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 are linked here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=274502

The following training article by Alex Barrows has recently been brought up http://alexbarrowsclimbing.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/training-for-sport-climb... It contains information about the four main "energy systems" and how to train each one specifically.

Psyche video of the week - http://mammut-rockclimbing.ch/en/la-rose/ - Anna Stohr on La Rose et Le Vampire - Suggestions welcome

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 week's thread: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=589221

Joughton - Keep up the maintenance while you're examing. Good luck with them.
mrchewey - hope you get the eyes sorted out.
Nick Russell - Glad that you're making progress with the 7c.
mbh - Lots of miles on lovely coastline. Sounds great.
Tubb93 - Well done on the v5.
leon - keep ticking over there.
hms - So you're the keen climber of the couple? Nice role reversal Lots of good training and climbing there.
biscuit - Again, just keep the maintenance.
mattrm - ACTUALLY DIET AND TRAIN NOW YOU USELESS FAT C***!!!!!!!! NO EXCUSES!!!!!
IainRUK - Enjoy the resting. Should be good for you.
Luke Owens - The fitness will come back quick I'm sure. Fingerboard up yet?
Jamming Dodger - Stay away from the scones! Lots of riding a good holibob coming up. Enjoy it.
Tyler - C'mon, eat better. And less aimless puntering. Expect you to send The Ashes soon so it can be downgraded to 7b
Ally Smith - Ohhh, big link. Getting close.
JimmyKay - re Feet - ah ok! Lots of core, decent number of sessions, good week there.
Dandan82 - Injuries better I hope? Don't let the garden grind you down, it'll be worth it in the end.
Alun - Good week there. Hope the ride went well? Weather should have been good.
Goonie - Enjoy the time with your littleun. Still impressed you're getting so much climbing in.
Ali - Move out of London then? Good wodge of running tho.
Exile - Good luck on the 7b.
Humperdink - Nice running week there. Don't forget to get the rests in.
Kevster - Bringing up DIY club there.
Just Tintin - Ohhh well done on the V4! Nice.
stevemarkperry - Maintenance mode.

In reply to mattrm:


You'll have to buy more trews!

Cheers for this morning, apologies for encouraging you stick around for wet grit!

In reply to mattrm:

Cheers for doing the stats.

Nice varied week this week and even managed to get out on the trad on Sunday, shame we got rained and midged-off after one route.


This Week:

Weight: ~144 lbs

M: 30km Cannock Chase mountain bike ride
T: Rest
W: 26km local mountain bike
T: Pull ups, bicep curls
F: Rest
S: 3hr walk Monsal Trail and Chee Dale
S: Roaches trad with mattrm, seconded one damp VDiff in drizzle and midge-hell! Might do some strength or bike intervals later after watching UCI downhill MTB world cup


STG:
Drunk Enough Font 6C+ (Roaches) (TICK!)
Top 20% in category Summer Classic XC MTB (TICK! Top 10% with 6th out of 66)
-> Top 20% in category in MTB XC Nationals (July)
-> Simple Simon Indirect (Churnet)
-> The Undercut (Churnet)
Second more routes on trad
Lead Severe (Route TBD)
Too Drunk 7A (Roaches)
Hit the trails on the MTB when possible


MTG (by Dec 2014):
Sleeping With The Flowers 6C+/7A (Roaches) (waiting for better conditions)
Consolidate at Font 7A
Tick a Font 7B
Ousal Low 7A+/B, Churnet


VLTG (plus some superficially grade-based for now):
Cenotaph Corner
Cemetery Gates
Juvsøyla (WI6), Rjukan
Lipton Ice (WI6/7), Rjukan
7B, E1, WI6, VI 6, ED Alpine
Consolidate winter experience

In reply to mattrm:

Me too, shame there wasn't any more this week. Thanks for putting the stats together again.

M - Swimming (2.4km). Also soloed a few routes in the gorge (going off that idea again).
T - Rest.
W - Climbing at Wintour's Leap. Tried a 2-pitch E4 (Strange Little Girl). P1 went fine, but got a good spanking on P2: some big falls (onto a bolt). One to go back to later in the summer.
T - 6km run, short core set.
F - Climbing at Ban-y-Gor with hms. Right shoulder and triceps so didn't get on the project. Did tick off a bouldery 6c that I'd dogged last time. (Much easier when I got my feet in the right place.)
S - Rest.
S - Climbing at Avon. Alt led a severe (Nightmare) with Emily.

I've been giving out advice to some members of the uni club recently, regarding breaking into a new grade (HVS/E1), telling them that actually getting on the routes and trying hard is half the battle. It's good to feel like I'm taking that advice myself, I certainly feel like I tried hard on Wednesday. Unfortunately it left my shoulder feeling distinctly unstable, and the triceps is still sore now.

Didn't manage to fit in the two core sets like intended. I'll do some tomorrow which doesn't quite make up for it but better than nothing.

2014 goals
Sport: 8a. Best RP: 7b+
Trad: Some more E4s including solid-at-the-grade onsight(s). Attempted: 5, clean onsight: 1 (+1 highball/solo GU; +1 solo HP)
Trad: Staffs NIAD
Running: Don't get injured, more mileage than last year. 212/416km down.
Swimming: Enter some competitions, get some 'benchmark' times. 58.69 100fr*, 26.98 (26.3*) 50 fr, 1:12.34 100 bk, 31.12 50 fly*, 1:09.58 100 IM
*Relay splits

Short-term goals

Cloggy Wed,Thu next week.
Conditions look good, just trying to rest a bit so I feel strong for it. Needed a rest anyway.

Get some sport mileage in 7b-7c range.
Current 7c project: Almost Me. Know all the moves now but it could be a while before I get another go.

Plan/train for trips in September: 1 week in Lundy, 2 weeks in US East Coast.
Full balance paid on Lundy, flights to the US are booked! Trying to acquire a Rumney guidebook...

In reply to mattrm:

Thanks for the writeup, Matt. Yes, the husband has never got his head around climbing outside, so if I manag to tempt him onto rock it is definitely me doing all the jeading. Trad at NQ is a good compromise as the difficulty is more in the head (bad gear, long runouts) so he can then second them fairly OK - and they all have lower-offs, so I can belay from the ground!

Good week, feel I did quite a lot:

m cycle commute, TRX session (2xupper, 2xcore), 50 pullups in 5s
t TCA to try next set of comp problems. Flashed 10, couldn't get any of the others despite repeated attempts
w cycle commute
t cycle commute, UCR in evening. 18 routes in up-down-up triples. Nothing above 6b+ and quite a lot of 6a(+). Nice to have a real bulk session
f ByG with Nick. Got a rather excellent 7a. Took some working to sort th crux moves, then got it 1st redpoint. The working did include a nasty fall where I seemed to get tangled with the rope - I've got an impressive scabby bit under my left eye from rope burn, which should alarm my boss!
s rest
s NQ with other half. 3 trad routes, the second of which was easy climbing but worryingly little solid gear - E2 5a?! In afternoon did another TRX session, so 2xcore & 2xupper.

In reply to mattrm:

Thanks for doing fit club again Matt

Aims:

Rock this year: RP 7b, (A Vision of Things Gone Wild at Scout Scar) & lead some E3s, (White Noise, One Step Beyond, Empire, Paladin.)

Next winter start with VI 7

Long term aim, (18 months or so?) HP Exeguy (E6 6b) at Trowbarrow

M: 50 min fell run then back to work late
T: Nothing - work late
W: Nothing - work late (had to kiss of an evening on Gimmer, bit gutting.)
T: 50min hilly road cycle
F: 1hr fingery traversing on '7a traverse'
S: 2hrs family MTB ride - blue at Gisburn
S: 3hrs at Robin Proctor. Again, a bit gutting as the plan was Gimmer, but the weather didn't play ball. Did three routes and now know I can onsight 6b in the drizzle, which will come in useful for something sometime I'm sure!

Emergency at work took over a bit this week, but such is life. resulted in only 2 climbing sessions though, (I try to get at least three.) Coming week is going to be similar as I'm away Tuesday morning until Friday night so will get more running done I guess.

Just over 11.5st.

In reply to mattrm: Horrendous week of exams. Only way to cope was to go climbing.

Mon - fairly nasty organic chemistry exam
Tue - really quite nasty maths exam. Went bouldering at AW to destress. Decent session but really hot and sweaty. Flashed one V6 and sent a few others but a lot didnt have grades on. Spent a long time on a roof V8, got all the moves.
Wed - rest and revision
Thurs - absolutely disgusting maths exam, then a run. Tried a new route, bit different as it's a really big uphill struggle and then a massive run down again.
Fri - really quite amenable biology exam
Sat - library
Sun - Chee Dale, was going crazy so Dad offered to be a belay bunny which was very nice. Got back on Abberation, an 8a I've tried before about a year ago but had been shut down by the crux. Found an awesome new method which really suits me, and now have it down in two overlapping links. Really it should've gone today but I made a mistake on the RP.

So Abberation is exciting. What was the crux is now much easier but unfortunately it makes the next move a bit harder which I wasn't ready for. You have to match a poor side pull and I was just too pumped to leave enough room to match. It's a perfect route for me at the moment though, three good rests (because I'm not at my fittest) but still sustained and a good bouldery crux which - importantly - I can do!

Exams are over next week so after some celebrating I should be back on it and hopefully I'll have it done soon.

Just got to get through one more week...

Cheers, Jake

In reply to mattrm:

Thanks Matt!

M - nothing
T -nothing, again!
W - 10.2 miles, there-and-back coast path route to Navax Head and back, past Hell's Mouth.
T - 10.1 miles, there-and-back coast path route around St Agnes Head
F - am 10.3 miles road route, past Helman Tor, pm 4.4 miles on wide trails
S - no running, but a circular cycle out-walk back along the coast path day, Mevagissey <> Portloe, the fourth one we have done. 8 miles out/12.8 miles back. We pushed our bikes up the steep hill out of Mevagissey, and I find when we get home that I am 143rd out of 145 on a Strava leader board for the hill. Is this a Fit Club record? Sorry!
S - 17 miles along the Camel trail, mostly flat, 7:50-ish when it was, a lot more when it wasn't.

Just keeping going, a bit aimlessly really. I did the long run because I needed to get to 50 miles, and hadn't done one for a while, and have got the book now about how to run downhill that was recommended on another thread. I know I ought to put more structure into all this running, but I think I just like going out for 10 mile-ish runs, in a masochistic kind of way. The scenery is often great, I get some peace, and it stops me from getting too fat. If I can keep up the miles, keep up the ascent, and throw some longer days in, I might just be in with a chance for a BG this summer.

52.1 miles/82 km, 4700 ft/1430 m ascent, despite only 4 days of actual running. 10th 50+ week in the last 13.

In reply to hms:


That doesn't sound like your thing at all! If you're starting to get into it, I can think of a few bold horror shows in the gorge to have a go at...

In reply to Joughton:


Sorry ! My fault. Got the tags printed off but didn't have time to put them out

That purple v8 in the roof looks amazing. Lots of good problems after the comp and reset.

In reply to Nick Russell:

I don't think younger daughter would let me! She wouldn't have been at all happy if she'd seen me today, that's for sure!!

In reply to mattrm:

The Etape Eryri was a great success, fantastic weather and good time had by all. My bro and I finished in a modest time of 7h45m, but most importantly had a great time. I'd definately like to do it again next year (especially with the weather like this!)

STG:
Andorra Sportive in July - silver time of 5h30m

MTG:
Stay vaguely climbing strong over the long hot summer

LTG:
8a

Last week (a bit boring as resting for Etape Eryri)
M -T -Rest
W - "Pipecleaner" ride to shake me out of rest, fast 50km, beat several PBs on hills
T - F- S - Rest
S - Etape Eryri, 165km, slowish pace, loads of fun

In reply to mattrm:
Just a quick shout to see if anybody is free for Kilnsey on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Looking at doing 2 out of the three days.

In reply to mattrm:

Thanks fot the stats; tufa is wet on Unjustified, and I'm a bit broken.

Excellent week/weekend. Ticked a FA. Had a bogey and almost a YYFY moment yesterday. Only let downs have been – failure to get a 3PCX entry (no email confirmation yet) and a stupid back injury meaning I can’t twist. Sports massage tonight.

LTG (End 2014):
- Healthy shoulders & elbows – keep following the physio
- Get some proper “rat crimp” strength so that I can climb hard on peak lime
- Do “La Geurre Sainte” 7b/+ multi-pitch in Wadi Rum
- Do some adventurous cycle touring (maybe MTB Montenegro?)

MTG (Spring/Summer 2014):
- Buy a house and build some home training facilities.
- Unjustified/Overjustified, Malham.
- Do 8A f8b-ish link-up FA – Smashed in the Panty’s backdoor!
- Bolt the Dinbren project (Bolted a project, just not the one I initially thought about!)
- On-sight some E5s in prep for...
- Brandler-Hasse Cime Grande
- Aero-power training; keep an-cap, finger-boarding and aero-cap ticking over.
- Aim for fighting weight of 74kg and 6.6% BF – 73.9kg and 6.5% BF this morning (guessing this is sunburn/beer induced dehydration, not real weight loss?)

STG (The coming week)
- Keep physio’ing the shoulder/ back/finger, ready to do battle with Unjustified this week?

Last week:
M - Rest. Flat 15miles on road bike at moderate pace. Theraband rotator cuff exercises and more general stretching.
T - Pantymwyn. Finally did the sit start to the Desperado SitPosition, 7C, 4th go that evening. Shook out and tried to do the extension, falling at the end. Showed myself the power of visualisation; both good for getting to the jug, and bad ‘cause I thought about the consequences of muffing the end without a pad!
W - Dinbren, trying El Rincon. Longest an 8a has held out for quite some time! Still not done it. Lapped a 7b with undercutting crux for Unjustified training.
T - Rest. Sore back; blame weird vert compression move on El Rincon.
F - Start of the late nights….
Got stuck in traffic, so had to rush RP attempts on link-up. 3rd go I got to jug; shook out, and having carried 4 pads down the gorge, smashed it! F8b FA traverse – chuffed. Will try and blog about it later. vimeo.com/98220348 in the meantime if you’re interested.
Then rushed to Dinbren to belay Luke, tried El Rincon again, got through the crux for the first time, but then fell on the high gaston/cross-over moves. I was knackered! Used my tired state to my advantage and worked out some new post-crux beta.
Slow drive home with bits hanging off the bottom of the car meant I was home late, later dinner, celebratory beer and FB chatter conspired into mild insomnia.
S - Fixed car eventually, went to cave. Got spanked. Barely managed LW. Came close on LFSP, but finger felt tweaked. Did some trad bimbling – E5 HP on Owen’s gear – like doing a 7a.
Then home, quick change and bogey at the zoo for friend’s wedding. LOTS of bad dancing on surprisingly little alcohol – tolerance is well down at the moment (AJM will insist I had no tolerance to begin with!) Another early morning to bed after more FB chatter…
S - Day off. Went to Anglesey for daytrip holiday; sat in FB friends garden, gentle coasteering and beach combing, (frigid water confirmed my very low BF levels). BBQ, belated b’day cake (I won on the scratch card!), beer, gin, flirting/innuendo bingo/setting the world to rights; only left once it was properly dark, which on Angelsey means it was early morning again before I was in the land of nod back home.

Coulda, shoulda, woulda if the mogs weren’t locked out!

In reply to mattrm:

Thanks Matt, the injuries are improving day by day and to be honest i'm enjoying the work on the garden so it's not really a chore!
Great week, I did a new chest workout at the gym as I was stagnating a little, it got me hugely pumped up so I think it should yeild some good results.
Shoulder session at the gym this week was easily the least tweaky it has ever been, some good, strong, symmetrical movements and some massive gains in weights lifted, really feels like the shoulder has turned a corner.

M: Shoulder; machine press, upright row, seated lateral raise, cable reverse fly, cable front raise
T: Core; crunches, l-hangs, hanging knee raises, front lever
W: Chest; Flat dumbell press, machine bench press, pec dec
T: Climb; bouldering approx 35 V0-V1, 200 move aerocap
F: Stuck in traffic for 5 HOURS
S: Boring wedding
S: Fence building and tree felling

The gym sessions went really well, plus my finger has been feeling pretty decent so I thought I would go for a tentative climb on my own on Thursday.
It went really well, I flashed every V0 and V1 in the room, along with a few accidental V2's, then I did a 200 move easy circuit, the finger felt great the whole time. The injured finger I think is pretty much fixed, i'm having more trouble with the weird pull across my palm from favouring the other fingers, but that too is fading away and it only flared up on certain holds which was good.
I also tried a one-arm deadhang on a campus rung with my good hand, just to see if I could still do it, I managed about a 5 second hang which is not bad, about half of my best, but I think that using my new gripmaster has really started making me engage my pinkie finger more, as I managed to bring up a huge flapper on the middle of my pinky which has never happened before. I can only think it's because that little finger was pulling harder than it ever used to which is a great thing, it's like gaining an extra finger! Once I can get back to hangboard training combined with the gripmaster, I feel like my crimp strength could now rise to a whole new level.

I got less work done on the garden than I would have liked due to being stuck in traffic for the entirety of Friday afternoon. It was a very hot day, and my car was overheating so I had to turn the blowers to hot in order to keep the engine cool (it redirects hot water from the engine into the heater matrix, giving it more chance to cool down). This made for a less than pleasant atmosphere in the car, even with the windows wide open. I think I might have shed a few pounds in pure sweat.

Sunday I had to deliver on my slightly boastful promise to my neighbour that I could climb the tree in his garden and saw the top off so he could fell the rest of it. (I may have said I could do it with one arm tied behind my back, thankfully he didn't ask me to prove that)
It was a single trunk with no branches until the very top, so not the easiest thing to climb, thankfully it was leaning slightly and covered in very thick ivy so I managed to scale it ok with a few dubiously placed slings for safety.
It was actually a lot of fun, and all my arms, legs and hands worked exactly as they should which was a great boost. I also got given all the wood from the felled tree which should see my wood burner sorted for the next couple of winters!

I'm paying for it now, I spent a lot of time gripping with my knees and now my legs feel like they have had red hot iron bars inserted inside them...

In reply to Dandan:

In my limited experience of this sort of thing, it isn't the climbing UP the tree that's the main issue....!

In reply to hms:

Dan - tag lines for the win, then it's just top roping it. If there's a branch big enough at the top, chuck a tag line over, then drag your rope over and then you top rope it. I think arborists generally then fix the line to something and use ascenders to get up. But if you had a mate who could belay, that would work as well.

steve - As explained, I need more trousers anyway. It's getting daft now, as I need belts for practically all of my clothes. It's a nice (but expensive) problem to have. No running shorts either.

Oh and it was a diff. Not my finest hour I have to say. Least I was able to get a load of gear in.

Ally - sounds awesome. Looking forward to watching the vid later on.

hms - E2 5a? Sounds orrible.

In reply to hms:

The tree had a lovely 'cradle' of branches at the top so I just put the rope over and abseiled down, that was the easy bit!

Matt; a tag line sounds like a great idea that I didn't use for 2 reasons; Firstly the tree was around 14 metres high and surrounded by other trees, making it unlikely that my girly throwing action would have scored a hit. Secondly, I didn't think of it, i'll keep that one in my back pocket for next time though

In reply to mattrm:

The grade is my best guess. The avon guide gives it E2 5b but also says there are 3 bolts, which there catagorically aren't any more. The latest photo-topo tries to give it E1 5b and makes no mention of bolts. To me, E1 5b would suggest some level of sensible protection is possible, it's a bog standard grade that would normally raise no conerns.

Personally I reckon the climbing is very straight forward, but the consequences of any slip (or hold brekage - this is New Quarry after all)are really very severe indeed, hence proposing the somewhat worrying grade of E2 5a - or death on a stick as it's also known!

In reply to hms:

Bit like California Arete in the slate quarries at E1 4c! Sounds proper grim. I'd agree, E1 5b is the 'benchmark' E1 tech grade isn't it? Could just be that it's never been checked for the photo topo.

Dandan - I can't throw for toffee either.

In reply to hms:

Night of the Comic Dead? Typical death on a pokey stick new quarry choss?

I remember pulling a flake off and watching it split in half, and pass either side of my belayers (un-helmeted) head.

Much beer was consumed shortly after!

In reply to mattrm:

M- Really hard session. Campus board, Loads of circuits. Finished on some campussing on the board. Rolled from open to full crimp ( nightmare ) something went in my left ring finger. Agony! Aaaarrrggghhh.
T- Depression. Ice. Couldn't move finger.
W- Pit of Despair. Ice. Still agony.
T- Awful. Agony.
F- Sligtly better.
S- Got talked into some bumbling on trad @ the Roaches. Thought I'd check out the finger. Did the Sloth to warm up and it felt fine. Retreated from the Roaches due to the swarms of midges and got convinced to go to the Tor. (with my finger?!) Anyway, got there and was just playing on some easyish stuff life Too hard for Mark Leach. Decided to have a few runs up and down Weedkiller. Finger was OK. Got convinced into trying some fingery V8. Ended up boning down on some nasty little crimper. Finger was fine! In fact I have more movement in it then I have had in about 6 months! Unreal. I'm going to keep a check on it and not be too hard this week and see how it is.
S- Rest. (Recover from a horrific hangover due to England match)

In reply to JimmyKay:

????????

Have you discovered a new finger rehab programme ?

Well don't look a gift horse etc. Happy days !

In reply to biscuit:

It seems so...

Who'd have thought Raven Tor would be good rehabilitation.

In reply to Ally Smith:

Sugar & Spice.

In reply to mattrm:


So it was! I should really check the guidebook haha.

In reply to JimmyKay:

Steve and I had the same issue on Sunday morning as well. The midges were insane! I think I'm going to wait till the winter to bother with Grit again. It was just too grim.

In reply to hms:

Ah yes, not quite so disposable rock, but not a lot of runners on that!

I'm not convinced anyone really thought through turning the new quarry into a sport climbing venue; it's probably the worst rock in the gorge!

If you want to experience the New Quarry as it used to be, can I suggest you try Shale We Dance...?

In reply to JimmyKay:

Glad to hear you've done screwed the finger royally; keep to some easy jug pulling i.e. stamina training for a couple of weeks?

Oh, and avoid those stupid finger pulls from open to crimp - when do you ever do that on rock (or even plastic?)!

In reply to Ally Smith:

Yeah I know! I don't know why or how it happened. I couldn't stop myself as I was doing it!!

In reply to Ally Smith:

ah yes, the XS with the description 'death topout'. Possibly more stable than The New Quarryman - 'kick steps in the shale....'. Maybe not!

In reply to mattrm:

Not a great week, think I have cracked a few ribs playing rugby, been suffering with pain and spasms ever since. just steady running.. 70 odd miles.

m: 7.1 mile road run 7:30 pace
t: 7.7 mile road run 7:40 pace
w:14.5 mile trail and mountain run, pemigewusset loop, 5000ft ascent.
t:17 mile trail and mountain run, pemigewusset loop, 4000ft ascent.
f: 10 mile road run 7:45 pace
s: 11 miles slow trails in Pawtuckaway State Park
s: 5 miles steady 8:30 min miles

In reply to IainRUK:

If you've cracked one rib, let alone several, then running 70 odd miles is bloody impressive! I cracked/broke one/several when I fell down the stairs a couple of years ago, and for a good fortnight afterwards, as the note from A&E said it would, the pain got worse and every sneeze, hiccough, cough and laugh was agony. It did then get better.....

In reply to mattrm:
Yup, will be looking to leave London at some point, but have been saying that for the last couple of years!

M - Insanity workout 15mins
T - 3.5 mile run at lunch; jogged to Biscuit Factory, fingerboard session, tried a couple of offset pullups on the campus board but elbows ached a bit, pushups
W - cycled to work and home (12 miles round trip); Biscuit Factory bouldering - started ok but turned rather hideous - waaaay too hot and sweaty for me.
T - cycled to work and back
F - rest
S - Crack climbing masterclass at the Castle - now pretty solid on hand jams, ok on fingers and still rubbish at fist jamming....not sure I'm quite ready to tackle Yosemite granite but a good start
S - walked round open gardens in London

In reply to mattrm:
STG: Get out on real rock @ least once.
MTG (June): Classic E2 tick.
LTG(2014): Star Wars & Pleasure Dome.
VLTG(2015?): Classic e5 (Positron?, Right Wall?)

Mon: Castell Helen.
Tue: Castell Helen.
Wed: Tremadog.
Thu: Main Cliff
Fri: Plexus Buttress.
Sat: Nothing.
Sun: Nothing.

A week in north wales & climbed every day, what's going wrong with the world?!?!?!

Highlight of the week was Resolution Direct, I was really impressed with the position on the last pitch.

Still need to get a lot more time on real rock, feel like I'm still finding my feet this year.

In reply to mattrm:

Thanks Matt.

Disappearing for a while - I've got a mad 5 weeks of work before an eight week break, six of which will be spent mostly in Switzerland. I'm not really going to have any sort of training routine till mid September, so there's not much point reporting.

Hope everyone keeps on crushing!

In reply to mbh:

I'm not sure.. its just been very sore on one side since I got spiked in a rugby game and landed heavily with the ball under those ribs.. coughing, sneezing etc is very painful… but the worst thing is sleep.. it's got worse and worse over the past 7 days or so but is feeling better today as the muscles don't seem to be spasming the same.

Its just I can't lie in one position for more than an hour.

Just ran 10 miles and its constantly painful and I can;t breath deeply but the spasms are subsiding and that was the main issue when I was running last week..

I'd get an x-ray to find if its bruised or cracked but it costs and there's nothing that can be really done anyway.. if its all in line which it clearly is.

In reply to hms:


Yeah, it was emotional!

In reply to mattrm:

Blogged

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3102614148655885622#overview

This was written a while ago and was waiting for video of a bridge jump we did in Spain last November. One day i'll get round to it!

In reply to mattrm:

No more scones for me. Just wine and BBQs...
Monday: 28 mile ride
Tuesday: 28 mile ride
Wednesday: was going to ride to work but took the day off instead and me and MrB got an early start to the holidays. Lovely day on the beach in Anglesey. Its quite nice there.
Thursday: Short 33 mile ride in nearby hills and the coast of Wicklow. Nothing too hard, and a stop at the beach on the way back to look at starfish (no euphemisms there).
Friday: The big ride: 60 miles of pretty hard going around the Wicklow Way. Three notable climbs and we were both a bit whacked by the end. Nice though.
Saturday: Just a lot of walking around Dublin. Nice enough city but I dont really get the hype.
Sunday: Short bike ride turned into a laze around Dublin and Malahide beach. Then home

In reply to mattrm:
Cheers Matt, fingerboard still isn't up, think i'll keep hanging it from the door frame for now.

Got myself a 7c project up at Dinbren which i'm really psyched for. Way better than the other 7c up there i'd started trying last year. Going to stick at this one for sure!

Monday: Work Gym Session:
15 wide grip pull-ups

Deadhangs:
3 x 10 secs (30mm edge)

First joint edge:
7.5kg - 10secs, 10kg - 9secs, 12.5kg - 7secs
15kg - 7secs
12.5kg - 6secs, 6secs, 7secs

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: Dinbren

Got a catch off Ally (Cheers!) and Did "In Search of Someone Silly" (7a+/b) first go of the eve. Without a warm up my forearms almost exploded from flash pump...

Finished off doing ~5 laps on Cold Turkey (6c), hard going.

Thursday: Repeaters on Rock rings.

6 Sets of 6 Reps (2mins rest between sets):

1. Open hand - First joint edge 6 x 7sec on/3sec rest
2. Half crimp - First joint edge 6 x 7sec on/3sec rest
3. Open hand - 30mm edge - 6 x 7sec on/3sec rest
4. Half crimp - 30mm edge - 6 x 7sec on/3sec rest
5. Open hand - 30mm edge - 6 x 7sec on/3sec rest
6. Half crimp - 30mm edge - 6 x 7sec on/3sec rest

Total: 36 hangs in 18 minutes (Pumped!)

Friday: Dinbren with Ally,
Warmed up on 6c (Got pumped).

Wanted to get myself a new project and i've always wanted to check out "Flowers are for the Dead" (7c). Dogged up it, got pretty much all the moves done quickly. Really inspired by it so i'm going to try hard on this one!

Saturday: Had planned to go to the Orme but the little one was unwell. Smashed the gardening instead.

Sunday: More gardening (Got DOMS from all the hedge cutting!!)

In reply to Ally Smith:


Again, congrats on this big man! Still think you should of called it "The Transvestite Green Giant and the Lesbian Wedding"

In reply to Ally Smith:

Good linkup Ally. As for the alcohol tolerance, you know its true. I'm back in the uk in a few weeks for a wedding and fully expect to have my ass handed to me on that score too.

Surely the cats wouldn't have frozen?

In reply to mattrm:
9-15 June

Thanks Matt! A bit of a random week, but hope to make up for it next weekend.

M – Black Rocks: SPA assessment. Leading assessed on S and VS. Much rigging.
T – Harborough Rocks: SPA assessment (a few top ropes and lots of rigging) PASSED! Phew. Now time to get back to climbing.
W – Rest
T - Rock Rings workout (God they’'re so much harder than campus or hangboard!) and slackline.
F – AM 45 mins spin.
PM Coaching at Brookes. A few topropes and boulders but nothing serious.
S – Wideboyz masterclass at Castle. Some crack jamming problems.
S – Symonds Yat trad. A few HVSs. Good to be back at my dirty shiny limestone spiritual home, though suspect I now prefer grit.

In reply to Nick Russell:

Hard crux on SLG isn't it, and it's actually a little way from the bolt to the next rest and runners as I recall so whilst safe the potential for good air miles!

In reply to hms:


I usually try to ensure I'm climbing with people that aren't Ali if I end up doing things that are worthy of that sort of grade! I seemed to end up with a few sketchy ones last year - Krapps in the solid but bold category and Homicide Wall in the funky rock and totally unreliable gear category.

In reply to Luke Owens:


I was tempted - it would have fitted in with Doyle/Cattell naming themes

In reply to IainRUK:

It does sound as though you have cracked a rib. They didn't X ray me, just prodded me, and, as you say, what can be done about it? It really did hurt for a while afterwards, so sympathies....

In reply to IainRUK:

ouch - hope it improves asap. Sounds like it is so fingers crossed.

In reply to mbh:

I wouldn't worry that its "aimless" good consistency with lots of ascent is what you'll need for the BG so sounds like its good training. 13 weeks at 50+ is good going. Plus you can't put a price on the mental benefits of going out for a run! Maybe you just need to find a trail race to break things up a little and give a bit of a sharper focus for a few weeks?

In reply to mattrm:

Cheers Matt - I have been a bit tired so had a rest day yesterday (must have been listening to you!)

M: Lunchtime -5M easy in 37:23, pm - 7M steady in 46:21
Tu: Track Session - 8 x 400 off 400 slow jog (3min) windy! Hard! managed a 62.2 average, tired afterwards. 7M total
W: pm - 4/5M easy in 35:11 still felt battered from track session
Th: Lunchtime - 4/5M easy in ~35mins, pm - Glorious run with a mate 6/7M in 45:23
F: pm Grass Session. This was round a rectangle which was ~450m total and ~400m for 3 sides. Session was 4laps (3min), 3 x "400" off 1min, then 3min rest, 3laps (3min), 2 x "400", 2laps, 1 x "400". Was hot and hard work from the off felt weak but times held up throughout the session, good to get it done.
Sa: am - 5M in 31:25, pm - 4/5M in 30:27 felt good
Su: am 8/9M in 58:03

Total ~60M no long run this week as tapering for a race on Weds. Pretty happy with the week but need to keep an eye on cumulative fatigue as there is still a lot of the track season left yet.

In reply to Just Tintin:




Ooohhh, which ones? I seconded Orange Wall with AJM last year, it was amazing. Can't wait to go back and lead it.

Ally - That route name sounds like some of the names the local guys put up, eg Worzel Budgie Spunker.

In reply to mattrm:

STG - Climb 6c (or V4), 11st 10lbs
Aspirational - Climb E5/6 (London Wall), Scottish Winter V (Point 5, Zero, Minus etc), WI5, Redpoint 8a (Masada, Mortal Kombat & Cider Soak) stay injury free & maintain 11st.

Weight - 12st 1lbs (4 lbs gain)

M - Rest
T - Rest
W - Navigation, 6a and started on a 6b
T - Gelli, 4, 4+ and 5+
F - Rest
S - Rest (drive up to Stoke)
S - Diff at the Roaches (drive home)

From a climbing point of view, this has been an excellent week, in numbers of sessions. However I didn't get loads of routes done in total and none of the sessions were really very good. Started to lead one of the runout 6a's at Navigation as a warmup, but wimped out almost straight away. Let a mate do it instead. Then tried on a 6b, which I struggled on. Didn't help that a new member was belaying me and she didn't really seem to be able to do that. To the extent that another mate stepped in and grabbed the dead rope.

Then went to Gelli and did a 4, 4+ and 5+ (6a on the topo). Think my head was still shakey from the previous day as I slumped on the 6a as I wasn't willing to risk a fall. Then fell off higher up. The slump was to test my mate who's not been out climbing for ages. But he was solid on the belaying front. From a meeting up with an old mate, doing some ok routes at a surprisingly decent venue for the valleys point of view it was a really nice session.

Then went up to the Roaches on Sunday with Steve. He's a really nice guy so it was good to meet him. Interesting to see his 7A boulder problem. Looks rather hard. We then did a diff in the drizzle and midges. The route was nice, but the situation was awful. I had a minor wobble on the 'crux' as the slightly slopey food hold was wet and slippy. Then sloped off back home as I couldn't face another route in the wet and midgey hell that is the Roaches. Of the 'good' climbing areas in the UK, Pembroke is still the best of the ones I've climbed at.

I just feel that I've had quite a long run of failure on routes over the past few months, often due to confidence issues (not wanting to climb something that I could climb, as the gear was poor or not wanting to fall off on sport routes etc). Also it just seems like my ultimate goals are totally and completely unachievable. I'm never actually going to get the volume of climbing in to actually even come close. It all seems like a waste of time and that I should just stick to (H)VS routes and just focus on enjoying them. Diet has taken a big nose dive, back over 12st. Pretty much every time I go out, something goes wrong, walking into the wrong crag being a particular highlight.

Rambling now. Such a cheery soul.

In reply to mattrm:

Footpad (one massive bouldery 5b move hard for the short off the start then steady), flightdeck (nice and exposed at the top), sinergen (delicate). Need to build up stamina again for routes over 12m having spent a winter on short grit and bouldering, and then will go and finally tick off orange wall, red rose and the russian.

In reply to Just Tintin:


Sounds good. I've done the VS on the otherside of Flightdeck, that's a fun little feature isn't it? I'll put Footpad on my list.

In reply to mattrm:

Cheer up! Everyone has patches of despondancy. If you weren't 100% sure of your belayer at Navigation then keeping a straight head would be an uphill struggle! Roaches was just unfortunate combo of weather & wildlife. I've only climbed there once, on a hot dry spring day, and in those conditions it was great. Have you done any grit before btw? I found it v hard to adapt to.

I hesitate to give advice, cos what do I know, but my suggestions for achieving your STG would be:

1) as well as outside (cos nothing is quite like real rock), don't desert indoors. Get some solid bulk routes/circuits sessions in for endurance and some bouldering for power. I know that one summer I climbed almost exclusively outdoors, then when I went back in just faded on a steep 6b I should have waltzed up! So keep the power/endurance topped up even when the sun is shining.

2) redpoint. Properly. I was crabby for ages that I hadn't climbed 7a outdoors when, truth be told, I hadn't really found a project route and put some real effort in. So find one you like, work it, mark the key hands/feet, get the sequence so clear in your mind that you can sit on the sofa and mentally climb the route. Then do it.

Not sure what style you like, but there is a really good corner route 6c at The Gap which I thought was excellent...

3) it doesn't matter when you fail on stuff, as long as you work out honestly why it happened, so you can learn from it. In Chorro I cocked up 3 different 7as, all for different reasons. On one I didn't take enough care before leaving the ground that I knew where the route was going. On one, I jumped on my redpoint attempt too soon (because it was getting dark). On one I just powered out cos I couldn't recover sufficiently on steep ground. All furiously annoying at the time, but hopefully all useful experiences in the long run!

so stick with it, believe. It will come good.

In reply to mattrm:

The Roaches was a tough intro to Grit in those conditions, Matt. Don't beat yourself up. The important thing is you got on and had a go.

Now, your goals. Your aspirational goals are high. Nothing wrong with that but you have to take smaller steps or else you will out-psyche yourself. So add in some intermediate goals to help you on your way and just focus on those steps, one at a time. Before you know it you will get there.

If you are struggling with volume, maybe add in some goals that focus on higher volume somehow. Bouldering can be great for this in terms of volume of harder moves.

I have to recently do the same and it works wonders for your motivation when you start ticking off smaller chunks which lead to larger ones.

In reply to mattrm:

I've been very tired (and as a result grumpy/down) since getting back from Stoke. No real reason just think all the garden work, along with work and all the climbing/training stuff has finally worn me down.

hms - That's great advice thanks. I know where I'm failing it's just annoying to be always seeming to fail. What's the 6c? I normally like corners, so it could be a good shout. I think going back indoors is a good idea. I just don't like climbing indoors when the weather is so nice.

stevemarkperry - Yeah, they're supposed to be Big Hairy Audacious Goals, definitely aspirational. The 6c is the 'intermediate' goal, which I should be able to do soon and tick off fairly easily. That still feels miles away.

Thanks for the kind words both. Feeling much more cheerful now. Having a nice restful week.

In reply to mattrm:

It's called 'Leave it to me', and is the corner to the left of Salmon Running...

I thought it was really v good indeed. Seem to remember that a clipstick to preclip into the first draw is wise. If you don't possess a clipstick then go and buy one - an essential redpointing tool!

In reply to mattrm:


Grit isn't any fun this time of year anyway, grit diffs can be hideous and midges are never nice. Sunday was a crap day too from what I've been told. Chalk it down to experience.

It's fair to say that you've had a lot on the last year and long before that because of the house - it takes it's toll. There is always a price to pay for being busy and I know this as much as anyone. Just don't be too hard on yourself.
Personally, I find my climbing to be incredibly inconsistent when I'm silly busy. I've fallen off numerous VS routes on lead this year. Failed miserably on grit boulders that aren't even 6A and yet somehow managed to flash two V4s, onsight 6b and bag a couple of E1s. I'm sure the variety of 'success' is down to have a full schedule and you're just as busy as me if not more so.

Stick with it Matt - it'll come good.

In reply to mattrm:
Cheers again Matt!

Pretty steady week managed to hit all the targets for training so not bad but do feel tired.

Found the ½ hour session slots for training work quite well time wise and you can do more in a day than usual. Also 1 arm crimp coming along!

Next week will be much of the same but will try and climb at a different wall just to keep the psyche!

Goals for last week were:

- 2 Fingerboard sessions (tick)
- 2 Ring sessions (tick)
- 2 bouldering sessions. Tick
- 2 Core sessions sessions. (did 3!!)

LTG (End 2014):
- 8a (route to be decided)
- 7B & 7B+ (Mestizo traverse and Consolidated)
- Front Lever hold 5 sec.
- 1 arm 1/2 crimp campus rung 1st joint for 5 sec.
- Complete 3 seasons focussed periodisation training.
- weight under 75kg

MTG (Spring/Summer 2014):
- V7 (the Gutter, Roaches)
- trip to Ardeche now 7c minimum!
- indoor V7
- try and get 2 days out each month on rock (fatherhood)
- Get the board in the Abbey built with Ben!
- Weight under 77kg by August trip.

STG (The coming week)
- Try to get two ring sessions and three core sessions.
- Two bouldering session
- 2 fingerboard sessions.

Last Week:
M - Bouldering and core session. Fingerboard
T- rest
W- Bouldering session and Core session.
T- Rest skin care.
F- Ring session and core session
S- Work (Abseil event)
Su- Ring session and Fingerboard

Try and stay psyched for plastic!

Weight this week at 81 kg, oops !

Cheers all

Gordon

In reply to mattrm:

I'll post up the stats later on. Didn't finish them last night and I'm out in the garden now.

In reply to AJM:


Yeah, it is! But I would say that, given that I fell off. Repeatedly. Funny, going through the move in my head afterwards, I'm sure I know what I did wrong, but not sure how reliable my memory is when it comes down to that kind of detail.


Yeah, clocked up some flight time on that one. If you're not flyin' you're not tryin' right?