UKC

UKC Fit Club Week 435

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Link to last week's thread: https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=620120


UKC Fit Club is not a substitute for the training diary but to use with (or without) it as a motivational tool for all. 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.

Alex's sport climbing training article is still here:
http://alexbarrowsclimbing.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/training-for-sport-climb...

Psyche video this week: youtube.com/watch?v=DI6TdHwRt_M& to encourage me to get out all my old climbing shoes I’ve been ‘saving for DWS…’


Last week's posters:

Exile – Hoping you got the conditions for the RP of Middle Earth this week!
AJM – Any success with the fingerboard aerocap and cycling this week?
Dandan82 – Custodian of DIY club! Hope the week has gone well for you. Be careful with those computer games!
Tyler – The siege continues. Any progress this week?

mrchewy – A couple of good sessions and a clear plan emerging. Have you tried the upstairs training bit at Big Rock yet?
Nick Russell – How is the wrist rehab going? Rounders is a bugger with all that short stop-start sprinting. Keep up the crosstraining!
mattrm – Sounds like a good beta tweak on the 6c and a positive week overall. If you’re keen for some HVS/E1 mileage I think we’ll be heading Yat/Wye way sometime next month.
Ally Smith – It’s all go at Kilnsey! What’s this week’s Randalisation plan?
hms – Good gains indoor and out - did you manage to take it easier this week?
cha1n – Has Powerplant gone down this week?!
Humperdink – Less tired this week? Are your easy sessions light enough to give you enough active recovery time? That being said, the workload is a more likely explanation!
planetmarshall – What routes have you got lined up for your HVS/E1 STGs?
flopsicle – Glad you’re enjoying the Woss! Re: dangling, confession is the first step – good job. Now what are you going to do to change this?
Mutl3y – Rest days are important but can be played with ie. take it literally as 24 hours and sneak in a session one morning if you’re not training until the evening on the next day. That training routine looks solid – perhaps as a second session on a light day? Certainly can’t do any harm (though it seems a lot depends on having a flower in your hair and a large dog…) What does ‘perfect food’ consist of?
biscuit – Some unexpected positive outcomes from the week and eyes firmly set on the light at the end of the tunnel. What is the magic hip stretch?
alexm198 – Looking good on the Alpine ticks. Did you make it to the magic 5?
The Ex-Engineer – Not a bad week – some absolute classics there! Hope you’ve stayed out of Brookes this week too!
Just Tintin – Second doesn’t count when all the good climbers are at BBCs!
Joyce – Great work on Piggy Malone! Now to nail down the elusive ‘zone’…
LukeOwens - Welcome back - it's been a while! How did you get on with the 7c project?


AWOL
Cheese Monkey, themattyshep, 0.5viking, Creedence, Ian Rock, Joughton, mbh.
 Mutl3y 19 Jul 2015
In reply to Just Tintin:

Hi tintin thanks for doing the update.

Perfect food for me at the mo is shorthand for 1,200-1,600 ish calories of mostly plants but maybe some lean meat. Importantly trying to keep treats and junk to a minimum. Perfect might be breakfast of porridge, flaxseed, almond milk, raisins....lunch of chickpea salad and sweet potato, dinner of wholemeal pasta, vegetables, tiny amount of oil and no dairy. It works for me to lose weight with minimal suffering.

M-works. Did most of the yellows (5th/10 hardest) after trying a few wasps (7th and getting spanked). Did about 25 of them but found 1 really hard for technique rather than strength reasons. Perfect food.
T-rest. Perfect food.
W-beast maker 5b 6sec on / 4 off. Scored 68/84 so much better than last week but way off my March peak of 81/84. I must have been so effin strong to have done that wish I had got on rock! Pull up sets. Leg raise sets. Perfecting food except a square inch of brownie. Damn that forge bakery is good!
T- rest. Perfect food. Abs were on fire. Felt nice.
F-works. Black circuit (6th/10 hardest). Got to 19 having had to give up on 3. Perfect food.
S-rest. Fingers felt sore from the blacks. Need to remember this...doing hard problems to failure is a much better workout than cruising lots of easier ones. I do not go to the works for fun. I go for training reasons. Need to relax the ego and be prepared to suffer.
S-rest/holiday begins.

Weight. MA 65.2 down from 66.0 last week. Very pleased with that.
Mojo. Psyched.

On holiday for a week but not going to relax diet too much and have brought bike and bouldering mat so should get something done.
 hms 19 Jul 2015
In reply to Just Tintin:

Thanks Tintin. It was a rest 1/2 week, then I got all keen to get on stuff again after my physio pummeling.

M - cycle commute.
T - cycle commute, cycle down to city centre. Pummeled by Nina (managed not to whimper this time). Given the OK to get back on trying 7c as long as I keep up the various shoulder exercises.
W - cycle commute. Rather hot & sticky UCR session. Did a new 7a in 2 goes (missed a useful splat first time). Then took 3 goes to get a particularly horrid new 6c - slimy holds, hard clips, nasty top.
T - cycle commute. Evening at Brean with D1. Once again, it is delightful there in the evening and we were the only climbers. Spent ages trying and retrying the crux of Storm Warning, in an only partially successful attempt to get something to work, Totally exhausted by the end of the session. Have now dug out video Ellis on Brean Topping (same start) and he does utterly differently, so have new things to try next time.
F - TCA trying new 5+ to 6b set. Did 18. Failed to do a whole load more. As ever with this grade range, there seem precious few at the 5+ end of things, which can be distinctly dispiriting.
S - shopping with D2. I hate shopping. Then S&C x 3 whilst watching psyche videos.
S - Trym, back on Wave no white flag (soft 7c, probably only 7b+). Could remember a few of the hands and virtually none of the feet - it is just so so hard to get the sequence as the wall is covered in a camouflage pattern of white, grey and black lichen spots. 2 TR tries then a not very hopeful lead attempt. Messed up a key foot at half height, managed to cling on and keep going, fought on upwards, then dropped the final sodding move. It is a long one from poor high feet, and I just didn't have enough left in the tank. Don't know when I'll be able to return as I have used up a major husband belaying favour - will have to work on D2 cake bribery (which is hopefully going to get me to Cheddar this week!)
 Nick Russell 19 Jul 2015
In reply to Just Tintin:
> Nick Russell – How is the wrist rehab going? Rounders is a bugger with all that short stop-start sprinting. Keep up the crosstraining!

Thanks for the stats Tintin. Did anyone offer to take over after your 2 weeks? I'm happy to do them for a while.

The wrist rehab is slow. To be honest I've been feeling really down about it this week. When I decided to rest it, I thought it was just for a few days, not in excess of three weeks. I've started icing it properly this week and can convince myself that it's a bit better than last weekend.

This week:

M - Trampolining. Last session for a while - they seem to take a summer holiday.
T - 4.7km run, core (plus ~1km run back home)
W - Rest. Attempted to hang off fingerboard but psyche wasn't there. All my climbing skin started to peel off my fingers
T - 9km run, core. Started icing wrist and stretching in the evenings.
F - Core. Icing.
S - Parkrun, 19:41. Superficially seems better than last week but this was on a flat course. Marginally faster (5s) than my Ashton Court PB but substantially slower (46s) than my PB on the flat. Icing.
S - Core. Icing.

Things I learnt this week:
  • I go out too fast on Parkrun. Kilometre splits were 3:41,3:52,4:02,4:09,3:57 (? my watch measured less than 5km so the last one isn't very accurate). A steady 3:48 gets me in at 19 minutes and I'd be happy with anything faster than that.
  • Putting a damp teatowel in the freezer makes a really good pad for icing.
  • I need to get less fat. Weighed in over 70kg which is unusual even if only a one-off. Pull ups and press ups feel harder than they used to and my running performance is well down. All the evidence points in the same direction.

    Assorted goals:
  • Wrist rehab
    Started icing. Still too early to see an effect
  • Get less fat
    Easy things to cut out include constant snacking on peanuts and excessive breakfast portions
  • Trad routes at E4
    There's a long ticklist to put here! Let's start with Star Wars (E4 5c), Fay (E4 5c) and Mother Africa (E4 6a)
    Attempted: 4; Clean onsight: 4 (+1 revisited)
    On hold because of the wrist.

  • Send The Milky Bar Kid (8a) before Ally Smith
    Prisoner of Conscience -> The Guilt Edge -> Bullworker -> Prisoner of Bullworker -> El Chocco -> The Milky Bar Kid
    On hold because of the wrist.

  • Strength gains
    At least 1 fingerboard/bouldering session per week over summer. Fail - even if the wrist would allow it, psyche to risk trying is abysmally low.
    Dedicate some time to this over winter.
    Write a training app for the fingerboard.

  • Sort out the asymmetry (ongoing)
    Recently realised this goes back a bit further than I thought.
  •  J B Oughton 19 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin: Apologies for the AWOL last week. In what was a bit of a shame, I began to burn out both mentally and physically at the end of our trip, in future I'll remember to take a double rest day on a month long trip! So I finished the last week ticking lots of great technical 7a-bs, nothing special but I started to feel a lot more confident in my climbing on that kind of terrain which was nice, good prep for a summer of trad.

    So the high points of the trip were 7c onsights becoming more consistent (at least at soft Tarn) and the 7c+ onsight. Also feeling very consistent at 7a/7a+ i.e warming up on 7as felt okay, and I could always cope on even very anti-style sandbaggy 7a+s which bodes well for E5/6 trad climbing. Downsides were burning out before I got round to trying anything harder I.e a project. It was also very hot! Climbing in 35°C is tough even in the shade.

    Climbing with other people at a similar grade raised a few points though which were good to learn:

    1. I've always known I'm quite weak for the grades I climb, I never realised quite how weak!

    2. I need to learn to redpoint, I've witnessed some meticulous working of routes in a much more efficient way than I ever learnt to do.

    3. I'm not trying nearly hard enough. Well am when I train/climb, but I'm really not doing enough of it.

    That being said though the trip for me was never about getting big numbers, I just wanted to have fun do lots of good climbing which I certainly did, Ceuse and Tarn are both stunning destinations! The full numbers are:

    11 x 7a
    9 x 7a+
    11 x 7b
    5 x 7b+
    4 x 7c
    1 x 7c+

    Most onsight, a few flashed.

    Other plus sides are that the walk in to Ceuse has helped me get a bit fitter and a bit leaner so I'm feeling in good physical shape.

    So yeah, good trip!
     J B Oughton 19 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin: Having had the last few days off to rest properly, its given me some time to think about goals. I don't think I'm ambitious enough and I never really outline any 'Big Hairy Audacious Goals' which is basically the whole point of Fit Club, so I've decided to make some.

    STG: Get my trad head back on.

    MTG: Onsight Lord of the Flies and some other E6s this summer, head point an E7. Climb Salathe Wall on El Cap with Dad in September.

    LTG: Project Get Strong Fingers when I return to uni. Plans are to have at least one fingerboard session each week, and to boulder at least three times a week (which I'm going to help by buying a yearly pass to the climbing wall to make me want to make the most if it). Boulder Font 7c in Northumberland.

    BHAG: Mecca, 8b+.

    Mecca might seem like an unlikely goal for someone who's strength is endurance and weakness is finger strength, but I figured
    1. It inspires me as a route, its a classic and it apparently climbs quite nicely for Peak Lime.
    2. It will make me work my weaknesses i.e fingers.
    3. The only good facilities available to me in Newcastle is a bouldering wall, a fingerboard, and lots of crimpy bouldering, so it would be hard to train for a stamina-fest anyway.

    So there's some goals!

    Cheers, Jake
     biscuit 19 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:
    Cheers Tin Tin.

    The back stretch is hard to describe. Lie on your back and with shoulders still on floor cross your leg over the other bending it to 90 degrees. Then get someone (who knows what they are doing) to put a hand on your bent knee and opposite shoulder. Then bounce their full weight on it until something in your lower back goes crack and you feel better

    I finally had a proper climbing session this week. It's been a horrible stressy few weeks but things are now sorted and I am going to have more free time mid week. Even more when I go part time in September. Had a blow out this weekend to let off steam but back to it as of tomorrow.

    The session was predictably bad, but worse than I thought. However I'd not had much sleep, hadn't eaten properly and wasn't really psyched, so no real surprise. I was going to do triples peaking at 6c. I failed on a 6b+ ( a new low ) and didn't get the 6c, felt totally empty and stopped.

    Not the greatest start, but it's a start. Aiming for 3 mileage sessions this week. I'll keep persevering with the 6c triples until I get that.

    Stg - end of July
    Complete 6c triples
    Restart yoga
    Find average body fat and work at dropping 2% to start with
    Do some home exercise - antagonist stuff - twice a week.

    Other goals I'm not sure yet. I need to see where I'm up to first and see how busy life is in September and after summer hols. One midweek day a week climbing outdoors is the main aim.
     AJM 19 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    > AJM – Any success with the fingerboard aerocap and cycling this week?

    Well, I managed enough of the actual training that I didn't have to resort to the fingerboard aerocap (its Tom's "do this if you've skipped the plan to go outside" session). It was a relatively light week for the conditioning this week so barring a substitution I actually completed a week.

    I certainly managed to cycle.

    No outdoors this week - other plans this weekend and was busy/stressed/weather less good in the week.

    Monday - wall. AnCap (linked boulder) and 1-on-1-off I think
    Tuesday - wall. AnCap (should have been boulder mileage but I've not got enough problems wired so another linked boulder, upped the difficulty a bit). Rings core too.
    Wednesday - felt a bit wiped so had a gloriously restful evening reading psyche books and chilling out
    Thursday - wall. Having realised I was fairly near to a complete week, how could I not do! 1-on-2-off and some pull-ups I think it was.
    Friday - nothing - parents here
    Saturday - bit of walking along the coast with parents - Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door and back.
    Sunday - big biking day out. 143km from Poole to Salisbury and back. https://www.strava.com/activities/349635601 good ride. Feeling a bit achey now, so might treat myself to a commute on the train tomorrow, or at least use the good bike so I can spin up all the hill in bottom gear...!

    Commuted all 5 days as well so its actually been a 212km week
     planetmarshall 19 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    Cheers Tintin.

    I don't really have any specific routes at HVS and E1 planned - it rather depends where I end up climbing on a given day. I'm aiming for a top end HVS and low end E1, preferably more technical than burly but I'm willing to compromise on this based on what's available.

    Still not quite happy with my training volume - but managed to do a bit better this week. I might extend my current 8 week period to 10 weeks.

    Mon - Rest
    Tue - Core. Climbing at Stanage End. Attempted Surgeon's Saunter (HVS 5b) as a hard HVS, could barely get off the ground. By the time I'd worked it out was savagely pumped. Hope to get back on this on Tuesday.
    Wed - Trail Run. 10km/360m
    Thu - Max Strength. "Death By Pullups" (Every Minute on the Minute increase number of pulups, starting at 1. Managed 6 which is a new PB ). Strict Press 3 rep max at 40kg. Also a PB
    Fri - Trail Run. 11.5km/240m
    Sat - Mostly Rest, but some brief climbing at The Roaches. Climbed Pebbledash (HVS 5a) but not really hard enough for my STG. Briefly tried The Mincer (HVS 5b) but 2nd didn't fancy it and retrieving the gear would have been awkward. One for another day.
    Sun - Good climbing day. Completed 2 6bs at AW Sheffield, and chose technical climbs rather than going for obvious overhanging jug fests. Just 1 6b+ now to complete the pyramid. Went to Stanage in the afternoon - had a go at Good Friday (HVS 5b) but fluffed the crux in less than ideal conditions - did Ellis's Eliminate (VS 4c) instead. Shame as it met my criteria perfectly. Another one to go back for.

    So currently struggling to get those hard HVSs ticked - will be back out on Tue for another go.

    STG
    * Training volume has suffered a bit in this period - get it back up. Need to do a bit more earlier in the week so I'm not trying to squeeze so much in in the latter half.
    * Complete 1 hard HVS climb and an easy E1. Looking at climbs at Stanage North
    * Complete 1 indoor climb at 6b+
     flopsicle 19 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    Thanks for stepping in Tintin!

    My week started well then went a bit downhill - literally.

    Mon - 6 mile hilly run

    Tues - 2 mile run + 30 mins suspension training.

    Weds - 2 mile run. Fell over running down hill and managed to leave skid marks on the path with my knees! I carried on the run well but through the day the left knee that took the brunt of it stiffened. Weds eve was lead climbing and I went but really struggled to put any power through my sore knee. I climbed round it using my left leg just to prop or balance and I worked lots on the headwall overhang, lots of dangling (Meep! But getting better). Got up one decent climb at my usual grade so was chuffed considering.

    Thurs - hmmm... knee swollen and leaking, could only hop and skip after daughter on the way to school so no run. I knew it was just bruising as I'd finished the run well the day I did it. Did Suspension trainin for 30 mins but just on right leg for squats.

    Fri - knee better than thurs but still swollen and still not getting any power through it. Climbed badly for an hour till umpteenth plaster was trying to oooze it's way off (taking plasters off now looks like peeling apart a cheese toasty - bought some iodine!).

    Sat - Knee better than fri but still struggling for any power. Daughter wanted to go mountain biking (about 3 hrs), she fell off lots but kept saying it was better to be her than me 'cos of my knee (sweet!). Climbed 1.5 hrs, badly - really wanted to do comp stuff and did get tempted onto a couple but just racked up fails. Knee didn't oooze through plaster though and less painful!

    Sun - Knee felt lots betters so went for 2 mile run, not fast. 30 mins on suspension trainer, still avoiding squating on the left but felt ok doing squats with both legs. Almost 2 hours climbing, not bad, thought it was back to normal till tried a scrunched up sit start, no way. I managed to leave the comp problems, which I think was wise.

    Summer holidays start on Thurs so if Munchkin's Dad goes off having her I'll really struggle for time, also will lose my Friday climbs. That said she'll keep me onmy toes! I'm 2 weeks behind for Depot comp and 1 week behind for Notts so have my fingers crossed I get some time.

    Re being scared to death of dangling from overhangs on the rope - I've just been parctising doing it, trying to relax more, picking climbs I know I'll be too pumped to stay on. I'm not going to work on falls into space till just resting is calm.

     Dandan 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    Thanks for statting Tintin, it felt weird not having to reach for the laptop first thing on a Sunday morning!

    Elbows are up and down really, some good points, some not so good.

    M:
    T: Exercise ball core workout
    W:
    T: Exercise ball core workout
    F: Physio
    S: Little traverse in the boulder shed, 15 mins
    S:

    I had a good rest for the elbows all last week but have decided that sitting on my bed and playing computer games all evening is also not helping, especially for the right elbow with the position I have the mouse, it seems I can't even do my rest activity without damaging myself! I will switch to intense movie watching instead.
    I managed to resist DIY at the weekend, the most I did was to peel the top layer off all the wallpaper off in the hallway, it came off super easy so required almost zero effort.
    On the instruction of the Physio, I had a little climb in the boulder shed on Saturday to determine if a light climb is detrimental to the elbows, last week I climbed and did DIY so I think it was the DIY that hurt, not the climbing, but I couldn't be certain. Elbows felt good while climbing and good while stretching afterwards but then they almost immediately tightened up and went a bit sore. The next day however, they felt really good which was pleasing. I tried to be sensible and did nothing at all on Sunday to make sure I didn't ruin the improvement, so when I woke up this morning and they were as sore as ever, I was pretty miffed, to put it politely.
    As ever, I don't know what to take from this, did the climbing take 2 days to show itself as detrimental? Did the day of doing nothing cause more harm than good? Was it something else I did or didn't do? What a pain. Literally.

    I went to the doctors on Friday to request an ultrasound scan on the elbows, see what is going on in there, I also requested steroid injections in the elbows, as they seem to be good at treating the symptoms but not necessarily the cause, this is exactly what I need, I need help getting over the symptoms, the cause isn't currently an issue if i'm not climbing super hard. They can't do any harm so i'm keen to see if they can help. Got an appointment at the hospital 2 weeks on Tuesday I think. Can't come soon enough for me.
     hms 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Dandan:

    I had steroid injections in my wrist when carpal tunnel first flared up many years ago. It was magic - but strictly temporary. A few months later I bit the bullet and had it operated on. When my other wrist also started giving problems a few years later my doctor basically said just get the op done now. Different to you I know as carpal tunnel does have a well known cause & the operation does (almost always) cure it.

    As far as rest - have you tried going on stridey walks? I mean a brisk 20 mins, really swinging you arms. When I've had elbow gripes in the past this has often helped, plus it keeps you active as well (and away from the DIY as an added bonus). I'm guessing it keeps the joints moving but with zero load on them. Just a thought.
     Dandan 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to hms:

    Yeah, due my specific situation, i'm hoping the steroid injections will just help me recover from the symptoms faster, I understand it won't help the cause but that's ok.
    I do walk the dog with my wife on a Friday afternoon, usually a pretty brisk hour in the forest, but I can't (or don't want to) do any more than that as I hate walking with a passion that I find hard to convey.
    I'll see how a week without computer games works out for the elbows, I could really do with seeing some kind of improvement soon...
     Ally Smith 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Dandan:

    Smash in the steroid injections if there is a well diagnosed tendonitis that will respond. If you've a tendonosis the lidocaine that is co-injected will give you a short-term relief, but you'll soon start having pain again once that wears off...
     Ally Smith 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    More Randalisation this week – but having to cut back on outdoor climbing as the finger ain’t playing ball

    BHAG (2016 and beyond):
    - Do some adventurous cycle touring (maybe C2C or MTB Great Glen/West Highland way?)
    - Some hard sport multi-pitch; Taghia maybe, Naranja de Bulnes, “La Geurre Sainte” 7b/+ multi-pitch in Wadi Rum?
    - True North, Kilnsey & Mecca (and possibly the extension), Ravens Tor – crimpy & front on board style too far outside my comfort zone in terms of style to be a 2015 goals.
    - Spanish super routes – Feb 2016 – La Perla, (8b+), La Marroncita (8b), Humildes pa casa (8b+), Fisheye (8c), Mind Control (8c), La Morenita (8c+)
    - Kaa’bah, 8c+ - gotta aim high!
    - Aim for 72 kg RP fighting weight

    LTG (2015):
    >8b+ RP options:
    - Cry Freedom & Unjustified, Malham.
    - Climb f8a on gear – Point Bank in Pembroke?
    - Climb a 5.13 crack, Last of the Bohicans (13d) and Transworld Depravity (14a) in the Red. Visit the NRG.
    - need to train climbing board style/open on slopey crimps – eek – bit of a weakness; at least I know about it in advance now!
    >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 (May/June/July):
    - Increase An-cap
    - Get stronger without aggravating injuries
    - Put time into the 4 projects I’ve bolted.
    - 8a+/b’s
    - if finger plays ball: Well Done finish, Straight jacket, Waddage & Weedkiller/Chimes.
    - if shoulder plays ball, but finger still tweaky: Mecca Traverse, Mandela (TICK) & Guns in the sky
    - 74 kg & 6.5% BF

    STG (next week)
    Repeat of last week
    - Icing and rehab every day for finger and shoulder
    - Controlled fingerboarding – front 2 and slopers only!
    - Do some core, antag and bicep curls
    - Get back out on the MTB - tick
    - Maintain sub 76kg weight for Kilnsey project

    Last week:
    M - Rest day – DOMS/feeling beat up; needed ‘brufen at work – stretching, icing and foam roller.
    T - Woke up feeling strong – good sign. Fingerboard an-cap 10:3 session @ 60% (+14kg), but it got very pumped on first 2 sets - felt more like aero-power? Antags, static and dynamic core. Bolted 2 short projects/link-ups in the 8a+/b region after training.
    W - Tor after work – did Weedkiller for the first time in ages, then Mecca Traverse RPs. New highpoint matching undercut (crux) but failed to make the clip – decided to quest on to the guppy and clip by my waist, but never got that far with kneescum or heel/toe popping out on subsequent goes. Tried Perverse Reverse afterwards and had viable sequence, but pretty boxed from earlier efforts. Shoulder good, finger hurty.
    T - Had planned to get out, but finger not happy – iced twice. Worked late instead.
    F - Double frickin’ rest day. Icing, stretching and foam roller.
    S - Kilnsey; working Guns in the Sky. 3 tie-ins; did the 7a+ twice. Worked out how to do leftwards traverse and where to clip all the bolts. Just 1 move and one transition to work out. 3rd tie-in – linked bolt 2 to 4 for first time, but failed on the BIG move before entering Mandela. Finger sore again by the end
    S - TNF Grizedale. Thought I was going to get spanked by my companions in their fullface helmets, body armour and full bounce bikes; turns out they were slower than me in lycra on a hardtail! Gardening and FO campus aero-cap when home – 15x 60s on/50s off with 120 push-ups inbetween.

    Weight static at 75.6kg & 6.7%BF but don’t feel so lean anymore – back on the diet!
    In reply to Nick Russell:

    Thanks Nick - I can do this weekend coming but if you could tag in after that, that would be great. I can tag back in for second half of August if that helps but first two weeks will struggle for Internet at weekends.

    Thanks!
     Ally Smith 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    I can do whole of August if needed? No holidays planned.
    In reply to planetmarshall:
    If it helps, HVSs I found tough in that neck of the woods were:

    The Blurter HVS 5b (something for every style of climbing, but a rope nightmare however you do it!)
    Overcoat HVS 5b (brilliant top move)
    21 Today HVS 5c (excellent gear, lovely techy start and then a brutal finish if you do it properly. The E1 finish next to it is much easier!)
    Post edited at 13:48
    In reply to Ally Smith, Nick Russell:

    Probably simpler, thanks Ally. Hope that's okay Nick!
     Tyler 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    M: Depot, Nottingham, love this wall and especially the circuit board. Flashed the 6b+, 6c, 7a, 7b circuits. Then went and did half the v4 to v6 red circuit then back to circuit board for 7a (fell off) and 4x 6c until my skin was sore (it was very hot). I think the grades are quite soft, especially the 7b circuit (I thought until this Saturday I might just be awesome!)
    T: Rest
    W: Rest
    T: Disaster, mis-communication with partner so had to go to Outhouse instead of Kilnsey. Went on undercuts circuit, can now manage overlapping halves but not really training on it yet.
    F: Rest
    S: Kilnsey - two goes up The Thumb before deciding to sack it off, lots of reasons why but the top and bottom of it is I'm not good enough - its flipping hard. Went up Dead Calm and disappointed to have to stick clip the last three bolts (the meat of the route really!) then stripped it. Thought I'd familiarize myself with the bottom half (WYSIWYMG) in readiness but this just turned into quick draw rescue mission. Disappointing day but great to be at the crag when its so deserted, I think at one time or another I've shared a rope with most people there.
    S: Rest day so went up Pinnacle Ridge, St Sunday Crag. 3 star my arse! Worse than the disappointing walk to effort ratio was how tired it left me, I think my ankle and hp mean I find any hill walking draining these days.


    Diet: Not good, four contraventions of the diet this past week

    STG Goals: I'd like to have at least one morning of less than 10 8 this week. Can't decide between Dead Calm and Cave Route Left for the weekend.
     AJM 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    For anyone who is interested, the letour twitter account has posted a very nice photo of what (given its appearance and the location of the stage) I'm about 99% sure is Ceuse...
     Nick Russell 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    Yeah, no problem - thanks Ally
     Exile 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    Thanks for doing fit club Tintin.

    Didn't get out on Middle Earth - lack of partner and family commitments conspired against another go.

    2015 aims:

    Winter VI 7 - Tick.

    Spring / early Summer 7b RP - Countash, Mill Side Scar - Tick.

    Summer quick build through E1 / E2 / E3s on slate before trying to OS Malice in Wonderland, (E3 / E4)

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

    M: 1hr fell run. (Maintain winter endurance.)
    T: 1hr road ride. (Maintain winter endurance.)
    W: 40min fell run. (Maintain winter endurance.) 1hr 30min working and climbing an eliminate on the top end of Badger Rock - V5 ish I would think. (Power.)
    T: Rest
    F: 1hr 30min circuits and core at wall - felt hard (Endurance.)
    S: 1hr 30min road ride. (Maintain winter endurance.)
    S: 1hr 30min road ride. (Maintain winter endurance.)

    Ok week. Think I've inadvertently peaked in climbing because maintaining my level is really tiring at the moment. Heading out to the Alps for a family holiday at the end of the week so am going to use that as active rest and see what I'm like when I get back.
     mrchewy 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    I have! This week actually and I have a new found respect for them that can actually move well on a systems board that beastly. Brilliant! I want one. Thanks for this too

    Mon - Pinnacle. Circuit/system board. Did alright, much stronger on undercuts and sidepulls.

    The - Run. Warmup and then two miles. Pushed hard. No watch but finished bent double and feeling like vomiting - couldn't raise a sprint at all at the end, so I know I was at my limit.

    Wed - Big Rock. Mate who's been having chemo rang to say he'd been given the okay! So relieved. I put my shoes on but bouldered terribly, the head was going a hundred miles an hour. Headed for the auto belay and lapped an overhanging 5b for a while, 10 laps or so but was pretty much an emotional wreck if I'm honest. So had a coffee, went upstairs to the 45deg systems board and tried my luck for the first time.
    Surprised myself by eventually being able to pull on and make some moves on the little wooden holds. Managed to do three hand movements but didn't last long, my forearms and fingers were burning. Well chuffed.
    Run after.

    Thu - Yoga class. First time in three weeks and it was tough. Lost so much flexibility and the knees are a bit swollen and tight at the minute, it's taking a while to adjust back to running.

    Fri - Somehow found myself on the beer with a young lady. Started calmly, got very drunken, home at 5am still clattered.

    Sat - Horseshoe. Still ruined. Main Wall climbed well but the place ain't pretty. Worked Rain Dance, second go did all the moves to the last hard one and just faded. Really pleased considering the mess I was from the night before. Got on Waves of Mutilation later but I was empty and feeling pukey, so had a beer and chilled.

    Sun - Horseshoe. I tried to flash 6b for warmup, was going well but forgot to breath again and that ended that. Got on a 6c on top rope, was going good till I ran out of juice but I was climbing with a big rucksack on. Salbit training. Then got on Southern Man 7a+ bolt to bolt. One foot move needs sorting at the bottom hard bit, the easy bit is really easy for two bolts (6a?), worked out a way to clip the next bolt and I reckon with some tweaking of moves, sleep, less beer in my bloodstream that I could maybe get to the crux but I've got no hope on that. I can see the holds and possibly a sequence but I can't boulder that hard on the ground even.

    I got a bit pumped this weekend but in general, really pleased to have even got on 6c & 7a+ on lead. Even strung some of the harder sequences together and starting to trust my feet on limestone finally. Really love the fact I can feel everything through my Instinct slippers. Falling's not an issue either and I'm getting better at remembering what I've just done, as I found this hard to start with as when trad climbing, there's no reason to remember the moves you've just done.

    That Big Rock 45 systems board - my fingers and forearms throbbed for hours after but one day, I want one or something like it in a garage. Brutal and addictive.

    I can't say I'm climbing well at the minute but I feel the strongest I ever have and I'm doing moves that were unattainable maybe 6 weeks ago, due in part to being more efficient and finally realising my fingers are not too shabby if I stay low on the holds and trust my feet. Quite a bit heavier than a year ago too, maybe a stone - so looking good for the trip when I start to shed weight.
     mrchewy 20 Jul 2015
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    I think that TNF Grizdale track suits a hardtail to be honest, I kept ahead of my mates and was held up by so many people on full sussers - and I'm pretty useless on a mountain bike.
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    I've just remembered my question to Fit Club...

    Seriously BHAG: Digital Warfare http://www.climbing.co.za/2013/07/wow-prow-topo/

    Please can I have suggestions for small pockety routes (mono to three finger) leading from 6a/E1 upwards to very hard that I can make a ticklist of to give some kind of progression sequence?
     Joyce 21 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    Morning Campers,

    Thanks for stepping in there Tintin; 'ppreciated!

    Training Diary WC 13/7/15
    Back in the Game/Get Weak for Summer Week 2

    Monday – Work.
    Tuesday – Work.
    Wednesday – Work/Lazerquest!
    Thursday – Work.

    Friday – End of term Boy’s Own Silly Adventure with Tom. Took the rack and 5 pads out to the Yat. Hilarious episode abseiling in with 3 pads on my back as I lost my footing on the steep bank at the bottom of the crag and, while still on the rope, ended up ‘unhappy turtle’ facing headfirst downhill. Got the mats wedged against a tree, popped off the belay device (which pinged out of my hand and bounced 30m down the slope into the woods) and then couldn’t extricate myself from me mats for gigglin’. Set the tone for the evening. Onsight soloed (above pads) Arachnid (E1 5b) which featured a properly dirty top out and a cut loose through a roof. Then we failed miserably on Mr Flex (E5 6b) which has desperate moves into a groove. Found a new hold on the last go so reckon progress’ll be made next time – burly. Finished with a dusky lead of Vertigo (S) up the Longstone Pinnacle (this is brilliant and should be on everyone’s to do list) and abbed off in the dark. Soloed a Diff gully with a pad on me back and then down to the sit down beer shop for a swift one. Boom – the holidays start here!

    Saturday – Restarting Strava Training Plan again – ‘Long Easy Run today’; 11.7km in 53:29 at 4:34m/km pace. Hilly and mostly off road. Simply a glorious evening for it – great to be out!

    Sunday – Lurking Sear (7c+) at Wintour’s Leap with Tom. I played on this a couple of years ago and could do all moves but the big ‘lunge/span/dyno’ move. Got back to that point in 3 top rope attempts today. That move is haaaarrrrddd! Definitely felt lacking in ‘oomph’. Will be back in Autumn with some strength/shoulder work under my belt. Will be a good tick when done as definitely not my style!

    Weight = must be getting fatter as I appear to have broken the scales!

    Now we've hit the holidays, it's time to get back into training and come up with a plan. I've been doing some thinking on this front and will post something later this week for you guys/guyesses to suck air through teeth at and then offer useful improvements to!

    Love from,
    Joyce,
    XXXX

     AJM 21 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:
    Frankenjura, margalef, Buoux and Montsant... All of them
    Post edited at 12:26
     Ally Smith 21 Jul 2015
    In reply to AJM:

    > Frankenjura, margalef, Buoux and Montsant... All of them

    I'd visit them in reverse order, i.e. the order of ascending pocket tweakiness

    Montsant - especially Raco de Misa - huge juggy pockets - uber pumpsville
    Buoux - unknown quantity
    Margalef - mixture of juggy (Dr Feelgood) and tweaky (Pal Este)
    Frankenjura - Action Directe - 'nuff said!
     Tyler 21 Jul 2015
    In reply to Ally Smith:

    > Buoux - unknown quantity

    Most skin friendly, least ego friendly*

    Gorge du Tarn is pockety and pleasant, in the UK there's Rheinstor and Beeston Tor

    *actually Frankenjura might be more harshly graded

     Humperdink 21 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    Thanks for taking over Just Tintin (JT?!)

    I think I've just gone a bit too hard in some of my sessions over the last month which added to the races its cumulative fatigue I think. This week I had an alternative reason to be tired!

    M: Flew to the US (Philly) for work, did 7M on the treadmill in 47:20 when I finally got to the hotel
    Tu: Up early (thats jet lag for you!), pm - another 7M on the treadmill on 45:30 - right knee sore from running on the treadmill - darn it!
    W: pm - ventured outside to do a bit of a session: 5min tempo, 4 x 30secs, 5min tempo. It went ok but it was hot and muggy and knee was still playing up so not the best. 6/7M
    Th: pm - 4/5M easy outside, still hot but knee better
    F: Fly back to the UK
    Sa: am - land in the UK, pm - felt rubbish but went out for 10min jog to stop myself falling asleep too early
    Su: Still jet lagged but went to Birmingham for a race! (why did I say I'd do that). Masters inter area match @ Solihull. Was running for eastern vets and it was warm and breezy. Felt rubbish warming up so decided to sit in rather than make the pace and then surge later on. Sat on the leader for the first two laps which were roughly in 72 seconds and at the end of the 2nd lap could feel the pace slowing. Put in a surge and kept going over the 3rd lap and then tried to pick it up at the bell. Ran the last two laps in 65 and 64 so happy with that as it didn't feel flat out and didn't finish on my knees. So a good workout and a win! Did a long cool down (48min) with the wife which was nice. ~10M total

    Total 36M total running and a few air miles! Ok result at the weekend and should be good training for race tomorrow!
     alexm198 21 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:
    Hey Tintin, thanks for taking up the FitClub reins this week.

    Really chilled out week this week.

    M: Walked out from the Gervasutti (i.e. out of the Perroux hut and up the Midi arete), enough exercise for me!
    T: Much needed rest day.
    W: Made plans to climb but my partner reinforced his reputation as the world's least punctual person and it all fell apart.
    T: La Fin de Babylone, Brevent S Face. Chuffed to get the whole route onsight, seconded both 6c cruxes but lead 6a/6b+/6b/6b which I was pleased with.
    F: Amone Slab. 12 pitches hovering around the 5c/6a mark, sublime climbing in a stunning environment. We were racing the storm forecast for that afternoon so raced up the route in 3.5 hours.
    S: Rest morning, then got a lift out to Geneva to fly to London.
    S: Rest

    Last weeks' goals: 2 final routes before heading home for a wee bit. tick, not the most full-value ticks but 20 pitches of climbing between them, so I'm happy with that

    STG (this week): not going to set myself anything this week, seeing my better half for the first time in 6 weeks so I owe her some quality time!
    New MTG (by end of July): 10 alpine ticks inc 1xTD booooooooooom, stoked to have got the Gervasutti (I think this one is traditional enough to count as the TD, Andrew?) even if it did whoop my ass a bit. Back up to 40km/week haha no. plenty of leg mileage happening but do need to get back into this. Sub 70kg 70.4 this morning, kind of half a tick...
    LTG (end of 2015): 50 alpine ticks, inc 3xED1. Le Ginat, N. Face Les Droites. Other stuff that I think I've included on previous posts.
    Post edited at 19:34
    In reply to AJM, Ally Smith, Tyler:

    Thanks for the suggestions all - it's ticklist time!

    Tyler - I've been enjoying Beeston for the last couple of weekends so will definitely check out Rheinstor.

    Also, we need a new acronym as clearly my BHAG is substantially more unrealistic than most...
     Tyler 22 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    What does BHAG stand for?
    In reply to Tyler:

    Big Hairy Audacious (Goal) I believe...
     mattrm 23 Jul 2015
    In reply to Just Tintin:

    Thanks for doing the stats. The Wye Valley would be nice, got some stuff planned, but when you're over let me know if I can make it I will. Just to be clear, I'm still (just about) gibbering up VSes, but seconding up to E1 is fine.

    STG - Sport pyramid - 6a (2/10), 6b (1/6), 6c (0/1) 11st 12lbs (tick!)
    Aspirational - Climb E5/6 (London Wall), Scottish Winter V (Point 5, Zero, Minus, Orion), WI5, Redpoint 8a (Masada, Mortal Kombat & Cider Soak) stay injury free & maintain 11st

    Weight - ??? post holiday, might be awful

    M - Indoor routes
    T - T - Lazy
    F - Core
    S - S - More lazy and driving down to Cornwall

    Ended up being stunningly lazy last week. Toodled off to Cornwall (Penhale campsite, nr Fowey) for the week on Saturday. Indoor routes session was ok. No idea where the weight is (or was).
    In reply to mattrm:

    No problem - I'll drop you an email when we've worked out plans.
     mattrm 24 Jul 2015
    In reply to mattrm:

    For my future record, 12st 2lbs.

    JT - Sounds good, drop me an email and we'll sort something out. If you want to travel a little further, the Gower is worth a trip (it's not as amazing as is made out, but it's ok).

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