In reply to Michael Gordon:
> He might have improved a bit but 5 full days climbing in a year (and 3 of them sport) doesn't sound like a success to me!
This is rather the point of the article, which clearly you have missed. Climbing is obviously just one facet of his life (family and cycling being just two others which he mentions specifically, then there is work, socialising etc).
When full climbing days are few and far between, making the most of them becomes a priority. Some people enjoy pushing their grade when climbing (this is especially true with sport climbing) and the article discusses ways of ensuring that you can be in the best possible shape to take advantage of those precious days.
So while you may not judge his success as something you would proud of, perhaps you might consider that other people have different priorities in life, at different times of their lives.