[duncan]

73.6kg

STG: OS E3. Double or Quits (by 19th July). Navarro-Rabada, Naranjo de Bulnes.
MTG: E5 by end of September. 7b by end of year.
LTG: Long hard (for me) rock routes in the Alps, Dolomites, Picos and Scotland. 7b+ RP.

M - Shoulder stability routine. Step-ups.
T- Westway, aerobic capacity: 8 mins on /8mins off x3
W - Shoulder stability routine. Step-ups
T - Shoulder stability routine. Short run.
F - Westway, aerobic capacity: 9 mins on /6 mins off x4
S - Shoulder stability routine. Boredoms at the Barbican, most memorable concert for many years, couldn't sleep til past 1am due to excitement of it all.
S - Millstone: Brimstone, Satan's Slit, The Whore and Shaftsbury Avenue.

A much better week than recent ones. Did some very modest training, shoulder felt OK, and chancing the Sunday weather paid off with a glorious late afternoon at Millstone. A combination of sleep deprivation, slow recovery from training, and very little in the bank this year meant Brimstone and Satan's Slit in particular felt nails. Achieved one goal: finally booked a (very short) trip to the Picos. I have five weeks to find some long route endurance again, a little hill fitness, and a tiny bit of pulling power.
Plan: build up mileage on rock and plastic. Do some kind of exercise every day. One fingerboard and/or bouldering session a week. Fall off some routes.

jwi, hope that resolves quickly whatever it is.

[nai]

Hope that clears up jwi, looks nasty

Goals:
June/July - get through the next 3 weeks without doing further damage, maybe even tick a couple of routes.
August/September - strength & PE
Autumn goal - Raindogs + whatever's leftover from summer

M - rest
T - Embankment, tried to retro-flash Hungry Eyes which I'd fallen off OS last Autumn & not bothered to redpoint, got through the crux to within one move but couldn't figure it out quickly enough and came off.  Good fight though.  RP'd ok.
FB - PB on every 2 finger combo

w rest

Th  - went to look at Arch Enemies (reluctantly as I knew it wouldn't go on the day and am unlikely to get back to it this year, but mate was keen). Just about did all the moves, last couple a bit tenuous.  Great route but hard, felt less likely for me than Raindogs, such a powerful finish.  Fucked my middle finger trying to OS the 7a to the left, lunged for finishing jug with it still deep in the mono and bent it sideways.

F - Failed to rest - finger hurts in every direction but pulling straight down, open-hand - foot on campus 3x8x1min on, rest 20-25s. Fails toward end of sets.

S - Family walk in Cheedale then failed to rest again, AnCap on FB F3 on 1st joint edges , 8 x 7 reps x7s on, 4s off (1:13 work). 2:30 rest. Failed 8th set, 6th rep. Not sure finger liked this and skin certainly didn't, was pulled and rubbed horribly.

S - Fail 3 - foot on campus 3x8x1min, 18-23s rest.  Hard.  Ground to a halt after 5.5 reps of final set.  Felt powered out at the end, if that's possible.
 

[iain]

STG: Dominatrix, Body Machine direct
S/MTG: The Prow (maybe full), Stone the Loach and E4/5 lime trad.
MTG: Dolomites in September

M: Works for a circuit with the ms, aimed for threshold problems with plenty of rest.

T: Yoga, shoulder exercises and doorframe aerocap, 3x10mins

W: Rest

T: Went for a look at the Cornice and my mate's route, Wild Physique, was clean and in nick so we got on it. Did all the moves bar one quickly but need to return in better conditions. The one move was trying to move my feet up after getting the crimp/ear thing, I felt really stretched out and the holds felt slick. It felt very do-able otherwise.

F: Physical working day

S: Rest

S: Had planned to head to Kilnsey but forecast would've meant very late home to get the best conditions so sacked off. Went for a walk with the ms and then a Works session which was poor. Not sure if it was me, the heat, my skin, just didn't climb well. Good job I wasn't 2 hours drive away getting frustrated.

First half of the week good, second half not so for the climbing/training. Family visit this coming weekend so need to pack in the training before then.


Edit: A question: what are people's thoughts on aerocap volume. I've noticed some doing 3x20+ mins, is more always better for training effect or do you get the benefit from 'only' 3x10 mins?

[nai]

No, has to be exactly 20 minutes on the nose, not a second more or less. Only way it works, I'm afraid.

[andy popp]

M - spent the day by the pool at a very swanky country club in suburban Pennyslvania. Some swimming, some sunburn, no climbing
T - fly to Miami. In the bar that evening John Lithgow greets me with the words "Andrew, we met last year." (true story).
W - S - very full on conference scenes. Zero exercise, fair amount of drinking, but not that much eating.
S - murderous 8hr flight home after staying up till 3. Why don't I ever learn. Miami International is one of the worst airports I've ever experienced.

A total write-off, but it is always going to be.

[Wood FT]

T - fly to Miami. In the bar that evening John Lithgow greets me with the words "Andrew, we met last year." (true story).

wad tick

[mr chaz]

STG. 8a redpoint

M. Power endurance at the wall. Foot on campus board - 1min on, 1min off x 6, large rungs, followed by 2 min hang on large rung.

T. Max hangs on BM 2000. 1 arm with pulley (5.5kg). Front levers x 5. Pressups.

W. Rest

T. Free Monster (WCJ Cornice). 3rd crack at this and good progress. Linked in 2 halves. Falling off mid crux, need a bit more PE to get through it. Feels close.

F. PE session at the wall. Foot on campus board - 1min on, 1min off x 6, large rungs. Followed by max hang on large rung ~ 6min, quite a step up from earlier!

S. Rest
S. Rest

Decent week. I've very much entered sport mode for the time being, so PE is the focus for the next few weeks. Will still do a max hangs workout each week to keep strong.

[iain]

No, has to be exactly 20 minutes on the nose, not a second more or less. Only way it works, I'm afraid.

I've screwed that up then 

[nai]

I've done sets of 20 minutes, sets of 15 at a higher intensity and sets of 10 at an even higher one, I've done whole sets moving at a low intensity with barely any pump, sets of climbing with a buzz in the forearms and sets of getting pretty pumped then shaking out then getting pumped again, it all seems to work.

[fried]

Su - Rocher canon, i did some light blue probs at the beginning of the circuit.

I remember doing this at Easter and thinking it was great. As were the other  blues in that little section.

The first 10 light blue problems have just about every style of climbing you could want, all in a quiet(er) shaded corner...some good reds too.

[Dolly]

Another week of working too much and being knackered


M Foundry Wave at lunchtime Pilates in the evening
T Kettlebells and Bulgarian Bag in the morning before work. Worked until nearly 4 in the morning
W Knackered
T Foundry lunchtime
F
S Tideswell dale with Norton. Hot and humid despite a breeze which somehow missed the crag. Did some stuff I hadn't done before and got tired.
S

[shurt]

jwi, that thing you've got looks bad news. i really hope you are on the mend and start to feel a bit better soon.

STG: more 7b's if poss
MTG: finish Bullworker at Brean Down after falling off top move 3 times in December
LTG: E6, 8a route, surpass previous best of V7/7a+ bouldering

m: 2 sets on fingerboard
t: away family hol
w: away did manage some sets of PU's whilst being away to keep me ticking over
t: away
f: away
s: back home
s: ended up going out with a friend to Portishead Quarry with the intention of trying Highway One, a 3 star 40m mega slab/wall route. I'd heard good things. I got on an E2 slab route which felt good, Dave did an HVS then it was down to business. I got on with leading the main event and can honestly say I have never been repeatedly closer to falling off a route that I've not fallen off in 20 years of climbing. I had breaking foot holds and hand holds (during both cruxes), a lot of marginal on off moves and a full on pump by the final steep layback which consisted of me shouting the word NO over and over due to the prospect of blowing it all after everything. There was a huge scream at the top from me. What a route. It was given 6c+ / E4 6a which felt a good way of putting it (although tough at the grade) - it had a mix of trad gear and bolts similar to some slate routes I've done. The pint on the way home was needed. A good day all round.

Have not been very on it with training lately but think the rest has been good. Going to be in the Peak (south ish) in two weeks with family but lots of opportunity for nipping out to boulder so looking forward to getting stuck into Robin Hoods or maybe Roaches crags as its a similar drive to both. 

[SA Chris]

Good work on Highway One. A route that always appealed to me yet intimidated me, due to looking exactly as you describe. I usually chickened out and did the slabs on the left instead, much friendlier.

[SA Chris]

T - fly to Miami. In the bar that evening John Lithgow greets me with the words "Andrew, we met last year." (true story).

wad tick

And I think a bit more context is required?

[andy popp]

T - fly to Miami. In the bar that evening John Lithgow greets me with the words "Andrew, we met last year." (true story).

wad tick

And I think a bit more context is required?

Very true  ! As well as being one of the most blatant humble brags ever, I of course obscured the fact that we are actually (very) slightly acquainted.

[dave]

As well as being one of the most blatant humble brags ever, I of course obscured the fact that we are actually (very) slightly acquainted.

Don't leave us with that kind of Cliffhanger ending.

[gme]

I also had an andy popp week but without famous acquaintances and with more food.

Mon- tiny bit of climbing in works followed by lots of food and beer
Tues-thurs as Monday without the climbing
Fri- beer with a bit less food
Sat- climbing. Went to caller/redheugh for some easy bouldering. BBQ  and beer pm
Sun- nothing. But at least no food and beer.

Possibly the most unhealthy week of my life. Pretty much all work related other than sat pm which was a family/friends thing. Felt pretty shit by the weekend.
I knew this was coming though so no complaints. Good week coming up hopefully.

[cheque]

STG- 7a or (ideally) above on lime before September 18th.

MTG- 100 routes at 24HHH and The Show Me State in September, Wall of Horrors in October.

Knackered all week this week- inevitable hangover from missing so much sleep finishing my film last week. Consequently didn't climb 'til Friday.

F- 7:20 drive down to Cornwall for BMC meet. Got out of the car, ate a pasty then straight down to the crag. Soloed Commando Ridge without really knowing where it went at the start (adventure!) plus a couple of similarly easy routes on the main crag. Slipped over a stile on the way back to the hut mashing keys into leg. Limping.

Sa- Leg hurts. Luckily Ibu sorts it out. Partnered with guy who doesn't want to climb harder than VS so climb classic VSs on Bosigran. Great fun and first multipiches for more than a year. Time for taking some pictures afterwards.

Su- Wet. Drive back to Nottingham. Discover ticks. Go to NHS drop-in centre to have ticks removed. Order tick removal tool.

Booked the Cornwall festival a month ago as a way of celebrating/ clearing my head from completing the film, plus a chance to climb somewhere new and meet people. I only knew one other person who was going so it was a bit of an adventure. Turned out to tick (no pun intended) the objectives and I wish I'd had more time down there. Onto the serious business of getting fit now. Although I do have a new film idea...

[iain]

I've done sets of 20 minutes, sets of 15 at a higher intensity and sets of 10 at an even higher one, I've done whole sets moving at a low intensity with barely any pump, sets of climbing with a buzz in the forearms and sets of getting pretty pumped then shaking out then getting pumped again, it all seems to work.

I really didn't think my question through

I got on with leading the main event and can honestly say I have never been repeatedly closer to falling off a route that I've not fallen off in 20 years of climbing. I had breaking foot holds and hand holds (during both cruxes), a lot of marginal on off moves and a full on pump by the final steep layback which consisted of me shouting the word NO over and over due to the prospect of blowing it all after everything. There was a huge scream at the top from me. What a route.

Good work Shurt!

[rodma]

time to join in:

STG: less back fat
MTG: feel strongish and get up something hardish in September's fontage/any font8a at home or abroad by end of 30s
LTG: ate bee

m: weights/campussing/fingerboarding; first weights/squats for about two years
t: can't really walk from squats
w: ditto
t: was going to do weights, but had a mini session at the wall to discuss liars/fantasists and general climbing-dad chat with "account_deactivated". not a very productive session. if only there was a forum for this type of discussion.
f: rest
s: shafty shaftoe in the sun; was lovely and warm and reasonably grippy due to the wind. did a lowball i hadn't previously done.
s: went for a long walk and lunch and beer

[a dense loner]

Re tues, you brute! You can't leave it at that. I'm gonna have to go to the wall in half hr now and discuss who Rodma could've been talking about 

[shurt]

Good work on Highway One. A route that always appealed to me yet intimidated me, due to looking exactly as you describe. I usually chickened out and did the slabs on the left instead, much friendlier.

Thanks Chris, biggest epic ever on bolts!

[SA Chris]

If you read UKC comments, you aren't the only one who has had similar experiences.

[shurt]

If you read UKC comments, you aren't the only one who has had similar experiences.

I saw a few of those. It's weird though ive never been on route that good with so much friable rock. It almost added to it all...

[SA Chris]

Sounds a bit like the culm coast. I can't believe such a well established route is still shedding.