cycle, hard paced 9k section at start, moderate effort for most of rest, with a few 2-3k v.hard paced pushes and a couple of hard sprints.

Decent week, some good running mileage. Due to tiredness and scheduling errors wednesday wasn't run quite as hard as hoped, and the fartlek fell apart, but I think the efforts on the bike made up for that. Still may need to tweak training to get most out of it, but it's getting there.

I've entered Fleetwood Half Marathon in a fortnight. It's a while since I've raced one, so am not entirely sure how I'll do, but I'm feeling I'm running reasonably well so will go out positive, and assume a PB is possible and maybe even dipping under 90mins. Mainly it's about getting a bench mark for how my training is working though. So one last hard week coming up, and then a fairly easy run upto it.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Apologies if I offended anyone with my comments yesterday. Just thought I'd get FitClub started with a bit of tongue-in-cheek motivation. I'm sure Biscuit will be back next week to make us all feel better about ourselves.

M - PM Road running 1hr fast pace. Hotel room bodyweight Exercises (100 pressups, 100 situps, pistols and squats).
T -
W - PM Fingerboard and weights warmup + PE Bouldering (15 move problem with one minute rest x 10)
T - PM Stretching.
F - PM 1 hour hill run @ fast pace.
S - Afternoons PE bouldering at Stoney dodging the showers. Circuits and traversing to Fb 6c+/7a. 2nd'd Galpinos up Double Scotch.
S - Afternoon at Masson Lees. Warmup on a couple of 6a's then dogged up Exo6 (7a/7a+) did it 2nd RP. Then flashed Handy Borehole (6c+) a great route.

A good week of training and climbing in spite of a heavy workload and fatigue. Pleased to get Exo6 so quickly.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

I doubt anyone will be offended plus sometimes you just need a good kick up the arse to get you going.
well done on the 7a/7a+

In reply to Derbyshire Ben: cheers

Aims: Avoid more finger injuries and work on elbows
Boulder 7A

M: 5m run, weights for arms & core (400 moves)
T: rest
W: 5m run, bouldering at seans roof and rubicon
T: 5m run & core (400)
F: bouldering at Bell Hagg
S: rest
S: 8m run & bouldering at Pleasley Vale

Had a good week, climbed a nice range of problems up to (easy)6c and the fingers felt quite good although still require care. Need to get the 7a done, and have a few problems in mind.

In reply to andy farnell:

Congratulations on GA. The end of an epic amongst the fit club. It's been emotional.

Effort!

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Good advice - wish I'd had it before I came back....

Last week just about managed to play hockey as I came down with (and still have) some kind of bug.

Still feel washed out so easy week.
M - Gym
T - Rest
W - Two games of hockey - last of the summer season sniff
T - Gym
F - Rest
S - Family
S - If the weather changes will go climbing. If the forecast looks bad for Sunday will go to the wall on thursday and gym Friday.

Here's hoping that I can keep to the above....

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Cheers Ben for stepping up and doing the feedback. Injected a healthy dose of 'just get on with it' into the proceedings.

Point taken... I'm thinking about consciously trying to improve technique though rather than just doing routes and hoping it gets better by itself. Not much to report for me this week, we bailed on the trip to Portland due to weather. Filling in FC this week makes me realise I've been hammering the bouldering and strength quite hard - shoulders feeling stronger but need more rest I think.

STG
Redpoint Twangy Pearl
Onsight/Flash 7a+
Finish 7c redpoint pyramid by Turkey (2x7a+, 1x7b) (ticked: 3x7a+, 1x7b, 1x7b+)
Redpoint 7c - Hall of Mirrors by October 31st
Maintain 2010 project tick rate at 33% Currently: 30% (-2%)
Indoor - Flash 7a and RP 7b+

MTG
Onsight/Flash pyramid for 7b (4x6c+, 2x7a, 2x7a+)
60 pitches led at 6b+ to 7a in 2010 (current total: 19)
7c+ Pyramid
BF to 10.0%. Currently: 12.3% (was 11.8%)

LTG
F8a in 2011
Onsight 7b+
Supercool

Goals for last week:
movement session - thinking about movement quality. find a way to think systematically about this in block practice. in progress
Portland - try 2 of Sacred Angel, Last Rose of Summer or Step Away From The Gingga onsight. Finish Spontaneous Cattle Combustion. Flash attempt on Mindmeld. Either RP mindmeld or spend time on Hall of Mirrors. fail
Core tick, stretching tick & strength work. tick

M: Castle. Warm up + core, movement (body positioning for roof & 3d stuff) boulder (14 - 19 on the boulder ladder, all o/s apart from 17 & 19). Strength - offset pull ups and typewriters on rock rings.
T: Lead. 8 pitches. Attempted and failed to get off ground on black 7a on stack. Trying to repeat 7b crimp route I did back in the Spring - did it with a couple of rests, pleased it is feeling easier and more in control. 1x6c o/s and 1x6c retro flash.
W:
T: Castle. Ticked long pink V3 in catacombs first go. Working long green v6 in catacombs and green/orange feature slapping V5,
F: Mile End - boulder. Probs up to V3, 2xV1 (1 onsight) and 1xV5 o/s. 3x attempts at V3 roof traverse in monkey room.
S: Mile End - boulder. 3xV4 (2x onsight) Movement - block practice on orange V4 and black V6 on featured wall outside. Rising traverses on slopers/flatties; engaging core & pulling with toes. 1.5hr on 45 and 15 degree boards. Working on imaginative feet-follow problem setting on 15 deg board - up to about V3/4 compared with probs in main room. quite a fun skill in itself.
S: Bouldering - problems on Mezz, o/s up to V2, worked the V3 and blue on prow (v4?) Circuits - setting new circuit on Wave (linked 15 moves of 20ish - F7a+ complete?) and crimps (13 moves - 6c/+ for 2x laps) Strength - foot fly aways, typewriters, offset pull ups. Core.

Goals for next week:
Redpoint Twangy Pearl. If I get that done, try Imbolc or Crucifix Kiss.
Endurance - maintenance session. ARC and circuits.
2x core sessions
strength - offset pull ups, typewriters, campus
movement - drill breathing and block practice on roof technique. develop more systematic approach.
leading - 7a o/s attempt.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Monday rest day
Tuesday push ups and pullups and finger board
Wednesday off and some physio
Thursday Run 25 mins
Friday bouldering at dumbarton
Saturday bike for and hour
Sunday physio

I'm off to Malawi on Wednesday so won't be posting for two weeks

Going to be bringing the climbing shoes along, looks like so nice lakeside bouldering.

In reply to andy farnell:

Many congratulations. And also to jkarran on WYSIWYG. It's really good to read about people climbing hard and achieving their goals. Well done.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:


Thanks Ben. You're not wrong. I needed that. Next time on lead it is.

I also got the impression that my goal setting is getting a bit random. So I'm going to try and be a bit clearer particular routes and dates.

STG (before end Sep)
complete 7b+ pyramid (need 1x 7a, 1x 7a+, 1x7b and the 7b+)
7a Kerjäläisten Valtakunta (Falkberget) - dogged with one fall - will climb tomorrow.
7a+ Super Mario (Pickala) - not tried yet
7b Minotaurus (Falkberget) - not tried yet
7b+ Dragon (Haukkakallio) - can make all the moves, linked bottom half

MTG (Spring 2010)
I live in Finland and the weather will be too cold to climb so I need some indoor targets. These will aim to get me ready for a spring sports climbing trip.
10 boulder problems 6C+/7A in one session - have managed this with 6B
Boulder 7B - have climbed 7A
8x laps 6c route (4 mins rest) - have done this with 6b

LTG (2010)
This could be really exciting. After living in Finland for 5 years, I might move back to the UK next summer. So the LTG would be to push 7c or maybe 7c+ in the UK.

VLTG
My rather silly 7 grade 7 sports climbs in 7 countries (49 routes in total)
8a
Get back into trad (Storpillaren - Lofoten)

Tue - Bouldering indoors to 6C+
Thur- Tried Kerjäläisten Valtakunta which would have been a route for the pyramid. After wasting a lot of time and energy on duff sequences, I left myself time for one RP which I really squandered with a stupid mistake. I was a bit disappointed with this because I thought the route would really suit me and I'd like to be able to climb 7a relatively easily.
Sat - Bouldering indoors to 6C
Sun - Unproductive reconnaissance of a potential DWS crag which turned out to be very shallow water.

Goals for this week
With visitors and the weather forecast being poor I will probably only get two climbing sessions in.

Goal 1 (Tue evening)
Climb KV and have one go bolt-to-bolt on Minotaurus (no top roping!)
Goal 2 (Indoor session)
5 boulder problems @ 6C (or above)

Next week get on Dragon and hopefully prove Derbyshire Ben right with his two RP attempts. Although I need cooler weather. This year has been something of a record heatwave in Finland.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:
STG: 6 passes on repeaters(done).
MTG: 6 passes on repeaters(done). 6 reps on lock-offs (done). 15 problems VIR v1+ to v3 in 90 mins (done).
LTG(2010): 20 HVS points (done). (8)12 e-points. 2 sets of 4x4(v1,v2,v2,v2). Tippler & Desperation.
VLTG(2030?): Left Wall & Regent Street.

Falls this week:0 (4 this year)
Weight: 10'0", 12.8% fat.
Focus: Hypertrophy (week 3/4).

Mon: Core & antagonistic.
Tue: Movement training (aka messing about at the castle).
Wed: Rest.
Thu: Repeaters 6(8).
Fri: Rest
Sat: Rest
Sun: Horseshoe (max 6a+)

Good work stepping in Ben. Rekon you are right that I need to climb more. Not sure I could do Left Wall or Regent Street next weekend though. After all, it is bound to be raining.

A really lazy week, not been sleeping well & all the other usual excuses... Quite embarassing looking back at how lazy I really was. Good job Biscuit isn't about or he'd be giving me a right bollocking.

Finished the goal for the current focus with a week left (Nick was right last week when he said I needed to get more ambitious).

Started Sunday @ the horseshoe in a low mojo state, didn't think I was going to climb anything. Lead a 5, 6a & 6a+ all felt pretty easy (I'm spotting the ambition problem again). Tried top roping a couple of 6cs, topped out on one on first attempt (dogged!!) but was stopped 20 foot below the top on the other. Physically both felt fine. Working out the moves was really hard!! Need to try & work out what type of training I can do to help me read routes better...

Sunday made me realize that I'd really like to spend a lot more time red pointing. I think it would help me improve miles & I rekon it would be quite enjoyable (never thought I'd say that). Now I just need to convince my climbing partner that he only thinks he likes climbing when in fact what he really likes is watching me climb!!!

Next week mostly in london so I guess I'll be spending a lot of time *ahem* *ahem* "movement training"

Goal for next week
STG repeaters 6(8). Lock-offs 6(6) -all sets. 15 problems VIR v1+ to v4 in 60 mins.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:
Another busy week, and not too much climbing. 2 short bouldering sessions at the end of work again, trying to keep this up through August. Another trip out to Ardnamurchan, with friends who weren't wanting to climb above HS/VS. Pleased to escape the rain in Lochaber for the day, but no patience for roped climbing on routes I was feeling in the zone to solo, so left them to it. Played around all day, routes between Diff - VS4c. Quite pleased with a solo of Yir, which was my first VS lead last summer, and I'd remembered i feeling hard. Turns out it isn't so bad...

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Thanks Ben.

Crap week here due to my head gasket blowing on my car and then having to frantically search for a new one and organise purchase and collection! Sorted now anyway so back to it.

On my way to pick up aforementioned car on Sunday in Sheffield I stopped off at Stangae Pop for a walk and a chill. Watching people climb there (including a few soloing) really strengthened the thought within me that I don't think I'm wired for routes. This has been an on-going battle since I started climbing - hence why I've stuck to bouldering most of the time - and is really getting me down. It's starting to affect how I think about bouldering. De-motivating me totally.

I know that bouldering is a discipline in its own right but I can't help thinking that if I'm bouldering then I should also be able to climb sport / trad routes. It's taking far too much mental effort to get me tied in though and it's starting to affect other areas of my life now so I think that I either have to just concentrate and be happy just bouldering or concentrate on my mtb goals.

Anyway, crap week as I said but here are my stats anyway.

---------------------------
TRAINING LOG
---------------------------

M: 11km recovery mountain bike ride (E1, S1, 37min). New saddle feels better, altered bar position (better) and still not sure about right cleat position - will know more after ride tomorrow (didn't happen).
T: REST
W: REST
T: REST
F: REST
S: REST
S: REST

---------------------------
NUTRITION LOG (Daily guidelines only)
Please note that this is for me and won't work for everyone as nutritional requirements are very different from person to person.
---------------------------

BREAKFAST: Black coffee. Porridge (cooked with boiled milk, NOT microwaved) with chopped up fruit (1 apple and 1 banana / strawberries) / beens / eggs.
SNACK: Black coffee. Fruit / nuts and seeds.
LUNCH: Chicken pasta with fresh salad / chicken or ham salad sandwiches on homemade wholegrain bread.
SNACK: Fruit / nuts and seeds.
TEA: Chicken breast (or equivalent) usually with potato / pasta etc., and fresh veg (especially broccoli).
SUPPER: Cottage cheese.

TRAINING SUPPLEMENTS:

Reiki and meditation
Once a day: 500mg Cod Liver Oil and 500mg Fish Oil (plus vits).

UNDER SCRUTINY - Training without these at the moment.
During training: SIS Go Electrolyte and if it's an anabolic session then 50g SIS Rego Rapid half way through session.
After session: 100g SIS Rego Rapid before stretches (if it was an anabolic session then the remaining 50g rather than another 100g).

In reply to Steve Perry (Pezz):

What makes you think you are not wired for routes?

Developing a good lead head is a skill in itself - are you giving yourself a fair chance to get used to leading, or are you judging your potential based on how you found it on a couple of occasions? Stepping outside your comfort zone IS hard and IS a mental effort but it's something you have to keep chipping away at, and the hardest part is getting started.

I think for a lot of people who come at leading from a good level of climbing ability, though, find it frustrating struggling on routes where the technical difficulty is not that hard, that they feel they 'should' be able to climb. I think one way to deal with it is seeing 'learning to lead' as a skill, like learning to place gear, that you just need to do as an exercise before you can have a rewarding time integrating it with the actual climbing.

If you don't enjoy it you don't enjoy it, and there's nothing wrong with sticking with bouldering as a discipline in itself - but as you say it seems to cause you a lot of grief and you do seem to like the idea of routes.

In reply to plexiglass_nick:

Watching people at Stanage on Sunday I think Nick. They just seemed to be having fun. Tying in and getting on with it. I know that they have probably been climbing routes for years and that I don't see what's going on inside their heads but when I picture myself standing at the bottom of the route getting ready to climb it just terrifies me.

I did go out and lead a couple of lower grade routes, a VDiff and then a Diff. Both on separate days. After the VDiff I just wanted to head home. I was happy with what I'd achieved but I'd had enough. It mentally drained me. That made me feel a bit pathetic having only climbed one route. Then when I went out to climb the Diff I felt fairly good afterwards and was up for climbing another but the weather turned and we had to head back.

I do like the idea of routes and would love to be able to climb them but every time I organise a trip I get so worked up and nervous that it's 'almost' not worth it and when we do head out I feel such a burden for my lack of 'just getting on with it'. I think because bouldering is my comfort zone it's easy to revert to it too.

I see others just climbing and getting on with it. When on a route I just want to get off it. I'm not happy standing on a ledge part way up a piece of rock. Afterwards though I feel so good and like I've really achieved something. It seems like climbing routes is easy for most people and that makes me question why it's so hard for me.

Thinking logically I know that most of the non-climbing population would never even want to get off the ground. Maybe I'm just looking too closely rather than looking at the big picture.

I don't want to give up but then I don't want the 'fight' to take over my life and end up on my death-bed having focused so much on one thing that maybe I should have left alone. On the other hand, being on my death-bed knowing that I'd finally lead Cenotaph Corner and Cemetery Gates, having over come my fear and controlled myself, would really make me smile.

In reply to Steve Perry (Pezz):

Speaking for myself here, but I know that if I am on a route pushing myself, a lot of the time while I'm actually on the route, it's not that much fun. Actually I would say my experience is very much like you describe - nervous, procrastinating, draining, palms sweating etc. For a route at your limit, the fun largely comes afterwards. I spent the best part of one summer's climbing trips standing at the bottom of routes I felt I should be doing, agonising over it and in the end packing up and going back to the camp site. Sometimes you get a flash where it hits you mid route and you can enjoy it without the fear, but honestly I think dealing with the fear is a large part of the psychological challenge of doing routes at your limit.

You get better at controlling it, and you get better at avoiding letting it spill over so it affects your day and affects your trip, and you get better at the mental stamina so you can do route after route. Even so I would say I am able to psyche up for one onsight attempt at my limit - that probably takes all the mental energy I can summon in a day. But you get better at it by doing more of it.

If you are climbing well within your comfort zone it's not that stressful. But I would lay money that every one of the climbers you saw at stanage has had to deal with 'the fear' in their leading apprenticeship. I would also lay money that most on fit club can probably see themselves at some point in their climbing career, in the description you just gave.

For sure, people react differently and my experience is that some people experience more fear than others - I'm not saying it's the same for everyone. But if you are determined to deal with it, there are systematic processes for dealing with the fear, and despite how you feel you are wired I suspect tried and tested techniques like starting small but systematically exposing yourself to progressively more and more stressful situations, do make a significant difference to most people's comfort zones if you can stick with it over time.

The question is how much you want to do it - you may decide that routes are not for you - and that is a totally valid choice to make should you decide that you'd rather spend your time bouldering and mountain biking. But I think it would be a shame to write it off if you feel that it's something that you still want to do.

FWIW if you are interested and you learn well from books, I would recommend this one. It has a lot on comfort zones and dealing with pushing yourself without scaring yourself silly. It also has a fair bit on the mental strategy of leading and rationally/emotionally assessing risk.
http://www.davemacleod.com/shop/espressolessons.html

I know you are fortunate enough to get out on rock a lot, but do you have easy access to an indoor wall? If leading gives you the fear, it might be easier to do a few sessions indoors, particularly as the setting of a lot of the easy sport in the peak is not exactly going to enhance your experience.

In reply to plexiglass_nick:

Thanks Nick, I know that you have given me advice in the past and I really appreciate the time you have taken to do so. It is comforting to hear that experienced climbers like yourself have gone through / do go through the same thought processes and that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

There is an indoor wall within not-too-bad driving distance and have tried leading routes there but I find that the motivation isn't the same as climbing outdoors. Maybe it is something which I should persevere with though and maybe it would help with at least being used to being on a rope.

I'll buy the book you mentioned and give it a read, sounds like that could help too.

I'm always looking for excuses not to lead and I think I know within my heart that it's something which I do want to do. I'm not one to walk away from challenges but I think this is my greatest yet. Physical challenges I can push myself at, mental ones are a tougher prospect because how do you know the difference between when you are acceptably pushing yourself and when you are just being silly and putting yourself in dangerous situations for no real reason? Like I say, I'll read the book and see if that helps too.

Thanks again for the help Nick.

In reply to Steve Perry (Pezz):


I am very much still learning at this stuff. Glad you found it useful however. IMHO the mental challenges are the most interesting as you can't they can't just be solved by getting a bit stronger. But yes it does get easier as it becomes more normal.

Indoors - just see it as training. It's not as good as outdoors but it's a safe, relatively controlled environment and you can start out on routes where the holds are massive that you can climb in your sleep.


This is covered in detail in the book. He approaches risk taking in climbing in two ways - the rational assessment of how big a fall is, whether it's physically dangerous, whether you'll hit the ground/swing into a ledge, etc. Then you look at the less rational stuff - whether you'll scare yourself witless, or whether it's a fall you're comfortable taking. How you then commit to the moves depends on what sort of risk it is. If it's safe and not scary you can throw yourself at it. If it's safe but a bit scary you can 'relax' and treat it as a mental challenge. If it's actively dangerous or just very, very scary then you make a decision whether or not you're up for it, and either climb it like you are soloing or back off. Sometimes in getting from one bolt (or bit of gear) to the next you might pass through all three zones - but through experience and things like falling practice you get better at rationally assessing what the risks are and how high you can go before you are in danger.

It's explained better and in more detail in the book - this is quite advanced stuff though and most of the time on sport routes or trad routes with good gear (eg. cracks) assuming you are above the second or third clip, with a decent belayer you can treat it as objectively safe and you don't really need to actively risk assess while you are on the route and you can just concentrate on physically and mentally going for it. The good news is as you are a strong boulderer you will have a lot of margin for error on the moves themselves, which should feel pretty easy.

Good luck

In reply to Steve Perry (Pezz):

Just to agree with Nick the head is is hard to train.
It takes time to develop and more than anything milage. Until the end of may the hardest route I had lead was VS as I could not push myself throught the HVS barrier in my head. The head comes with time.
Since then I have lead quite a few HVS's couple of E1's and an E3.
The main thing that changed for me was my partner.

Do you have a partner you can regularly climb trad with? Or even someone you can climb sports with? A good partner can help a lot in my experience.

In reply to grubes:


Agreed - someone who is at roughly the same level as you (or slightly better, ideally) who is patient and also psyched to push themselves.

In reply to plexiglass_nick:

Kind of yes and no really with regards to a climbing partner. The two routes I did lead were both seconded by my girlfriend. She's newer to climbing than myself and I think that, although she did very well and I was very proud of her, her nervousness rubbed off on me and made me feel like I was really in a dangerous situation. My other climbing buddies are all way more experienced than me and solo lower grades and lead up to about E1/2 so that's where I feel like a bit of a burden to them - even though they are very patient, supportive and helpful. I guess someone who leads up to around VS or so might be a better match.

In reply to Steve Perry (Pezz):

Steve,

If it’s any comfort, despite having come to climbing from a hillwalking and scrambling background with my Dad, it was the late eighties early nineties when I was introduced to proper climbing and it was grit bouldering that I started with and I got good at it quickly. Routes were a terrifying prospect for me and all my climbing mates were way more experienced than I was so like yours would happily solo and lead routes that just seemed impossible to me.

I realised that if I was going to have any longevity as a climber and enjoy all that the sport had to offer I had some learning to do so deliberately found myself some climbing partners with a similar level of competence as mine and spent five years or more learning to climb doing hundreds and hundreds of VDiffs, Severes, VS’s and HVS’s even though I’d wobbled up an E3 within six months of starting. It took me all that time to become comfortable and even now when I go tradding or sport climbing at or near my limit I’m full of fear, anxiety and uncertainty. Sometimes it just isn’t fun and is best appreciated in hindsight.

I’m sure you’ll get a similar answer from everyone on this thread and on UKB who’s been at this game for a while.

In reply to Steve Perry (Pezz):

Some one leading VS could be a good partner for you. Ability wise you should easily be able to second VS and not really have any problem up till at least E1 or above.

My advise is as follows:

Seconding helped me learn to lead. When removing gear have a look at the other persons placements. It helps you know what to look for.

When placing trad gear it gets a lot easier with practise. Don't be afraid to load a route up with gear. Feeling comfortable is really important.
Also I find in general below HVD/S gear tends to be harder to find.

When begining to lead pick routes that suit and make you think I want to do that. When you do do it will boost you physce.

In reply to grubes:

Thanks, I've spent a bit of time at the base of crags placing gear and did find it ok on the routes which I have climbed. I guess it's practice and experience which I need so that I can build up confidence in my ability and then trust my judgement, like you say.

In reply to Ben:

Thanks Ben, it's nice to know what others struggled to begin with. That was another thing that had me wondering whilst I was watching others at Stanage - "is it because these people were bought up in climbing families and therefor have always been exposed to the risk which makes climbing routes seem more 'normal' to them". Hearing that some of you have worked through these stumbling blocks really does fill me with positive thoughts and hope

Thank you all again. Looking forward to reading my new book!

In reply to Derbyshire Ben: thanks ben!

STG: continue with physio exercises. get approx 10 mile flattish slow run in. bit of climbing would be good
MTG: yorkshireman marathon, sun 12th sep. sort leading head out.
LTG: ?


M - rest. iced/warmed heels, heel stretches
T - walking round alton towers all day, not strictly training but good fun all the same. iced/warmed heels, heel stretches
W - 12.5 mile/650' run in newlands valley. iced/warmed heels, heel stretches
T - walked up scafell pike from borrowdale - nicely atmospheric mist and cloud on the way up. iced/warmed heels, heel stretches
F - stiff heels, don't think scafell pike was a good idea. heel stretches
S - 7hrs in car
S - 3 or 4 mile flattish run, mostly tarmac. couple of hours unskilled kayaking on the hamble.

driving round the country staying with family, slacked off on heel icing and stretches towards end of week. zero core/glute exercises.
still in two minds about marathon, will see how this week goes.

In reply to Steve Perry (Pezz):


It's taken me a while to build up the confidence on routes. Admittedly I've always climbed routes, but I come from a totally non-climbing background. My family aren't very outdoorsy either, so it's not like I've been doing that sort of thing for years before. I remember the feeling of utter terror I had on my first outdoor route. It scared the living s**t out of me. I just felt like I couldn't do it at all. I did tho. I can sympathise with the feeling you get on an easy route when you get to a big ledge, it can be tough to move off it into the firing line (so to speak) again. It's easy to get stalled. Again on the lead I've cocked up and had to make some dodgy moves to get back on route. At the time I genuinely thought I was going to die or best last break my legs/other body parts (with the benefit of hindsight it wasn't quite as dire as I had thought). Which is why if you've got mates who can do routes that are hard for you with ease and they want to climb with you do so, take it as a chance to second loads of VS/HVS (which looking at your bouldering profile are well within your ability) and get the confidence on long trad routes. I wish I'd been in that situation, I would probably be a better & safer climber. Teaching yourself to lead isn't always the best thing to do, maybe a course would be a good idea? Also if making sure your girlfriend is safe is stressing you out, make sure you climb with a more experienced mate till you're confident, if she climbs I'm sure she'll understand. And there's nothing wrong with leading routes which you've seconded before especially when breaking into a grade. Knowing that I've climbed a route before really makes things much easeier when you're leading something, especially if you're moving up a grade.

As for the head, as quite a few on here have said, you just need to take things really slowly. Build up really slowly. Don't advance in grade till you've done 10 routes at the previous grade (it's what I'm doing and it's working well for me!). I've been climbing severe since shortly after I started, but it's taken till early this year for me to get solid at the grade. Also I often find that the first climb of the day can be the worst. If you like bouldering, maybe boulder for an idea to get the climbing move memory going and then start on a really easy climb, before heading to something a bit harder. I can't get into things till about the 3rd climb of the day. I can really struggle if I pick a HS/VS as the first climb of the day, but I may cruise the same climb later on. Oh and finally get good at downclimbing. If it feels wrong, back off (tho if you're on a grit edge, it's often not hard to get rescued, other climbers will always help). Hope that helps, like I said I can sympathise, it is hard to do, we've all been there, I'm sure if you want to do it you will do.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben: Just trying to keep the mileage up, but tendonitis in the foot..

In the US all week..

m: 5.2 mile road run, morning and evening
t: 11.2 miles, 1 x 5.1 miler and 1 x 6.1 miler.
w: 13 mile road and trail run
t: 6 mile road run
f: 13 mile road and trail run
s: flight back
s: 7 mile fell run Moel Siabod..great to back..

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Cheers Ben. Love the straight-talking style of commentary - important to remind people I suppose that advice sometimes has to be blunt to get through

I had a pretty good week and weekend.

Tuesday - an hour or two bouldering at Haresfield. Nice crag about 10 minutes from the office.
Thursday I went to Cheddar. My partner was fortunate to escape with bruising and nettle stings after decking from 30 feet after pulling 3 runners, which was a bit unnerving. Dogged up Its a Kind of Magic - felt very unfit but did all the moves. With no real expectations for my redpoint attempt (I'd have been happy to get through the crux to the rest before the headwall) there wasn't really any pressure, and I nailed it first redpoint. Gratifying to know that despite having not really done anything on that route or on similar style routes for months I can still get hard 7a+ reasonably fast. Excellent route: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=37018

Saturday - Gogarth. Mousetrap - my partner had psyche so did the crux - belaying it was a bit harrowing. Enjoyed the next two pitches a lot more. I think I've discovered where my limit for talcum-powder-rock lies - I'll be back on Red wall in future, but maybe not Mousetrap Zawn.

Sunday - Llanberis Pass. Seconded Overlapping Wall and led Erosion Groove Direct (E2) - ground up with 1 fall, didn't seat a foot properly hopping it up the little footholds on the wall. Have generally been lazy in the past in this situation and not lowered and pulled ropes, surprisingly satisfying to do so in that it doesn't feel so much like a failure - I eventually did the route, I fell off trying a move not faffing, and I was 1 move away from easier ground, so it wasn't a bad effort.

Monday - shoulder a bit sore, strained it on EGD, so did some easy routes after we walked into Plexus to find it wet.

Tuesday - it rained. Went to the Roaches and seconded Matinee, didn't get the mantel first go through. A good learning experience - I was so far out of my comfort zone I couldn't even see it, I felt like a proper fish out of water!



Andy F - awesome achievement. The amount of drive you've put into the route, through all the ups and downs, inspires people like me to try so much harder Enjoy the post route buzz, very well deserved.

AJM

In reply to Steve Perry (Pezz)

It sounds like there is some really good advice here. I think anyone who tries to really advance their climbing has to step outside their comfort zone and it is really hard to do so. I think it was Adam Stack who said "that the first crux of every route is stepping off the ground". He climbs amazingly well, but it would seem that he still has to battle his demons.

I'd also agree that it's really important finding the right partner. When you make a good pair, you both gain confidence from the other. When I climb with someone who is quite hesitant then the hesitancy rubs off on me and it's hard to find "the zone".

Does sports climbing interest you? I might be completely wrong here. There are many more experienced people who will be able to comment. But I think as you are bouldering so hard that climbing really easy trad routes might not be the way forward. If you do VDiffs and Severes then the moves must be ridiculously easy for you. So easy that you don't have to think about the climbing but start to think to much about the what if scenarios and over focus on the gear. If you did a little sports climbing, you could start on harder routes (even F5-5+ probably is closer to HVS/E1 climbing) and then you'd be able to focus more on the climbing. On a personal note, many easy climbs scare me more than hard ones. It might be that I put pressure on myself and I expect to find it easy, and then am stressed when I don't.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

M Rest
T 4.5 mile road run
W 5mile trail run
T 10mile mountain run Siabod from Dolwyddelan and extra loop approx 750m ascent + 5mile dog walk
F 9.5mile trail run 450m ascent Sychnant Pass + 4mile dog walk
S Y Garn Fell Race 3mile 550m ascent 8/31 (little disappointed) + 5mile dog walk
S 20mile road run + 4mile dog walk


Done more mile this year now than in 2009 - goal achieved
Set new 10K PB and Marathon PB - haven't done a half marathon yet
Also have done some local fell races - would hope to maybe do some more
Got the Anglesey/Snowdonia marathons to come

Have been doing some climbing, not as much as would have liked. Was hoping to get to the Cuillins for my birthday next month but not going to happen so maybe next year but most likely 2012.

In reply to AJM:

Nice one on IAKOM - sounds like a quality week...

In reply to Derbyshire Ben: Ahh sadly no - the lunchtime is running followed by some physio exercises! funny how you just assume everyone knows what you're posting Cheers for subbing in for biscuit.

M: Lunch - 7M (run!) usual off-road loop in 43:36, physio exercises x3. pm - Bike 33/34M in 1:50:00
Tu: 7M as per Monday in 48:04, physio exercises x3. pm Spinner Bike in gym 2:00:00 equivalent to ~35M
W: Lunch - 7M alternate off-road loop in 50:54 felt tired, physio exercises x3. pm Faom roller and tennis ball in quads and IT band - ouch
Th: Lunch - 12 x 400 with 200m jog recovery on grass. Did the session at 1/2 to 3/4 pace - enjoyed it. About 7M in total including warm up/ cool down. pm - Reverse of Monday's route, ~32M in 1:45:00
F: am - 6M steady in 41:52 - half-asleep! not run in morning for a while
Sa: am Cycling from home up to Birmingham - ~121M in 7:45:00.
Su: Didn't feel too bad but decided to rest!

Run: 35M
Bike 210M

Need a pass out for this week as will be cycling across Pyrenees.....

In reply to Steve Perry (Pezz):

It sounds like you've got some good advice coming through here. I'd echo a lot of what has been said:

• A partner with whom you have a good positive climbing relationship is ann immense help. I find I have whole gulfs of performance between partners.
  
• Work out your motivations - I find that I come to resent things if I put too much pressure on myself - sometimes you need to remember that no-one is forcing you to be there and that its only a hobby If you want to only boulder, don't feel like thats an inferior choice, if you want to get into the ropes then plenty of people here have given you good suggestions to suceed.....
  

AJM

In reply to plexiglass_nick:

Its been a good week, yes - pleased with the fact that even if there was no E2 onsight, I've got over my big glass ceiling and am getting on the routes. Climbing positively (generally) and not adopting my usual tactics of whimpering and calling "take".

Very pleased with IAKOM too, not really my natural style (a crux bulge with some powerful moves to a shakeout, then a headwall on good holds that is steep and pumpy) and its been a while since I was on the route last. I think I'm going to have a look at something a lot harder next visit (possibly Valley of the Blind, the 7c arete I really fancy, I remember posting a photo of it last year), just with a view to finding out where I need to train in order to get it nailed - I doubt it'll be before exam season now before I can project anything so something harder for the medium term...

AJM

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

cheers,
let's hope biscuit isn't shipwrecked somewhere off a small atoll near the Isle of Man.

M
T:Malham - return to Serious Young Toads(7c) - did the mono move, good links, back on as a prospect.
W:
T:rained off
F:Malham - three good but pummelling efforts at Serious Young Toads
S:
S:Yew Cogar - Cruising for a bruising(7b/7b+) really is a harsh route on the hands, not recovered from fri - aborted. Tried Strictly B Team a separate 7b+, boulder start, lots of slopers and one move over a high roof that I just can't see how anyone can do!

not bad, getting fitter. serious young toads may have to be move onto redpoint territory next week.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:
Just back from Mallorca, but here's a summary from last week.
S: Helsby in sweaty conditions. Top roped some potential headpoints and found them hard. Even found E1's a bit pumpy not being used to hanging around placing gear!
M: Looked at Harmers wood - minging after rain - didn't climb.
T: Nowt/packing.
W: Flew to Palma. Swiming and did some pull-ups and body tension exercises in cooler evening
T: Swimming and pull-ups/body tension exercises
F: Nowt.
S: Minor adventure in Spanish Healthcare...

This weeks goals:
Hope to get out before end of the week and/or the wknd. Need to re-consider STGs owing to crap weather putting me off climbing on sandstone and impending holiday, and diminished climbing volume reducing fitness this month.

STG - By end August:
Another 8a redpoint; Mussel Beach and Dead Calm look like a good targets
7b+ OS (Ticked - Metal Guru, 7c)
Quick E6 headpoint
Weekly cardio of some sort

MTG - By end of year:
Do some proper trad. SW or Pembroke wknd would be nice. Don't lose too much fitness.

LTG
Yorkshire triple crown. OS 7c again. Solid at E5 OS again

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Many thanks Ben ( and Nick for last week ) i was actually in London un-expectedly for a few days after the boat. Only got back in the early hours last night.

I will up date stuff on Sunday but it looks like you guys have done a good job in my absence. Thanks again.

Basically my last 2 weeks have consisted of 1 quite good bouldering session at St Bees where i did a load of low grade stuff, 2 v4's and a v5. All stuff i've done before but the low grade stuff felt so much easier. They're all problems i know well so it was interesting to judge the improvement. Not been since i started back properly on the BM. I still couldn't get my v4 one power move nemesis though.

A few hour long runs and core exercises done every other day was going fine on the boat until i got laid up with my 'wheat allergy' again. It's in inverted commas as i don't think i'm allergic as such but i cut bread out of my diet a few months ago. It had crept back in a bit but on the boat i was having a lot of it. I felt awful for 3 days. No energy, bad headache, dodgy stomach. Gave bread up and 2 days later i was back running
again feeling 'light' and strong. I won't let it creep back in again.

Next few weeks will see me carrying on with the strength work and tie in some power towards the end of sept i think before launching into str end for kaly in Nov. It will mostly be board and bar work as i am mad busy with work which is seriously limiting play time. Roll on the start of term.

In reply to everyone who's been encouraging me with regards to climbing routes:

Thanks for your input guys, it means a lot to hear that others have gone through a similar phase and are now enjoying climbing routes more than ever. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel after all!

I'm going to read this book when it arrives and am arranging to head out to start seconding some Diff / VDiffs as soon as I can. I think I'll start trying some indoor routes again too and see how that goes. Slow and steady and all that!

In reply to Derbyshire Ben: I think you'll find it's fat lazy bastard. Sadly STG has become "lose 12lbs". MTG is sub-90 at GNR. LTG remains sub-3 Mara.

Last week started ok but then went shit.

M - 5m run at about 7:40 pace
T - nowt
W- track - 6x800m at 6min pace - hurty left calf
T - set off to run 13m home but right calf went hurty so bailed at 7m

Decided to give hurty calves the weekend off but tried it again Monday and it's not right so on the bench again. Bike to fill the time...

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Went on holiday with non climbing friends mon-fri. I found it hard to believe when we were in llanberis that they'd prefer to go to beacon climbing wall to boulder rather than any of the boulders in the pass. Non climbers are strange.

M- golf and bouldering at cae du.
T- walked up snowdon via the pig route.
W- mountain biking at coed y brenin. 34k length with 750m of climb. Hard work but awesome fun.
T- indoors at beacon.
F- indoors @ redpoint.
S- work.
S- evening sesh @ redpoint.

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Perhaps, but that'll be this week (back to work, eating too much and lacking immediate motivation through a combination of heavy legs and no place in the Ben Race)...

M: Run Glen Nevis, c.9.5 miles/2,400 ft (Achriabhach, Mullach nan Coirean forestry & Steall with visiting US athlete Rhonda Claridge)
T: Run Short Grey Mare's, 2.6 miles/c.800 ft
W: Run Penstock, 4.6 miles/1,200 ft
T: Run Kinlochleven to Fersit, c.28 miles/7 Munros (pacing Ramsay's Round attempt for Rhonda)
F: Run Half-Ben (to meet Rhonda finishing)
S: Rest
S: MTB Inchree Forestry, 21.7 miles/3,200 ft

On quite another note, might point out that I don't split 'petestack' because it's both Pete Stack and Pete's Tack (neither being my surname, but all explained on my site). Although you should see all these domain registrars trying to tempt me with stuff like 'peteheap' and one quasi-learned online bibliography citing Stack, Pete etc. as a reference (I kid you not)!

Thank you Derbyshire Ben:

Been on holiday, so three weeks to catch up on...

A race - World Duathlon Championships 3rd - 5th September 2010

Week 176
M: Went running at lunchtime. Went climbing at Alien Rock in the evening
Tu: Cycled to work (26km in 1h11) and home again (extended route so 29km in 1:09)
W: triathlon club run - roughly 7km in 40 minutes. Followed by triathlon club swim session 1 hour.
Th: cycled to work (1h12 but that included a run-in with a bin lorry) and home (59 minutes, woohoo) - ran off afternoon cycle, 3.6km.
F: nothing (packing for holiday)
Sa: nothing (travelling to Wales)
Su: ran a section of the Pembrokeshire Coastal path. Lovely, but hard work. about 10km in about an hour.

Week 177
M: went for something between a pootle and a training cycle ride through the lanes of the St David's peninsula - a couple of hours. Later took our wetsuits and went swimming in a sheltered bay, which was lovely.
Tu: about 45 minutes run along another bit of the Pembrokshire Coastal path. Did some sort of 5 minutes hard, one minute walk intervals, I think. Traveled to Brecon Beacons.
W: easy low-level walk to see some waterfalls. 1 hour cycle in the evening - just out-and-back from the campsite
Th: Hillwalking - Corn Du and Pen y Fan by the tourist route. Not a big walk by my usual standards, but very pleasant.
F: nothing
Sa: nothing: crewing for the bloke who was doing an ultra-distance triathlon
Su: as Saturday - got one hour's sleep between Saturday morning and Sunday night.

Week 178
M: nothing
Tu: nothing
W: ran 40 minutes up valley road near Llangollen
Th: very wet 1h30 minute cycle.
F: 40 minutes hilly road run
Sa: nothing (travelling home)
Su: 2h15 cycle round Arthur's Seat (race route). Now rather intimidated... 6km run-off (35 minutes, slow and tired)

In reply to Derbyshire Ben:

Can keep the boot off wehile indoors now, but still have to wear it outdoors for another week.

Probably a good idea. Thursday I tripped over a rug and smashed my head into an old-fashioned dolly-rocker light switch. Yet ANOTHER deep hole in my head, and concussion!

Not safe anywhere!