UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => shootin' the shit => Topic started by: monkoffunk on December 27, 2017, 05:58:44 pm
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Anyone ready for some new aims?
Aims for 2008 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,8416)
Aims for 2009 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10711)
Aims for 2010 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,13192)
Aims for 2011 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,16685)
Aims for 2012 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,19228)
Aims for 2013 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,21363.0.html)
Aims for 2014 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,23430.0.html)
Aims for 2015 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,25121.0.html)
Aims for 2016 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,26617.0.html)
Aims for 2017 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,27706.0.html)
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Mine have a few repeats I'm afraid, but I'm closer than ever before!
Bouldering goals
Boulder 7B+ - more specifically Liquid Sunshine. This isn't about the grade really, it's a long problem that for me is easier than some of the more blocy Portland 7Bs I've tried e.g Stompin' With Bez/Work Shy.
(On that note) put some serious effort into some blocy Portland 7Bs. Climb more at the Bill.
At least try to pull onto something around 7C, Ope in Hell/Riders on the Storm, to see how far off I am. Or a 7B+ bloc. Or anything around 7A+ in Dartmoor.
Go to font at least once. Tick something off my font wish list 7A+ or harder.
Sport goals
I see myself doing more bouldering this year, however the big one:
Climb 8a. I've been saying I want to do this before I'm 30 (December 2018) for a while without much progress, other than in the last two years where things do feel like they are turning around.
Aim to complete Fighting Torque by May. Try Breathing Method after this, crux looks awesome.
Lifestyle
To make the above more than just a pipe dream:
1. Return to strict nutrition plan post Christmas. Previously seen dramatic almost effortless gains from this, will be easy to implement. Including no alcohol.
2. Mindset. Read Jerry's book. Start climbing positively; no more self fulfilling prophecy!
3. Sleep hygiene. Focus on this in January. I've struggled with this to date, probably because habits are hard to break! I only struggle to get to sleep post training; but I often find I feel too tired to perform well or tired at work because I have stayed up for no good reason.
Training
1. Increased session number with reduced volume per session. From Feb I'll be driving past a climbing wall to and from work every day. No excuse.
2. Finger board session, either max hangs or repeaters once a week at least. Aim to feel comfortable with one and then switch to the other.
3. Start climbing again with people way stronger than me.
Other stuff:
Get married! Talk less about climbing to fiancée in the hope that makes her want to climb more.
Sit RCOA exams. Apply positive thinking to exam revision, something I have been hopelessly bad at until now, when all will change.
That's all I need for a happy, fulfilled, well balanced life probably!
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7C
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Training goals
1. Resolve general finger niggles (feel like this is a life goal rather than 2018 goal)
2. hang 5s BW on BM2000 20mm rung (current PB -4kg RH -6kg LH at start of december)
3. Stick to training plan at start of the year
Climbing goals
1. Tick a few more grit 7b's (Suavito, Old King Cascade, Zippys Traverse (dropped going to jugs when I tried it for the first time in November))
2. Boulder 7c (in albarracin at the moment working a few so could go before the end of 2017 so may have to re-evaluate this if that happens!)
3. Big outdoor trip towards the end of the year
Non climbing goals
1. Meditate for at least an hour a week (possibly use the headspace app for this?) Focus is a massive isssue for me generally, maybe this will help.
2. Go on a (dare I say it) non climbing trip
3. Maybe get a haircut (probably unrealistic...)
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Sit RCOA exams. Apply positive thinking to exam revision, something I have been hopelessly bad at until now, when all will change.
Tried Cornell note taking? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtW9IyE04OQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtW9IyE04OQ)
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Climbing:
-Crush on limestone in the spring and summer
-Climb at Gordale as much as conditions/partners allow; Defcon and the Cave Route's particularly
-Get strong on one arm (Can't even hang one armed on a jug unless my arm is completely straight), keep up the assisted one armed max hangs as much as possible
-Stay as injury free as possible
-Shorter, more frequent sessions
Non-climbing:
-Work on getting better self-esteem
-Eat healthier, and smaller portions
-See mates more
-Work hard on managing anxiety
-Work hard and more efficiently at uni
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Hmm. Aims for 2018 - At this point I'd say:
#1 - Local Sport Projects - 2 - Party wall and Byron Glacier. Both in the 8c/+ish range and will take extraordinary effort to get fit and strong enough to make these feasible.
#2 - Find, bolt and send 2-3 more good sport projects in the 8a-b ish range.
#3 - Step up the business.
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1. 7C
2. Do at least 50 problems >= 7B
3. Do some finger strength training
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Tried Cornell note taking?
More of the problem is not taking notes at all! I think I'll be trying a few new techniques.
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Tried Cornell note taking?
I didn't take a lot of notes last year at uni (went back to do a masters 10yrs after the first time time at uni). But I did spend a lot more time reviewing everything weekly. I.e. Making sure all was understood/absorbed. I didn't do this much first time round and had to cram/learn everything from scratch for the exams, this time I was just refreshing and preparing.
More of the problem is not taking notes at all! I think I'll be trying a few new techniques.
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I think I’ve got to be realistic in terms of what I can achieve from a climbing perspective. For the last few years I’ve wanted to chase an unattainable dream! I wanted to boulder 7C.
I got injured in April last year, and it’s taken a long time to get any kind of progress with it. After much investigation it turns out I’ll more thank likely need surgery on my shoulder to correct it. I think dry stone walling and being a tree surgeon for the last 5/6 years hasn’t helped me! There was just no time to let my body recover, and things just got worse or rather I just accepted it was painful and got on with it.
I’m not downhearted though! I’ve high hopes for 2018, I just need to be realistic in how high they are. I’d be chuffed to bits if I could get climbing 2/3 times a month to begin with. How achievable this is with new baby in the house is unknown, but I’ll do my best. I’m starting on the Joe Wicks body transformation/magic type of plan in the new year too, so I’m hoping for some good results there.
So to summarise:
Climbing aims-
Get climbing as much as I can without aggravating shoulder more, but at a level I find reasonable enough to keep my interested.
Non climbing aims-
Get fully committed with new eating and training regime.
Continue to mix sumptuous progressive house.
Get running again.
Get mountain bike dusted off, serviced and put into use.
Become successful in new job and begin ascendency to top of North Yorkshire County Council.
Raise boy to be child genius so I can retire early.
Build a porch on the house and fit a downstairs toilet and dishwasher (two separate projects obviously)
Should be easy now I’ve written it down :lol:
Good luck to everyone for the forthcoming year.
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Aim 1
Don't fuck up quoting on UKB. :slap:
Aim 2 Trad
Broaden base of E4 onsights, 5+ E5 onsights (long term aim E6 onsight).
Aim 3 Boulder
Get out more. Barely bouldered outside last year. Long term goal 7C
Aim 4, Sport.
Would love to get to Fr7c onsight level... This year's aim? If I go on any sport trips, 7b onsights plus trying some harder ones.
Aim 5, life
Improve sleep, sort out work life balance (new job sucks up too much time, would love to reduce to 30hrs a week), reinvigorate relationship (5yrs in, flat spot!). Sell flat, buy something (preferably with garage).
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2017 has been a big year in many ways. Bought my first house and climbed my first 8A boulder, followed by four others in short order. Hoping to keep 2018 fairly low on big life changing events and keep focused on climbing.
1. Get an overseas trip booked. I only bouldered abroad once in 2017 on a three day stop mid-summer in Wicklow, Ireland, and I'm very keen to go back to Font and/or go to Switzerland.
2. Climb 7C on the Leeds Depot 50' board. I live round the corner now, so hopefully this is realistic!
3. More of a life goal than just 2018, but I'd love to complete the This is Yorkshire tick list. So far eight down (including two of the 8s and three of the 7C+s), thirteen to go albeit almost all of them 8A upwards! Anyway, will keep plugging away with it and would be great to get another two or three of the harder ones done in 2018.
4. Finish off some of the high 7s on grit that aren't my normal style. I'm very good on roofs and compression, not so much on small holds, slabs and techy problems. Things like Lager3, Ben's Groove Sit and Underworld are high on the list here.
5. Climb 8A on UK lime and in Wales. I've so far managed 8s on Northumbrian sandstone, Lake District rhyolite and Yorkshire gritstone, so would be good to complete the set.
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Salbit West Ridge - Nothing else matters much if I'm honest, after 18 months of crap with injuries, old and new, I reckon I might have turned the corner and I'm allowing myself to think this is completely possible. 32 pitch 1000m ED1 and all the hard pitches of around 6b are near the end which is roughly the grade I can flash easily or find a nightmare.
7a - I'm not far from this at all, I haven't been for 3 years and I'm hoping sorting the calcific tendonitis might let me finally put this to bed.
Bouldering I've no grade goals - grading is so ridiculously varied everywhere I go, it makes more sense to say there's a slab in Font I'd like to tick, an arete in Albarracin and an overhanging wall problem in Arboli. We'll see.
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My film should be out of the way soon so 2018 is potentially an exciting year.
Do more trad I think trad is the best form of climbing. It’s (potentially) the most satisfying and in many ways it’s the hardest. Despite/ because of this I’ve done nowhere near enough of it in the last 3-4 years.
Not be shown up when my mates come over from the US There’s currently even odds that I’ll be burnt off by them on my home turf. I’d like to reduce that chance.
Onsight sport 7a, redpoint 7b (and ideally) 7b+
Equal or better 2017’s total of 98 days on rock
Drastically improve on 2017’s total of one solitary climbing trip to not-really-very-exotic Dorset
Keep making music, take more, better photos and come up with an idea for another big ambitious climbing film
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1. Move away from Scotland ASAP as it's a fucking rubbish place to be as a climber long term (again).
2. Climb the Clatteringshaws Loch dam with an RC car before I go.
3. Buy more death metal vests (got Napalm Death and Cattle Decapitation so far, Behemoth on order).
4. Climb more routes in the Lleyn definitive guide (again).
5. Tick off some more folks from UKB and FB (tomtom and fatneck amongst others)
6. Be even more fussy about climbing conditions.
7. Keep using anti-hydral (still).
8. Spend the first 3 months of the year climbing on gritstone (again).
9. Climb more funky routes South Lakes, North Wales, South West.
10. TBA (again)
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5. Tick off some more folks from UKB and FB (tomtom and fatneck amongst others)
9. Climb more funky routes South Lakes, North Wales, South West.
If you wanna tick off objectives 3 & 9 with some routes in the SW feel free to PM me in the summer!
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5. Tick off some more folks from UKB and FB (tomtom and fatneck amongst others)
Kind of amazed you've met neither Tom nor Si. You can tick them with one degree of separation, via me (and no doubt many others).
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Holmsey didn't I climb with you when you lived up near the Peak? Or did I mis-remember that? But yeah will be in touch when I'm heading that far south.
Andy, they have both studiously avoided me when I've been passing through Lancs / Cheshire ;) . Actually I could add to my list "Do more Andy Popp routes", maybe that is the secret #10.....
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Holmsey didn't I climb with you when you lived up near the Peak? Or did I mis-remember that? But yeah will be in touch when I'm heading that far south.
Ha - I’m surprised you remember that. We met just the once up at Kinder when they were shooting photos for the Over The Moors guide (there’s a good’un on p.166 ;)), but I don’t think we’ve ever actually shared a rope.
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OK here goes ...
Life
1. Move house, settle eldest daughter into new primary school & middle one pre-school, & achieve general happy home.
2. Get promotion at existing work or new (better paid!) job.
General fitness
3. Sort out current elbow nigggles, get weight down under at least 11st 5lb & stay injury free.
Climbing
4. Get one weekend trip outside SW. Pembroke or Gogarth hopefully.
5. Do lots of SW trad in the E4 to E5/6 range. Would be great to o/s E5 on granite as I always find it hard.
Need to compile a proper ticklist, but off the top of my head any of the following would be good:
Kafoozalem;
The West Face;
Deja Vu;
Lazarus;
International Kidney Dealer;
Oceans;
Kellan Arête;
King’s Arete;
Il Duce;
Interspace;
Sirens’s Cry;
Demolition.
Most of those are probably well beyond me!
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Climbing
[1] Have a good'un in Leonadio in January. Hopefully bag some decent on-sights and "in-a-day RPs", but mainly just enjoy the sun and revive my spirits.
[2] Boulder outdoors a few times before the routes season begins (perhaps finally bag Ju Ju Club). Only climbing indoors in the UK all winter would be a bit obscene, even by my eroded standards.
[3] Spring & Autumn: decent progress on Predator (RPing seems overly ambitious in my current state).
[4] Summer: tick or at least come damn close on Showtime, or at maybe Stolen-Time if seepage / hold breakage dictates.
[5] Have more than a token visit to a UK crag other than Malham / Kilnsey (work Supercool, project something in the Peak or at Chapel).
[6] Maintain midweek training efforts: periodic hangboard regimes to top-up finger strength, plus woodie sessions for power.
"Life"
[1] Less booze; eat better.
[2] Less aimless web browsing: be more efficient at work (less needless long evenings in the office), read more at home.
[3] Don't let work get on top of me (can be combined with [6] above - make time for mid-week woodie sessions, if only for psychic self-defence, rather than "training" reasons).
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1) Try and sort my head out.
2) Massively reduce my booze intake (which will help point 1)
3) Get out and climb more.
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1) Try and sort my head out.
2) Massively reduce my booze intake (which will help point 1)
good bit of insight there, Andy
I have no science to back this up, but 13 years of working in alcohol misuse services has left me with some opinions - the minimum time period between significantly reducing alcohol intake and the depression caused by that alcohol misuse is about 3 weeks - this period can be as long as 12 weeks.
This is a difficult period to get through - depression makes it hard to enjoy things - alcohol misuse leaves the brain in a state that makes it hard to enjoy anything other than alcohol - so that makes for a period of between 3 and 12 weeks of alcohol induced depression with little benefit of getting rid of the nice reliable feeling that alcohol provides; including the social benefits of alcohol use. A person will get some increased energy and maybe motivation in the early stages of reduced alcohol use, but this isn't usually enough to make up for being depressed.
Exercise is one of the fastest routes to being able to enjoy things.
Doing things that were enjoyable in the past is the fastest route to getting enjoyment when recovering from depression (and alcohol)
You can see where climbing might fit in.
It's just hard hanging on through that period where the alcohol has gone (mostly) and nothing else feels worth doing - but it does change eventually
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Worthy aims Andy. I’ve pretty much given up the pop in 2017 and had a dry new year (surrounded by friends getting wankered).
This article resonates quite strongly with me - and whilst I never went on Benders like the Author did I agree with many of the challenges and positives she identifies.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jan/01/hangover-from-hell-that-made-me-give-up-drinking-alcohol?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
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Ah yes, the demon drink. My oldest adversary.
I’m on the wagon as of today, after a particularly heavy festive season. Hard to explain to the other half, but I was just in drink mode over Christmas, and in top gear as well. I’ve been looking forward to today though, and I most definitely feel like crap after last nights quota of beer. 6 Stella and 3 Brewdog Punks has left me feeling lousy, with aching insides and a shitty bum.
I struggle with drink, I think in a similar way to how Bubba once described. I can not drink, for weeks if I feel like it. But when I do drink, I have to drink all the drink. I have often of late polished off 4/5 cans of strong lager at home by myself, which is just wrong and stupid.
So I’m jacking it in, hopefully for good. Best of luck to those doing similar.
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Lots of strong aims here. Inspiring stuff.
My 2017 aims were some sort of fantasy and were written about a week before I got a shoulder injury that had me in and out of condition for much of the year. I also spent far too much time bouldering indoors which is nice and everything but genuinely I don't think a good use of my time if performance is the intent.
So, trying to be a bit more realistic this time round, my main aim for 2018 is:
1. Advanced Training
A long way behind / supporting that etc:
2. Get down and stay down below 64kgs. I can't take my climbing aspirations seriously when I am heavier than this. FWIW this gives a BMI of 22.1 - it isn't exactly "skinny".
3. Achieve the "simple" kettlebell standard. Basically, 100 swings and 10 Turkish Get Ups for time.
4. 100 fingerboard sessions / achieve a bodyweight 1 hand 20mm hang / 2 hand +50kg 14mm hang.
5. Sub-20 graves parkrun (current pb 22:20). I will achieve that by doing lots of easy runs.
6. Put my phone away and go to bed earlier and be a good dad (ok this should be top of my "life" list!)
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- Develop a new route
- 8a+, 7c os, E6, 7c+ dws
- Swear less
- Maintain positive life trajectory
- Stay in touch with family more
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- Swear less
I've never noticed that you swear much at all!
Do you have an 8a+ in mind?
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8a or 8a+ rp in Spain in March. ≥7c onsight.
Do a ≥ font 7b on anything other than grit or font sandstone
Get back on some Yorkshire projects
Fit in several decent trad trips in the summer
Ride my bike more
Read more.
Finish a Guardian crossword
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-The Oak
-Get a corporate sponsor for the GB teams
-Learn to dance with Sonia
-Boulder with the boys lots
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-The Oak
Forgive me if this has already been discussed in Power Club. Have you looked at Jerry's Mastermind book? I've heard it suggested (and I'm sure you don't agree) that you have in the past had a few goes at the Oak where it could have happened but you shook yourself off the final moves through a lack of belief/over-arousal. The book could be a good investment.
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I find it strange it's not more generally known despite being recognised as one of the four big ridge adventures in the Alps.
I've heard of this route but never heard of the big four ridges, I presume the Peutrey Integral is one of them, what are the other two?
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1. Make a good dent in Stud marks republishing.
2. Finish whisky research report.
3. Ongoing rigourous approach to conditioning to alleviate back and knee problems.
4. Steady improvements in fell races once back on track.
5. Four track EP released.
Keeping it semi-vague this year and dealing with body niggles the main aim. Best of luck to all of you in your quests.
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- Swear less
I've never noticed that you swear much at all!
Do you have an 8a+ in mind?
I don’t think I swear excessively but want to reduce it all the same.
Re: 8a+, not sure to be honest as we don’t know where we’ll be. Ideally something at Ceuse (face de rat?) or priez pour nous at Gorge Du Tarn but these might be fanciful. If Spain then something like flix flax or Ramadan.
Know any good ones at St Leger?
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I want to swear more, can I have your leftover swear words please??
I also want to be more contemptuous of stupid pure numerical goals and even less tolerable of bullshit headpointing decades old trade routes. Maybe that is my secret #10 or maybe it is just a way of life who knows.
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- Swear less
I've never noticed that you swear much at all!
Do you have an 8a+ in mind?
I don’t think I swear excessively but want to reduce it all the same.
Re: 8a+, not sure to be honest as we don’t know where we’ll be. Ideally something at Ceuse (face de rat?) or priez pour nous at Gorge Du Tarn but these might be fanciful. If Spain then something like flix flax or Ramadan.
Know any good ones at St Leger?
Al Andalouse should be 8a+, and is amazing. Other than that no personal experience, don't think I did much above 7c+ there. I've tried Ramadan before, and may try it in March if we end up there. Otherwise I plan to try L'adrecador at bruixes but flix flax might be a good option. Do you have any knowledge?
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2018:
- Kilnsey roof project
- If impractical (weather is a possible limiting factor): Net reduction in number of bolted, but uncompleted projects
- Get married
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- Swear less
I've never noticed that you swear much at all!
Do you have an 8a+ in mind?
I don’t think I swear excessively but want to reduce it all the same.
Re: 8a+, not sure to be honest as we don’t know where we’ll be. Ideally something at Ceuse (face de rat?) or priez pour nous at Gorge Du Tarn but these might be fanciful. If Spain then something like flix flax or Ramadan.
Know any good ones at St Leger?
Al Andalouse should be 8a+, and is amazing. Other than that no personal experience, don't think I did much above 7c+ there. I've tried Ramadan before, and may try it in March if we end up there. Otherwise I plan to try L'adrecador at bruixes but flix flax might be a good option. Do you have any knowledge?
Yep Al Andalouse does look class, I also like the sound of insitu beer.
I watched Mia on Flix Flax a few years ago and it looked nice and crimpy. On ukc Mason described it as a hard crux into 7c/+ as does the main description.
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Boulder 7c+, specifically Butternut squash at Woodwell
Finish off a few projects from 2017 that my finger injury stopped me completing
Stay injury free
Keep training consistently throughout the year
Get a new car
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Don't get broken just as the season is kicking off.
Finish off some routes that are dragging on as WIPs. e.g. Aberration, Toys, Prow, Sissy, Raindogs.
Actually get to the Cornice and try Powerplant, something I've failed to manage for 2 seasons now
Do more trad.
Keep reminding myself that it's something we do for fun
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Spend my 60th birthday weekend bouldering at Targassonne, Orlu and Laramade and skiing at Mijanes, followed by a vegan hog roast at our new house in the Pyrenees.
Buy a beige cardigan.
Become even less tolerant.
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Buy some nipple-high trousers.
Drive at walking speed.
Get up several times during the night for a piss.
Smell of wee.
Say anything I want and get away with it.
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1. Climb 8A+
2. Bodyweight hang the bottom middle rung of the BM2K
3. Climb at different venues more
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Buy some nipple-high trousers.
Drive at walking speed.
Get up several times during the night for a piss.
Smell of wee.
Say anything I want and get away with it.
You can tick off the last one of those all ready marra!
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Always hard to follow tc (I’m quite sure you were getting away with it 40 years ago) but here goes...
Climbing
Classic Pembroke E5 : Ships That Pass in the Night, Darkness at Noon.
Damai Sentosa (http://www.headlampsclusterfucksandotherverticaladventures.com/2014/07/the-dragons-horns-on-tioman-island-malaysia-part6-trip-report-damai-sentosa-280m-6c/) on Dragon’s Horns, Tioman Island (a candidate for an updated Parois de légende?). First reserve: one of the long routes at Bukit Takun.
7b+: The Jimi Hendrix Experience? Bird of Paradise/Paradise Lost? Both in the right places and have emotional resonance, other suggestions welcome!
Trip to Gogarth, Fairhead, or Lundy.
Climb a route outdoors with the lad.
Means to the ends
Make redpointing the bolt clipping default.
80% BW on 20mm edge.
6 pull-ups.
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Climbing
Classic Pembroke E5 : Ships That Pass in the Night, Darkness at Noon.
We'll have to reschedule last year's ill-fated trip!
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Bird of Paradise/Paradise Lost
If you head to Cheddar for this please let me know, would definitely break my bouldering-only rule for one of these!
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7b+: The Jimi Hendrix Experience?
We'll have to revisit last year's too-short trip!
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Yes to all three of you!
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Aims!
1. Get out on UK rock more than 12 sessions per year (an embarrassing realisation of last years efforts)
2. Get on some 8A/+ in the hills and start trying hard again
3. Go make the effort to walk into and tick off some newish Welsh classics: Zeno & Manou, to name but two.
4. Keep doing my physio exercises at least 1-2 times per week to keep back and shoulders healthy.
5. Shoot a sub 80 round at Llandudno.
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3. Go make the effort to walk into and tick off some newish Welsh classics: Zeno & Manou, to name but two
Keen for Zeno.
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7b+: The Jimi Hendrix Experience? Bird of Paradise/Paradise Lost? Both in the right places and have emotional resonance, other suggestions welcome!
Emotional resonance makes it tricky; the only thing I could really suggest which might have that is maybe Pink Ginsane (“like a 7b+ with half the bolts removed”, don’t they say?). Otherwise usual list of 7b+ classics, although one I’d throw in which may not appear on many lists is Mercurian Sump Dweller, partly because very few people seem to do it so don’t know the top head wall is really good. Or something on Spacehunter if you can work out which are really 7b+.
I’d be happy to team up for any or all of those if you need partners, all on the list or have been at some point.
I don’t really know what my 2018 holds. But ideas:
- generic don’t fuck up parenthood thing
- Font at Easter gives structure to the winter, which is a 7B pyramid with at least one 7 in Font.
- keep making long term progress - strength gains etc
- good dws season - classics but especially like to commit properly to Gates of Greyskull
- good autumn trip, preferably roped and potentially long haul before transporting the child becomes more expensive (Red? Smith?)
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3. Go make the effort to walk into and tick off some newish Welsh classics: Zeno & Manou, to name but two
Keen for Zeno.
Send me a message (still on the old number) as I have a newish phone and lost all of my contacts. Got a few days off this month that would work if you can get off child care for a few hours :thumbsup:
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3. Go make the effort to walk into and tick off some newish Welsh classics: Zeno & Manou, to name but two
Keen for Zeno.
Send me a message (still on the old number) as I have a newish phone and lost all of my contacts. Got a few days off this month that would work if you can get off child care for a few hours :thumbsup:
I was thinking more in Spring. Think it’s hideous up there this time of year.
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I might be allowed out by then too ;)
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I didn't post one of these last yearfor some reason.
Climbing wise there's only one sensible goal:
- Onsight big E5s consistently
With this in mind I think my goals should really be a routes wishlist:
The Axe / Positron / Right Wall / Headhunter / Barbarella / Darkinbad / Eroica / Get Some In / Circus Circus / The Jackal / Dog Eat Dog / Pacemaker / Warpath / Supersonic
If I get half of them done I'll be happy! I've got sport routes I'd like to do too, but I always see them as a gauge of fitness really. Have a trip to Taghia booked in, so getting one of the big 7b+s there done would be cool.
Life goals: Be making a sustainable income from writing and publishing, and build the contacts. Not aiming for full time, but 50% of my income would be good.
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I didn't post one of these last yearfor some reason.
Climbing wise there's only one sensible goal:
- Onsight big E5s consistently
With this in mind I think my goals should really be a routes wishlist:
The Axe / Positron / Right Wall / Headhunter / Barbarella / Darkinbad / Eroica / Get Some In / Circus Circus / The Jackal / Dog Eat Dog / Pacemaker / Warpath / Supersonic
If I get half of them done I'll be happy! I've got sport routes I'd like to do too, but I always see them as a gauge of fitness really. Have a trip to Taghia booked in, so getting one of the big 7b+s there done would be cool.
Good list Wil! I’ve done most or all of those so if you want to partner up I’d happily second you on them!
Also if you want any info on the taghia 7b+s I did a few so can probably give you some vague knowledge (can’t give detailed beta in many cases though)
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Better state my aims for the year too...
Off down under at the end of the month And have three main things I want to do.in order of difficulty;
Totem Pole - pretty doable.
Archimedes Principle - might not onsight it but shouldn’t be too stressful to redpoint?
Serpentine - at my limit but hopefully with enough time I hopefully have a chance
U.K. aims
E6 - ideally onsight but ground up would be acceptable - lord/cad/suicide blonde being obvious contenders.
UK 8a? Big chat with this one as I’ll obviously get distracted by trad climbing. Defcon 3 and Zoolook are the two I like the look of. Really want to do Cave left also
Boulder 7A+/B more consistently. This winter has been a total shambles bouldering wise so it would be good to improve this discipline again. Problems on the hitlist include - art of white hat wearing, Ulysses or bust, spare rib, scary canary, chip shop brawl
Think a trip to Font in October instead of a route climbing trip would help this as would trying to sustain a fingerboard program. Onde de choc and rubis sur l’ongle being 2things I’d like to do out there. Hopefully can ride out one weak winter. 2 years of being weak might be bad for my climbing...?
Good luck everybody - hope you all have a great year!
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In no particular order:
Start year with decent regime, get down to a vaguely slimline 80something kg. Cut out / down booze consumption. Sort out diet and stop fetishising insanely large chunks of meat.
And then:
1 arm pull-up
1-4-7
Climbing:
Try to get outside throughout the year rather than training for distant holidays.
Abandon (for the time being) alpine rock aspirations and nice idea but tricky in execution type adventures, and concentrate on a nice and simple variety of routes along the lines of:
Boulder - some decent ticks in the 7A to 7B+ range
Sport - 7a - 7b+ then reboot Project 8a
Trad - E3 would be nice, E5 would be excellent. I’d be very happy to tick Ocean Boulevard at Swanage and Kafoozalem at Bosigran.
Trad and sport on the south coast, and further afield if possible. Family trip to Font, and something else Euro in the summer.
Non-climbing:
Contribute more to family life by finishing various work in progress rooms, starting with the (nearly three-year-old) kitchen project
Write a book for people other than children
Read more fiction / read more female authors
Discover a new species
Buy a motorbike
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Do more trad.
Keep reminding myself that it's something we do for fun
Amen to that. I'm keen to do more trad as well. Especially in Wales/ Lakes/ Cornwall / Scotland...
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1. Get fitter.
2. V9s
3. More DWS.
4. More FAs.
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Discover a new species
Interesting?
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1) fit some sort of effective training to my weird life.
2) as I now seem to be almost exclusively a boulderer, boulder in company.
3) finish my efforts at the Marchlyn boulder, so I can pass it onto the next generation
4) maybe, just maybe get it together enough to do my Clegir boulder project ( the sport will undoubtedly have to wait).
More details here: http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/brewing-next-years-psyche-2017.html?m=0 (http://hoseyb.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/brewing-next-years-psyche-2017.html?m=0)
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Fully psyched for this year!
1) Little Orme Project
2) Boulder 7B
3) Moonboard 7A+
4) Get noticeably stronger
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Always inspired by this thread, don't think I've ever achieved all my aims for a year though!
Last year pretty woeful for me, started strong, then tweaked pulleys on both hands and ended up having only 11 days climbing outside.
So this year...
All things being well I'm (well my wife is) having our first child within the next couple of weeks. So that will change things. But lots of dads on here gives me hope that with organisation and efficiency I can still climb OK.
Goals:
Foundation/process goals:
(A) Visit physio to fix issues, shoulders, knee, tension headaches. Do physio at least every other day. AIM: No more shoulder, back and knee pain, no more tension headaches.
(B) Buy Crusher fingerboard mount to fit my weird doorframes and delicate plaster. Fingerboard at least once a week. AIM: Improve 1 arm hang mid rung to Bodyweight -7kg compared to -18kg at last try.
(C) Climb outside at least 12 times this year. A Font trip in Spring would be ideal.
(D) Stop training the middle at the climbing wall. Focus on either lots of easy volume or short hard bouldering sessions. Particularly get involved with the board.
Performance goals:
(1) Boulder Fb7A+. Hot Ride and Lightning Strike at the Cuttings both seem realistic. Would also like to boulder Fb7A on Grit.
(2) Would be great if I could do another F7c. Focus on 2 routes at the Cuttings, Infernal Din (have had about 20 goes on this so know the beta, given 7b+ but stern and hold breakage mean consensus is higher now) and Hall of Mirrors.
(3) Build out experience at 7b+. Would love to do all but will settle for any of House Burning Down (Cheddar), Zinc Oxide Mountain (Battleship), any of the 7b+s at Brean Down.
We'll see. Suspect after we have a kid my goals may all change and be focused on sleep and keeping aforementioned child alive.
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Last year pretty woeful for me, started strong, then tweaked pulleys on both hands and ended up having only 11 days climbing outside.
All things being well I'm (well my wife is) having our first child within the next couple of weeks. So that will change things. But lots of dads on here gives me hope that with organisation and efficiency I can still climb OK.
Suspect after we have a kid my goals may all change and be focused on sleep and keeping aforementioned child alive.
[dadvice]
Good luck RS - you've fallen foul of the same thing I did and had a child with a birthday in peak climbing / bouldering season. Expect to spend many a birthday party (especially if you're in an NCT group with lots of other kids with birthdays around same time) in a soft play centre, staring out of the window at primo connies.
Only advice I could give is don't try to rush it carrying on with / keeping climbing once bambino arrives - in my experience you'll only get frustrated. Put the grades and the aspirations to one side for a bit, enjoy climbing for climbing's sakes if and when you get out.
Get your family shizz right, and once it's all settled down you can refocus. And don't underestimate the impact of sleep deprivation on you directly / you as a result of strife from your other half as a result of her being sleep deprived.
Having an outdoors-y / climber partner will exponentially increase your chances of being able to maximise your opportunities to climbb / get out / train, as will having a home board / other at-home training facility.
[/dadvice]
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In fact, while I'm here...bit of a rollover from last year (and probably the one before):
STG: fix knacked shoulder (current assumption / diagnosis is rotator cuff tear)
LTG: a new Font 7anything, anywhere
I'd also like to revisit a previous goal and get round to doing Long John's Slab, which is a long time ambition from when I started climbing - my first ever trip out (c.1996) was to Froggatt and remember seeing someone cruise it solo and thought "I'd like to be able to do that one day".
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Thanks TTT good Dadvice, I am certainly going to play it by ear re: goals and getting out etc. My missus is a (fairly understanding) non-climber. To be honest if I can fix my various injury issues this year and get out climbing a bit that will be a good one.
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I'd also like to revisit a previous goal and get round to doing Long John's Slab, which is a long time ambition from when I started climbing - my first ever trip out (c.1996) was to Froggatt and remember seeing someone cruise it solo and thought "I'd like to be able to do that one day".
I’d like to do this too of you need someone to go with. The heather bush high up has got pretty big so I’m planning to cut it back once I have more time on my hands.
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Righto here goes... Been a couple of years now since doing any sort of structured aims...
Climbing (all Lancs)
1. 7B
2. 10 problems 7A-7A+
3. Something new, preferably highball /good line
4. Some trad of any type...
5.at least 1 decent font trip
Non climbing
1. Shave 20 mins off last years Windermere sprint swim-run
2. Half marathon trail in under 1h 50
2a. Some sort of film project
3. All year no booze
4.5k in 21min, 10k in 45
5. Travel less for work...
6. Meditation, more time with family, slow down, etc.........
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1. Deal with work stress better
2. Find the perfect balance between fishing, climbing, running and family (yeah right)
3. Meet Fiend (maybe on the Lleyn?)
4. Get the wife to boulder Font 6b
5. Find wedding ring :)
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I'd also like to revisit a previous goal and get round to doing Long John's Slab, which is a long time ambition from when I started climbing - my first ever trip out (c.1996) was to Froggatt and remember seeing someone cruise it solo and thought "I'd like to be able to do that one day".
I’d like to do this too of you need someone to go with. The heather bush high up has got pretty big so I’m planning to cut it back once I have more time on my hands.
Nice one Mike - once I've dealt with the below I'll be keen. Have stood on that shelf many a time trying to summon up the balls / reach to go for it.
I did once pull myself together, and as I was just about to commit, my mate said something along the lines of "jesus, that landing is terrible - you'd really hurt yourself if you fell of that". I gave up at that point - bubble burst.
STG: fix knacked shoulder (current assumption / diagnosis is rotator cuff tear)
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Took me several hours over a few visits to commit to that move. Probably about 1996? Desperate for the shorter and more discerning gentleman.
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It's a few weeks since I last did Long John's but I don't remember the heather bush being any bigger than normal or in need of trimming. In Autumn it does dribble chaff on the crimps but you can blow it off easily enough. It eases rapidly after the first couple of moves. I'm sure there would be pro for the trav if you wanted it.
You can pad the landing to some extent but you'd still need to land well. I was once soloing it behind Leo and Ben when Leo (who was going first, of course) fell off and took Ben out. I just had time to jump clear. But we were all fine.
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You can pad the landing to some extent but you'd still need to land well. I was once soloing it behind Leo and Ben when Leo (who was going first, of course) fell off and took Ben out. I just had time to jump clear. But we were all fine.
I love the glaring contrast between your working life running a business teaching work-at-height safety, and what you do for recreation!
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You can pad the landing to some extent but you'd still need to land well.
As I've resisted any offers of seconding it in the interests of claiming a degree of ethical integrity I think I really want to do it sans pads for the "proper" tick . Aware this makes me an idiot though.
The bigger barrier (as is frequent with me) is the reach. I know it eases rapidly but that first move feels ridiculously stretched.
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It's a few weeks since I last did Long John's but I don't remember the heather bush being any bigger than normal or in need of trimming.
That's cool, I just thought it looked massive when I was there the weekend before last but having never done the route I'm not best placed to judge!
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You can pad the landing to some extent but you'd still need to land well.
As I've resisted any offers of seconding it in the interests of claiming a degree of ethical integrity I think I really want to do it sans pads for the "proper" tick . Aware this makes me an idiot though.
The bigger barrier (as is frequent with me) is the reach. I know it eases rapidly but that first move feels ridiculously stretched.
Yeah with lack of reach as you start you step right above the voidddddd*
*2m drop
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There is a nice way of doing it without the massive stretch. It is had to make yourself do it though, rather than just have another tickle of the crimps first.
I love the glaring contrast between your working life running a business teaching work-at-height safety, and what you do for recreation!
;D
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Only advice I could give is don't try to rush it carrying on with / keeping climbing once bambino arrives - in my experience you'll only get frustrated. Put the grades and the aspirations to one side for a bit, enjoy climbing for climbing's sakes if and when you get out.
Get your family shizz right, and once it's all settled down you can refocus. And don't underestimate the impact of sleep deprivation on you directly / you as a result of strife from your other half as a result of her being sleep deprived.
This. A newborn places enough stress on you, your partner and your relationship both physically and mentally that there is nothing wrong with dropping down a gear or two for a while and coming back more psyched and more appreciative of the time when it becomes available. Alternatively shift your focus to something less time consuming to get your endorphin fix - a short run for example or a fingerboard or weights session is easier to fit in than a long wall or crag session. Good luck and enjoy the ride.
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Only advice I could give is don't try to rush it carrying on with / keeping climbing once bambino arrives - in my experience you'll only get frustrated. Put the grades and the aspirations to one side for a bit, enjoy climbing for climbing's sakes if and when you get out.
Get your family shizz right, and once it's all settled down you can refocus. And don't underestimate the impact of sleep deprivation on you directly / you as a result of strife from your other half as a result of her being sleep deprived.
This. A newborn places enough stress on you, your partner and your relationship both physically and mentally that there is nothing wrong with dropping down a gear or two for a while and coming back more psyched and more appreciative of the time when it becomes available. Alternatively shift your focus to something less time consuming to get your endorphin fix - a short run for example or a fingerboard or weights session is easier to fit in than a long wall or crag session. Good luck and enjoy the ride.
Both good pièces of advice ! Having done this 3 times, I'm averaging about 18 months before getting out in any decent quantity... Take the wins when they come but understand it sometimes comes way down the list!
Good luck with everything
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Climbing aims
1. Climb at least 1 boulder from the boulder bucket list.
2. Climb at least 1 trad climb from the trad climb bucket list.
3. Sport climb >= 8b+
4. Try a sport climb >= 8c
5. Climb at a new place/country - maybe Mišja Peč and/or South Africa.
6. Climb a big multipitch somewhere
Non-climbing aims
1. Get more clients for the business + secure some more interesting projects.
2. Move somewhere I can go climbing, running, skiing and mountain biking from the doorstep.
3. Sub 40 minute 10k.
4. Big run in the mountains >= double marathon.
5. Ski tour.
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2. Move somewhere I can go climbing, running, skiing and mountain biking from the doorstep.
Sheffield would qualify lately, you could have skied along the Burbage road at about 5pm yesterday.
My guess is that Chamonix, Ailefroide etc was more what you had in mind?
Some friends live in Antibes, you can't ski from the doorstep, but its a doable day trip, and they do weekends all the time.
I think the best choice might be Boulder CO, but then you have to deal with US immigration / working conditions / healthcare....
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The answer is clearly Fort William. Poor you :sick:
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Only advice I could give is don't try to rush it carrying on with / keeping climbing once bambino arrives - in my experience you'll only get frustrated. Put the grades and the aspirations to one side for a bit, enjoy climbing for climbing's sakes if and when you get out.
Get your family shizz right, and once it's all settled down you can refocus. And don't underestimate the impact of sleep deprivation on you directly / you as a result of strife from your other half as a result of her being sleep deprived.
This. A newborn places enough stress on you, your partner and your relationship both physically and mentally that there is nothing wrong with dropping down a gear or two for a while and coming back more psyched and more appreciative of the time when it becomes available. Alternatively shift your focus to something less time consuming to get your endorphin fix - a short run for example or a fingerboard or weights session is easier to fit in than a long wall or crag session. Good luck and enjoy the ride.
Or work less.... I work 50% and since TT jnr has come along I still manage to get out (or to the wall) 2-3 times a week - and have managed to maintain my performance if not increase...
But, only working 2.5 days (and mrsTT only works 2.5 days) gives us the flexibility to have some time for ourselves (e.g. climbing - for me) and look after and enjoy spending time with the bairn. I completely understand that this is not financially feasible for many ~ just that there is time - but something has to give...
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You can only do two things well. So out of work, family and climbing something has to go. They’re packing their bags in the morning...
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Only advice I could give is don't try to rush it carrying on with / keeping climbing once bambino arrives - in my experience you'll only get frustrated. Put the grades and the aspirations to one side for a bit, enjoy climbing for climbing's sakes if and when you get out.
Get your family shizz right, and once it's all settled down you can refocus. And don't underestimate the impact of sleep deprivation on you directly / you as a result of strife from your other half as a result of her being sleep deprived.
This. A newborn places enough stress on you, your partner and your relationship both physically and mentally that there is nothing wrong with dropping down a gear or two for a while and coming back more psyched and more appreciative of the time when it becomes available. Alternatively shift your focus to something less time consuming to get your endorphin fix - a short run for example or a fingerboard or weights session is easier to fit in than a long wall or crag session. Good luck and enjoy the ride.
Or work less.... I work 50% and since TT jnr has come along I still manage to get out (or to the wall) 2-3 times a week - and have managed to maintain my performance if not increase...
The problem is if you used to be a fanatical climber you could always have more, more, more. I know folk who don’t work anything like full time, have kid/s and are still constantly frustrated. Kids end up going to school. All very restrictive. If you try and hang onto the life you had before kids you’re doomed IMO.
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is Squamish property super expensive? I know Vancouver is meant to have crazy property prices and I guess you could commute from Squamish.
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I had't considered BC for 2 reasons. Firstly I thought it might frustratingly wet and also I didn't know if I could get a visa to work/reside there. I thought I was too old (34) now to qualify easily for a visa. Having said that I have a mate two years younger than me who has got a visa and he has to go over this year to use it or lose it. Also I am getting some interest from BC based civil engineering companies so there might be work options.
A lot of the work i'm involved with is based out of London, Munich and Zurich so the latter two could be good longer term options. I was also considering Innsbruck if I can maintain my remote work and just go to London or wherever every so often.
The final option is renting with a mate who is moving back to Marseilles in which case there will be a lot of the desired options but with a bit of driving. Also I have heard that if you enroll on a French course you can fast track to residency in 2 years with both France and Sweden being the easiest places to obtain residency.
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tahoe is pretty amazing for all of the above as well
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Aberdeen. Plus surfing :)
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Just remembered I lived in Canmore for almost 4 years. Go there, they sort of speak English and you can do everything as long as it's limestone.
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Not done these yet
Climbing aims
- 8A on the blocs again
- 3 routes off the sport bucket list
- E6 in any style
Non climbing aims
- Write more often
- remain gainfully employed post qualification
- do up the house
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- E6 in any style
If you do Great Flake above pads and try and tick this goal you're getting puntered.
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If you do anything in any style other than the style it's actually graded for, you're getting puntered. Obviously.
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General fitness
3. Sort out current elbow nigggles, get weight down under at least 11st 5lb & stay injury free.
Not going well on this so far. Have hardly climbed since Xmas (maybe once a week), doing antag exercises and left elbow still feels crap - pretty sure it’s golfers.
Not climbing means I’ve got no incentive not to drink beer and eat loads, so haven’t shifted the extra Xmas weight either. :wall:
On the plus side I’ve got back into running a bit (purely cos I can’t go climbing) and cardio wise I’m probably the fittest I’ve been for a few years.
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I'm having a similar elbow induced hiatus. Have had a few weeks off climbing, plus doing various eccentric exercises (lowering weights - wrist and bicep reverses, and the stick exercise). Not fixed yet, but elbows do seem to be improving - e.g. this week I haven't woken up with sore elbows, and light weights no longer cause pain. Have you looked into these rehab exercises? They seem to me to work better than hammering the antagonists, or even just having a break.
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Yeah, when I said antags what I actually meant was that I was doing these sort of exercises - reverse wrist curls, those exercises turning your wrist with a small weight on a stick, using those power fingers things etc.
I thought I was on the mend, but went to the wall today and felt as bad as ever.
Pain is from the boney tip of my left elbow, down the outside of my forearm. Holding a kettle full of water with an outstretched arm is a killer.
Anyone got any suggestions? Stop whinging and go to a physio presumably ...
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Outside of elbow is tennis elbow. The golfer's elbow exercises won't help you...
Pain on inside of elbow is golfer's elbow. Or is that what you mean?
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Sorry, drinking and posting. :alky:
I mean tennis elbow and have been doing the relevant exercises from internet self diagnosis, with limited results.
Inside of left elbow isn’t great either though, so have been doing some of the exercises for golfers as well. Is that a bad idea?
( :sorry: for hyjacking the thread.)
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Yeah, you should probably see a physio.
But from what I read on the internet, studies* show the best tendon rehab results come from a combination of eccentric exercises and a 4-6 week break from the offending activity.
*Not climbing-related studies. There are probably none of those.
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studies* show the best tendon rehab results come from ... a 4-6 week break from the offending activity.
I’ve been in denial, but I’m sure this is right. Why is it that it’s when you feel you’re going really well that you get injured?
Anyway, cheers for the advice.
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Injuries are crap. Good luck with it!
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Make or Break has some great advice on climbing related elbow pain and talks about activity modification i.e. Climbing slabs during the rehab phase. Tough for a boulderer or sport climber I know. Contrary to any evidence I also think acupuncture particularly deep needle stimulation is good for recalcitrant elbows probably due to mechanical stimulation of the troubling tissue (speculation) but that's what they do when they 'operate' apart from the plasma injections which sound grim to me. Anyway sensible advice might be progressive eccentric exercises, moderated climbing and seeing a good physio / acupuncturist whi also may offer ultrasound (just to add to the voodoo). Good luck!
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Make or Break has some great advice on climbing related elbow pain
Cheers. Anyone got a 2nd hand copy they want to sell me? (Or want to scan the section on elbow injuries to me?)
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Just to add to this - many/most climbers (who climb 'hard') get this at some point and it'll pass. Arm-aids are
expensive good for massaging out tight forearms, alternatively get a crochet ball for cheaper. Look into the exercise that Tom Randall mentioned on here years ago - lying on you front with arms underneath to stretch out the forearm, pretty good. Whatever exercises/stretches you do should provoke 'some' pain. Worth looking at your shoulder posture and working on stretches/exercises to improve rounded shoulders - as sometimes elbow/forearm pain is referred from nerves in a tight/imbalanced shoulder/neck. As others said, keep climbing just climb different things. If you've a manual job or do lots of diy look to see if it aggravates the elbow.
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I thought Make or Break was actually pretty useless, pretty vague, there is much better information freely available on the internet if you can be bothered to search it out. It sounds like you have tennis elbow - get a thera-bar and do the exercises. There is an excellent article on the back diamond website called hang right, it is worth reading. The challenge with seeing a physio is finding a good one that understands the demands of climbing. Things to consider - is it your elbow injury a downstream reflection of a shoulder issue. Modify your climbing diet - not just the board. Improve your shoulder/thoracic mobility. Eliminate tension in the whole kinetic chain - from your neck to your wrist - get a lacrosse ball and pummel yourself, not directly over the inflamed tendon. There is a definite benefit in having a period of time off if you have active inflammation (this is my own anecdotal evidence) - time frame depends on how bad it is (I took a fortnight off) but return to exercise when you can and at a vastly reduced intensity and keep moving in the interim. hope that helps
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Hey Jim, you know the kinetic chain thing. I.e. Dodgy elbows can be a result of poor shoulder stability, posture and stiff thoracic spine. Could it work the other way round? Like dodgy shoulders are the result of weak fingers. Make or break wasn't dreadful! Hanging is weird I hung straight armed after a bicep injury now back to bent armed with shoulder impingement. Over all I thing better slightly engaged shoulders / elbow.
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Hey Dan!
definitely suggest some muscular engagement on dead hangs
MorB is not dreadful, but its a series of case studies of Dave's own injuries - see tennis elbow there is literally f all in there about it. I was disappointed by it
The elbow is a dumb joint I think upstream and downstream issues are at play
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I remember a physio back in the day getting everyone doing anconeus exercises. I wonder if that worked?
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Forgot to add mine
15 times 7C+ and above. Probably too overambitious, but isn't that the point.
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8a or 8a+ rp in Spain in March. ≥7c onsight.
Do a ≥ font 7b on anything other than grit or font sandstone
Get back on some Yorkshire projects
Fit in several decent trad trips in the summer
Ride my bike more
Read more.
Finish a Guardian crossword
Well underestimated how long it has been since I've been on a climbing trip, onsighting new ground, dealing with burly tufas etc. Had a great time in Spain and massively improved. Tried pretty much all my target routes, one was broken and now very hard and put a load of work into 2 8a+s at bruxes, hopefully it'll pay off when I go back. Most importantly, did quite a few fantastic routes and had a right laugh. Weather was far from ideal, but only missed 1 planned day in a month.
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8a or 8a+ rp in Spain in March. ≥7c onsight.
Do a ≥ font 7b on anything other than grit or font sandstone
Get back on some Yorkshire projects
Fit in several decent trad trips in the summer
Ride my bike more
Read more.
Finish a Guardian crossword
Well underestimated how long it has been since I've been on a climbing trip, onsighting new ground, dealing with burly tufas etc. Had a great time in Spain and massively improved. Tried pretty much all my target routes, one was broken and now very hard and put a load of work into 2 8a+s at bruxes, hopefully it'll pay off when I go back. Most importantly, did quite a few fantastic routes and had a right laugh. Weather was far from ideal, but only missed 1 planned day in a month.
Buxes is so good isn't it! Which 8a+se were you on?
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8a or 8a+ rp in Spain in March. ≥7c onsight.
Do a ≥ font 7b on anything other than grit or font sandstone
Get back on some Yorkshire projects
Fit in several decent trad trips in the summer
Ride my bike more
Read more.
Finish a Guardian crossword
Well underestimated how long it has been since I've been on a climbing trip, onsighting new ground, dealing with burly tufas etc. Had a great time in Spain and massively improved. Tried pretty much all my target routes, one was broken and now very hard and put a load of work into 2 8a+s at bruxes, hopefully it'll pay off when I go back. Most importantly, did quite a few fantastic routes and had a right laugh. Weather was far from ideal, but only missed 1 planned day in a month.
Buxes is so good isn't it! Which 8a+se were you on?
Flix flax and L'adrecador. Also tried Xarop de basto which is pretty much as hard now!
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Xarop is a very top end 7c+ :)
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Yea xarop is probably one of the hardest onsights I've ever managed. Pretty chuffed to get it.
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Marc snapped a fair sized bit of tufa off the crux when we tried it, even more top end now. Good effort Hayden.
Mallorca es funky is also hard imho, but brilliant. Bruxes has a good range of difficulty in each grade: soft touches to sandbags...
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1) Try and sort my head out.
2) Massively reduce my booze intake (which will help point 1)
3) Get out and climb more.
1) is vastly better because 2) has also improved.
3) One session outside this weekend, but I did managed 4 blocs of 7a and above, including a 7a+/b flash, my hardest for ages, which was nice :punk:
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Fantastic Andy.
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1) fit some sort of effective training to my weird life.
2) as I now seem to be almost exclusively a boulderer, boulder in company.
3) finish my efforts at the Marchlyn boulder, so I can pass it onto the next generation
4) maybe, just maybe get it together enough to do my Clegir boulder project
Well I had some company last weekend, and my climbing buddies come back from Europe next week so going steady.
Double session ing once a week with a bit of child wrangle cross training and other physical acts. Pilates helping loads. Flexibility is next focus. Marchlyn will just need a suitable window. As for Clegir, major breakthroughs have occurred and now done almost half the moves.
Happy Bunny
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Hmm. Aims for 2018 - At this point I'd say:
#1 - Local Sport Projects - 2 - Party wall and Byron Glacier. Both in the 8c/+ish range and will take extraordinary effort to get fit and strong enough to make these feasible. Opened the account on Party Wall project - basically a v12/13ish boulder. Done all but one move, so looks possible.
#2 - Find, bolt and send 2-3 more good sport projects in the 8a-b ish range. One new 8b done, now on to the next
#3 - Step up the business. So far so good. Two new multiyear contracts signed, targeting two more by the end of the year.
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Forgot to add mine
15 proper (and independent) 7C+s and above. Probably too overambitious, but isn't that the point.
Effectively half way through the year now.
8 down and so far they've all been corkers ;D
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2018:
- Kilnsey roof project
- If impractical (weather is a possible limiting factor): Net reduction in number of bolted, but uncompleted projects
- Get married
BOOM!
https://www.climber.co.uk/news/latest-news/ally-smith-completes-major-kilnsey-project.html
Other objectives also looking good too
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Blimey, halfway already.
keep 2018 fairly low on big life changing events and keep focused on climbing.
Tick so far
1. Get an overseas trip booked.
Nowt booked so far but should get to Font in October. Have been to Scotland and the Lakes for a few days each and have a week in Devon booked in August. Fingers crossed for non-sweltering connies.
2. Climb 7C on the Leeds Depot 50' board.
Not even close!
3. More of a life goal than just 2018, but I'd love to complete the This is Yorkshire tick list.
No more so far. Spent the remainder of the 2017/18 grit season ticking off a couple of significant scalps at Caley and Almscliff though so can't complain. Can't wait for grit season.
4. Finish off some of the high 7s on grit that aren't my normal style. Things like Lager3, Ben's Groove Sit and Underworld are high on the list here.
Another two sessions on Lager3 to no avail. Did at least get the consolation ticks of The Flakes and Underpants though, which both eluded me last year.
5. Climb 8A on UK lime and in Wales.
Managed a couple more on Yorkshire Grit and lime is very much work in progress/getting closer. Still not been to Wales though!
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1. Move away from Scotland ASAP as it's a fucking rubbish place to be as a climber long term (again). - WIP
2. Climb the Clatteringshaws Loch dam with an RC car before I go. - Planned
3. Buy more death metal vests (got Napalm Death and Cattle Decapitation so far, Behemoth on order). - Meagre success. Got a Belpehgor one too, deadlifted 170kg in it.
4. Climb more routes in the Lleyn definitive guide (again). - On hold due to health.
5. Tick off some more folks from UKB and FB (tomtom and fatneck amongst others) - On hold due to health.
6. Be even more fussy about climbing conditions. - On hold due to health.
7. Keep using anti-hydral (still). - Meagre success, skin is okay.
8. Spend the first 3 months of the year climbing on gritstone (again). - Cancelled due to health.
9. Climb more funky routes South Lakes, North Wales, South West. - On hold due to health.
10. TBA (again)
Complete pile of shit so far. Main goals are very reluctantly revised to:
Heal gut.
Stay relatively sane whilst gut is healing.
Stay active / keep hand in climbing-wise whilst coping with above.
Be able to eat pizza / croissants / beer by end of year.
Move.
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BOOM!
https://www.climber.co.uk/news/latest-news/ally-smith-completes-major-kilnsey-project.html
Other objectives also looking good too
Good work btw :strongbench: :strongbench:
Was the successful attempt around 1:00 pm on Saturday? I should have paid more attention to how you were getting on :)
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Half-term report:
Don't get broken just as the season is kicking off.
It's taking a lot of maintenance but keeping on top of it
Finish off some routes that are dragging on as WIPs. e.g. Aberration, Toys, Prow, Sissy, Raindogs.
Not been anywhere near any of them but it's a Cornice summer so that's ok
Actually get to the Cornice and try Powerplant
Not only try but do :dance1:
Do more trad.
Think I'm on the same number of days out as last year so far but as I've addressed some of the goal routes so it's been a success. I'll leave it amber though, despite the main aim being completed there are still a number of things to go at and I dont want to slip back into being a grade chasing sport whore.
Keep reminding myself that it's something we do for fun
Climbing regularly with some nice folk this year, great scenes every session at the Cornice so it's been a lot of fun. Amber still, see above re grade chasing....
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1) Try and sort my head out. A work in progress
2) Massively reduce my booze intake (which will help point 1)1 beer in 4 weeks [
3) Get out and climb more.
Been out lots more, nothing major done yet, but big improvements
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Mega-uber-psyche life-affirming goal tickage HYPE....
2. Climb the Clatteringshaws Loch dam with an RC car before I go. - TICKED
....NOT >:(. But it was fun:
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rMCDuKkN3xY/Wz4imvnZzGI/AAAAAAAACXM/nxNB9vOFJDYpiUCuOk1kuTg-7Xsk24gbACLcBGAs/s1600/damson.jpg)
On the plus side I did a nice little route at Gillercombe the other evening which was sort of making use of the droughtwave.
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Half time.
- Develop a new route
= nope, need to get the kayak out to salvage this one.
- 8a+, 7c os, E6, 7c+ dws
= nope, 7b+ onsights and 7c flash but the 7c os attempts felt a long way off. 8a+ probably too much for me this year. Never mind E6, the E1 I did a few weeks ago felt heroic enough. Still hold hope on the dws tick with Soft Cell and/or Journey to Eternia
- Swear less
= I’d like to think so.
- Maintain positive life trajectory
= Yes, good stuff here.
- Stay in touch with family more
= Hi Mum.
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Bouldering goals
Boulder 7B+ - more specifically Liquid Sunshine. DONE
Put some serious effort into some blocy Portland 7Bs. Climb more at the Bill. Force Majuere at bill, probably only 7A+ though. Didn’t really try any of the other short 7Bs. Something to return to soon.
At least try to pull onto something around 7C, Ope in Hell/Riders on the Storm, to see how far off I am. Pulled some moves on Riders on the Storm. Hopefully put in some serious effort next year.
Go to font at least once. Tick something off my font wish list 7A+ or harder. Went to font. Terrible conditions. Bunch of 7As but nothing from the project list.
Sport goals
Climb 8a. I've been saying I want to do this before I'm 30 (December 2018) for a while without much progress.
Aim to complete Fighting Torque by May. Didn’t do, but realised how much it is down to lack of trying, which I guess should have been obvious. Early part of the year I was out of shape due to exams. Did some focused training in September/October and then 5 sessions on Fighting Torque in November/December including one to figure out moves again (and then again after I pulled off crux hold). Can now do all the moves easily from the rope, and came off failing to stick last hard move on redpoint. It’s close! Will go next year.
Lifestyle
To make the above more than just a pipe dream:
1. Return to strict nutrition plan post Christmas. On and off but on when I needed to be for results. Very easy to cut booze when revising, becoming more what I want to do rather than have to.
2. Mindset. Read Jerry's book. Start climbing positively; no more self fulfilling prophecy! I’m better at this, but long way to go.
3. Sleep hygiene. Needs more work
Training
1. Increased session number with reduced volume per session. Towards end of year sessions were focused on what I needed for goals and made demonstrable progress. Psyched for next year.
2. Finger board Again, focused supplementary sessions more recently. Making progress.
Other stuff:
Get married! Couldn’t have gone better really!
Sit RCOA exams. Hard to believe but passed both parts first time. Very weak and out of shape after first bit. After second felt stronger than ever, so can find that balance after all!
Here is my year update.
Over the year I distilled the waffle above down to:
1. 8a
2. 7B+
3. Pass exams
4. Get married
(In no particular order.)
3 out of 4 isn’t too bad!
I’m really close to 8a now, but more importantly I’m really enjoying the route and redpoint process. No more climbing til new year for me, so it will have to wait, but it’s going to happen next year for sure!
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8a or 8a+ rp in Spain in March. ≥7c onsight.
Do a ≥ font 7b on anything other than grit or font sandstone
Get back on some Yorkshire projects
Fit in several decent trad trips in the summer
Ride my bike more
Read more.
Finish a Guardian crossword
Haha I just thought to check this thread as well. Pretty much failure on every count... Although I did onsight 7c in France in October, and onsight a lot of 7b+. Managed 7c+ in the UK. Probably rode my bike less, but ran a lot. Finished a few good books. No trad whatsoever. One session on the groove in April and not been to Malham since. Gone off the guardian crossword, I prefer the Times one at the moment. Still a couple of weeks left though...
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[Removed]
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In fact, while I'm here...bit of a rollover from last year (and probably the one before):
STG: fix knacked shoulder (current assumption / diagnosis is rotator cuff tear)
LTG: a new Font 7anything, anywhere
I'd also like to revisit a previous goal and get round to doing Long John's Slab, which is a long time ambition from when I started climbing - my first ever trip out (c.1996) was to Froggatt and remember seeing someone cruise it solo and thought "I'd like to be able to do that one day".
Well bloody hell.
Turn out my STG wasn't that short - took a good 6 months to get back to climbing and moving normally again, but I think I'm out of the rehab phase and back into light training / conditioning now.
Pulled my LTG out of the bag by doing Phil's Wall at Shipley which was a total surprise. TBH the biggest limiting factor on this goal has been opportunity rather than enthusiasm. I did well with some post-physio evening sessions in the Peak over summer, but pretty sure I've managed < 10 outdoor sessions this year.
Long John's still remains an ambition. That said I've got some time off over Xmas so there's an outside chance I could pop down and do it.
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Finish a Guardian crossword
Gone off the guardian crossword, I prefer the Times one at the moment. Still a couple of weeks left though...
I've managed a lifetime best this year of (I think) 4 or 5, including one of the annoying alphabetical "fit the answers into the grid" ones.
If you want to do a Guardian one, I personally find Paul's the easiest, but also with some of the rude / smuttiest clues too, maybe I'm just on the right wavelength!
My personal method is to get the paper on a Saturday early doors, have a quick pass while feeding the kids etc which normally garners a few answers, but then leave it on the kitchen side to ponder throughout the day, which tends to result in chipping a few more off. I then have a concerted effort after the kids have gone down (and once I've opened a beer usually).
I've been trying for completion by midnight on a Saturday but that's a rarity - normally it takes me the rest of the week to mop up the remaining answers.
I'm lucky that an ex-colleague is a cryptic crossword don so we normally have a good WhatsApp post mortem midweek where he is good at coaching / hinting me towards the answers but without just telling me!
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Still a couple of weeks left though...
:agree: All still to play for!
Long John's still remains an ambition. That said I've got some time off over Xmas so there's an outside chance I could pop down and do it.
Get in touch if you do Tom. Probably not a good idea for me to try it but I'd be psyched to meet up and photograph you on it. :thumbsup:
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1. Move away from Scotland ASAP as it's a fucking rubbish place to be as a climber long term (again). - WIP
2. Climb the Clatteringshaws Loch dam with an RC car before I go. - Planned
3. Buy more death metal vests (got Napalm Death and Cattle Decapitation so far, Behemoth on order). - Meagre success. Got a Belpehgor one too, deadlifted 170kg in it.
4. Climb more routes in the Lleyn definitive guide (again). - On hold due to health.
5. Tick off some more folks from UKB and FB (tomtom and fatneck amongst others) - On hold due to health.
6. Be even more fussy about climbing conditions. - On hold due to health.
7. Keep using anti-hydral (still). - Meagre success, skin is okay.
8. Spend the first 3 months of the year climbing on gritstone (again). - Cancelled due to health.
9. Climb more funky routes South Lakes, North Wales, South West. - On hold due to health.
10. TBA (again)
Complete pile of shit so far. Main goals are very reluctantly revised to:
Heal gut. - maybe halfway there overall
Stay relatively sane whilst gut is healing. - yes thanks to drugs
Stay active / keep hand in climbing-wise whilst coping with above. - finally got there in the end and had a good autumn thank fuck.
Be able to eat pizza / croissants / beer by end of year. - rofl not a fucking hope
Move. - still stupidly cunting slow WIP but there is some progress
Whatever.
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Finish a Guardian crossword
Gone off the guardian crossword, I prefer the Times one at the moment. Still a couple of weeks left though...
I've managed a lifetime best this year of (I think) 4 or 5, including one of the annoying alphabetical "fit the answers into the grid" ones.
If you want to do a Guardian one, I personally find Paul's the easiest, but also with some of the rude / smuttiest clues too, maybe I'm just on the right wavelength!
My personal method is to get the paper on a Saturday early doors, have a quick pass while feeding the kids etc which normally garners a few answers, but then leave it on the kitchen side to ponder throughout the day, which tends to result in chipping a few more off. I then have a concerted effort after the kids have gone down (and once I've opened a beer usually).
I've been trying for completion by midnight on a Saturday but that's a rarity - normally it takes me the rest of the week to mop up the remaining answers.
I'm lucky that an ex-colleague is a cryptic crossword don so we normally have a good WhatsApp post mortem midweek where he is good at coaching / hinting me towards the answers but without just telling me!
My weekly diet consists of the Everyman, the Guardian quiptic, and the Monday Guardian - so basically those which are generally considered the easiest. I've been fairly consistently completing the Everyman, though it sometimes takes most of the week, sometimes it's done by Sunday lunchtime. The quiptic normally goes without too much trouble and the Monday one depends on the setter.
Paul is good. His clues make sense and he normally throws some giveaways in there to get you started. I wouldn't expect to finish one though.
There is a crossword thread buried on here somewhere. Perhaps the enthusiasts should resurrect it?
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I try the Guardian cryptic most days (depending on if I am on site visits) and find it a pretty variable beast. I normally finish it or get pretty close but some days it's a complete non-starter, as certain setters have very different attitudes to "fairness", which can be frustrating. A pet hate is having almost every clue linked to a single huge "master" clue that often relies on culturally specific knowledge (a poetry quote, famous epigram, or an opera reference). For me the Times crossword is more of a steady average - perhaps lacks the flair and humour of the best Guardian puzzles but is firm and generally fairer.
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1) Try and sort my head out.
2) Massively reduce my booze intake (which will help point 1)
3) Get out and climb more.
1) Success in many areas. New job, reduced meds, much happier
2) Mostly successful, but still a work in progress.
3) color=green]Big success. First 8a route for 4 years, lots of new crags visited, a good few new 7b+'s done. Not bouldered much but still managed to flash 7A+ and get other 7a/+ done very quickly when out. Not really tried anything hard, so that's an aim for next year.[[/color]
Big shout to Toby for being a real support (with honourable mentions to Ian P, Tim B and the Lancs crowd for always being there when needed. And when not)
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Nice one Andy. :)
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1) Try and sort my head out.
2) Massively reduce my booze intake (which will help point 1)
3) Get out and climb more.
1) Success in many areas. New job, reduced meds, much happier
2) Mostly successful, but still a work in progress.
3) color=green]Big success. First 8a route for 4 years, lots of new crags visited, a good few new 7b+'s done. Not bouldered much but still managed to flash 7A+ and get other 7a/+ done very quickly when out. Not really tried anything hard, so that's an aim for next year.[[/color]
Big shout to Toby for being a real support (with honourable mentions to Ian P, Tim B and the Lancs crowd for always being there when needed. And when not)
A good year for you Andy, well done. Always a pleasure to share belays / heckles with you! I'd be surprised if Liverpool's recent performance hadn't affected your booze intake somewhat... Although maybe you don't need any at all to feel good if you're beating ManU!
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Glorious failure for me this year; I did at least try to get them all done!
1. Get an overseas trip booked.
2. Climb 7C on the Leeds Depot 50' board.
3. This is Yorkshire tick list. get another two or three of the harder ones done in 2018.
4. high 7s on grit that aren't my normal style. Lager3, Ben's Groove Sit and Underworld
5. Climb 8A on UK lime and in Wales.
1. Done, albeit not in 2018 - two trips booked for 2019. Enjoyed visits to Scotland and Cornwall this year at least; as keen to return to both as I am to go abroad.
2. nope. Although I have now done most of the moves on one of them, so there's hope!
3. nope. Two sessions on Sole Fusion and got pretty close. Three sessions on Zoo York in Jan/Feb before walking away knowing I wasn't good enough yet. Otherwise, apart from a very brief go on Pixie Tits and pulling onto Ben's Sit once or twice whilst trying other things, I didn't try any others.
4. yeah, going to give myself a tick for this one. Another three sessions on Lager to no avail, however I did manage Razor quickly which was very satisfying, plus did a few other anti-style things like Baby Spice, Stu's LH, DWR LH, The Flakes, Underpants, Ebola, all the stand start classics on the Bowderstone ladder face, etc. All of which I would have previously categorised as being outside of my skill set.
5. nope. Put a lot of time into Iron Man at Trowbarrow, getting really close in the spring just before it got stupid hot. Back on it once in Autumn and hadn't gone backwards but still no tick. A solitary session on central Peak lime mid-heatwave was deeply unpleasant and I didn't return. Still haven't even climbed in Wales.
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Still haven't even climbed in Wales.[/color]
Thats shocking! Have you bought the big guide? Buying that and flicking through it would have to be psych inducing.
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2018:
- Kilnsey roof project
- If impractical (weather is a possible limiting factor): Net reduction in number of bolted, but uncompleted projects
- Get married
I've had a stonker of a year - I never thought I would have my most successful climbing year in the same year as moving house twice and getting married!?!
- Kilnsey roof project - did the deed thanks to the extended summer season - as reported elsewhere "The Pirate" 8c- ish :) :) :)
- Net reduction in number of bolted projects - another success, but only just - bolted 2, climbed 3 (The Pirate, 8c, Kilnsey; Bullheart, 8b/+, Cheedale; El Regalo del Diablo, 8b, Devil's Gorge)
- We had an amazing wedding day 2 weekends ago :wub: :wub: :wub: - the day itself flew by at amazing rate of knots and the honeymoon in Mauritius was sublime
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1. 7C
2. Do at least 50 problems >= 7B
3. Do some finger strength training
1. YYFY. Jack the Chipper and Supernova in Magic Wood in June. Probably need to get sub-80kg again if I'm to do another...
2. This was never going to happen... Managed 22 >= 7B which was pretty good
3. A phase of one-arm max hangs and now in a phase of two-arm max hangs which are going well!
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Don't get broken just as the season is kicking off.
It's taking a lot of maintenance but keeping on top of it
Kept on top of the knots and niggles wich was the aim but tore my hamstring (being a grade chasing whore) just as Autumn kicked off and then my Sub Scap as consequence of that.
Finish off some routes that are dragging on as WIPs. e.g. Aberration, Toys, Prow, Sissy, Raindogs.
Not been anywhere near any of them but it's a Cornice summer so that's ok
Didn't climb anywhere but the Cornice all summer, and trips north were to Kilnsey, so didn't do these. However, I did tick off all the extensions on the River section which I'd wanted to do. Initially a bit glum to find them hard but glad to see everyone else did too and they've been upgraded.
Actually get to the Cornice and try Powerplant
Not only try but do :dance1:
Do more trad.
Didn'd do any more days out after June but I'll call this a success, I did Resurrection which was the aim no.1 and came oh so close to Flaky Wall which was no.2. Would have done more if I hadn't trolleyed myself.
Keep reminding myself that it's something we do for fun
Was going so well until I went chasing success at Griffs. :slap:
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Thats shocking! Have you bought the big guide? Buying that and flicking through it would have to be psych inducing.
Ha, funny story; I bought the guide the day it came out and my dog promptly ate the back cover and last quarter or so of the pages. Only book he's ever done it to as well ::)
Thing is I climb by myself a lot and it always seems unjustifiable to drive all that way on my own, especially when there's so much to do locally. That said, I've been up to the Lakes a lot this year so I really ought to change it up next year.
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did a few other anti-style things like Baby Spice, Stu's LH, DWR LH, The Flakes, Underpants, Ebola, all the stand start classics on the Bowderstone ladder face, etc. All of which I would have previously categorised as being outside of my skill set.
Whoa whoa whoa. If all of those are your anti-style, then what is your style?
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Whoa whoa whoa. If all of those are your anti-style, then what is your style?
Compression between good holds - Queen Kong, Sideliner, Jason's, Chiasmata, Vicious Streak to name a few all done in the last year or so.
I am, or at least was, terrible (when compared to my abilities on compression problems) on small crimps, techy walls/aretes and board style problems and I've definitely improved in all those styles this year.
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Whoa whoa whoa. If all of those are your anti-style, then what is your style?
Compression between good holds - Queen Kong, Sideliner, Jason's, Chiasmata, Vicious Streak to name a few all done in the last year or so.
I am, or at least was, terrible (when compared to my abilities on compression problems) on small crimps, techy walls/aretes and board style problems and I've definitely improved in all those styles this year.
Lets never go climbing together.
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Lets never go climbing together.
Forever alone :wavecry: :boohoo:
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Half time. Full time
- Develop a new route
= nope, need to get the kayak out to salvage this one. Nope, though I know what I'll try next summer, probably need stronger people to try it first.... maybe they'll drop off the top like the French chap at the cornice.
- 8a+, 7c os, E6, 7c+ dws
= nope, 7b+ onsights and 7c flash but the 7c os attempts felt a long way off. 8a+ probably too much for me this year. Never mind E6, the E1 I did a few weeks ago felt heroic enough. Still hold hope on the dws tick with Soft Cell and/or Journey to Eternia
Great time climbing but didn't achieve any of these goals, happy to get my first 7b+ onsight in the UK at Trow Gill though. Have been on GBH and psyched to get going on it next year. Had a go up Soft Cell (Berry Head) but got lost trying to get established in the roof, far far away from the hard climbing. Need a crew. Will leave re-telling the trad escapades for another thread.
- Swear less
= I’d like to think so.
Definitely, swearing is like having a pint of Jaipur to me now.
- Maintain positive life trajectory
= Yes, good stuff here.
Continued and ongoing.
- Stay in touch with family more
= Hi Mum.
Sort of a tick, now at family home for xmas, day one nearly over....
Set high aims and didn't achieve them, but I've had a great year of climbing in the end with lots of goals ticked, looking forward to next year and trying hard.
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Which was the Trow onsight? Love that place.
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Pursuit of Excellence
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Pursuit of Excellence
Good effort. That was my first 7b+ onsight, cracking route.
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Pursuit of Excellence
Good effort. That was my first 7b+ onsight, cracking route.
Thanks, really enjoyed the crag
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1. 7C
2. Do at least 50 problems >= 7B
3. Do some finger strength training
1. YYFY. Jack the Chipper and Supernova in Magic Wood in June. Probably need to get sub-80kg again if I'm to do another...
2. This was never going to happen... Managed 22 >= 7B which was pretty good
3. A phase of one-arm max hangs and now in a phase of two-arm max hangs which are going well!
Kudos Coops, good work :beer2:
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Was going to review and see how badly I failed this year, but it seems I failed to even make a list to fail on.
Anyway, positives for the year;
Climbed quite hard
Done some great running
Not got injured
Still got job (although this could be regarded as a fail).
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Forgot to add mine
15 proper (and independent) 7C+s and above. Probably too overambitious, but isn't that the point.
Effectively half way through the year now.
8 down and so far they've all been corkers ;D
Nothing more to add, but overall happy with what I got up and what I got to try. Climbing was put on the back burner for the latter part of the year whilst I finished my PhD, which is the real tick of 2018 (here's to hoping the psychological distress it has caused me over the last 2 years isn't long lasting).
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Not done these yet
Climbing aims
- 8A on the blocs again
- 3 routes off the sport bucket list
- E6 in any style
Non climbing aims
- Write more often
- remain gainfully employed post qualification
- do up the house
Tough year climbing wise for me. Felt strong now and again but didn't have the time/ weather windows to put stuff to bed.
Climbing
No 8A's this year but did climb Sweet Dreams Sit and Corridors Of Power. The latter being bloody good. Lots of projects left unfinished. No sport or trad :tumble:
Non Climbing
Writing started ok but then fell well off the radar. The house has a way to go but I'm pleased with how it looks (It's now got central heating again) and it certainly feels like home!
Best thing I did this year was qualify as a lawyer. I even got a bottle of 10 Year Glen Grant for Christmas. Winning!
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Climbing
[1] Have a good'un in Leonadio in January. Hopefully bag some decent on-sights and "in-a-day RPs", but mainly just enjoy the sun and revive my spirits.
Partial success; I didn't exactly tear-it-up grade-wise but had fun; just nice to feel the sun on my skin.
[2] Boulder outdoors a few times before the routes season begins (perhaps finally bag Ju Ju Club). Only climbing indoors in the UK all winter would be a bit obscene, even by my eroded standards.
Largely defeated by wetness and cold; can only recall ticking two problems, Barry Kingsize SS (Crookrise) and Fertile Delta SS (C-y-L). Shame really as I had felt pretty strong by my terrible standards
[3] Spring & Autumn: decent progress on Predator (RPing seems overly ambitious in my current state).
Fail: too unfit in Spring, too fatigued and jaded by Autumn; I've decided to give up on the route (at least for a season). Regardless of Predator's classic status, I have to admit that haven't enjoyed the time spent on it; for me, every move feels awkward and unpleasant. Life is too short to work something I dread trying.
[4] Summer: tick or at least come damn close on Showtime, or at maybe Stolen-Time if seepage / hold breakage dictates.
Tick. Did Showtime pretty early in the season, whilst still feeling half-fit. One of those incredible out-of-body ascents where you are not properly conscious, just in a mental maelstrom of the intricacies of the route and abject terror of a mistake. I remember horrible long seconds spent contemplating quick-draws swinging in the wind and desperately hoping I would catch and clip them, without fumbling or being hit in the face. The intensity of that twenty minutes, and the gibbering euphoria whilst being lowered, was ample justification for so many weeks of frustration and effort. The only regret is that the rest of the season (which was most of it) was an anti-climax; I lacked impetus and felt like I was going through the motions.
[5] Have more than a token visit to a UK crag other than Malham / Kilnsey (work Supercool, project something in the Peak or at Chapel).
Tick. The hot summer forced me to climb at crags other than Malham and Kilnsey, mainly the Hollywood Bowl and Gordale. I gave up working Supercool when I realised that, like Predator, I just don't enjoy the moves. But I had great fun making fast work of lots of 2 / 3-star classics: Pierrepoint, Defcon, Last Man, Cave Route RH, Divine Brown, Sunset Boulevard, Illywacker. In-a-day-RPs: my favourite type of climbing: hard enough to feel worthwhile but enough of an effort to be satisfying.
[6] Maintain midweek training efforts: periodic hangboard regimes to top-up finger strength, plus woodie sessions for power.
Tick.... plus TRX sessions in a likely doomed effort to remedy my appalling upper body conditioning... keeping up some midweek action doesn't feel like an achievement though - just inertia.
"Life"
[1] Less booze; eat better.
Drank more but did eat better. So I am still at risk of liver failure.... and heavier into the bargain!
[2] Less aimless web browsing: be more efficient at work (less needless long evenings in the office), read more at home.
FAIL
[3] Don't let work get on top of me (can be combined with [6] above - make time for mid-week woodie sessions, if only for psychic self-defence, rather than "training" reasons).
FAIL I've perhaps managed to make time for more mid-week fun, but that's been more to do with the intermittent nature of work, than my own attitude. When the work load has increased, I've been unable to resist becoming tired and stressed with no feeling of agency
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-The Oak
Failed. Badly. Didn't even get past the horn in the Autumn >:(
-Get a corporate sponsor for the GB teams
:worms:
-Learn to dance with Sonia
Yes. We've stuck at this.
-Boulder with the boys lots
A fair amount but it was quite an effort to drag them outside at times
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1. Advanced Training
Total victory. Career high point / life goal achieved in August. Have sprayed about it more than enough on the forum so will leave it at that.
...a long way behind / supporting
2. Get down below 64kgs and stay there
Got below 64 once or twice but not consistently. Don’t have to be that light for projects - was a few kg heavier for AT - but it does make everything a lot easier. In theory the easiest of all targets - all you have to do is not put so much food in your gob - but there’s always a short term trade off
3. Achieve the "simple" kettlebell standard (32kgs 100 swings and 10 get ups in 16 minutes)
24kg consistently now but 32kg is a lot to Turkish Get Up - it’s a lot even just to swing!
4. 100 fingerboard sessions / achieve a bodyweight 1 hand 20mm hang / 2 hand +50kg 14mm hang
Was going really well by April - managed a legit 5s bw hang off the bottom middle BM2k and an 8s +48kg hang off the smalls on BM1k around March. But kept getting discouraged to really hammer the fingerboard and sort of knew I should be doing something else. That’s fine but never really figured out what that something else would be.
5. Sub-20 graves parkrun
21:09 one week in April and then a 20:04 somewhere flat the next week. Then hamstring injury. This one was harder than I thought and I had to prioritise bouldering.
6. Put my phone away and go to bed earlier
nope
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Start year with decent regime, get down to a vaguely slimline 80something kg. Cut out / down booze consumption. Sort out diet and stop fetishising insanely large chunks of meat.
No booze all year (apart from a can of Flat Tire that I thought was alcohol free). Weight has crept back up ovewr the past couple of months, but still just in the 80s.
And then:
1 arm pull-up
1-4-7
A way off the former, quite close to the latter.
Climbing:
Try to get outside throughout the year rather than training for distant holidays.
25 days climbing outside - wonder if I can double that for 2019?
Abandon (for the time being) alpine rock aspirations and nice idea but tricky in execution type adventures, and concentrate on a nice and simple variety of routes along the lines of:
Boulder - some decent ticks in the 7A to 7B+ range
Sport - 7a - 7b+ then reboot Project 8a
Trad - E3 would be nice, E5 would be excellent. I’d be very happy to tick Ocean Boulevard at Swanage and Kafoozalem at Bosigran.
A distinct lack of ticking - to be addressed in 2019.
Trad and sport on the south coast, and further afield if possible. Family trip to Font, and something else Euro in the summer. Also to be addressed.
Non-climbing:
Contribute more to family life by finishing various work in progress rooms, starting with the (nearly three-year-old) kitchen project My wife has not left me yet, so I think the amount of effort I put into finishing the house was marginally above the critical threshold.
Write a book for people other than children Hopefully about to start one though.
Read more fiction / read more female authors Started Albertine Sarrazin's Astragal.
Discover a new species Carrying this over to 2020/21
Buy a motorbike I need to sell some bicycles first.
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My film should be out of the way soon so 2018 is potentially an exciting year.
Finished film. Had “exciting” year.
Do more trad
Did less trad, at lower grades than when I first started climbing.
Not be shown up when my mates come over from the US
Couldn’t climb with them. Not going to colour this red though as I managed to not let my state at the time spoil their trip. Such a good week.
Onsight sport 7a, redpoint 7b (and ideally) 7b+
Onsighted a 7a on toprope in Spain- a poor effort in a way (chose to toprope as everyone else had packed up for the day and I didn’t want to keep them waiting by spending ages trying to get the draws out :slap: ) but also the first time I’d onsighted or flashed that grade in any circumstances. The other aims will have to wait.
Equal or better 2017’s total of 98 days on rock
Only 13 days rock climbing. A “career” low, for obvious reasons. For the first time I also decided that my time this winter would be better spent on training and rehabilitation rather than trying to get out on rock all the time.
Drastically improve on 2017’s total of one solitary climbing trip to not-really-very-exotic Dorset
Only one trip again, but it was abroad and, strictly speaking, it was more than a month long.
Keep making music, take more, better photos and come up with an idea for another big ambitious climbing film
Didn’t make any more music after finishing the film in March but I have improved my photography (http://www.instagram.com/chequepictures) I think. Got two new film projects in the early stages, neither massively ambitious though.
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Loving the photos Mike! Top shots, apart from the one of my shiny bonce 😂
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Better state my aims for the year too...
Off down under at the end of the month And have three main things I want to do.in order of difficulty;
Totem Pole - pretty doable. Tick! Didn’t do the top pitch clean but it was a mega adventurous day, with a big sea (got wet swinging over to the base) and leading it all. Also only third day of route climbing of the year and third day in Australia so connies were slightly against me. Met Paul Pritchard
Archimedes Principle - might not onsight it but shouldn’t be too stressful to redpoint? Ground up second go. Not the amazing experience I wanted as someone else was there and had put the gear in (badly!) still an amazing route and being at the top as the sunset was pretty amazing!
Serpentine - at my limit but hopefully with enough time I hopefully have a chance Fucking get in! One of the best pitches I’ve ever done and an amazing climbing experience
U.K. aims
E6 - ideally onsight but ground up would be acceptable - lord/cad/suicide blonde being obvious contenders.
Did two softies; reproduction at high tor and on reflection at the burren. Also did some chunky E5s
UK 8a? Big chat with this one as I’ll obviously get distracted by trad climbing. Defcon 3 and Zoolook are the two I like the look of. Really want to do Cave left also
Pahahaha! Barely did any serious sport climbing in the U.K. this year
Boulder 7A+/B more consistently. This winter has been a total shambles bouldering wise so it would be good to improve this discipline again. Problems on the hitlist include - art of white hat wearing, Ulysses or bust, spare rib, scary canary, chip shop brawl
Might have done had we had better connies or if I had been able to have made the most of better connies away from the peak. Had someone amazing to hang out with in Sheffield so not too bothered.
Think a trip to Font in October instead of a route climbing trip would help this as would trying to sustain a fingerboard program. Onde de choc and rubis sur l’ongle being 2things I’d like to do out there. Hopefully can ride out one weak winter. 2 years of being weak might be bad for my climbing...? Had a fun font trip where I got some good 7As done but nothing harder
Good luck everybody - hope you all have a great year!
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I always like this thread, some people have done some great stuff.
Ended 2017 falling over and twatting (more severe than a tweak) middle finger. Got my act together by April and had some good trips resulting in a quick 7b (Siurana) and ticking over at E2/3 (Pembroke). Shortly after, mental and physical health dropped off a cliff. Combined stresses resulted in a good old fashioned frozen shoulder and not much climbing for the rest of the year. Hiking up Mt. Fuji (3776m) in a not-shabby 3.5 hours was a nice distraction in my time off from climbing. Perhaps I’ll become a mountaineer in my old age.
Classic Pembroke E5 (Ships That Pass in the Night, Darkness at Noon).
A couple of good Pembroke trips and one not-so-good. Followed an E4 without too much difficulty but not close to trying an E5.
Damai Sentosa on Dragon’s Horns, Tioman Island (a candidate for an updated Parois de légende). First reserve: one of the long routes at Bukit Takun.
Wasn't fit enough or with an experienced enough team to try Damai Sentosa but did Naga instead which was the highpoint of the year for rock climbing.
7b+ (The Jimi Hendrix Experience? Bird of Paradise/Paradise Lost? Suggestions welcome!).
7b after minimal practice suggests this wouldn't have been unrealistic in April but didn't realise this was the highpoint of the year and never tried one.
Trip to Gogarth, Fairhead, or Lundy.
Climb a route outdoors with the lad.
None of the above.
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I think it's a two year update from me... however my aims remained as my finger didn't properly sort itself out.
Get back to onsighting 7a
More than 30 7's in 2018
~10 onsight and others mostly second go
do zippatrocity
Do another proper trad trip with cracks
Onsight amazing 11c thin hands
12a fingers second go
12b thin hands roof onsight
Onsight 7b in Spain
See above
Dws more 7a in Mallorca
Done 2017
My main aim was to build a base for my finger problem and I aimed to do lots of 7a's and 3 7b+'s
Achieved:
1 7c
4 7b+
30+ 7a's
Happy
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7C
Nope, but did a few 7B's and a 7B+ and had a good session on Jerry's Roof all in the first 6 months. If life hadn't got in the way it might have happened.
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Life
1. Move house, settle eldest daughter into new primary school & middle one pre-school, & achieve general happy home.
2. Get promotion at existing work or new (better paid!) job.
Pretty good on this front. Settled into the new house near where I grew-up, which is great for being near my parents (aka the grandparents), and finally got a promotion at work.
General fitness
3. Sort out current elbow nigggles, get weight down under at least 11st 5lb & stay injury free.
Had the first 3 months of the year off climbing due to tennis elbow in my left arm, got it sorted then within a month of starting climbing again I got tennis elbow in my right arm - carried on climbing but it limited training for another 4 months. Lost any motivation not to drink beer & eat crap as a result, so have been 1/2 st over target weight all year as well. These factors, combined with unexpected family commitments, have severely limited climbing this year.
On the plus side, elbows are now much better (if not quite 100%) so gonna put this in orange.
Climbing
4. Get one weekend trip outside SW. Pembroke or Gogarth hopefully.
Total fail due to family stuff.
5. Do lots of SW trad in the E4 to E5/6 range. Would be great to o/s E5 on granite as I always find it hard.
Need to compile a proper ticklist, but off the top of my head any of the following would be good:
Kafoozalem;
The West Face;
Deja Vu;
Lazarus;
International Kidney Dealer;
Oceans;
Kellan Arête;
King’s Arete;
Il Duce;
Interspace;
Sirens’s Cry;
Demolition.
Due to the reasons above I didn't do as much tradding as I would like. Managed a handful of decent E4s, but the only route on the list which I tried was The West Face and I fell off it, although I still really enjoyed it.