Wednesday - went to the westway for the first time to lead climb, was there a few years ago for a SIBL and, I think in the same year, for a BRYCS... no not that long ago, I was never a climber eligible for BRYCS, started far too late, I was there as a judge. Interesting twist I remember Neil Gresham failing at the top of the last girls route on the comp' wall, he recovered it well by stating it was "something for them to aim at!"... excellent.
Best explain why it was a twist hadn't I, well I was up at the Westway for a coaching session with Neil, a 30th birthday present from the wife. Very interesting time, to cut a long story short I have reasonable technique and strength but absolutely lousy power endurance/stamina. Tell truth I probably warmed up a little too hard, was taken with the problems on the new bouldering wall, but that aside did pretty well. It was all onsighting, no second chances, was absolutely fine up to 6c+, even with the height compared to craggy, which now seems decidedly stubby!
After that I had a little more trouble with the 7b's, interestingly was always fine to just over the height of the Craggy wall then the fingers just gave up... Got one 7b, sort of anyway, fell clipping the chains not remembering that the top of the wall counts as the finishing jug up there, came off on a couple of tiny intermediates, Neil gave it too me, more for the fall I think, had missed the penultimate draw and somehow managed to spin so most of the fall was face first......
So the outcome I have already alluded too.... must train power endurance.
Thursday - climbing wise was a rest day, did a few push ups and half an hour of "cardio yoga" off of a women's fitness DVD!!! But that wasn't the main highlight of the day, surprising as that might seem... No the highlight was Sian's 3 month scan, yep we can tell people now, there's a bambino in there; 2 arms, 2 legs, 1 head and all the measurements are kosher so massive relief... The rest of the day was spent seeing friends and phoning parentals and that was pretty much that.
Friday - first day of the new training routine. Primarily a bouldering day so a couple of hours in the shed was the call. Started slowly with the warm ups, mixing up the crimpers and the slopers and got onto some tricky stuff later on. Big victory was the fact the blue project finally fell, slightly chagrined to admit I was forced to use some technique, a big rock over replacing the dyno I could never latch after the initial few moves, still probably the hardest thing I've done on plastic.
After all that I tried a power endurance work out as explained by Steve Mac in last years 8a yearbook. In very basic terms foot on campus rungs, 100 hand movements, with required feet moves of course, then 5 minutes off. Repeat 3 more times, well that's the theory, in practice I only made 50 moves on the fourth repeat, funny how you can aim for a rounded number... very hard work and absolutely beasted after that....
So finally yesterday (Saturday) - Westway for a session, decided against going down to the island with the completely unreliable weather we've been happening. Should have been doing triples if I'd been down at craggy, i.e. up, lower off at speed the hold on until the rope is down then up again etc... anyways after warming up on the high walls it was doubles 2 or 3 on 6c(+)'s mixed with singles on 7a, 7a+ and 7b type routes, redpointing some of the ones I failed on on Wednesday and onsighting a 7a that was big upped by medic Steve earlier in the week. Sian had a good session too, obviously no leading at the moment but she was onsight seconding 6b/6b+.
Very big day, lots off good work so now, rest, play on the computer, and listen to the cricket....
Best explain why it was a twist hadn't I, well I was up at the Westway for a coaching session with Neil, a 30th birthday present from the wife. Very interesting time, to cut a long story short I have reasonable technique and strength but absolutely lousy power endurance/stamina. Tell truth I probably warmed up a little too hard, was taken with the problems on the new bouldering wall, but that aside did pretty well. It was all onsighting, no second chances, was absolutely fine up to 6c+, even with the height compared to craggy, which now seems decidedly stubby!
After that I had a little more trouble with the 7b's, interestingly was always fine to just over the height of the Craggy wall then the fingers just gave up... Got one 7b, sort of anyway, fell clipping the chains not remembering that the top of the wall counts as the finishing jug up there, came off on a couple of tiny intermediates, Neil gave it too me, more for the fall I think, had missed the penultimate draw and somehow managed to spin so most of the fall was face first......
So the outcome I have already alluded too.... must train power endurance.
Thursday - climbing wise was a rest day, did a few push ups and half an hour of "cardio yoga" off of a women's fitness DVD!!! But that wasn't the main highlight of the day, surprising as that might seem... No the highlight was Sian's 3 month scan, yep we can tell people now, there's a bambino in there; 2 arms, 2 legs, 1 head and all the measurements are kosher so massive relief... The rest of the day was spent seeing friends and phoning parentals and that was pretty much that.
Friday - first day of the new training routine. Primarily a bouldering day so a couple of hours in the shed was the call. Started slowly with the warm ups, mixing up the crimpers and the slopers and got onto some tricky stuff later on. Big victory was the fact the blue project finally fell, slightly chagrined to admit I was forced to use some technique, a big rock over replacing the dyno I could never latch after the initial few moves, still probably the hardest thing I've done on plastic.
After all that I tried a power endurance work out as explained by Steve Mac in last years 8a yearbook. In very basic terms foot on campus rungs, 100 hand movements, with required feet moves of course, then 5 minutes off. Repeat 3 more times, well that's the theory, in practice I only made 50 moves on the fourth repeat, funny how you can aim for a rounded number... very hard work and absolutely beasted after that....
So finally yesterday (Saturday) - Westway for a session, decided against going down to the island with the completely unreliable weather we've been happening. Should have been doing triples if I'd been down at craggy, i.e. up, lower off at speed the hold on until the rope is down then up again etc... anyways after warming up on the high walls it was doubles 2 or 3 on 6c(+)'s mixed with singles on 7a, 7a+ and 7b type routes, redpointing some of the ones I failed on on Wednesday and onsighting a 7a that was big upped by medic Steve earlier in the week. Sian had a good session too, obviously no leading at the moment but she was onsight seconding 6b/6b+.
Very big day, lots off good work so now, rest, play on the computer, and listen to the cricket....
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