Climbing is so last year.

I knew that, when I moved to Cornwall to start my masters, my climbing would take a hit.

Poor public transport links in Cornwall combined with a lack of time and a lack of knowledge of the area was never going to add up to an easy maintenance of my strength and fitness.

Still, I hoped that what I lacked in climbing I would make up for in Surfing.

I just didn't bank on months of cold and drizzle.

Not to mention my epic workload.

So. My thoughts again turned to the triathlon.

I bought a bike in September - my first road bike.

I have ridden it once.

It is filling up the shed nicely though.

So that has left me with running.

The Falmouth Half Marathon is on the 18th March.

I'll be running it having trained moderately over the last few weeks.

I'm hoping that I'll run it in 1 hour 45 mins.

But really, I want to beat my brother's half marathon time.

He won't tell it to me until I complete mine, but it was faster than 1' 45".

Must train harder.

font

A good trip to Font last week.



After 4 weeks of hardcore training and then a week of rest (including a 4 day trip to Prague - not ideal!) I was primed for a week of hard bouldering. Unfortunately, the weather has been a bit unstable in Font this spring and this held true for our trip. We managed to climb every day but one, but only two days were uninterupted sunshine.

My goal was to climb a 7a every day. The weather disrupted this but I think the dry days made up for it. Here's the ticklist.

La Marie Rose, 6a

Gravalon, 7a

Graviton, 7a (flash)

Jet Set, 7a

Le Jeu de Toit, 7a (flash)

Le Flippeur, 7a

Le Joker, 7a (flash)

Helicoptere, 7a

Vaudou-Systeme, 7a

Holey Moley, 7a

L'Angle Ben's, 7a+

Dune (El Poussif), 7a+

Biceps Mou, 7b

Carnage, 7b+

I've added loads of problems to my 'to-do list' as well. Really psyched for getting back to Font to finish some things off. But for now, I have a trip to Mallorca planned in September. Hopefully I can structure my training as well as I did for this trip and peak accordingly.

rebooting the system

After a long lay off from climbing - long for me anyway - there is only one way to find your form again. It's not about easing your body slowly into the climbing again, it's like stopping hiccups: a good sharp shock and your back to normal.

I went to the Climbing Works with Tom yesterday for just such a session. 3 and a half hours of climbing, trying the purple circuit (47 problems ranging from 6b - 7a+). By the end (well, the end for us! Around problem 41) just feeling the holds was an effort, and I was finding it difficult to articulate properly!

Complete power outage was probably achieved around problem 33. So there is my bench mark. Next session I'll do the circuit again (probably in reverse) and hope to get further round before my power fails me.

My weaknesses were very apparent:

• Finger Strength
• Power Endurance

So, after I've conditioned my body for climbing again with a couple of weeks of mammoth sessions like yesterday's, I will begin to address these weaknesses.

life gets in the way

I haven't climbed for about a month. University, job, weather, Christmas... all of this has got in the way of my climbing.

But. There is relief. I'm getting organised this year, so I will always have time to fit climbing in. I'm not that bothered about climbing indoors most of the time if it means when I get outdoors I am in good shape to crush.

There is talk of a return to Mallorca in September 2010. This is good news.

peaking

I'm still up in Bradford.

As I've said before, I've been working for the last 6 days straight so my only climbing has been two sessions at the Leeds Wall. Both sessions were just trying to climb 10 routes around F6b - F6c with Matt.

The first session I didnt' feel well rested, hadn't eaten properly and as expected, didn't perform incredibly well. I still managed to get a F6c done though.

The second session went much better. I felt much more energised and confident. The session culminated in me trying to onsight a F7a, the first time I'd tried this indoors. The route was up the steepest section of the main wall, so obviously had good holds. I spent a bit of time really looking at the route from the ground, going through the sequence in my head and I think this really benefited my performance, allowing me to climb quickly and smoothly through the steepness.

Onsighting this route has imbued a new sense of confidence to my preparations. I also purchased a copy of Sport Climbing +, a book I have been eyeing up for a while, and after reading it once I think I've already picked up some things that will contribute to an increase in my grade.

There's only 5 days 'til Mallorca now. I'm horribly excited, really psyched and completely focussed.

My last bit of preparation is to lose 4lbs, bringing my weight down to 10 stone, 5lbs. This would be the lightest I've been in years is an acheivable way of improving my performance.

from south to west

I've finished lectures for Easter so I've moved back up to my parents house in Bradford for two weeks before I go to Mallorca. I'm working for the next 6 days so I won't have much chance to take advantage of my freedom. A couple of evening sessions at Leeds Wall or Shipley Glen should keep me ticking over. And its a good chance to grow back some of the skin I've lost through the last couple of months. I haven't had a top layer on my right index finger for weeks!

Last Thursday I went to the Climbing Works and, as a demonstration of my current level of fitness, I climbed all but two of the new purple/spotty circuit problems that ranged from 6b - 7a.

On Friday I sacked off essay writing to take advantage of the good weather. Though I made a tactical error and went to Stanage for the afternoon. It was horribly greasy and I couldn't touch any of the problems I had come to try.

I searched for shade and played on Brad Pit. I got bored of the first move and set off to the Buckstone. As I'd hoped, the Buckstone Dyno (7b) was in the shade and I latched the top in 5 goes.

This was a good consolation prize for an afternoon where I spent more time walking than climbing!

school boy

I'm trying to keep up a steady two on, one off climbing routine at the moment in an effort to build up some fitness for Mallorca. Sunday, as most of you will know, was a day of fantastic weather and muchos muchos psyche.

I had a late start, but thanks to British Summer Time we climbed until about half 7 in the evening. I was out with Dave, Toby and Tom and top of the list was the Weedkiller Traverse at Raven Tor where Dave and I had unfinished business. I warmed up on the last moves, using a different hold to my previous efforts, then sent it first go. Dave cleaned it up in a few goes.



I watched Toby send the classic Undercut, Sloper problem and got psyched to try the Undercut, Crimp version, a grade easier at 7b+. This went down in a few goes and then I spent some time trashing the skin on my right fingertips trying the Sloper version.

Next, Toby showed me the Direct Start to Wild In Me, going at about 7b and finishing with a long reach from positive crimps to a knifeblade edge. I did this quality problem quite quickly.

These three problems added up to the best day bouldering I've had in ages - not just in terms of numbers - but in terms of atmosphere and sheer enjoyment. After some goes at Pump Up the Power where I got one move further (I'm trying it ground up as a boulder problem rather than working it as a route) we piled into the car and drove round to Rubicon.

Me and Toby went to the Kudos wall and while I sent A Bigger Splash Direct, Dave and Tom had a go each on Rubicon (F7a+). This is a route I have wanted to onsight for a while but I couldn't help but pick up some beta from them. Dave climbed it second go, leaving the clips in for me to have a go.

School boy error!

My thought process here should have been, "I've done three 7b problems, its the end of the day, I'm shattered, I can come back and do this first go anytime, leave it." But instead, I tied in, climbed to the first bolt, clipped and down climbed. I felt good. I pulled back on, climbed to the third bolt and rested on the enormous jug supplied. Then, feet up, stretched to a crimp, pulled and... nothing. I wasn't pumped at all, there was just no more pull in my arms. I tried to bring my hand back down to the jug but came off.

I was so irritated, and I still am. I finished up the climb in a huff and lowered off. I've definately learnt something here, but I should have already known it.

Yesterday I ached everywhere, and my elbow was really sore. Still, I forced myself to have an easy day at the Works with my girlfriend and then retired gracefully.

The next two days are going to be sport climbing or traverses only.

I'm so annoyed! I would definately trade the three boulder problems I did for the onsight of Rubicon. It was a short term goal too. Aaargh! Oh well. It has been relaced with A Little Extra at the Tor as the F7a+ to onsight.

Oh yeah, I've found the battery charger for my camera, and I'm pretty pleased with some of the shots I got.