UKC

DMM COMP: My First Lead (50) - Confessions of a Coward

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 Michael Ryan 17 Dec 2007
" I wasn't looking to be a hero. I climbed because it was the closest I could get to being a child again. I was rubbish: a happy trier. Life just never felt safe enough on solid ground to want to challenge it with too much altitude. Why I ended up at this particular corner of rock, with a wall of friends behind me and no way out other than up, is still something I am trying to figure out."

writes Nicola about her first lead: http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=718
In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC:

Brilliant. Really like this one.
OP Michael Ryan 17 Dec 2007
In reply to A Jo by any Other Name:

Tis very good isn't it?
 jkarran 17 Dec 2007
In reply to A Jo by any Other Name:

> Brilliant. Really like this one.

Ditto
jk
 freelancer_85 17 Dec 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC:

That's arguably the best so far...

Josh.
 broccoligirl 17 Dec 2007
In reply to freelancer_85:

I really enjoyed this too- I thought with so many entries, I'd get bored of reading them all, but I'm not!!

Cheers.
nicolaw 17 Dec 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC:

thanks for your kind comments, folks. :- )
OP Michael Ryan 17 Dec 2007
In reply to nicolaw:
> (In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC)
>
> thanks for your kind comments, folks. :- )

Write more!

charlie0 18 Dec 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC:

My favourite so far... a more human story than the rest
In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC: That's mint that one.
 practicalcat 21 Dec 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC:
oh, I really enjoyed this one! Well written, and I could identify with her all the way.....
 fivestar 21 Dec 2007
In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC:

Very good writing; really liked your imagery.

Nice job.
 Kempster 29 Jan 2008
In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC:

I really liked this story, a deserved winner unafriad of admitting it can be as scary out there sometimes and not very often attractive or noble! But still there's something in it that keeps us coming back despite all this : ) My first lead coming up soon - probably Mallorca...gulp...
 tommyzero 06 Feb 2008
In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC:

I've not read many of the entries but I can see why this won. More or less everyone line was like a honed crimp of climbing essence.

It's a shame it's such a short essay - would have loved it to go on some more and elaborate.

>I don't need to measure my own mortality by stretching it thin against a wall of rock.

>Progression in climbing seems to have its own momentum. Your life played back to you but in rock-time.

>Nuts and wires didn't mean anything to me until I placed one.

Well done Nicola.
 nikinko 06 Feb 2008
In reply to tommyzero:
> More or less everyone line was like a honed crimp of climbing essence.

nicely put and very true! Well done on an excellent piece!
nicolaw 06 Feb 2008
In reply to tommyzero:
> (In reply to Mick Ryan - Editor - UKC)
>
"More or less everyone line was like a honed crimp of climbing essence."
>


That is a cool line.

thank you, I'm so chuffed by the positive responses. And believe me all this couldn't have come at a more welcome time :- )

If only my crimps were the honed epitome of climbing essence
Nx
In reply to nicolaw:

Congratulations. A deserved winner IMHO and particularly creditable considering the entries were of a pretty high standard. Actually worth reading in its own right, in fact, which is more or less unheard of in public essay competitions.

jcm

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