In reply to Joak:
> (In reply to Andrew Mallinson)
> [...]
> >> Forget the strength/muscles bit...go bash the hills this Autumn.....repeatedly......
> [...]
>
> Good advice, I'm fortunate enough to get into the Scottish hills at least once a week (sometimes twice) throughout the year yet it still comes as a shock to the sytstem when I shoulder my first winter climbing sack of the season!
Me too and I and I'm out on the local hills almost daily! On a more serious note I've had a number of clients over the years who sported big numbers on climbing walls and in sport climbing but really struggled to reach the winter climbing crags. I've also had sub four hour marathon runners that struggled as soon as they were given a rucksack with a rope to carry...