UKC

UKC FitClub Week 791

A new thread is posted each week on Sunday for anyone to jot down their previous week's activity. UKC fit club is a rich community with posters sharing their goals, noting successes and failures and offering support to those struggling to maintain motivation. Anyone interested in starting is very welcome to join, but to get the most of UKC fit club 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 and drive you towards achieving your goals whatever the level of your chosen activity.

Link to last week’s thread:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/walls+training/ukc_fitclub_week_790-74724...

Afternoon FitClubbers,

Bit late getting the post out this week as I've had family visiting - some extra time for last minute training!

Stats:

Derek: Good effort on Central Route. I’ve never got on with Wilton (or quarried grit in general) as it always seems very tenuous. ‘half rests and pushing on’ describes it nicely - probably just me being a wimp. A 1.5kgs Carb-Binge sounds like my sort of weekend!

Tyler: The ‘well done’ was for getting around the route! Doing it again infront of a crowd is arbitrary, but it would be nice to get the gong and a t-shirt!

Alan: The classic ‘Kid’s Room Sandbag’. Did any 8-year-olds arrive and warm up on it? Think you’ve hit the nail on the head with the ‘hobby not a job’ remark. Hopefully the forecast was better for you this week.

Steve Claw: I like the sound of FunClub but ‘slab levitation pulling on nail heads’ just sounds hard! Top effort on Defining Limits, especially after only your second session. Any plans for a go on the sharp-end?

Sheep: Bloody Hell. That made my eyes water. Take it the presents went back to the shop!? Hope the back’s feeling better and you’re at least (a little) mobile.

Randy: Glad you’re over the worst of it and back outside.

Ross Barker: How tall are you? I sound like a stalker lately as anytime someone posts weight I feel like I need to measure them up! (I’m trying to gauge how much flab I need to shed before I explode more fingers on problems above my pay-grade). Wouldn’t worry about the bulletproof fingers’ sessions. Couple of trips outdoors to pull hard should give a good training stimulus.

AJM: Strong logistics on the family trips to Swanage! When is the start of your DWS season? From memory I think it's coming up...

SSB: Took a bout of nursery-borne norovirus but finally…a SSB Deload! Looks like it didn’t do too much harm with the 7c tick.

SteveJC94: Good week. Endurance, Strength, Cardio, and a climb. What weight are you up to on the Max Hangs?

Tom Green: Doesn’t sound mediocre to me. 2x Rehab, Hill Walk, Strength, Trad and Bouldering. Any news this week on Arc en Ciel!?

Planet Marshall: Oh my. The faff! I even find using a tibloc a nause so started leaving a jumar on the bottom of the ab rope incase I need it. Spent the best part of a year training for a Big Wall trip I never went on so got quite slick at jugging. Strong commitment on the E-Grade Goal, you’ve been jumping on a fair few lately!

Biscuit: Shame about Trow Gill. Is that due to die-back or overuse as belays? 100kg RDL is huge! You must have a couple of boa constrictors running down your back. I’m wasted after 40kg these days. Good news with the trad head and all eyes on Reiff!

Have a good week FitClubbers!

Cheers Liam

A short report this week but a much more positive one. on Tuesday I managed a 1 km swim Thursday was another one kilometre swim and a stretch class and Friday was a 0.5 km swim

Ending  the week off on a really positive note today I went out for a 5 km Trail run with no ill effects

Onwards and upwards 👍🏻

Mon - Leg Rehab

• Calf Raise 3x 25
• Romanian Deadlift 3x 12 (40kg)
• Leg Extension 3x 12 (BW)
• Banded Crab Walk x 4
• Single leg glute bridge 4x 15
• Knee raises 3x 8
• Rope climber 3x 90s
• Crosstrainer 12mins

Tue - Push & Pull Strength

• Weighted Pull-ups 3x 5/6/8 22kg/11kg/1kg
• PPPU 3x 10

Wed - Fingers & Cardio

• Max Hang 4FD 20mm 4x 7s (20.5kg)
• 400m Swim

Thu - Climbing

• 20mm Finger Pull-ups 3x 4
• Route Pyramid 8x routes up to 6b

Sat

• 5 mile family bimble carrying the baby

Good stuff again Liam.  I like the structure that you put into your training.  Very disciplined.

A better week for me that reflects work easing back.

Mon 5 sets max hangs on three finger slot at plus 18.1 kg.  5x5 pull ups - form returning.  5 km run.  5 x 10 push ups and hip and hamstring stretches.

Tues 6 km run.

Wed work.

Thurs work but 3x10 push ups and hip and ham stretched.

Fri climbed at Egerton.  I have been before - once when Dave Knighton developed Wood Buttress for second ascents and one evening in 2009.  Decided it would be worth another look.  Did Sham 69 - VS in Lancs guide, but I'd say harder than Bond Street.  Then That's Life - VS in Lancs and E1 in Northern Rock and no ascents logged on UKC - again solid HVS. Decided on Esmerelda at HVS next, which Chris fell off and I scraped up following.  Knackered we then did Nocturnal Crack, which is the hardest VS I have ever done (fell off)!  Basically we got spanked, but are going to go back again.

Sat max hangs three finger at 18.1, 20.4, 22.7 and 2 at 23.8 kg.  5x5 pull ups.  5x10 push ups.  6 km run and hip and ham stretches.

Crummackdale Tuesday.  Peak lime on Thursday and then a week in Borrowdale to come.  Still aiming for E3 by Midsummers Day.

Liam - planning to take over first Sunday in June and do June, July and August.

Spanked by Lancs quarries is the way ahead! 

There’s been quite a bit of cleaning going on in thee recently.

I’m off to Scotland at the end of this week but still keen to get out for some trad when I get back.

Thankfully not. But there was one hold on it that would probably be conveniently at shoulder height for them, whereas for me it was right in the way of where I needed my CofG pressed against the wall for the crux. But the route is no more: see Friday

Exactly doubled my activities this week vs last: two wall visits, two bike rides.

STG: Start thinking about climbing plans/targets. 
MTG: 2022 climbing?
MTG: Winter 22/23 - do an actual off piste ski tour
LTG: Be a confident, well rounded low to mid 7's sport climber. For measurable definition see Fit Club 658

M:    
T:    Wall, Heaven's Gate bouldering
W:    
T:    MTB 1½ hours - once again the woods seemed like a more attractive place to spend a sunny evening than a climbing wall
F:  Wall, Element bouldering. Only been open a couple of weeks and they've already started re-setting. Clearly a good thing in general, but it does turn my "Tick The Threes" campaign into a bit of moving target. Looking on the bright side, the kids' room Traverse Of Doom was one of the victims of the reset.
S:    
S:  MTB on actual mountains: Eschenlohe-Walchensee-Mittenwald. It's a very long time since any bike of mine saw a mountain, consequently the uphill involved large chunks of taking my bike for a walk. Not surprising, and probably not only a question aerobic fitness - specific leg strength and riding skills also lacking. Still fun though.  And long alpine downhills on gravel turn out to be a lot less terrifying now than they used to be in the days of v-brakes. 

Interesting. I used to be a lot more confident on quarried than natural grit. That was in the days of vertical brick edge climbing walls, and consequently if there was one thing I was confident of it was being able to hold flat edges on vertical-ish walls

I think it will probably be after half term for me, although the noise amongst the locals is starting to build with each warm sunny day…

Got a more focused evening in this week, another 7a+ done, up to 3 fr7s, 11 fr6s, 4 fr4/5s now in the graded list tickathon, then away this weekend with a moderate volume of pulling and pushing done.

Monday - achy from pushups. Nothing.

Tuesday - tried RDL rehab again, the cues Liam gave me worked really well, particularly bending the bar outwards

Wednesday - wall. Managed a couple of projects, did some of the easier circuits, good session.

Thursday - first after work climbing session since 2019 I think - between my daughter being born, and all the faff of doing double kids bedtimes, and that whole pandemic thing, it’s been a while! Windy at Battleship Edge but nice when the sun came out, which it did intermittently (I was in a T-shirt for the send go but 3 layers belaying when it was cloudy). A few easier routes, and put the clips in Barbed Wire Kisses (7a+) and then sent it next go. Short crux, mid-6s apart from that at a guess, probably bottom/soft in the grade, but nice climbing definitely. I thought about exploring Keyboard Wall (7c) but decided quite quickly that 3 layers, hard climbing, lugging a clipstick and all wasn’t really a sensible choice given the remaining time til sunset.

Friday - nothing, busy day at work then drove to parents house in the evening

Saturday - quiet morning chez parents so did 3x15 pushups, 3x10 chin-ups, 10, 9.5, 9 pull-ups around gently pottering about. Then out in the afternoon at a party.

Sunday - rubbish nights sleep. Squeezed in another 3x15 in the morning, then a busy day out at the zoo and a long drive home. Pretty whacked now so off to bed and try to train again tomorrow.

Cheers Liam, yeah, thankfully everyone is well again this week.

Mon. Rest.

Tues. Back to unknown access 7C. It's a massive long traverse about 40 moves, worth a route grade really (8a ish). Unfortunately I kicked a foothold off right at the end on the link so no tick today but I've got it wired now.

Wed. 10km run.

Thurs. Rest

Fri. Back to finish off By Odin! (f7C) which went first go today with a revised foot sequence at the end. Got chatting to the farmer and he didn't seem bothered about me climbing there so maybe the access is fine after all. 

Sat. 5km run.

Sun. Not feeling very energetic after a wedding reception last night. I've been struggling with a dodgy finger since Action Man Wrestling a few weeks ago. Tried to do some finger boarding but sacked it off after 3 sets of repeaters and a few pull ups and press ups. Need to keep my feet on and stick to the endurance problems for a bit longer I think but it's not too bad.

Thanks for the stats as ever Liam. Looks like you smashed it this week - the 400m swim alone would have killed me!

I'm up to +16kg on a 15mm edge and +26kg on a 20mm - slowly but surely seeing some gains.

Not the best of weeks for me unfortunately. Tweaked my shoulder on Wednesday and by Friday morning I couldn't raise my arm above 30 degrees, with lots of pain in my neck and around my shoulder blades. Managed to get a short notice physio appointment and deep tissue massage to start rehab asap. The working theory from the physio is I've got a small muscle tear and that, coupled with scar tissue from an old Rotator Cuff injury had caused the shoulder to lock up and caused a lot of tightness in my Trapezius. Much better today following the massage, but I'll be taking it a bit easier this week with fewer and less intense sessions. 

Last week I managed:

Monday

Hangboarding - 12 x 10s  hangs @ 90% of max (15mm edge, half crimp, +8kg), followed by a boulder pyramid from V4 to V8 and back down to V4.

Tuesday

Rest day.

Wednesday

4 x 4 routes session. Managed to tweak my shoulder on a gaston move at the end of the session.

Thursday/Friday

Rest days, lots of ice and a physio session

Saturday

75k on the bike.

Sunday

Rest day.

Plan for next week:

M - Rest day

T - Max hangs & some circuit board laps

W - Rest day

T - Hangboard repeaters

F - Rest day

S - Spin on the bike

S - Rest day

Thank you and I’m now validated with the T-shirt to prove it!

M: Tried the other local municipal gym but by the time I did a few dumb bell curls I was told it was closing so did a 20 min recovery run home.

T: Went to RAC boulders for my first ever visit which was surprisingly busy with medics on a PyB course. Managed Pump Traverse (f6B+) pretty quickly which was pleasing, did a couple of other things as well.

W: 22 min hill session

T: Had to return to Lancashire so went to Depot, miss this place. Did pretty well on reds but gave up when I felt my calf tweak as I toed down on some of the steeper problems

F: Nothing apart from ultrasound on my hips which showed nothing

S: Rest

S: Got up uncharacteristically early to force down a jumbo sausage roll (I don’t normally do breakfast so this was a bit of gamble), calf was tender as were my Achilles which was a new one but only the sausage roll caused me any issue on the run. Started the run a bit too close to the front so the first three miles where spent with tonnes of people pouring past me. Stuck to the plan more or less and finished in 2:11:15 (exactly 40 mins slower than the winner) which I was really delighted with, especially given how hot it was, I reckon a 1:45 - 50 half would be possible on a flat course but unfortunately I’m away for the Rhyl half which would be the ideal race. 205 out of 425 entrants. 
Was meant to show Fi the picturesque Roman Bridge in the afternoon but somehow ended up showing her the picturesque  Clogwyn Yr Adar instead. I’m not sure how thrilled she was but I thought it looked great. 

I'd say the cleaning wasn't that obvious!  Most things we did were a bit grubby and I'd take a brush next time.  One route that I have done before was probably unreachable due to vegetation.  However, lots of bolt belays installed and stakes.  That said, it needs traffic so we will go again.

I am up in the Lakes 23rd to 27th and was looking for someone for the Tuesday, but have fixed up with Duncan now - likely climbing Langdale.  However, I am just waiting for my next block of work to be confirmed and then I will let you know availability.

Morning everyone! Effort on the stats as always Liam.

About 190cm. Height is always a consideration when discussing weight, so being ~77kg is still reasonably slender at my size. It is an interesting point about the fingers, as a couple years ago I was only ~70kg, which is considerably less force to crank through the fingers. Luckily it seems that my finger strength has just outweighed (wahey!) the weight gain by a couple kilos, so it's not been a source of too much grief. On some heinous crimpfests I do wonder what it'd be like to be 70kg again though, hah!

Relatively quiet week for me bar a full-value Sunday with fellow fitclubber Tom Green. Managed a fingerboard session, short project session and colossal leg-busting approach!

Last Week:

M - Rest.

T - Rest.

W - Rest. 77.2kg weigh-in.

T - AM density hangs, 4x35s.

F - Rest

S - Tierdrop (f7A+). Abbed to check the topout and, disappointingly, it's going to either involve downclimbing Tier's End (VS 5a), committing to a dirty direct mantel, or a no-hands shuffle to finish up Don's Crack (HVS 5b). None particularly difficult, but also you can't really fall off as your feet are about 6m above the deck, and you'd definitely overshoot the pads! Session was decent though, latched the crux move only once, only to readjust and slide off. Should be a goer next time!

S - Grinah and Barrow Stones with Tom. Epic day out, monstrous 2 hour walk-in, some 5 or 6 miles each way plus interesting moorland pathfinding! As per the ethics (no guides, grades or documentation) there may or may not have been boulders climbed, and we may or may not be keen for a return trip with a big squad

Next Week:

M - Rest. I'm absolutely wrecked this morning!

T - Rest.

W - Density hangs.

T - Rest.

F - Rest.

S, S - Bouldering with a shorter walk-in!

Goals:

Bulletproof fingers.

Thanks for the stats again Liam :-D

Double write-up as we've been away and CBA to compose on my phone.

Week 18

BHM – Visiting friends and communal child wrangling, including much monkey barring, tree climbing and a few km of walking.

T – Did a brief warm up for a board session but forearms were feeling a bit toasted – presumably from monkeying?  COMPEX core and 3x10 EZ bicep curl bar+24kg.  

W – Squeezed in max-hangs session.  Crimpd told me I should be BW+57kg which is obviously bonkers having not hung for 2.5mths. BW+40kg felt reasonably challenging but perfectly achievable.

T – Brief board session.  Skin felt paper thin in the high humidity, so swapped benchmark attempts for aero-power on the wooden jugs. 6x 2on/4off.  Humiliatingly pumped!

F – Sore forearms from yesterday’s beasting.  Packing

S – Drive to Lakes.

S – 7km walk up Stockdale Force with Squigg in the rucksack carrier.  60min jolly to the Langdale boulders while the ladies snoozed.  “The Overhang” 6C+ was a bit spicy with just a sit start pad!  I briefly tried Stefan Grossman and think it’s a goer for a future trip.

Week 19

M – 7km walk around Rydal water and the Coffin path with Squigg in the rucksack carrier.  Late afternoon wander up Jenkin crag for an extra 4km.

T – Soggy lap over Black Crag, but the sun came out for Skelwith Force; 9km.

W – Thanks to AJM for beta for alternate venues, but ended up at the Bowderstone as the heavens had opened.  I’d wanted to try the SS to Impropa Opera, but the top of that was seeping heavily.  I worked out the SS and was trying to link into Power Pinch instead (7C/+).  Failed 2 moves from the top on my best go.  Annoyingly, the sun was out and I should have waited until after lunch to head out to Langdale or Virtual Crag.

T – Delightful view from the top of Wansfell Pike; 14km including a couple of laps of Ambleside trying to buy new walking boots.

F – Best walk of the holiday; 12.5km loop of Skelwith and Colwith Force, combined with Cathedral Quarry and Little Langdale.

S – Packing, gluttonous café lunch, driving home and unpacking.  Inevitably, the best weather of the week…

S – Strangely painful thoracic back – hurt to breathe in deeply at one point! Almost instant relief from hanging off the fingerboard and stretching my back with some loud pops and cracks!  90min visit to Harmers Wood.  Worked out Wonderland (f7C) on TR, but it’s a disappointing eliminate so won’t bother to solo it (borderline highball/solo as the landing slopes). 

Wow! Plus 40kg after two and a half months off!  Clearly I have some way to go.

Hi clubbers. Top statting as usual Liam.

Fun week. Lots of good stuff, but still lacking discipline with training! Didn't manage to get organised for a return to Arc en Ciel -need to get back on it before I forget the beta!

Week 19:

M: Trail run. 11.2km, 350m vert, 6:48/km.

T: Leg rehab and shoulder prehab.

W: FB repeaters, strength, core, elbow prehab.

T: Bouldering at Scugdale. Highlight was flashing Fallen Arch (HVS 5a) (bouldered not led) but got a few other nice 6As done too. One of my local must-do list ticked.

F: Elbow and shoulder prehab.

S: Hill walk. 26km, 1195m vert, +16kg bag.

S: Bouldering at Grinah Stones. The first rule of grinah is: you do not talk about grinah! But suffice to say it was an excellent adventure. Some strong performances from Ross.

Week 20:

M: Fingerboard. Strength.

T: Run. Prehab.

W: Climbing.

T: Hill walk/climb.

F: Prehab.

S: Climbing.

S: Run. Strength and core.

STG -end June:

Arc en ciel.

Ultra distance hill run. 

Eight of my big mountain day list (at least two on consecutive days). (1/8)

Keep injury free (elbows, hips and knees).

MTG -end Sept:

Two big alpine routes.

2022 Arbitrary training goals:

Roll over of last year's running targets: 35km vert and 1000km.

Weighted Pull-up: 100kg.

Max Hangs: 95kg.

Weighted hill climb: 2 laps of RT in 30 mins with 15kg.

2022 Climbing goals:

7a (Possibly one of: Arc en Ciel, The Jim Grin, Rock & Roll, Clink)

ALL of my local must-do list: 1/15

Visit at least five of my 'why haven't I climbed here' list: 1/5

Get at least one session at each of my 'I should climb more at this crag' list: 0/8

Start properly getting to know: Brimham 2/3, Almscliff 2/3, Caley 0/3, Slipstones 2/3.

(For lists see FitClub 772)

Late summer/autumn alpine trip

Exactly my experience... Having started climbing in the Wiltons, I was horrified at the lack of right angles when I first climbed on natural grit: Where were the sharp-edged, flat-top crimps?! Why aren't the crag tops square cut?! 

Great work with the race. Really good result.

Also, pump traverse is ace! I normally hate that kind of shuffly, arse-draggy traverse, but I thought that was really cool.

Thanks Liam. It was Storm Arwen that blewall the trees off the top.

An odd week this week.

M - Front squats to protect my back from last weeks deadlift tweak. 6x8reps @ 40 kgs. Felt good as you can go all the way down and work through full range.

Scap hangs to try and sort my tweaky left shoulder out

T - Walked into a Coniston crag in marginal conditions hoping that the forecast was going to be correct. It wasn’t. It threw it down. We walked back out in the rain. Guidebook work isn’t always fun….

W - Tired

T - Still tired 

F - had a day where I did nothing but lie on the sofa and watch movies. Felt totally washed out.

S - More rest

S -  Yew Crags in Honister. Lovely. Seconded Chimney Buttress (HVS) E1 5a version. Led Eternal Spring (E1) which was a bit harrowing. The thorn bush is now a massive thorn tree. Everywhere i wanted to put hands/feet/gear was covered in ivy or full of mud. The belay tree is pretty much dead and covered in thorn tendrils. I had a bit of a mare but was pleased I didn’t give up and got it done. That kind of groove climbing is not a strength of mine. Handed over to Rachel for the second chimney pitch. Glad i did as it was very ‘traditional’. Despite all that if it was clean (which it now is) it’d make a brilliant single pitch (so you can avoid the dead tree belay). Recommended.

Led Hearth Direct (E2 5c). Done it before but i don’t remember 5c moves through the overhang with the gear below your feet. Didn’t feel E2 minus. I thought the start had the 5c move but that’s part of the original E1 5b so it must be 5b. It was groove/corner climbing and bridging though and i do find that hard. I thought the top was a few bold 5b moves. Either way it’s a brilliant route.

I seem to be over my sudden attack of fatigue. Not covid (tested twice). Bit of a puzzle. But I’m feeling OK for Reiff on Friday. I would have liked to tick off an E3 or two before I go but just not had the mileage this year yet. 

Can’t wait. Got a possible day out tomorrow (weather depending) but it’s a guidebook day and I will have to climb what needs checking/photographing not what I want necessarily.

Thanks Liam,

Yes I do plan to lead this one, its essentially a sport route, so no danger issues.

M - Nothing

T - Trad day E3 and an E4 on esoteric limestone, all good fun.

W - Nothing

T - Sport - 7a, 7a, 6c+, 6b+ (also a couple of VS's)

F - Climbing in Cornwall for the weekend.  Had my eyes on Evil Eye (E5 6b), so abseiled the line and looked ok.  Did Patience (E3 5c) as a "warm up", but found it really hard, so it put me off the idea of going ground up on an E5.  Partners lead next so he did Thin Wall Special (E1 5b).  Then at the end of the day I decided to TR Evil Eye, which I got on the first attempt, but very hard going (f7b+ ?) and conditions had turned, so it was damp with condensation.

S - More classics at Bosigran, nothing too hard though. Beowulf (E2 5c), Anvil Chorus (VS 4c) before rain stopped play.

S - Bow Wall (E2 5b) and Broadstairs (E2 5b) before rain stopped us again.

Excellent!  I have Yew Crag Knotts earmarked for a visit next week!  Good to know you've gone ahead and cleaned things up!

Some really good routes. The rest of the crag was very clean. I just chose the dirty route! 
 

hsve a great week. 

Great Bosi ticklist!

Evil eye sounds nails! Is that graded for it being damp? It would be on my aspirational Bosi tickist were I good enough...

Cheers Liam

Tuesday

Trad climbing at  Staden Quarry but didn't do much. Had a play with the top rope soloing rig, failed to find the start of Liquid Courage (E1 5b) then fell off the first few moves of Joint Effort (HVS 5b) when on second. Clearly not in limestone gear yet.

Wednesday

Circuits at Depot Manchester. Did 6 laps of around 40 moves each with 10 mins rest on the woody board. Managed to find something at about the right grade but irritated by the software interface - I just want to take an existing route and make it a bit harder by changing a couple of the holds, but no. Computer says no.

Thursday

Went to  Stoney Middleton with the intent of doing laps on Wee Doris (E4 5c). Managed about half a lap...might need to start a bit easier. I can see it being good training though, and much more specific than indoors. Might try and find something I can do at Staden where it's a bit quieter.

Friday

Gym. Pyramids of Pullups/Front Squat and Incline Press/Deadlift. Takes too long - think I'll just stick to one sided pyramids only.

Saturday

Good day at  Craig y Clipiau (Moelwyns). Led 

• Great Feat/Mean Feat (E1 5b)
• Thin Wall/Pearl combination (E2 5c)

Seconded Will on Jones's Crack (HVS 5a) (not VS) and vestix (HVS 5a) (probably the hardest climb of the day!)

Sunday

Less good day on  Carreg Alltrem. Got on Greenpeace (E1 5b) but got throroughly confused by the line - looking at the comments I wasn't the only one. Would I have persisted if I'd known the right line? Not sure. As it was I bailed onto the neighbouring VS. Flew the drone about a bit and got some good photos.

Last Week's Goals
-------------------------

• Two AeroPow sessions. One should be laps on the lead wall. - Nearly! 1 session on the circuit board and sort of a session on Wee Doris.
• Max hang session - No
• A Strength and Conditioning session - Yes
• 20km trail running - No
• At least 2 leads at E2 or above. - Close! Greenpeace would have counted as E2 I think if only I'd known.

Next Week
---------------

• Two AeroPow sessions. One should be laps on the lead wall or TRS on a limestone crag.
• Max hang session
• A Strength and Conditioning session
• 20km trail running 
• At least 2 leads at E2 or above

If you want something to train on shunt (or whatever) at Staden, then Cathy's Clown probably fits the bill.  It is quite sustained and a bit pumpy - Wee Doris, but easier and closer to home obvs.  Liquid Courage is of course suitable and might even be off the same belay.  If you want partnering (and someone to point out the start of Liquid Courage), I can do Staden evenings easily.

Have you done the Moelwyns in a day?  Most of the approaches seem quite short and I regularly go to Llangollen for the day, so I figure that it isn't that much further.  Also, I'm interested in Clogwyn Y Bustach as there looks like plenty to do, but all of the crags seem fairly close to each other so combination days might be possible.  Any thoughts?

For laps - there is always Mather Crack or Electric Circus...

First real training week after Covid. I was rather cautious, keeping the intensity low and slowly increasing the volume. Unfortunately, i did not have much time to train so i was limited to fingerboarding:

Mon: Rest

Tues: Fingerboard Repeaters: 20mm Edge, 2x 6x7,3 at 80% bodyweight; 8 Pullups (bodyweight)

Wed: Rest

Thurs: Fingerboard Repeaters: 20mm Edge, 4x 6x7,3 at 82,5% bodyweight; 2x8 Pullups (bodyweight)

Fri: Rest

Sat: Fingerboard Repeaters: 20mm Edge, 4x 6x7,3 at 85% bodyweight; 3x8 Pullups (bodyweight)

Sun: Rest and too much unhealthy food

All in all quite happy with the week. Endurance is currently about 20% worse than before Covid but i feel that i am improving every session. Next week i will mix in some indoor climbing sessions to the fingerboarding but unfortunately i won't have time to go outdoors. Then on sunday i have to travel to India again, hope this time i manage to stay healthy.

Good to see you back on it Randy.  Take it steady

Ah yes, but Cathy's Clown is a possible onsight objective so don't want to shunt it as yet.

Good call on Mather's Crack, which I have done. I had a couple of goes on Mosaic Piece (E4 5c) which climbs well after a good clean.

Seeking out unfrequented woodland paths on the bike in a wildlife reserve in spring turns out to have its moments. The wild boars are used to people and usually fairly relaxed, so I wasn't too alarmed when three babies crossed the path ahead of me followed by mum. Normally they would just disappear into the forest on the other side of the path, but this time mum stood her ground and stared me down. 

Oh shit. Back away slowly.

Then a fourth baby emerged from the undergrowth, crossed the path and off they all trotted happily. Phew

Excellent!  I thought coming across a deer in the depths of Egerton was pretty good, but wild boar is whole new level!

Yeah, the wildlife here can be a little different. I may have encountered a wolf once too.

There are  no wolves known to be living in the Bavarian Alps, but there are still some in remote parts of the Italian Alps, and reports of individuals wandering north from time to time. One such time I was out for a run in an area where a wolf had been sighted, and an animal broke cover in front of me and ran away that I thought at the time was a rather large, somewhat greyish fox. Which is probably exactly what it was - but otoh why would a fox be out & about in broad daylight?

I saw a documentary tracking an alpine wolf all the way across the Alps from Italy to somewhere much further north.  The ground it covered was astonishing.

Mainly seemed to feed on lone runners 😁