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
and here
http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,16421.msg287007/topicseen.htm...

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 (220) thread
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=462775

Posters - 29
AJM
IainRUK - nice one on Saturday's result, and I hope Slovenia went well
Sonya Mc- shame about the lack of climbing, but the running's got to be good for the fitness. Good result on the weight loss too.
Miles - sounds like you're picking up momentum again. Try Aerocap as well as ARC for Bulgaria - I found I got quite good results from that. Also, don't forget the "higher end" power endurance stuff for pulling out those hard cruxes
Murd - sounds like results are coming through - the 6cs sem to be falling. I find max hangs give me quite fast improvements when I start doing them regularly as your body sort of adjusts to really pulling hard
The New NickB - excellent result on the 10k, nice one
petestack - so?
Daniel Heath - effort on Chequers Crack - lots of people find it desperate
grubes - rest week
richardh - nice one on Slabculture, good result! Hard onsights are always going to be fraught with difficulties.....
Thickhead - 2 weeks in a row of climbing eh... good amount of mileage in too from the look of it
leon - hope N Wales goes well
Mark Torrance - good Friday run
mattrm - sounds like a good week - bouldering and trad achievements to note. If you're up in the Yat area some of the bouldering at Huntsham is quite nice and worth checking out as a chance from your usual Ogmore haunts
Sankey - pretty good varied week there
biscuit - nice result on Hueco Crack, hope Picnic Sarcastic went down? Will hopefully be in the Lakes this weekend - might drop you a mail once weather and plans firm up a bit
Steve John B - sounds tough - keep on plugging away. Any signs of healing?
Niels - take the tick - V5 onsight is good work
fimm - bad luck on Bala. I suppose at least you weren't the only one struggling with the conditions
viking - maybe work on a "fat V5 pyramid" as a stepping stone or somehting - a whole jump in the pyramid is going to be tough!
karen87 - hope the head is playing ball a bit more now
Liam M - sounds like some good weekend results
Kevster - good work on Bilboes
Curious Yellow - sounds like progress on Mindmeld, nice one
seankenny - sounds like a nice trip to Pembroke. Mileage will get that head in gear in no time
Stone_Donkey - good progress on the bouldering, well done. As for the leading, just keep plugging away, its the familiarity that you need for a good lead head really.
plexiglass_nick - good progress on Vulcan. As you said though, time to start ticking these things
Eric the Red - I know what you mean about the structure, once you lose it its hard to get the same results
JimmyKay - you're sounding super strong and super-psyched - keep the results coming!

Returnees - 4
chris05 - a flying return visit before jetting off to the States - enjoy!
TonyB - glad to have you back with us
Jeriqo - I was going to say a quiet week, but actually theres a fair bit of walking/running in there
andy - sounds like good prep for July to me

Absentees - 2
Shauna
Goonie

In reply to AJM:
Thanks Andy,
…Think it’s all going in the right direction…slowly. Well at least it was until yesterday, was doing one arm assisted hangs and it feels like me wrist dislocated, there was a crack some pain and then it feels like it went back in, have normal movement in my wrist but it feels stiff and little painful today, so I think it’s going to need some rest…so no training today and maybe rest of the week…bummer, just got the new Peak bouldering guide and was hoping to head up there this week. hope it will not turn out to be a long term thing. Anyone who has had anything similar or could shed any further light on this injury would be much appreciated

M: Home bouldering, few m8’s round, general stuff, 2hr 15
T: Wall, ticked 6B+ at last, (4th attempt ffs!), o/s 6b. 3 hr
S: Fingerboard 50min. core, light bouldering 1 hr (wrist injury)

STG: Regular on sites of F6b’s and F6c’s
MTG: F7a indoor…get out side more
LTG: E # ‘s

In reply to AJM: Thanks muchly. The cycling comeback continues...

M: the planned steady 20m recovery ride turned out to have an absolutely brutal middle section of steep hills - 20m with 2,100' ascent. Gnarly.
T: steady 4m run at lunchtime
W: brisker 6m run
T: nowt
F: planned longer run got subsumed in work
S: played golf with an old mate then drank beer with mrs til silly o'clock
S: out at 7:45 to ride over a fairly big hill to Ilkley to meet cycling club, then up the valley to Kettlewell and back (no seepage at Kilnsey, btw). Total of 51 miles.

In reply to AJM:

Thanks Andy.

All my focus is on the Chester Marathon in October.

Very tired and a few little niggles after all the hard racing at the club Three Day Event.

Monday - rest.
Tuesday - 5 miles easy road and trail with club.
Wednesday - hilly 5k race, shouldn't have entered really, pulled out after a mile and a half with muscle pain at top of leg / buttock.
Thursday - rest / stretching.
Friday - rest / stretching.
Saturday - rest / stretching.
Sunday - 16 miles / 2000' of runnable fell and trail.

Much needed easy week, wednesdays problem was just from overdoing it, good to a long one today.

In reply to AJM:

Thanks Andy,

A week of indoors, though no focus per se. Most sessions have been short in time, though have been bashing the leads out. Generally on stuff within my comfort zone, though new to me climbs, so flashes/on site style. Can't help but think it all helps though.
Away non climbing next week, so nothing there, but back on it again soon.

Weekend in Tremadog coming up in july, nice to get on the trad again.

mon: setting
Tues: setting
Wed: setting
Thur: Indoors routes
Fri: Indoors routes
Sat: Indoors routes
Sun: Indoors routes

Thanks, kev.

In reply to AJM: Been a bad week for me for climbing *and* running this week due to crappy weather and then when the weather was nice I was feeling really grotty.

Mon - nothing
Tue - punt at the Ice Factor. Few 5+'s, dogged my way up at 6a+ and then toproped a 6b. Attempted some bouldering, failed miserably.
Wed - nothing, feeling ill. Also had a huge night cramp in my calf muscle which bruised up and felt sore for a few days after.ll

Does anyone else get muscle cramp so badly that it causes bruising?

Thurs - nothing, still feeling grotty.
Fri - 3hr drive home after work.
Sat - nothing
Sunday - went out for my 1st run in 10 days according to the Garmin. Just a shorty road run. 3miles in 25mins. 1st and 2nd mile were 8min miles and sometimes under, but I felt too hot and sore backed and knackered on the 3rd mile and that killed my time. Still, the bits and bobs of hill running I've done makes me feel that I can run a wee bit faster on the flat.

In reply to AJM:

S-
M-Soloed the "easier" routes at Forest rock, with a mat and spotter. On a high after an exam, and the confidence paid off. Need to be careful not to be too reckless though.
T-Night-time barefoot soloing at Beacon Hill with non climbing friends. Lots of fun and quite romantic!
W-
T-
F-Derby climbing centre. Indoor routes for the first time in ages. 6c+ and 7a, along with lots of failed harder routes
S-10k assault course "Water Wipeout" lots of fun and good to do some CV again.

Uni work is very nearly over. I want to get endurance back in preparation for venturing into Sport climbing. Bought a clipstick an' all :P

Many thanks,
Dan

In reply to AJM: thanks andy.

M - rest
T - short home circuits session
W - rest
T - rest
F - short home circuits session
S - rest
S - rest

achilles still sore. seeing gp about it next week, can't afford private physio at the moment.

Cheers, making the most of days off to get out for runs at the moment, but, as for this week.....poor

Thu - 4.5 mile trail run
Sat - 7 mile fell run 1700'
otherwise nowt but sleeping!

Next week should be better tho

In reply to AJM:
cheers AJM

VSTG (end of June):
Onsight E1/E2
STG (August):
Multipitch/long pitch (30m+) HVS or above.
RP 6b+ outside
Set up a beastmaker at home
MTG end of 2011:
Get solid at E1 onsight
no major injuries
boulder Font 6C
RP 6c outside (el chorro november?)
LTG March 2011
TBC ..

Last weeks goals:
at least two session climbing. tick

M: Rest
T: Rest
W: Rest
T: Rokt 3 hours on the comp wall. Working hard problems my forearms still hurt.
F: Rest
S: Rest
S: Rokt 2hours. pulled a muscle in my arm in the warm. Bouldered around feeling tired. then lead a route to test on the brand new lead wall can't wait for it to fully open

This weeks goals:
at least two session climbing.
Turn 25
Not feel as rough on saturday as I did this week!! Grim

Not been inspired lately. Don't know how to get out of this slump ... hmm

In reply to AJM:

Cheers Andy,

Tues: lethargic - no wall session
Thur: Kilnsey - no real project on the go, didn't really want to get embroiled in a new one just yet. tried to flash Hardy Annual -7b- as have seen enough people do the start, pinged off unexpectedly mid crux. bolt to bolted it, practiced the top, then blew the redpoint within a foot of clipping the belay- smooth.
Sun - Kilnsey - fell off the warm-up for the first time ever - quite an achievement really. tried 'no more jumping' - don't think this is going to go for me. got on the 7b variant of Optional Extra - sorted all the moves - again should go next time.

need to focus a bit more on recovery techniques I think post-session

In reply to AJM: Cheers

Mon: 25k mountain biking in Malverns.
Tue: 8k easy run.
Wed: 21k steady cycle out to Malvern Trail 10k, truly awful run due to digestive system completely giving way at about 6k, but some decent speed up to there. 21k cycle home.
Thu: 18k easy mountain biking.
Fri: Steady 13k run.
Sat: 3k run to Worcester Park Run, time given as 20.13, which would be a new pb, but my Garmin gave distance rather short, so not convinced. 3k run home. 44k cycle out to Ledbury (stopping to watch Mountain Mayhem on the way).
Sun: 21k mountain biking in Wyre Forest and Clent hills, including some vicious climbs in the latter.

Decent week in terms of overall volume. Maybe rather too biased to cycling over running, but that's largely due to the aquisition of the new mountain bike and the exploratory excitement that goes with it, so will probably change before long. Still some decent fast runs which is the main priority at the moment, and there have been some good long multi-sport sessions.

The Park Run would in theory be my new 5k pb, but I measured it slightly short by my Garmin (sufficient for at least 30s difference). I know they can be inaccurate, especially in denser woodland, but I think I'll wait until I run the course again in a couple of weeks to make a decision. Certainly, although it felt I ran it fast, it wasn't that fast.

Largely the same next week, except I may try to add in a swim, and bias slightly more back to running. I've also entered a half marathon in a fortnight along the tow path between Wolverhampton and Birmingham, though I'll probably take a fairly relaxed attitude towards it.

In reply to AJM:

M - AM: 4.4 miles run road, easy, flat, PM: 3.5 miles road run, easy, minor hill
T - AM: 5.4 miles run road, easy, flat
W -
T -
F - AM: 6.5 miles run road, easy, flat, PM: 3.5 miles road run, easy, minor hill
S - Cannon Hill Parkrun (5k road, 19:34) 7.5 miles total with wupdown
S - Barn dance - 2 x sets of 4 with cream tea recovery

First Parkrun (and 5k), entered without particular expectations. Very pleased with, and surprised by, time. I can see these being quite addictive.

In reply to AJM:

Indoor/training priorities

• Strength/power training
  
• Regular fingerboarding over the year
  
• Bike odometer record - 503km
  
• Rolling average weight/body fat - 78.0kg 16.3%
  

<STG> - pre-midsummer

• Get some classic trad in - some more E2/3 routes. Venues of interest - Pembroke, Gogarth, local crags, Lakes, N coast Devon/Cornwall (ticked: 1x Pembroke E2)
  
• Complete 7b+ pyramid (currently completed 10/8 x 7a, 4/4 x 7a+, 2/2 x 7b, 1/1 x 7b+) TICKED
  
• Maintain good amounts of sport onsighting/flashing to keep lead head in good shape

<MTG> - 2011

• Complete 7c pyramid (currently completed 4/8 x 7a+, 2/4 x 7b, 1/2 x 7b+, 0/1 x 7c)
  
• Aim for 15 6c or above onsight/flash, moving to a 1:2 ratio or better (currently at 3x 6c o/s, 6x 6c flash, 1x 6c+ o/s, 1x 7a flash, 1x 7a o/s)
  
• Actually do some DWS this year

<LTG>

• Well rounded E3 leader, tackling routes in committing locations
  
• E4 onsight
  
• 7c redpoints at Cheddar and Portland
  
• 7a/+ onsights at hard continental crags

<BHAG>

• Big mountain routes like Tempi Moderne, Comici etc
  
• E5 onsights
  
• 8a/+ redpoint
  
• 7b/+ onsights at hard continental crags
  
• Some big silly bike ride like Pyrenees coast to coast or Tour du Mont Blanc or something

M: Some weights and core I think
T: Cheddar. Back to Pride Evans. Dogged up House Burning Down to get the clips in. Then went for and managed to get it in 2 links, split at the mid-height jugs. Found some better sequences and a far better way of resting on the jugs. Then went for another go, aiming to try and push past the jugs so that I had it in 2 overlapping halves, and somehow found myself at the chains. First 7b+, and in far less time than I'd ever expected. YYFY!!!
W: Feeling a bit manky - nothing
T: Feeling a bit manky - nothing
F: Feeling a bit manky - nothing
S: Went to TCA for the first time in ages, since the weather looked a bit manky. Got on the circuit I'd been aiming to get 50% of (over the time it was up) over the winter, and managed to get 40% of it in a single session. Feeling good - if nothing else it means I'm maintaining strength and power over the summer.
S: Cheddar again. 6a+ to warm up. My mate was trying "Follow the slick red road (to Gdansk)", a 7c I'd been recommended as one to have a look at. Took the opportunity to try it on toprope and do a benchmarking session, see how far I was away from it. Was quite pleased with the results, I managed to do all the moves and managed to make some good links, including the first 9 moves from ground to second bolt, through the bouldery section, and also from about moves 12-20, turning the lip of the roof. It gets easier from move 20. However, 9-12 are really big powerful moves on high undercuts so I think linking it all together will be a challenge. Its going to be banned in a few weeks, so I think I will work on other projects over the next few months and try and get back on it fitter, stronger, lighter and better come September/October.
Then, at the end of the day, I got on Plead Guilty, a 7a, and despite getting a bit confused about the line at points, managed to scrape an onsight of it. First 7a onsight - YYFY!!!

Weight coming down still, would have been better had I not had an extravagant day of eating on Saturday - cooked breakfast to start, followed by a pub dinner and a few beers chewing the fat with plexiglass_nick and Curious Yellow.....

All in all an ace week - first 7b+ redpoint, the moves and some links on a potential project 7c, and my first 7a onsight. Ace!!!

Andy

In reply to Liam M:


They say on the website that it's measured with a wheel. My guess is that you can claim a PB.

In reply to AJM:
Wow!!! Sounds like an awesome week that AJM.

In reply to grubes:

Cheers grubes. Definitely up there in the ranking for best week of sport climbing to date...

In reply to AJM: YYFY! great show Andy...8a by the end of year?

In reply to Murd:

Cheers mate!

I think the plan at the minute is still to finish the 7c pyramid by the end of the year (which feels challenging but not impossible) after that I'm not really sure. I'm tempted to say 8a by 30 (which gives me about 2.5 years), since it's a nice round number, and also I think I've got a while and a few pyramids left yet - there's a long way between the moves on a not hard for the grade 7c and the redpoint of an 8a after all!

In reply to AJM:
I hear there is a good 8a at malham which is getting a bit polished these days
Could be a nice goal for by the time you turn 30. I hear its a few people life time ambition

In reply to AJM:

Impressive week Andy, good to see the training is paying off.

I've had about two months of no climbing, apart from a couple of bouldering sessions, so it's time to get back on the training wagon. Went for an indoor boulder on Sunday and was having to try a bit too hard on the V4s which is quite worrying. Hope to see some improvements by the end of the week.

Goals will be considered again once I've got an idea of where my fitness is, hopefully 7b+ by the end of the year is realistic but I'd be equally happy with some more 7bs before the limestone gets wet again.

Thank you AJM and well done.

Target:
Ironman Austria 3rd July (3800m swim, 112 mile bike, 26 mile run)

Well things went from bad to worse...
M - F ill. Came home from work early on Monday, went to bed and spent all of Tuesday and most of Wednesday there. Made it back to work on Friday. Some sort of virus - flu-like symptoms. Felt a bit better at the weekend so:
Sa: cycled 17km in 55 minutes - a very gentle pootle
Su: ran (well jogged) 4km in 30minutes (I'd usually expect roughly 6km in 30 mins).

So not a good week. However in a way there are worse times to get ill - I wouldn't have done a huge amount of training anyway, and I should have time to recover before the race. On the other hand, the long session I had planned for the weekend just gone, as a replacement for Bala Middle, as a final test of gear and nutrition had to be dropped. Just trying to be philosophical about it all.

Was over watching part of the West Highland Way Race on Saturday but didn't see petestack - if things were going well for him he should have been well ahead of the person we went to see.

In reply to AJM: Similar variety of aerobic and bouldering last week, with the weekend spent practising Alpine climbing in big boots.

Tried some V4's during the bouldering session, got frustrated at lack of progress, and then couldn't do a couple of V2's, more frustation. Need to realise that getting up to the next grade will involve lots more of that, and adopt more of a "session" mentaility.

M: Ran 5 miles
T:
W: Ran 4.5 miles (PB time for this route, 8.30 min miles)
T: Bouldering at Burbage N: new V3
F:
S: Big boots day #1
S: Big boots day #2

STG: Ecrins: Meije Traverse + Arete Costa Rouge/Less chossy alternative - July 2nd onwards
MTG: Identify some local boudldering and sport routes to work towards
LTG: ?

In reply to Sankey:

m: 5 mile trail run Beddgelert forest.
t: 31 mile time trial, Bethesda >Llanberis>Capel >Bethesda, averaged 20mph on hillyish circuit so not bad, came midway in field in first time trial.
w: 7.5 mile 100m ascent trail run
t: rest
f: rest
s: World Long Distance mountain running champs in Slovenia. 34th, 4:02. Came mid wayish in the international field so solid run. Hard running a long race totally onsight, humid conditions made it tough, last climb was 1300m in 4 miles. Quads sore, time trial not perfect prep..pm: bit of a swim, quick cramp inducing boulder on the deepwater boulder style wall in the hotel swimming pool
s: 24k on mountain bikes up to a water fall. lunch: swim, quick boulder on wall.

In reply to AJM:

Congratulations Andy, what a brilliant week for you

Mon – Rest.
Tues – Bodyweight workout. Fingerboard.
Wedns – Castle. Really poor session. Bad skin and no energy.
Thurs – Arch. 2x V3, working 7a. Still struggling with tiredness.
Fri – Rest.
Sat – Ban-y-Gor from about 3pm. Heavy rain. Rock dry but path a terrifying mudslide! Put clips up &1x TR on The Beauty of It All (7a) – lovely climbing up to the savage final moves.
Sun – Ban-y-Gor. Put clips up on Pet Cemetery (7a), 1x TR and ticked 1st RP. Fantastic route.

In reply to Curious Yellow:

Cheers Hazel (and Steve, Fimm et al obviously!). Nice work on Pet Cemetary.

In reply to grubes:

I'm not sure I've heard of it, which one do you mean

I think any long term seiging will have to be a bit nearer to home - I'm not sure I've got the drive for a multiday seige 3-4 hours away from home weekend after weekend like nick and the others do - I try and stick to projects I can complete before I go home unless it's a day trip distance crag.

I saw that Simon has compiled a list of the old school testpiece 8as in the UK, and I think the ones at Malham are probably the furthest from my house of any of them.

In reply to AJM:

Strategy was spot-on, conditions suited me despite others describing them as difficult, but couldn't quite sustain that even pace in the end. So happy enough with a new (5 min) PB of 20:44:26 where I'd thought I'd be gutted to miss the big target (now prepared to concede an element of wishful thinking there) and still in pretty good shape (no blistered soles, trashed quads/hams etc.) bar the tibialis anterior tendon sheath inflammation (nope, I hadn't heard of it either!) that's kept me off work for the first time on a post-race Monday. So that's three finishes from three starts (2007, 2010 and 2011) with each quicker than the last and time to call it a day competing in this race with the effort that's gone into this year's marginal improvement simply not computing (but no regrets for trying when it really doesn't have to)!

In reply to fimm:

Think things went well enough even if we could argue that I was found wanting in the end! And interested to know who you were out to see?

M: [35.0] Penstock, 4.6 miles/1,100 ft
T: [35.0] Reverse Grey Mare's, 5.4 miles/1,400 ft
W: [40.8] 2 x big laps, 5.8 miles (morning run)
T: [32.9] Rest
F: [28.3] Rest
S: [117.9] West Highland Way Race, 96.3 miles/14,100 ft (should be c.95.0 miles, but logging what I recorded!)
S: [112.1] Rest

Current Goals (final two maybe now in doubt after WHW Race):
Winter ML Assessment, 14–18 February: TICK (PASSED)
More climbing (lots to do, but fancy Orion and Zero!): NEXT WINTER!
Highlander Mountain Marathon, 16–17 April: DONE (15TH FROM 22, A CLASS)
Highland Fling (Milngavie to Tyndrum, 53 miles), 30 April: TICK (51ST FROM 383 IN 9:53:48)
West Highland Way Race (95 miles, sub-20 or bust!), 18 June: BUST! (23RD FROM 151 IN 20:44:26)
No Fuss Events 10 in the Glen (10-hour trail race), 16 July
Possible Rigby Round (if not squeezed out by 10 in the Glen)

In reply to fimm:

Here's hoping for much better soon, then!

In reply to IainRUK:

Sounds solid indeed, Iain, so well done!

In reply to petestack: Well done, wondered how you'd got on. Great to see Richie win, that news made its way to Slovenia pretty quickly. Good run still anyway.

A break may help, go for something else next summer then come back fresh? I'm still intending to attempt to get a quick time at some point. Thomas (the German) ran 17 something and we're pretty close, tbh I think he's stronger at the moment anyway, but getting the WHW spot in is very hard to do.

In reply to petestack:
Well, I'm sorry that you didn't get your time, but you sound happy enough, which is good.
Another internet random, this time from the triathlon forums - my other half knows her a bit through there. She finished in 31h40 ish I think (A. Melling).
The bloke has pretty much decided that he will go into the ballot for next year's race so at some point I might be asking for tips for support crew... IainR's done it too, hasn't he?

Oh, and well done IainR in your race.

In reply to fimm: I've done it twice, entered 5 times...3 starts...2 finishes...

Main thing would be to try and do the Fling and get out with the others up there, its changed a bit since I did it, now more technical, weighing etc.

I may try next year but think it may clash with Arrochar Alps possibly, and as that is British Champs I'll do that.

In reply to IainRUK:
Thank you for the advice. I think doing the Fling would be a good plan for him. He's mountain biked the section north from Tyndrum a couple of times as a social ride with mates over 2 days (not the bit over the hill between Bridge of Orchy and Inveroran!) but he doesn't know the southern section at all. Given that we're in Edinburgh, we can probably arrange for him to reccy the southern section as well. There's a forum and stuff too, isn't there?

Anyway, there's the small matter of an Ironman to do first!!!!

In reply to IainRUK:

Thanks, Iain.


Yep, another win for Richie. And Sharon Law pushed Kate *very* hard for the ladies' title.


Nah, I'm done with it and comfortable with that where I wasn't last time. But of course there are other things to go for...


Thomas ran 17:54:47 for 4th place and Silke's already got a great blog piece up about it:
http://blog-silke.blogspot.com/2011/06/team-tams-whw-2011.html

In reply to fimm:

Hard to be sorry when I managed to salvage both sub-21 and a PB with a savage kick all the way down Glen Nevis (what a buzz that was)... and I was (just) within 5 hours of Jez's record!


Right, found her (97th in 31:46:54).


Yes, he has... and should be competing with the best when he gets back to it!

In reply to petestack:
Sounds right. I think she was very happy to have finished, which was her only target.

In reply to AJM:

Monday - Bought a new pair of shoes (instinct laceups), they're pretty tight but they're stretching out a little bit now which is good. Went climbing at redpoint afterwards, didn't do anything particularly amazing but flashed a 6c.
Thursday - Nothing particularly exceptional, fell of the crux of a 7a but otherwise uneventful.
Friday - Starting to feel slightly ill which meant I wasn't on top form, just did a load of relatively easy stuff.

In reply to petestack:

Awesome effort petestack - well done on the PB and I'm glad you're happy with your time.

Will be interested to see what the "other things to go for" turn out to be!

Andy

In reply to fimm:

Dunno if it's right for me to be saying this when I've got three quick(ish) times from three starts, but *any* finish in that race is a great result!

In reply to AJM:

Thanks, Andy!


Have to be, really... so easy to say you're targeting sub-20 (or whatever), it's non-negotiable and nothing else will do, but so hard to actually go get it! And that's where I can find the acceptance (knowing I'm still wide of the mark despite my best shape and strategy ever) that was still eluding me after last year's race.


Me too... but not sure they'll necessarily be racing when I'm wanting to get back to climbing, sailing (incuding yacht racing, yes!) and the big hill rounds, and running for the sheer joy of it rather than because I have to when I'm really just a guy who likes running.

In reply to AJM: Thanks once again Andy, and good work on the routes this weekend.

M: First day at my new job. Eeek!
T: Short run. Once dodgy knee feels fine.
W: Physio for currently dodgy shoulder. I'm falling apart, bit by bit!
T: Short run.
F: Knackered from work.
S: Drove to Swanage in the afternoon, did a couple of sea-sprayed VS's in the evening.
S: Climbing on Guillemot Ledge, did the classic VS Tensor 2, I led my first HVS of the year, Ledgend Direct, then seconded my mate on a classic E1.

So, the trad head is starting to come back slowly. Felt Swanage was a bit gripping but that's as much not being sure about the rock as the gear. However I did absolutely lace the HVS so got to work on that. More to come next weekend I hope.

In reply to petestack:

Great work, well done.

In reply to IainR:

Good run, also well done.

Myself, somewhat humbled. Think I may need a break for a couple of months.

M: 3mile off road hilly run in Conwy c250m ascent
T: 3.5mile flatish trail run woods
W: 4.5mile flatish run beach/trails
T: 9mile fell run Tal Y Fan from Sychnant. Was supposed to be long, but fell just after leaving top giving a good bruise to my hip. Walked back to car.
F: Rest
S: 9mile fast road/fell/road (2/4/3) run Sychnant Pass c550m ascent. 66minutes.
S: 10mile fell run Sychnant. Hip hurt so much slower pace.

Going on holiday next couple of weeks, so may not be in touch for a while.

In reply to AJM:

Great work Andy amazing week. You must be buzzing ?

Drop me a line if you come up this way. I am working all day Sat but hope to be either bouldering somewhere on Sun afternoon or trad new routing in Eskdale.

M - rest
T - rest
W - coaching session
T - rest
F - rest
S - rest
S - rest

The idea of this rest week was to hit something benchmark on Sat or Sun and get lots of running in to keep the weight going down.

Mon + Tue felt like i thought they would, was still battered from board sessions.

Wed was a great coaching session. Lots more pointers to go at and get improvements from.

Thursday - i fell over at work and really hurt my left middle finger. It bent back at the middle joint and swelled up.

Fri-Sun - sudden opportunity to have a kid free weekend led to staying up until 3am, drinking, pub meals for lunch and tea and trip to Ikea ( ice cream and hot dogs ).

So no climbing done :0( I was feeling light and strong and raring to go on Friday. I now know that the 3 weeks on 1 week off thing can work for me so will try it again.

Worried about my finger. It was feeling not too bad but i couldn't climb on anything finger intensive at the bowderstone last night.

Thanks again Andy - it is Andy right?

Anyway a mixed week for me. Fell ill again and almost knee capped myself on a glass table but achieved the week's main goal.

Last week's goal: Run North Downs 30k in under 2:30:00
ACHIEVED
Ran the course in 2:27 and came 29th. It has 2000ft of ascent in so it's tough and all off road on a muddy day. I was a bit disappointed because I came 28th a few years back with a time three minutes slower but it seems to be attracting quicker runners now. The winner was none other than Huw Lobb who finished in 1:52 ish and can run sub 2:15 marathons and beat horses in races.

M: rest
T: spin, hard 45 mins
W: 8 mile run setting orienteering markers so a bit fartleky really
T: rest - felt rubbish
F: rest - felt rubbish
S: rest - felt rubbish
S: NDR 30k and hilly. See above!

STG (next week):Rest week. Try and do 25 miles gently
MTG (end July):Good performance in Saunders MM (top 20 maybe)
LTG (end August):Run Downland Challenge - 30 miler
VTLG: Run 100 miles in one day, beat 3:00 marathon, 1:25 half and 40min 10k.

In reply to biscuit:

Cheers biscuit - yes, buzzing is about right good for the confidence too, thinking of getting on stuff sooner than I'd have previously thought sensible because of the confidence boost.

Eric - yes, I'm Andy.

In reply to AJM:

Cheers Andy. Good work on your seriously, seriously good week. Sounds like you have stepped up a notch in general with a PB RP and onsight (7a or 7a+?) in the same week.

More of the same for me this week. Indoor training is going well, getting into the swing of the new plan, feeling quite high powered and reasonably well enduranced at the same time, which is odd. Outdoors is still not quite going to plan, feel a bit too stretched across too many projects and having trouble servicing them all.

Project status:
Hall of Mirrors: not tried since last year so sequence will be rusty. Making RP attempts but not pulling through crux from ground.
Keyboard Wall: On redpoint. Got to clip before last hard move on best go.
Road Rage: On redpoint. Linked in 2 overlapping sections. Best RP go falling before first crux.
Sign of the Vulcan: Done in 2 sections on TR. On redpoint next go on it.
Want Out: Done all the moves. short links
Hummin Bird: in roughly 3 sections on TR. Pretty much ready to get on redpoint.

STG
fill out 8a pyramid as much as possible over summer (5x7b+, 2x7c, 2x7c+) ticked: (3x7b+, 2x7c)
Onsight 7a+
Onsight/Flash pyramid for 7b (1x6c+, 1x7b) ticked: (7x6c+, 6x7a, 3x7a+)

MTG
Raindogs - Autumn 2011
40 pitches led at 6c to 7a+ in 2011 (current total: 10+2)

LTG
Onsight 7b+
Supercool, Infinite Gravity

M:
T: AM - Bolton complex & Fingerboard (Max Hangs). PM - Castle BC. Bouldering (A) ticked 2x new V5 and did all the moves on the final V5. Circuits (C) - wave circuit, 4x goes, consistently reacing move 19? of 21. Some lock off strength work (slow descents of XL campus rungs)
W: Castle BC. CIR (B) incl 5xV4, 9xV5, 3xV6 incl new V5 and new V6. Surprisingly decent, not even feeling that tired. Circuits (C) - 4x goes, still only getting to move 19.
T: Bolton Complex. Fingerboard (repeaters & encores). Arch (ACD) - Bouldering (A) ticked new V5 and V6. Routes in tunnel (C) - working on blue 7a. Circuits - intervals on 7a+ circuit on board - 8x laps, 4m intervals, each lap ~1.30 and resting remainder of interval.
F: push ups and rotator cuff DB stuff. Bicep curls.
S: Ban-y-gor. Surprisingly an ok day despite torrential rain and an approach path Indiana Jones would be proud of. 2x goes on Hummin Bird (7b+), excellent route. Sussing out beta.
S: Ban-y-gor. More time sussing beta on Hummin Bird, got a good sequence by the 2nd go of the day. Failed onsight attempt on Pet Cemetary.

Microcycle 3 - 13/06 - 26/06
A: 3x Threshold Boulder 2x
A: 2x Fingerboard (max hangs) 1x
A: 2x Campus (touches)
B: 1x CIR 1x
B: 2x AnCap
B: 2x Fingerboard (repeaters & encores) 1x
B: 2x systems strength ex (undercuts emphasis)
C: 3x circuits 2x
C: 2x Density
D: 2x anaerobic intervals or 4x4s 1x
E: 2x Aerocap/Recovery

In reply to plexiglass_nick:


Cheers nick. Its in the latest topo as 7a - I can only assume that the 7a+ grade in the logbooks is a hangover from a previous edition of the topo...


Time to do some ticking then - you've put the hard work in on them, start focusing in on them and I reckon they'll start falling like dominos!

Andy

In reply to AJM:

Cheers buddy

M-Route Setting - Routes. Tested afterwards.
T-Route Setting - Bouldering. Tested afterwards.
W-Rest
T-Fingerboard session. Repeaters and campus boarding.
F-Rest
S-Rubicon, Sean's Roof and Raven Tor. Pottered at Rubicon trying low starts to Press and Tsunami. Good progress but far too warm and was greasing off. Pottered at Sean's roof and did a few v7's. Got to Raven Tor pretty tired. Managed to blitz the the Weedkiller crux footless but burned out at the jug 3 times. Should get this next time. Can't believe I can do this footless. I guess the campus boarding is making that easier. Was very tired but managed a couple more 7a/b's.
S-Tried to find the Tube at Dove Dale. Eventually found it but it was overgrown and couldn't be arsed trying to climb above stingers the size of oak trees. So had a walk and used it as a rest day. Felt spanked from previous day anyway.

In reply to JimmyKay:

Oh, and it sounds like you had a great week. You've come on heaps and bounds since I saw you in January! Good effort.

In reply to biscuit:

>Fri-Sun - sudden opportunity to have a kid free weekend led to staying up until 3am, drinking, pub meals for lunch and tea and trip to Ikea ( ice cream and hot dogs ).

Sounds like a great weekend!

In reply to JimmyKay:

Oh and I forgot to add that I have got a new job in a pub. This should allow me more time to go out during the daytime because it's all evening shifts!! Amazing!!!

In reply to JimmyKay:

Cheers buddy - yes, January wasn't my best, the cold wasn't really agreeing with me so much

In reply to AJM:
STG: Left Wall, 2 e2s, 2 e1s.
MGT: none.
LTG(2011): 1*e3(0), 7*e2(2), 10*e1(2)
VLTG(2012?): Classic e5 (Positron?, Right Wall?)

Falls this week:0 (0 this year)
Fat %: 11
Focus: Local endurace & technique

Mon: Push-up & Pull-ups(196) + weights(back). Core(348).
Tue: 30 mins ARC. 4x4(V2,V2,V3,V3), 4x4(V1+,V2,V3,V3).
Wed: Rest.
Thu: Weights -Arms & Shoulders. Core(347).
Fri: Repeaters(77).
Sat: Rained off.
Sun: Diagonal & One Step in the Clouds

Tuesday night I focused on silent feet whilst performing 4x4. I'm OK at silent feet on the vertical stuff but whilst 4x4ing on overhanging problems my feet more often than not slam into the wall before skating to their placement! Doing silent feet whilst 4x4ing tired me faster, didn't complete the first lot of 4x4 which I usually do. On the plus, focusing on the foot work made me focus more on my positioning because I spent that little bit longer on each move.

For the first time I managed to complete every grip type on the sets of repeaters I perform. Will start to either add weight or one arm on some of the grip types.

Good start to the holiday on Sunday, been wanting to do Diagonal for years, probably left it too long though as it felt too easy. After freezing on the Mot we headed over to Tremadog in the afternoon to see if we could catch some sun. Every time I go to north wales the person I'm with always wants to do One Step, losing count of the number of times I've done it.

My partner got ill yesterday so I am now back in the peak searching for climbing partners for the last couple of days of my holiday.

In reply to AJM:
Good effort. Onsighting 7a is a major milestone.

In reply to leon:

Cheers leon.....

In reply to AJM:

minor YYFY moment - managed to deadhang the 45s on the beastmaker for the first time at the castle last night. It has always felt miles off but I've started a habit of every time I am in there, having a go - I am usually ok lifting my feet off the deck and holding it while my body swings slightly under the board, but always come off on the backswing. Suddenly last night, my body swings back out and I am like - I'm still hanging WTF?!

Ok it was with nestle and thumbs pinching, and the castle 45s are now quite textured from lots of use - but it's progress. Next step is to eliminate thumbs I think. The 45s on the BM at home still feel utterly impossible so that is something to work up to.

In reply to AJM:

TonyB - glad to have you back with us

I only missed one week! Great work with your recent ticking Andy.

Other aspects of my life have more prominent and the climbing has taken a back seat at the moment. Last week I had a poor training session and a family climbing trip where I spent very little time climbing and ticked some low grade routes. Psyche was a little low but is improving now. Will make a proper post soon!

In reply to plexiglass_nick:

Ha! I love a mini Beastmaker acheivement.

In reply to plexiglass_nick:
what do you pinch with your thumbs?

In reply to leon:

the bottom of the upper rail of rungs, if that makes any sense.

In reply to plexiglass_nick:
I just had a minor YYFY (what does that mean by the way) moment too!! Managed a hang on my board doing it the way you suggested. I'll add that one into my set! Now if only the weather would get good enough for me to go out bouldering this could turn into a good day.

In reply to leon:

on a home board as well, good work

also re. your 4x4 silent feet progression. Was going to say that I thought this sounded a really good approach. Might make temporary performance worse but by slowing you down I would have thought it would increase precision and better prepare you for climbing on actual rock. If your wall has the appropriate features you could also try doing it with screw ons (or poor features) only for feet - typically much more faffy and demands you go slower and make much more accurate foot placements.

In reply to plexiglass_nick:
i got the idea from a link you posted a while a go, it was discussing using 4x4 to stress proof foot work.

the wall i use is my own so i can pretty much do what i want. one of the problems in my 4x4 set is SoS only, the others are bolt ons for feet with an SoS variation that is a grade or two harder (way too hard for me to 4x4 on). I'll probably stick with what I've got at the moment until I show a bit more finesse with the bolt ons for feet! Hopefully by the time my foot work improves my strength will to so I can just incorporate the sos variations rather than having to think and set new problems.

In reply to AJM:

STG: V5 pyramid (end of June 2011) - V2x4, V3x3, V4x2, V5x1, V4x2, V3x3, V2x4 - Tick!
MTG: V6 pyramid (v3x4, v4x3, v5x2, v6x1, v5x2, v4x3, v3x3)/ V6 outdoors (end of July 2011)
LTG: V7 outdoors (2011)

Mon: 6k run
Weds: V3x4, V4x3, V5 fail 5 attempts or more on 4 or 5 different problems - not a good start to the V6 pyamid! Flashed a french 6C route and failed on a 7a

apologies for late post - another rubbish week! This week not much beeter either...

In reply to AJM:

Thanks,
Forgotten most of last week somehow, need to post earlier on...

M: Bouldering (Wall)
T
W: Circuits (Wall)
T Bouldering (Home)
F: Bouldering (Home)
S
S: Bouldering (Wall)

Trying to get the strength back I seem to have lost.

STG - pre midsummer

V5 O/s - tick
V6 flash
V7 tick
7b outdoors
Get Stamina

In reply to AJM:

Been in the Alps so no post this week. Will put both weeks on 223.