UKC

Firstly, I have just come across this, apologies if this has been posted a million times before, but I found it both truly inspiring and also fascinating from an historical perspective.

youtube.com/watch?v=O6CTK2hFvrw&

As an ex runner I know how older runners have the ability to impress with amazing times that you wouldn't know they had the ability to do just looking at them before the race - Martin Rees 32 minute 10K at the age of 60 is something akin to how smoothly Joe Brown moves up the rock.

However, the banter and lively discussion is something that many of us can relate to (even at my lowly climbing ability). Leading or seconding I get scared and often talk to my leader/belayer as a way of controlling it... occasionally you can see that (or maybe I am just trying to convince myself?)!

Either way I hope that a few other UKC's can appeciate this (avoid the 'this has been posted before')

In reply to bowls: Funny you should post, was literally just watching the same video 15 minutes ago. Pretty amazing how the two old boys pretty much flew up the route, a real inspiration to both young and old climbers !

In reply to bowls: I feel like I have all the gear and no idea watching that!

In reply to bowls: thanks for posting that...just watched it on my phone in bed and really enjoyed it. As someone approaching 50 myself i could identify withit a lot, especially the equipment and boots!
Whillans and brown were real inspirations when i started climbing around 1980, we used to always want to repeat their routes above anyone elses..

In reply to sab:

An honest comment, that most of us will recognise in ourselves - given the gift of humility.

Mark Diggins said, "...some modern climbers are flattered by their equipment and are not as good as they think they are".

In reply to bowls: thats funny, i just got a book about him in the post today, 'The Villan'

In reply to bowls:

>Martin Rees 32 minute 10K at the age of 60 is something akin to how smoothly Joe Brown moves up the rock.

I'm not sure about that. Plenty of 60 year olds climb a lot harder than borderline HVS/E1. Joe looks competent enough, but you'd kinda expect that. A 32 minute 10k at 60 is a lot more impressive imho.

jcm

I find it very touching. It's the combination of initial acerbic pricklyness, and the increasing camaderie. What climbing is all about. A great little film of two legends.

In reply to bowls:

Looks like a good video. Just before the minute mark it says he was "the first man to stand on the summit of Annapurna"; is he French??

In reply to humptydumpty:

Ah well, journalism innit.