In reply to jon:
Jon, it was nothing to anyone else but me, just pushing hard through physical limits and fear of failure, giving it everything you've got and living with the result.
When you did your last new route, the fear of failure must have haunted you for an hour uphill, and every pitch up to the crux. But you still did it. And the expression on Hilary's face said it all.
Probably the happiest experience I've ever had in climbing was opening an email from Pete Oxley and learning that he'd done the first ascent of Lifeforce, F8b, in crap conditions, no warm-up, etc. I was delirious with delight. I knew a little of how much he wanted it, how much he'd given of his mind and body and soul for it.
It was interesting reading Jerry's (and Grimer's) book and learning how he was always training his mind, not just his body. I think that's what made Jerry truly great. He was a master of psyche. He trained himself (all of himself) better than anyone before.
The lessons are there for us to learn...
All best wishes,
Mick
P.S. And thanks to everyone else for their kind comments.
P.P.S. Apologies about the campus board error. Although Jerry does point it out in his book, I'd lived with the earlier myth for far too long!