UKC

It's that time of year again, let's look back at how we all got on.

What were your goals at the start of the year? Did you meet them? Fall short? Surpass expectations? What have you learnt from the experience?

Also a good time to get thinking about what you hope to achieve next year, and an opportunity for lapsed members (I know there's a few of you still lurking) to get back into it.

Link to last weekly thread: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=631397
Link to last year's roundup: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=605789

In reply to Nick Russell:
Cheers Nick. Looking at last year, I said:


So things I did were:
- I did get married
- I had an awesome honeymoon bouldering in rocklands
- I got into dws a bit, flashed animal magnetism
- I onsighted a few more 7bs in Kalymnos
- I went to wendenstock, which was awesome if terrifying and spanking.

Things I didn't do:
- any trad, really. The nearest I came to those trad goals was flashing crime and Punishment (E5/7a+) on Ally's gear.
- onsight anything harder on sport
- do any real sport redpointing - the hardest thing I've done was 7b+ in a few goes.
- do much in the early summer due to an A2 tweak.
- do that much climbing, to be honest.

Things for next year (cribbed off ukb, definitely an ambitious list):
- V6/7 in Albarracin, Bishop and at home. Try a local V8
- get on Infinite Gravity. Also try fuel my fire, Cider soak, and some harder west coast 7s
- short trip 8a send. Maybe some onsighting if I can get a trip together
- trad goals as above, same as last year
- another adventure trip, back to wendenstock perhaps
- build on dws - swanage and Devon classics, push the boat out at lulworth.
- buy a house, do the Dragon Tour, other non climbing goals.

In reply to Nick Russell:
Hi Nick, cheers for starting the thread. 2015 was a decent year for me in terms of quality routes although a bit lacking in quality on rock.

I had easily my best ever Scottish Winter season with a whole slew of quality climbing: North Buttress - West Route (Winter) (IV 4), The Curtain (IV 5), Peter Pan Direct (V 5), Zero Gully (V 4), Aladdin's Mirror Direct (IV 4), Central Crack Route (IV 5), Castle Ridge (III), Tower Ridge (IV 3), Quartzvein Scoop (IV 4), The Croc (V 5), Deep-Cut Chimney (Winter) (IV 4), SC Gully (III), Twisting Gully (III 4), Fahrenheit 451 (IV 4), Honeypot (IV 6), The Shroud (VII 6), Mega Route X (VI 6), The Message (IV 6), Vanishing Gully (V 5), Glovers Chimney (III 4), Boomer's Requiem (V 5), Central Gully, South Trident Buttress (III), Slingsby's Chimney (II), North East Buttress (IV 5)

I only had a handful of days of Sport but most days out I got a f7b+ or a top end f7b in the day which I certainly can't complain about

In terms of Trad I really suffered for the lack of volume and never managed to properly get up to speed with leading E4+ despite seconding a good number including Polaris (E5 6a). However I did climb my first Grit E3 for a decade (Twikker (E3 5c), finally onsighted The Rasp (E2 5b) and had a retro flash of Them (E3 6a) which was good.

Overall a good year and more importantly hopefully a really solid platform for 2016. Not sure whether to just stick to Sport this year or make a concerted effort to get more time out on Trad. The head says sticking to Sport is the sensible option, especially if I want to push my grade but I think I will probably get sidetracked a bit and end up spending a fair bit of time on trad.

In reply to Nick Russell:
Thanks Nick, good idea to reflect!


Worked out reasonably ok

- 3 months of periodised training Jan-Mar, good base for year
- UK Trad @ Boulder Ruckle, Huntsmens Leap, Bosherston, Stennis, Gower, Gogarth N&S, Chair Ladder, Bosigran, Kendijack, Sennen, Tremadog, Millstone.
- Plenty of E1 single & multi-pitch, started a few E2, the best of which was Regent Street,..tho...not clean yet.
- 2 sport trips. Paklenica & Kalymnos. More 6c ticks and plenty of fun.
- Bought a van, aiming to leave UK in April for 12month euro roadtip.
- Loads of fun, a few new partners esp indoor which helped RP 7a with some consistency now.

Next Year


- Stay injury free
- Make a success of travelling with my partner for a year round Europe.
- Sport RP: lots of 7a routes, start working toward 7a+ and 7b. Visit Siruana, El Choro, Leida, Riglos for the first time! Return to Costa Blanca, also try some sea cliff trad lines from Mark Edwards.
- Big routes in Verdon. Like ULA, and L'eperon Sublime. If I find a strong partner then Pichenibule or La Fete de Nerfs.
- Long multi-pitch trad routes in the Dolomites. UIAA VII.
- Improve my granite and crack climbing skills in Orco / Italy. Probably should set the bar low here! Anything I get will be great.
- Visit for first time: Orpierre, Ceuse, Buoux, Finale Ligure, Arco
- Find a job quick, when we return!

In reply to Nick Russell:
Last year = rubbish due to too much work and general chaos until October when I got out at last. 7a+ in a session a couple of times seems to be where I was at. Not bad after 18mths of averaging one session a fortnight.

2016 - 8a The Thumb. That's it. Now got the time and opportunity before starting Uni in October. Last chance for a few years. Got the plan just need to stick with it. I've had ambitious plans de rail so many times but Ive learned a lot from that. I think I've covered all possible factors that could cause problems. Obviously I may end up just not good enough, but I'm going to give it my best and either way I'll enjoy the progress and come out the other end a better climber.

In reply to Nick Russell: Hmmm I may fall under the "lurking lapsed members category", but I'll post anyway as I'd been posting for most of 2015.

Goals were, I think:
- Onsight some more E6s
- Headpoint an E7
- Onsight 7c+
- Redpoint 8b
- Climb El Cap
- Pass 1st year

In Easter I had a good trip to Osp in Slovenia where I managed my hardest ever redpoint at 8a/+, but unfortunately that was as good as it got vis a vis redpointing - a long way off the 8b goal.

Oh and I did manage to pass first year.

Over summer I had a month climbing in France but I hadn't prepared very well so spent the first week or so getting into shape. Managed to onsight a few 7cs as well as a 7c/+ (annoying how guidebooks have disagreed on both my hardest sport routes!) but I burnt out in the last week, where I'd aimed to get stuck into a project so again no where near my redpoint goal.

Later in the summer I had a good few days in Pembroke onsighting a few E5s and an E6 so thats one goal ticked! But there wasn't much more trad I did last year so definitely no E7, didn't even try one.

And then at the end of the summer I went to Yosemite and climbed Salathe on El Cap, which is a big fat ticked goal and one I'm very pleased with.

A nice indicator of progress back at uni this year is that I've started consistently winning the local comps in a fairly strong scene, a big improvement from last year, but sadly I'm still not getting out on rock in term time which is rubbish.

To end on a good note though, I'm about to book a three week trip to Flatanger with a friend, and I'm really going to try and climb an 8b there.

Good to read what everyone else has been up to!

Cheers Jake

In reply to biscuit:


It might take until then to dry out! Great route mind; though, to my mind, maybe not one to plan a year around - seepage prone and a ball-ache to strip (though I guess if you will be on it a lot, you can leave it perma-equipped). Still, plenty of other good 8as at Kilnsey so you will not lack for a quality fall-back plan.

In reply to Nick Russell:

From last year:

1 - 11st weight (I'm serious this time, it's going to chuffing happen!)
2 - Redpoint 7a - Western Front Direct at Navigation
3 - Consolidate HVS
4 - Lead E1
5 - 65% dwe on the calendar

Thoughts on the goals:

1 - Erm, nope. Not even close. I was 11st 12/13lbs for a while. But mostly been between 12st and 12st 7lbs
2 - Started on a 6c at Navigation, didn't finish that, but did make good progress on it.
3 - Didn't even lead HVS
4 - No where near. Seconded two tho, which is an improvement. And seconded an E2 clean (thanks Just Tintin!).
5 - Close, got to 61%, which I'm vaguely happy with.

I also did quite a bit of mountain biking at the start of the year. I've started a new job which is rather nice. The house is nearly finished (just done the last bit of tiling in the kitchen today, which was excellent). Yeah, there's still some work to do there, but not as much as I did last year. The Dyfi Enduro was good fun. I also did some more climbing in North Wales, two weekends away this year.

On the less good side, Grandad died this year. I've not been feeling very motivated for climbing or any kind of exercise really recently. Hopefully that'll come back when the sun arrives back in Wales for it's yearly visit.

So this year, it's get it down to a couple which are vaguely sensible:

1 - Western Front Direct (optional extra, Berlin)
2 - Climb lots of classic VSes
3 - 11st 7lbs

And don't stress about the 61% it's a waste of time. Quality, not quantity.

I didn't really make many goals for this year; in fact, I was quite explicitly flaky on that front:
Well, I'm still in Bristol. Continuing roughly as before, but with slightly diminished ability to sack off an afternoon at a moment's notice (24 hours' notice probably required now).

Looking back in comparison to last year, I can see some decent progress, particularly in trad:
Not any more! I count 8 E4 ticks in 2015 (one was seconded, one was very soft and another was a repeat, but that still leaves 5), Fay (E4 5c) being a particular highlight. I also onsighted a (soft) E5 and headpointed another. Looking back at my logbook, I only dogged/dnf'd 4 trad routes (out of 115), which says to me that I could probably be trying harder.

My winter season wasn't particularly long, but I was pleased with what I got done. Western Gully (Hafn yr Ystlys) (V 6) (previously unfinished business) and El Mancho (VII 7) (new highest grade, and possibly first proper 'mixed' climb) particularly stand out.

I stalled a bit on sport before getting round to pushing my grade. Still, managed 3 7cs, 1 7b+ and 5 7bs (RP), plus 2 7a+ onsights.

Overall my climbing has been in pretty good shape, helped I'm sure by a lot of volume early in the year (climbed outside more than 50% of days in April, May and June).

I should probably touch wood before saying this, but I feel like I'm running well at the moment. Last year I said
Well, I've successfully avoided them this year, and raised my best annual milage to just over 520km (from 416km). It's not particularly high, but it shows consistency, at least 10km/week average.

In general life, I finished my PhD (graduation in Feb) and got a job. It's pretty flexible too, so if I play my cards right I can expect to continue climbing frequently for the forseeable future.

So, 2016. I don't really have a good excuse for not setting goals this year so here's something pretty conservative to get me started.

Trad: consolidate E4, get on more E5s. I'm doing ok on E4, but 8 routes doesn't make a solid base. The E5 goal can be to attempt more than I did last year (so more than 2).

Sport: push my grade above 7c. 8a is the obvious target, but I'd be happy with 7c+. Really, I just need a bit of extra motivation to try hard stuff again. It's hard.

Running: Snowdonia marathon. It's a bit of a cliche, but getting to the starting line is going to be the real challenge for me here. I entered 3 years ago and pulled out after being plagued with overtraining injuries.

In reply to Nick Russell:

Morning Campers,

Following from Si's interesting musings (I think it's good to talk/type thoughts and ideas out to get perspective on things and work out where to go next), here's my tuppence worth. I've accidentally written enough to break the interwobbler, but if it doesn't and you actually make it to the end then reward yourself with a nice cup of tea. If it does crash the internet, go climbing!

January 2016
Goals: Looking Backwards, Going Forewards
Review of goals from 2015:

Boulder 7B+ (probably Between The Lines or Underhand at Almscliff) – nope, but very close on Underhand. Snapped a tiny crimp on BTL, the remnants of which are very painful to hold so need to change my sequence.
Keep working weaknesses - one armed hangs, slopers, an-cap, power - found that one armer practice was just causing shoulder imbalance so binned it as it hadn’t made a notable difference. Sloper skills are improving which, as they’re ‘whole body tension’ and often ‘wide arm’ moves they’re really good for my shoulders! An-cap is OK but realised that I need more endurance to meet my goals, especially forearm endurance – starting a long cycle of Aero-Pow to help boost this.
Tick some more 7A+s in a session - mainly repeat ascents. Did manage one 7B (anti-style too) in 3 or 4 sessions and consolidated well at ticking one or more 7A in a session – including my first 7A flash.
Do more in a session at TCA - a little less conversation, a little more action – yes!
The Loop at Huntsham (super an-cap 8a) – nope, starting some periodised endurance training at the mo’ to get fit enough to hang on for the 50 or so moves.
The 7C traverse at Biblins Cave – moves all sorted, need to put it together this year.
7B in a session - could be ambitious but we need that, eh? Need to try some more 7Bs!
Some 7Bs at the Bowderstone – nope – progress on several problems from 7A to 7B+.
Build a home training wall – almost finished this, it’s looking good so far.
Run an 18 min 5K – PB at 18:21 which eclipses my previous all-time PB of 18:42 from when I was a mere 20 year old whippersnapper. Set a 10K PB too recently – 39:25.
Run a mile in 5 mins – haven’t tried yet…
Climb Tetris, The Keel, Peckitt's Roof (Huntsham), Fat Cat Roof (Dinas Rock) - all 7C - not really tried any of them. Feel more consolidation at 7B/7B+ needed first.
Climb all the Classic Rock routes with the good lady wife - not sure when this’ll happen as we’ve just had a baby.
Actually go up some mountains, rather than just staring at tiny crimps in a cave at the bottom of them! - ran over 23 tops in 3 fell runs inside a week in the Lakes this summer – glorious. Also, my running training plan encourages longer, easy runs which offer a great opportunity to enjoy hills, views, and new places without worrying about going flat out all the time – winner!

Dream Climbs
The Nose (El Cap)
Careless Torque - never even actually seen it but it's THE line - wanna be falling off of it within 4 years.
Great Wall on Cloggy - the essay in Hard Rock just does it for me.
Last year, I’ve definitely improved at working out sequences, executing moves consistently once worked out and my confidence in my ability has grown, as has my dynamic movement. I feel a little stronger, fitter and able to have more attempts at stuff.
Stamina: the Strava running plan has taught me that to get better at short, intense stuff, I need to have better endurance – more is more! So, will add in volume of easier stuff (easy in the new home wall).
Do more trad/highballing: it’s good for my confidence and I’d forgotten how much I love it – will help endurance too – top roped Apokalypto (E7 6b/c) clean 3 times in a session, it definitely suits me and I’m keen to lead it.
Do more sport climbing: red pointed 7b and 7b+ - more will be good for fitness.
Take some lobs, lots of lobs: HMS helped out with this – need to do more.
My finger strength is generally pretty good but my arms, shoulders and core are the weak link – they tire first on the fingerboard programs. Lots to do on this.
Do more ‘additional’ exercises e.g. core stuff etc.
Work out how to fit this all together.

2016 Goals
Routes/Problems
Apokalypto E7 6b/c, A38 E6 6b, Critics Choice E5 6b, The Loop 8a
Peckitt’s Traverse 7C, Underhand 7B+, Crusis 7B
7A+ in a session more often. 7B in a session
Do more sport climbing
Head Stuff/Skills/Physical Gains
Take more lobs (including practice ones onto trad gear – eep!).
Periodise training to maximise gains including lots of work on endurance while topping up power endurance and strength.
Keep working on weakness: slopers, heels, heel to hands, feet to hand level on lips of overhangs, core.
Be more confident in my ability – keep pushing for that extra move, keep seeing the small positive steps forwards.
Have more goes at things.
Regular fingerboard sessions to help build forearm endurance/ finger strength.
TRY HARDER!
That’ll do for now.

Any thoughts, ideas or tips, please let me know.

And good luck with all your climbing dreams and goals this year - c'mon team, let's 'ave it!

Love from,
Joyce,
XXXX

In reply to Joyce:

very happy to meet up for more routes, Joyce - indoors or out. Don't know what sort of time you can get to Bristol after work.

In reply to Nick Russell:

In terms of things I did:
- My first sportive
- 8a+/13c 2nd go in the Red
- 8a+ and Mecca Traverse, 8a+/b but ruined my left knee in the process
- Ruined my shoulder, but recovered enough to do Montana Magica, 8a+ in Chulilla 3 months later
- OS’d 8a (twice, both in Chulilla) and backed it up with 3x 7c+ OS’s at various venues
- Did 2x8a FA’s and bolted some projects
- Tried online dating with successful result

Things I didn't do:
- Fisheye – I just wasn't good enough
- Stick with UK projects long enough to make them happen
- Enough trad

By this time next year I'd like to think I could do some or all of:
- Have healthy shoulders, knees and fingers
- 3x new UK sport routes across North Wales and Yorkshire
- >bodyweight 1-handed deadhang
- 8b+
- flash 8a+
- OS E6
- HP E8

In reply to Nick Russell:

It was a pretty mixed year for me. It was my first attempt at a structured training plan, based loosely on the periodized plans outlined in Training for the New Alpinism. I had planned to peak for Scottish Winter, but this was stymied somewhat my having a necessary operation on my hand in November, and the subsequent unwillingness of Winter to make an appearance.

Some high points -

• Ended the year with a resting heart rate of 45bpm, dropping from 55bpm at the beginning of the year. I normally wouldn't use heart rate as a measure, but it was such a dramatic change I figured it was worthy of mention.


• Attempt on running The Cuillin Ridge, solo and onsight. Was a long way off completing the ridge, but made it past the TD Gap Original Route (Summer) (S), which was a fun solo in fell running shoes. The downclimb into the gap was pretty hairy, though. In the end I was quite glad not to finish as the Sligachan was closed, which would have made a bit of a crap ending. Will be attempting again in the Spring.


• Some classic gritstone HVSs such as Great North Road (HVS 5a) and Bond Street (HVS 5a). Feeling quite comfortable at the upper end of the HVS spectrum.


• A week in Kalymnos, and my first time sport climbing. Definitely caught the bug. Ended the week by getting on No Sleep 'til Hammersmith (7a+), way above my current limit, but not so much to seem unachievable.


• Hand operation. It's set me back a bit, but was necessary to achieve my goals. (Latest x-ray: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/56277488/10264317_10153641881450342_797...


• Finally bit the bullet and left permanent employment to become a contractor. Best decision I ever made. Current contract lasts until Jan 2017, at which point I plan on taking an extended Winter break.

STG
See main fitclub post

MTG
Rehab work on the hand, shoulder and back. At this point I'll be glad just to be able to hang onto an axe, but if Winter makes an appearance and conditions allow, Gully of the Gods (VI 6)

LTG

• HVSs on Hen Cloud


• Regent Street (E2 5c)


• Cuillin Ridge Traverse (Summer) (VD), Solo in under 7 hours.


• No Sleep 'til Hammersmith (7a+), Kalymnos.


• Perform a front lever!

In reply to Nick Russell:

I've just dug out what I said at the end of 2014, and discovered that I pretty much achieved what I set out to. I said that in 2015 I'd like to:
- tick off the near misses - that was Chulilla (7b+) & Living Dead (7b), and I did them both.
- onsight (or flash) Euro 7b and/or UK 7a+ - miss. Got umpteen more Euro 7a/+ onsights or quick repeats but got far more involved with redpointing instead.
- find a good local 7c project, stick with it & hope for a tick - yep, did Hall of Mirrors.

I also said I needed to work on both psyche and on not getting hung up on achievement in any particular session to the detriment of longer term goals. Well, my psyche is as low as ever, if not lower. I have a niggly shoulder problem which has caused issues on and off which is annoying. And the whole work/weather/partner alignment is definitely not improving!

So round up of the year:

1x7c RP, 5x7b+ RP (inc one in a single session), 4x7b RP, plus numerous euro 7a/+ onsight or v few goes

a 7b onsight indoors. Slightly stunned - the only time I've climbed that grade indoors in any style!

tried shunting. Seems to be a very useful tool so keen to retry on suitably straight-up routes.

What I didn't achieve:

- near miss on Circus Circus (hard 7c).
- much work on Remembrance (also 7c) which feels close but will now need to wait for late Spring before it dries out again.
- still didn't tick Still Waters (7b). As it involves a huge lunge to my left hand, probably not one to be trying any time soon as the shoulder really won't stand for that.

What I'd like to do in 2016:

- sort out the shoulder once and for all. Currently I can't risk anything approaching a dynamic move on that side, which isn't helpful as that is a weakness anyway
- tick Remembrance
- get on an 8a. Candidates would be Cidersoak with AJM and/or Liquid Crystal at Cheddar which has the advantage of being close by so easier to siege. BHAG is 8a tick before I stop being 50 (I'll be 49 tomorrow so that would give me 2 full years)
- Other 8a project possiblities would be something at Wildside - trip at end of Feb so could siege a suitable route, but would need to be able to mentally cope with a tick-free week.

and really try to stop putting myself down and find some self belief!!

In reply to hms:

I was going to send you an email soon - as ever I'm booking up fast but am keen to reserve a couple of weekends for Ansteys in the spring.

Ally has also pointed me at an 8a in Wildside which I'm optimistically hoping to tick so may be joining you on the sieging bandwagon there.

Where are you lunging with the left on still waters? The only vaguely risky (big and slappy) move I can recall was going up over the overlap with my right.

In reply to hms:


Very broad pyramid. Time to thicken out the higher grades and put a flag pole on the summit!? (If you'd not been lurgied in Chulilla i think you'd have snagged a quick 7c RP)


You woz robbed!


Snap - if you find a magic cure; please share?!


Mediterraneo (8a) is what i recomended to AJM.

For you both: do the classic 7b to a bomber kneebar niche rest (train some core while fixing your shoulder up?) then smash on with the sequence in the link

youtube.com/watch?v=b0InVOdabhg&


Some interesting thoughts here...
http://onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/positive-thinking-is-not-...

In reply to Ally Smith:

pyramid with a flagpole - I've looked on it more like a cowpat that someone has poked a stick into. Maybe that's a warped image! Yeah, real shame I felt so utterly crap in Chulilla.

Mediterraneo - sounds good. At 28m also sounds like I need to be doing triples in the run-up, not doubles. Can indeed do core stuff - planks, I just LOVE planks.

Positive thinking - main danger is not even getting on to the routes in the first place, and then of getting beyond the 'but this is impossible' stage & working it out. Which is why shunting on Remembrance was so useful.

In reply to hms:


Depends - Ally, how far into the hard bit is he on that video?

Counting moves would be useful. If its like 20m of 7b to a good rest followed by 8m of crux, thats probably going to come down to aerobic recovery for the rest and short and intense stuff through the crux, rather than full on pumping out on (comparatively) easy triples...

In reply to AJM:

The kneebar niche is just below the fellow's feet at the start of the video; probably 18m from the deck to the niche?

You'd want to be climbing the 7b section pretty much aerobically, but you'd also want some good an-cap to blast through the finish.

The rising traverse for the first 45s of the video is fairly steady and can be done slightly more easily than the sequence on video with a few faffy hand swaps/left hand undercuts instead of gastons.

The next sequence is the crux on little sidepull crimps (hms should dig this bit!) followed by the tufa section to finish.

In reply to hms: not planks, try some static dish-holds or L-hangs to get the hip flexors strong too. Better still, kneebar sit-ups - Barrows trained this with his knees behind the campus board in the foundry!

In reply to Ally Smith:

OK cheers. So you've got about 10m from the niche, of which the first 2-3 (from memory of the video) are probably relatively OK once it's wired. I'll count moves later on but I guess maybe 15 or so.

How hard would you say the crux is then (the extended link from where it gets tough after the rising traverse to the top) - long Vx / short fr7y ?

In reply to AJM:

A UK style f7b+? Long V5?

In reply to Nick Russell:

Its been a real roller coaster year for me, I built myself back up from finger injuries and discovering how to actually climb properly late in 2014 (turns out it involves using your feet, who knew), followed an actual proper, strict training plan until Easter which earned me 7b/+ onsight and 7c flash during an amazing 2 weeks in Kalymnos.

Injury soon reared it's head and I was off climbing by May with tennis elbow which wiped out my entire summer.

Steroid injections got me through another week of Kalymnos in September which was an incredible experience. No big grades were achieved, but I met a lot of incredible people and picked up some great advice and new friends from around the world.
The injections kept me climbing for a couple of months and I managed to tick my longest standing project Zinc Oxide Mountain (7b+) which was a fantastic experience, only slightly marred by my mate Si subsequently walking up it like it was a steep hill.

The tennis elbow returned with a vengeance once the steroids wore off and I've not climbed since about October, but things are looking up, there has been definite improvement in the last few weeks so I'm hopeful.

Despite only climbing for around 6 months of the year, I still got my second highest number of ticks in a year and upped my onsight and flash grades, so I can't complain about that. The elusive 8a is still yet to materialise despite some good efforts in Kalymnos, but that has recently become less of an all-consuming goal.
The injuries I have had to deal with have shown me that I want to be climbing for a long time, the rest of my life if I can, and I'd rather be fit and able to do that than to risk it all on a big tick. Legends like Ben moon have shown that age isn't necessarily the barrier to big grades that most people thought, so i'll stop rushing constantly towards the 8a, and instead push constantly towards a healthy, balanced body and lots of injury free climbing. Maybe I'll tick 8a this year, maybe i'll do it when I'm 40, maybe it will never happen, as long as I'm enjoying myself, I'm not sure it's such a problem.

With that in mind, my targets for 2016 currently stand at:
Margalef in March/April; be able to climb, have fun.
Erase all existence of the tennis elbow.
Listen to my body. (I was going to put 'listen to my body *more*' but I clearly ignore it completely when it suits so I have stop doing that)

In reply to Nick Russell:

Quite a nice post from Dave Mac on the subject: http://davemacleod.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/new-years-resolutions.html

In reply to Nick Russell:

I'd like to rejoin the fit club thread (again). I'm at a very lowly standard but still.
Aims for 2016:

Lead 7a indoors (currently 6a, the odd 6a+)
Written down like that, it looks wildly optimistic. Want to go for it though.

Boulder V3 indoors (currently the odd V1, still scared of falling off)
Will need strength training to get there, and to sort out my nerves.

Lead VS (V Diff in good weather at the moment).
This is mainly dependent on getting out there. Only 2 trad outings last year: I want to do more this year but the logistics are tricky, esp the domestic side. Need to earn climbing tokens.

In reply to Dandelion:

update. Yeah right.... so let's make that 6c.

In reply to Nick Russell:

Well I went and hunted down my first post as I joined in Dec 2014 so seemed appropriate.

"My goal is to get a uk tech 6a indoors in 2015 and to maintain some training till the last of the winter bouldering league in April."

I did keep training! 1 year later and I'm still running, added using my bike too. I also won the WBL and the following SBL over 40s. The goal of a UK tech 6a at notts got scrambled as they moved to French sport grades but I've had a fair few f6b+s and got my first f6c in Dec 15! Looking at grade comparison charts and even being fairly tough on myself I think that would still be at least 1 uk tech 6a. By all accounts the f6c wasn't silly easy and a couple of climbers usually better than me didn't get up.

So goals for this year - try to get more organised with goals! My goals are all over the place and I seem to forget all but the simplest ones like 'keep training' and the next grade up!

Roped F7a in 2016 (bit more sustained than boulder).
Lead an F6c
Be able to rest on the rope whilst leading without fear.

Oh and master setting up top ropes outdoors so I can take my munchkin -actually have the confidence to not need someone else to be responsible.

Ok, that's almost certainly the lamest goals on the thread but if I manage them I'll be well chuffed!