UKC

UKC Fit Club week 403

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 AJM 07 Dec 2014
Link to last week's thread: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=603785
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 is the bible for training the four main "energy systems" specific to climbing:http://alexbarrowsclimbing.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/training-for-sport-climb... with information about scheduling a training regime to peak in time for a trip/competition can be found here: http://ukbouldering.com/media/pdf/periodisation.pdf

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
Psyche video of the week: vimeo.com/37601529

I think the final Portland list for 10/11 jan was looking like:

> ## Definite - wild horses couldn't drag me away
AJM
Mrchewy
Hms +1

> ## Probably coming
Kevster
Curious Yellow
Nick R
mattrm
Dandan+some
Just Tintin +1

> ## I'll come if it's sunny

AJM - was judged.
Nick Russell - bad luck on Chulilla with the flapper! I remember trying Live by the Sword years ago and finding it hard. Hope to see you in this coming week.
Kevster - does your wall have a board or anything you can use to make some new problems and keep it fresh? Any joy with motivation this week?
hms - good progress with Living Dead. More dynamism in your future!
Exile - sounds like a lucky escape with your finger! The odd session keeping Aeropower ticking over is no bad thing
The Ex-Engineer - welcome back. Confirmed any LTGs yet?
Jamming Dodger - back on the wagon!
mrchewy - busy week! How is the new set going?
Joughton - the rock in Antalya won't give you an easy ride because of your excuses...!
Dandan82 - seems like the week that Fit Club went and got coached!
Ally Smith - sounds like the only thing saving your elbow from your own poor judgement is your inability to downclimb
Ian Rock - welcome!
Creedence - rest week coming up. I've been on McClure set routes before - well set but the grade is usually a bit of an approximation!
JimmyKay - sounds like a good weekend out!
IainRUK - did you make it to the 50k?
mbh - I can imagine! Wouldn't want to do it myself, but you'll get more comfy with it eventually I guess?
biscuit - welcome back, sounds like you're still pottering away at a pretty good level!
Humperdink - 80M a week not "mega mileage"!
williemiller - running any less sore?
Just Tintin - how are the new goals looking? If your grades from last week (V6 and 7a+) are regular things then some fitness training could take you far!
mattrm - hope the ankle is fixed. Leading DIY club onwards by the looks of it!
 JayK 07 Dec 2014
In reply to AJM:

Best ever weather day on the grit yesterday? For me it was. It was beautiful, no wind, everything was bone dry. Mud was frozen solid, so not even any wet feet. I wish I hadn't had as much wine on the Friday night so I could have enjoyed it without the stinking headache.

M - New problems up, managed to send them all, probably v6-8. It was a late session and I'd been for a curry with my dad. Felt rather heavy.
T - Had a session on the board and then headed upstairs to do 2 core sets.
W - Fingerboard session. Added ~6kg. Feeling strong.
T - 4 sets of core ~ 50 mins. Approx 900movements. Biggest session for a while. Trying to counter the poor eating over the weekend.
F - Rest.
S - Wow, what a perfect Grit day. Stinking headache, managed to get to burbage west for 10:30. Played on west side story. Couldn't pull on. Worked it out. Couldn't do the next move. Worked it out. Couldn't get further. Walked back to the car for the stick brush. Took my socks off and whacked the dragons on. Latched the penultimate hold. Couldn't work out the feet. Sorted the feet, bang latched the jug and topped out. What a classic! Got back in the car and drove to secret garden. £3.50 on the car for 4 hours. Walked up sent dick Williams first go of the day and headed back to the car ~ 30mins. Go home? Felt like death. Nah, plantation. Johnny Dawes was looking at brad pit from afar. I turned up, put my pad down, 'who's this joker trying pit?' Pull on, and almost flash it. Next go, tickled the jug. 2 Quickfire goes we're not so good. 5th go, smashed it in. Can't believe how good it was. 3 mega classics. Awesome!
S - Chinese buffet with the rents for lunch then I'll head down the wall.

I have no idea what to start setting as my aims for 2015. I think I'll want to aim for at least 3 8A's in South Africa in the summer though. The Hatchling being one of them. Loving training and climbing at the moment.
 Kevster 07 Dec 2014
In reply to JimmyKay:

Thanks Andy,
The wall doesnt have any real training facilities.

Awesome Jimmy. I ended up indoors yesterday as my partner is a wimp with the cold at the moment. So jealous.

The motivation has dived again for the local wall.

Tues: indoors - led loads of the 6bs as I haven't climbed them recently and so were newish. Climbed a couple of 7's, but so dialed now they dont count.
Sat - meant to get outside. But westway instead. Had a reasonable day. Tried maybe a dozen routes 7a-7b nearly all on the big end wall. Onsight about half of them. Its just endurance letting me down on the continuous overhangs. When I stopped, 30secs rest, then did the move no problems.

Hopefully get to a different wall this week. Outside isn't likely now until next year.
On the plus side, we are now booked for the Dolomites in July. And Lundy in Sept.

Thanks! Kev.
 biscuit 07 Dec 2014
In reply to AJM:

Cheers Andy,

i'm not sure why i'm climbing OK. Not done routes for 2 weeks and just the 1 boulder session in between but this week went ok again. One thing i am lacking in though is fitness. Last Winter i was managing to do 7a's back to back or even in threes with the odd 7a+ too. I can do one now but need a good rest after.

So another good session with PPG. I sabotaged a 7a onsight again but figured it out and it'll go next time.

A good boulder session as well with hard V5's and the odd V6 getting done.

I was really whacked out after each session and predictably enough came down with a cold by the end of the week.

Race next weekend, should be fun ! JD's first ultra. Weather looks like it's going to be grim
 Banned User 77 07 Dec 2014
In reply to biscuit:

will add more later..

flight delayed for 3 hours so dropped out of the 50 and ran the marathon as it started 2 hours later so managed to get a few hours sleep. Won in 3:17 or so, 5300 ft of ascent, very hard work, feel battered today.

Enjoyable run though, just a 6 hour flight so soon before a long run made it much harder on my back/core/hamstrings..

Season's over now..

2 50 milers, 1 50 k, 3 marathons.. so time to recover and focus on Boston Marathon..
 mbh 07 Dec 2014
In reply to IainRUK:

Top effort Iain, what with all that ascent at that pace!
 mbh 07 Dec 2014
In reply to AJM:

I just did 5 runs, 54 miles, 6700 ft ascent. All but a few of the miles were off-road, and three of the runs were in darkness, aided by a full moon.

M -
T - 10.3 miles mostly road, finishing over Carn Brae in the dark.
W -
T - 10.4 miles off road, including Carn Brae, in the dark.
F - Porthtowan <> beyond St Agnes on the coast path in the dark and strong wind. 10.0 miles
S - Coast path from New Polzeath to half way between Port Quin and Port Isaac, by which time I had had enough of the steps, and back. 13.1 miles
S - Trevose head on the coast path 10.2 miles

Not much speed this week, but lots of bumpy off-road practice and I am getting better at not losing my way in the dark. I seriously need some new shoes now!
 mbh 07 Dec 2014
In reply to biscuit:

Which race are you two doing?
 biscuit 07 Dec 2014
In reply to mbh:

Hardmoors marathon at roseberry topping in NYM.

It's advertised as a marathon, official distance is 28.5, they reckon they've underestimated by 3 or 4 miles

Not many steep climbs but undulating all the way round with 5000ft or so of ascent.
 mbh 07 Dec 2014
In reply to biscuit:

Looks nice. That was about the distance and ascent of the Roseland August Trail event I, er, didn't finish this August - (I did last year, mind), down here in balmy Cornwall, in summer. Good luck both!
 hms 07 Dec 2014
In reply to AJM:

Thanks Andy. No chance to revisit Living Dead yet. Need to get back on it soon.

M - cycle commute. TRX 2xupper 2xcore in evening
T - cycle commute. TCA in evening attempting to go for stuff as per coaching instructions. New V1-V3 problems seem woefully hard.
W - cycle commute then cycled on to UCR. Circuits attempting to drop-knee & step-though as per coaching instructions. Found that I went at a snail's pace & pumped out even on the easy circuits. Felt horribly demoralised.
T - cycle commute.
F - Brean with Nick Russell. Had hoped to nail Chulilla but series of unfortunate falls on the first section cost me. On my final attempt I got through this part (sigh of relief), probably didn't rest long enough then fumbled a foot mid-crux and came off. Rather miffed.
S - rest day, retrieving D1 from uni. Good buffet lunch!
S - TCA again with D1, Tried some of the ex-comp mothership problems. Flashed one (much to my surprise), came v close on 2 more. The remaining 3 look v hard indeed.

Coming week complicated with taxi-ing kids. Hope to get outside next weekend, possibly both days with luck.
In reply to AJM: An OK week but not amazing. Car is off the road (alternator problem) so it is a 5+mile walk round trip to work which made for slightly reduced time and motivation for training.

STG. Find partners for routes. Will try and speak to a few more people Mon/Tues.
MTG. Train 4 times per week. Only 3 so far this week...
LTG. Still TBC. Need to have a better idea of what I will be doing for work next year and more importantly where I will be doing it, before I can come up with a sensible project.

M - rest (worked 4 days in a row, inc. 3 walking for c.50min each way to/from work)
T - boulder
W - boulder (tried 4x4 on blue probs (V2-4) and got 13/16)
T - rest
F - nil (worked late)
S - boulder
S - nothing so far... Will prob rest and train Mon+Tues...

 williemiller 07 Dec 2014
In reply to AJM:

No running this week as groins was sore at the start of the week then assignments took over. Still no joy finding a regular partner but I think progress is being made with the actual climbing.

Mon –yoga
Tue – bouldering at Indy. Feel like a real improvement is being made, I’m now flashing grades that were my limit a couple of months ago
Wed – Nothing
Thu – bouldering at Indy. Only one of the 6bs still alludes me
Fri –Beacon 4x4s and then boulder. First v4 flash.
Sat – Nothing
Sun – Beacon 4x4s, then all 6a and 6bs on the auto belays.

STG (next week)
Find a climbing partner
3 climbing sessions a week
2 runs without cutting short

MTG (by spring)
Get to 75kg
6b sport onsight
10 HVS, 5 E1, 2 E2
Run up Snowdon
 Exile 07 Dec 2014
In reply to AJM:

Thanks for doing fit club Andy - yeah, bloody lucky with mu finger. Feeling ok with a bit of tape now.

Aims:

Winter start with VI 7

Spring 7b RP - Countash, Mill Side Scar

Summer quick build through E1 / E2 to get on some more E3s and consolidate at the grade

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

M: 1hr road cycle (winter endurance)
T: 1hr wall (strength training)
W: 1hr 30 wall fell (strength training)
T: 25min road cycle - crap session as my front light gave out 10min after starting so limped home
F: 45min continual dry tooling (winter technique and ARC)
S: 1hr 30min family MTB ride
S: 1hr 30min (Aero power maintenance session)

Weight: 12st but now doing something about this

Beginning to see some real progress with the bouldering on the woody at the wall. Also hoping winter is now starting
OP AJM 07 Dec 2014
In reply to AJM:

Pretty good week for me. Only cycled once though - tired Monday, cycled Tuesday, leg hurt Wednesday and Thursday, couldn't Friday as I had to get the train straight from work.

- Rested Monday. Beer brew number 3. My second really, the middle one was all Ali, but this one is hopefully going to turn out as a big malty porter.
- Tuesday I went to the wall. spent a while trying a problem but lost skin on the kneebar, cut my shin whilst pinging off, and ran out of shoulder oomph. Did a different one I'd been working on too though.
- Wednesday, feeling uninspired, the set at the wall has been up a while now. Did some stuff. Need to start trying links on the hardest circuit I think - about a zero chance of completing it but the middle section could be feasible ancap length link.
- Thursday, comp day. Climbed well, one move off completing every problem, although that does mean that it's got very limited value in dealing with my "this set has been up too long" issue. Good problems, tried hard.
- rested Friday
- glorious weather but I was in London. A couple of hours of walking round all told I guess?
- late start today, did some bike faff, took the kite out for an hour or two as well. Good fun although the wind was very inconsistent. Felt like I could actually control the kite a lot better than before, although it not being continuously wet helped! Had a test bottle of the black iPa which was our first batch of poole-brewed beer and it's come out very nice indeed, if I do say so myself.

Roadtripping this week, off to bristol tomorrow night, birmingham Wednesday, then back home Thursday night. Hopefully get some climbing in and meet some folk. Got some wall sessions pencilled in just need to hope outdoor weather plays ball too!
 Nick Russell 07 Dec 2014
In reply to AJM:
> Nick Russell - bad luck on Chulilla with the flapper! I remember trying Live by the Sword years ago and finding it hard. Hope to see you in this coming week.

Flapper is better now, it's amazing how quickly they heal with correct treatment...

M - Rest
T - TCA. Working a steep red (V5+) problem. That circuit's been reset now
W - Gym
T - Rest
F - Brean with hms. Ticked Chulilla! Excellent conditions, felt at least a grade easier than last Sunday - must have been the redpoint beer I had Thursday evening... Had a TR play on Prisoner of Conscience after, heinous bouldery start (at least V5?), couldn't even do most of the moves. I see Ally Smith has it down as soft 7b+ on his 8a.nu
S - Rest
S - Fingerboard. I'm so weak. The set I did would have been a warm up this time last year but felt desperate today.

2014 goals
Sport: 8a. Best RP: 7c
Trad: Some more E4s including solid-at-the-grade onsight(s). Attempted: 9, clean onsight: 1 (+3 others I feel I've 'succeeded' on, one way or another)
Trad: Staffs NIAD. Hahaha, had a go. Failed due to a "navigation" error.
Running: Don't get injured, more mileage than last year. 381/416km down. Currently out of action with dodgy knee.
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
  • Get the knee better
    Been stretching, rolling IT band, doing squats (but not too heavy) as planned... if anything it's got worse. Maybe I just need a dose of MTFU
  • Chulilla (7b+) at Brean
    Tick!
  • Local sport routes 7c and above (or onsights 7a+ and above)
    Writing this out again, I'm thinking that maybe I should set my sights on something harder at Brean. It's very tempting to get back on Clashing Socks next time (unfinished business...) but if I could get the start of Prisoner of Conscience, it would set me up to attempt The Guilt Edge.
  • 2-finger (front and middle) repeaters on BM1000 small pockets.
    This would mark a new high point in strength for me. Hopefully achievable by end of Jan if I train.
  • OP AJM 07 Dec 2014
    In reply to Nick Russell:
    Well done! I think prisoner is all over after about 15 feet, although this is based on observation rather than experience.

    I see your comment about trying something harder at Brean - I figure you've got 2 door opening options - prisoner of conscience because it leads to gilt edge and prisoner of bullworker and storm warning because you've got the top half wired already so it's only a few new moves into a good rest and of course having the start of storm warning wired opens many future doors.

    Or there's chocco and global solutions I suppose. Latter is a fun boulder problem.
    Post edited at 21:11
     mrchewy 07 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    How's the new set going? Well, there's two V2s that I have absolutely no chance of managing in the next six weeks before they're ripped down. There's maybe one V3 I could flash and all the others are nails and probably undoable this set. So going off the latest grading at Pinnacle, I'm bouldering worse than I was well over a year ago. I give up basically. Just gonna make up my own stuff from now on and judge how I'm climbing from that.

    Mon - No grades up and only half a set but flashed most stuff on the vert and slab, two goes for the rest apart from a hard blue and a red. Blue turns out to be V4 and the red V2... I can pull on the red but can't for the life of me move off it. There's also a tiger that Alex shows me the moves on but without fingers of steel, it feels way harder than the V2 he grades it. Did three hours and even went on the 45 and roof.

    Tue - Aerocap after two hard session Sun and Mon. Boulder warmup, then 2x4 twice on a f5 and then 1x10 on a f5+.

    Wed - Boulder warmup, then got on the fingerboard. Just messing around, to see if the fingers up to it. Seems okay, so need to start seriously with this now. Yoga class was great.

    Thu - Rest day. Yoga class.

    Fri -Busy.

    Sat - Rivelin. Led some HS offwidth thing, led the easiest E1 in the world and tried to second The Tempest E5 6B. Nails. Really was, just couldn't yard on the tiny slopery crimps and not flexible in the hips to get feet high enough whilst flat against the rock. Mate ticked it but only after a fall first go when Steve McClure and his kids strolled by, sorta got distracted and off he peeled haha. The flake held...

    Sun - Went Bamford, Gardoms and Curbar but dashed by the weather each time, so did a jigsaw with Johnny Dawes instead.

    The end of the week went to pot really, not enough climbing at all or training. Two yoga classes, two strength sessions and one aerocap - plus got back on lead outdoors for the first time in a couple of months, even if it was only easy stuff. Today was wasted but we really tried to find somewhere to climb and had decided to go bouldering in Loughborough but biscuits, good coffee and jigsaws won the day.
     hms 07 Dec 2014
    In reply to Nick Russell:

    happy to belay you for another play on PoC. And conveniently close to Chulilla! Agree about flappers - the bloody chunk I ripped out of my finger at Brean on Fri is ~healed and gave me no problem at TCA today when covered up with tape. The mothership one I did was the white on the far right btw - really cool, lots of heel-hooks. The next TCA comp is next weekend so if you want to try the m'ship ones at the mo I wouldn't hang about else they'll be gone.
     Kevster 07 Dec 2014
    In reply to Nick Russell:

    There's some crafty technical beta for prisoner. Took me less effort than chullila. Maybe I should try it again, before too much comment. Effort!
     maria85 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Hi! Can I come back to fit club for the winter please?! Been quite a long absence but am needing some motivation again. I've just come back from 3 months in the states, moved to the lakes, and am struggling a little with the cold dark nights...

    Aims for the winter fitness wise are to:
    Get back to previous running fitness (30-40km fell runs achievable but not fast, flat 10 km in <1hr), whilst limiting milage enough to not make weird foot/knee injury any worse.
    Plenty of stretching/foam roller agony to try to improve that injury...
    Weekly yoga class with extra practice at home. Lots of core stuff.
    Get on the mtb again.

    climbing wall probably not going to happen as I'm pretty broke. Pull up bar/fingerboard doesn't seem to fit in new house, though I'll try again. Could well be a non climbing winter.

    Just aiming to post to force me/guilt trip me to get my ass in gear and do something every day, less of the serious slacking off that's happened since leaving yosemite in October!

     mrchewy 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to maria85:
    Nice to have you back on fit club maria - post trip blues are the worst!
    Post edited at 07:08
     Nick Russell 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:
    > Well done! I think prisoner is all over after about 15 feet, although this is based on observation rather than experience.

    Thanks, Prisoner definitely eases off at the break. There was one tricky move on the upper wall (/corner), but nowhere near as hard as the start. I think I'll focus on Prisoner next.

    > Or there's chocco and global solutions I suppose. Latter is a fun boulder problem.

    Yeah, I belayed you on GS, looked fun!
     Nick Russell 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to Kevster:

    > There's some crafty technical beta for prisoner.

    Would be good to hear that... Any chance you're going to be at Brean any time soon? Let me know if you are!
     Dandan 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    > Dandan82 - seems like the week that Fit Club went and got coached!
    Seems that way, i'm really glad I did it though, it's totally changed my focus when I'm climbing/training.
    I've fed back a load of stuff to Robin and am waiting eagerly to see what plan he has come up with, i'm really keen now to start some serious training again.

    M: Core; crunches, l hangs, front levers
    T:
    W: Climb; indoor boulder, 2x >150 move circuits
    T:
    F:
    S:
    S: Climb; indoor, various short sport routes

    I climbed on my own on Wednesday, managed to resist the urge to get on any of the harder boulder problems and instead knocked out some stamina training, two 150 move-plus circuits. Aside from helping with the stamina and giving my finger more time to recover, this let me practice my movement drills and I really think it is starting to pay off.
    The movements are definitely starting to flow more naturally, getting side-on and into a good foot position seems much less contrived and is starting to feel like the natural first choice for most moves instead of something that I am forcing.
    HMS, you definitely need to stick with those drills, it really will start to click after a few weeks, I did exactly the same as you and became really slow on even simple routes but it does improve, it's a gradual change but eventually you'l find it all flowing a lot more naturally and much faster.

    The finger was feeling good so I decided to have a hang on the campus board, see how it held up. It felt so good that I decided to have a little pull and see how it felt, next thing I know i'm doing 1-5-7 on both arms! Good that the finger was happy with it, and good that I can still pull as hard as ever on the campus board after so long away from it!

    Sunday was a quick one at Southampton Climbing Wall, always an interesting experience with their frankly hilarious attempt at grading. 7a that should be 6b, right next to a 6c that requires a power scream to get through the crux, it's a complete mess. I think it's partly bad judgement of grades and partly just terrible route setting, some stuff just makes no sense at all. I wouldn't mind so much but when you are trying to keep to a certain difficulty level in order to rehab an injury, it's nice to be able to rely on the grading to deliver approximately the right level of climb!

    I'll put some targets up next week, i'm still mostly just cruising to ensure my finger is fully fixed.
     Dandan 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Whereabouts in Birmingham will you be on Wednesday? I could be keen to meet for a climb...
     mrchewy 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:
    Forgot to add - totally psyched for this week! Really am, even for indoors. Just need the weather to play ball at the weekend and it might be a right good week. Hope so anyway. Well, yeah. Really enjoying all the pieces of the jigsaw starting to be arranged in order... it'll be brilliant when they all finally fit together. Roll on next year! Or this week even.

    Lovin' it at the moment.
    Post edited at 14:20
     Ally Smith 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to Nick Russell:
    > ...play on Prisoner of Conscience after, heinous bouldery start (at least V5?), couldn't even do most of the moves. I see Ally Smith has it down as soft 7b+ on his 8a.nu

    Yep - I stand by that assessment having retro-flashed the start again this weekend:

    Bish - Low crystal foothold.
    Bosh - Cross RH through and take the small undercut as a broad pinch instead (caveat - i've rather big hands!)
    Bash - Feet up & layback the groove
    Post edited at 14:48
     mbh 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    No, this is all wrong. It should be Bish, Bash, Bosh!
     Ally Smith 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Minor progress with hurty elbow this week after giving it a bit more rest and doing some eccentrics.

    BHAG:
    - “La Geurre Sainte” 7b/+ multi-pitch in Wadi Rum
    - Hard sport multi-pitch (8a region?) – something in Taghia maybe?
    - Kaa’bah, 8c+ - gotta aim high!

    LTG (2015):
    - Do some adventurous cycle touring (maybe MTB Great Glen/West Highland way?)
    >8b+ RP – cherry pick from the list below
    - Fisheye & Humildes pas Casa, Oliana.
    - Unjustified/Overjustified & Bat Route, Malham.
    - Waddage, Mecca & Extension, Tor.
    - True North, Kilnsey
    >8a on-sight (turns out the lattice board is very non-linear and I need to aim for 110 moves for 8a+ OS; Eek!)

    MTG (Winter ‘14/’15):
    - 7b multi-pitch on weekend break to Costa Blanca
    - Stay in gainful employment – 30% chance of redundancy by end of March
    - Headpoint some hard grit
    - Decorate the house & build some home training facilities
    - “French Pillar” Jebel Misht, E3 choss at New Year.
    - Healthy shoulders, fingers & elbows – keep following the physio (boo – bad elbow)
    - Get some proper “rat crimp” strength so that I can climb hard on peak lime - as much about being a skinny wretch as it is having strong digits it seems
    - Cut the lard; 76.8kg and 6.9% BF. New mantra is “Oli was 9st when he did The Zone”

    STG (Next week)
    - Rest/ice/fix elbow
    - Gentle finger-boarding
    - Go to gym for all-round conditioning
    - New Dimensions, 7b, and some Wildside onsighting

    Last week:

    M - Gentle fingerboard (1); 6 sets of static part of session. Wrist ached, hence no max pull-ups.
    T - 380 core movements. 40 Press-ups.
    W - Split Infinity & Parisellas by lamplight; psyched! Lickety Split (7A+) took ages to work out again and do, but pleasantly surprised by number of things I managed in the cave, but equally dismayed by the things I couldn’t touch that used to be pretty standard part of my cave circuit. Elbow & wrist soreness increased, so sacked it off before power left me. 14 problems V3 to V8.
    T - Some eegit reversed into my car whilst driving to work. Livid. Stretched. 280 core movements. Elbow and wrist eccentrics.
    F - Cycled to work & back
    S - Brean. Nasty new 6b to warm-up. Flash pump trying to on-sight L’Attraction Fatale (7c). Did it 2nd go with improvised RP sequence. Worked Milky Bar Kid. Thought I’d found the best sequence for the top (El Chocco mantle) but dropped it on RP when elbows went out and wasn’t willing to push it and make injury worse. Epic xmas meal with champagne, home brew & red wine (some of the volume was tactically downgraded ;-o)
    S - Fresher than expected. Wyndcliffe quarry suntrap. 2x E2, E3, 3x 6c+, 7a+. Split tip on a super bouldery “7b”. Cycled into city to watch fireworks over Avon gorge celebrating 150 years of Brunel’s bridge.

    2 bottles wine, 4 beers – no wonder the weight is stratospheric!
     Banned User 77 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to mbh:

    Thanks, felt pretty good.. now a few days off.

    m: am: 4.5 slow. pm: 11.7 miles at work 7: 10 pace road and trail
    t: 12.5 mile run 6:50 pace, felt comfortable.
    w: am: 3.1 mile run. pm: 7.8 mile run 6:20 pace felt good
    t: 5 mile run 10 min mile slow with XC team
    f: am: 5.2 mile road run 7:15 pace. Late night 6 hour flight to SF..
    s: TNF San Fran marathon, 26.2 miles, 5300ft ascent, won in 3:17
    s: rest fly back from SF

    Felt pretty good, still issues but getting over them and nice to feel strong on the hills.. but thats it for this year. Not the best year but my highest mileage ever, 4000 miles so far for the year, and a marathon and 10 mile pr's, 3 ultra's, 3 marathons, 2 halfs, 2 10 milers and a few shorter races..

    Need to plan 2015 now.. role on Boston..
     mattrm 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:
    STG - Sport pyramid - 6a (2/10), 6b (1/6), 6c (0/1) - Trad pyramid - VS (5/10), HVS (0/6), E1 (0/1) 11st 10lbs weight
    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 (staying the same)

    M - S - DIY Club!!!

    Also a large wodge of family and friend stuff, it being the season. Annoyingly the kitchen isn't finished. But I've just got to make the doors now. The woodworking is fairly physical, so it's helping keep the weight off. Haven't done any climbing since Morocco. I'd happily go outside for some bouldering or something. Not keen on going back indoors. It's actually nice out at the moment, so I ought to plan a bit of bouldering. I do need to sort out something, just so I'm getting some tick over going.

    Ankle isn't totally recovered, so no running yet. It would be nice to do some mtbing sometime soon.

    Plan:
    1 bouldering session (outside pref, but indoors otherwise)
    1 core session
    Post edited at 15:17
     Nick Russell 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:
    > Bish... Bosh... Bash

    Thanks! I should be able to make some sense of that next time I'm there...
     Nick Russell 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    Also, well done on Attraction Fatale! hms said it was the only sport route at Brean you hadn't done...
     hms 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    think the 7b at Wyndcliffe quarry must be the one I was grumbling mightily about a couple of months back. We could get 1 or possibly 2 moves off the ground, then found a rather starling absence of anything to hold on to! Which 7a+ btw? I've done all 3 now but thought the fiddly slab (the middle one of the 3) was by far the best, and the hardest too come to that.
     Ally Smith 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to Nick Russell:
    > Also, well done on Attraction Fatale! hms said it was the only sport route at Brean you hadn't done...

    Cheers - it's the last of the routes listed in the old Avon and Cheddar guide that I hadn't done at Brean.

    It's not quite a clean sheet though - UKC logbooks show that there's a new 6b+ on the RHS that i've not done, and then there's the link-ups, the most obvious gap being Milky Bar Kid, which is proving to be remarkably stubborn!

    We did absent mindlessly talk about the Brean challenge; all the Brean sport routes in the Avon & Cheddar guidebook in a day:

    17 routes from 6a+ to 8a+ in a day - vaguely viable?
    6a+, 2x 6c, 1x 6c+, 2x 7a, 1x 7a+, 1x 7b, 4x 7b+, 3x 7c, 1x 7c+, 1x 8a+/b

    Post edited at 16:35
     Ally Smith 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to hms:
    > think the 7b at Wyndcliffe quarry must be the one I was grumbling mightily about a couple of months back. We could get 1 or possibly 2 moves off the ground, then found a rather starling absence of anything to hold on to!

    That'll be the one. Came close to lanking my way through the move, but then started bleeding on the holds. f7b my ar$e! Font 7B would be closer to the mark.

    > Which 7a+ btw? I've done all 3 now but thought the fiddly slab (the middle one of the 3) was by far the best, and the hardest too come to that.

    The Arete; grabbed a draw after fumbling a clip with a big arm full of slack out, then RP'd 2nd go after extending that clip. Tricksome barn-door-ey climbing. Best route of the day was probably the E3 crack-line with the suspiciously low bolt belay.
    Post edited at 16:28
     Dandan 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:


    > 17 routes from 6a+ to 8a+ in a day - vaguely viable?

    > 6a+, 2x 6c, 1x 6c+, 2x 7a, 1x 7a+, 1x 7b, 4x 7b+, 3x 7c, 1x 7c+, 1x 8a+/b

    Wowzers.
    That sounds nuts but i'd certainly like to see you have a go...

     hms 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    I cocked up that E3 due to not having done much trad this year & therefore not having my head in the right place. Must say I'm rather relieved that the 7b wasn't just me missing something or suddenly becoming crap.

    At Brean have you done the delightful new 6b with the varied sorts of poo on it? AJM & I were not impressed! I think there are 3 new routes at the far RH end on the upper tier (or 2 plus an extension). I haven't tried any of them as the comments keep mentioning quite forcefully that they are reachy.

    The 17 route challenge would be amazing....
     Ian Rock 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Cheers, AJM.

    Sore tendons in my big toe this week put a stop to most climbing, starting to regret going quite so small with the new shoes.

    M - Cycle commute, then swim after work. Zoned out and managed a solid 1km in the pool, great aerobic work out on the arms.
    T - Cycle commute. 5km run in evening at near race pace. Warm bath and stretches afterwards ensured that I didn't ache at all the following day. Felt great, big endorphin glow, even considered entering a Parkrun.
    W - Cycle commute. Due to go bouldering but daughter said the new routes were solid and toe suddenly started hurting more... cried off (bottled it)! Went for a decent walk instead.
    T - Cycle commute then did some HIIT at night. Basically 400m at just above walking pace rising to 400m at sprint / maximum running pace, x6. Managed to get heart rate up to 178. Boom, another endorphin hit.
    F - Cycle commute, pretty worn out. Got in and vegged.
    S - Rest. Went down Pinnacle with good intentions but ended up watching Midlands Youth team nailing some tough bouldering problems for fun. Probably learnt more off the wall than on it.
    S - Rest

    Pretty cr*p really. Toe feels no end better for not doing ought on the climbing front though.
    Decided I'm gonna bin New Years Eve of this year and head to Ogwen or the Rhinogs instead, depends.
    Roll on this week!
    OP AJM 08 Dec 2014
    In reply to Dandan:

    Don't.know quite when but probably Birmingham bouldering centre sometime.in the afternoon. My missis os doing wedding dress faff so I have been banished! Message me.a.phone.number or something and I can text when I know more...
     Dandan 09 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Afternoon? dammit, no can do, i'm a 9 to 5-er.
     Spengler 09 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Thanks AJM.

    Not much for me this week, as it was a planned rest. So just a bit of stretching, and I used the crusher holds guide to benchmark my fingers. Not overly sure how applicable that way is, but I’ll record it once a month and see if anything changes….

    M - Rest
    T - Rest
    W - Rest
    T - Benchmarked Fingers. No surprises, and looks as I expected.
    F - Rest
    S - Rest
    S - Wall. Routes session. 12 routes. Up to 7a clean.
     mrchewy 09 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Just a heads up for you sports types - V12 are selling 70m Mammut 9.6mm single ropes for £75 at the moment. No idea what they're like but cut in half, that a new wall rope and a gritstone rope for £37.50 each.
     Kevster 09 Dec 2014
    In reply to Nick Russell:

    YHM.

    I'm keen for brean some time too. Infact anywhere!
    If its good weather over xmas or new year. Can people keep me in mind please? Ta.
     Humperdink 09 Dec 2014
    In reply to JimmyKay:

    Johnny Dawes was looking at brad pit from afar. I turned up, put my pad down, 'who's this joker trying pit?' Pull on, and almost flash it. Next go, tickled the jug. 2 Quickfire goes we're not so good. 5th go, smashed it in. Can't believe how good it was.

    Three words: 1) Outrageous! 2) Well...... 3) Done!
     Humperdink 09 Dec 2014
    In reply to AJM:

    Cheers AJM - its all relative!

    M: lunchtime 4/5M easy in 32:52, pm - 8/9M steady in 57:02 calves sore
    Tu: windy + cold, lunchtime: Session 6x (1min,1.5min,2min) all off 60secs recovery, continuous. Went pretty well quite a big session again. 10/11M, pm - 6M easy in 42:32 tough going but got it done
    W: pm - 11M steady in 75:11
    Th: am: 6M easy in 43:18 cold!
    F: pm - 3M easy in 21:16 + strides
    Sa: pm - Local XC league. Freezing conditions but still muddy in the ploughed field we had to run across! Two and a bit laps, 10.4Km (6.5M). Had my usual steady start and got up into 4th feeling like we were sprinting! Guy in front stacked it which put me into 3rd. hung onto the guy ahead until about 4.5M when he seemed to slow so just went for it and ran away to get 2nd about 20secs down on the winner. 33:32 for 6.5M. 11/12M total. pm - 5M easy in 33:29
    Su: Knackered! Managed an easy 14M in 1:39:05 but couldn't have gone faster if I wanted!

    Another 80M for the week and a great race, really pleased with how much my fitness has moved on: was a minute to 90 seconds better on people a month ago so its heading in the right direction. Fingers crossed have a 10K planned for next week so looking to revise my PB!
     JayK 09 Dec 2014
    In reply to Humperdink:

    Cheers buddy. Wasn't expecting to feel quite so strong on it. Going well at the minute. Just need something to get into. Not sure what and where. Problem with the weather being so unpredictable at the moment.
     J B Oughton 10 Dec 2014
    In reply to JimmyKay: Agreed, that's a shockingly good day out there Jimmy

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