[iain]

Surprised to be starting this. Surely all of the committed ones can't be busy.

STG: Week long trad trip in 2 weeks, more E4. Back to IG in October.

M: Rest
T: 10x6pull-ups. 2x10 min aerocap
W: Short max strength/recruitment maintenance, just enough to feel it
T: 10x6pull-ups. 3x10 min aerocap
F: Short max strength/recruitment maintenance, cut short as something didn't feel right. Quickly became apparent that I'd injured something in my neck/upper back. Now have to full body turn to look at things 
S: Lots of supported sitting and lying down.
S: More full body turning

Feeling a little stupid but had no warning I was going to injure myself until it happened. Slightly improved today.
On the plus side it was a good training week until that happened.

[rich d]

Busy week staying away with work. Couple of first wall visits, went to TCA Glasgow Thursday night for a few hours. Sunday AM went to Works for first time some good ticks (unfortunately not problems wise - got up one of the wasps, a few blacks and yellows and fell off many more) but did see Big Ron and probably Dense (although he seemed to be doing some form of potential yoga stretching so maybe not - although I didn't see him smile once so possibly was him). So not too bad a week. My elbows are a bit sore so two weeks off in Turkey should do them good. 

[richdraws]

STG (before Sept) - Boulder 7a new goal 7a+
MTG (Jan/Feb2013) - Boulder 7c
LTG lets see how we go

Mostly stuck in the house drawing after work, so tried to fit in a fingerboard session most days.

Mon - Fingerboard, 10 sets of 10 secs on 35. Front 2 hangs and pulls. one armer/lock off training - stretching
Tue - Fingerboard same session minus arm work - stretching
wed - fingerboard, did arm session too - stretching
thu - Climbing Works, felt ill and headachey at wall couldn't climb, obvious thing to do was try and campus. Did a few tests to see where I was.
fri - rest
sat - Fingerboard and arm stuff - stretching
sun - First rock since starting climbing again and I was taken to a wet humid midge infested Anston. Most of the lines were sopping. Did some 7a that had an ear missing off it. Figured sequences out on a few damp problems. Actually had fun on limestone.

[Sasquatch]

Summer Goals:
Drop Weight to 170lbs by Mid July(Done), to 165lbs by end of August. (168lbs on Sunday - Same as last week)
Put up 10 7C+ or harder problems this summer (by October). (10/10 done)
Climb two 8b or harder routes this summer (by October).  Moves done on two projects that are probably 8b/+ and 8c.  Should be able to send them by Oct.
NEW Goal - 8A+ by October

Monday - Wtd Hangs, Boulder at gym, Mellow 5mi Run
Tuesday - Checked out New project, Rapped down and tried individual moves by meself to see if it might go.
Wednesday - 4mi run
Thursday -  Project - Actually worked Throne Project for the first time.  Did all of the moves in 3 overlapping sections.
Friday - 4mi Run
Saturday - REST
Sunday -  Wtd Hangs, Pwr End, Weights, Routes at Gym, OS 6 from 7a+ to 7c, Hard 7 mi run

Very busy personal week.  Will be pretty busy for the next couple of weeks unfortunately.  Hopefully, I can stick with the training. 

Finished my last set of wtd hangs, and am moving onto the prescribed 4 weeks of small hold hangs.  Have my two route projects picked out for the fall.  Hopefully, they'll go down quickly.

[Nibile]

Good week, despite temps, work and some serious partying ----> lack of sleep.

MON - rest.
TUE - board. Short links on projects. Good mental form. Vol 6. Int 6/7.
WED - board. A bit tired, one problem set and tried. Single moves and short links. Vol 5. Int 7.
THU - rest.
FRI - board. Very hot but not bad. Climbed the problem set on Wednesday, after some serious trying. Mentally strong. Vol 5. Int 7.
SAT - board. Short links on projects. Not bad, although very hot. Difficult to start. Vol 6. Int 7.
SUN - bouldering. Not bad despite being awfully hot even at 1500 meters. A bit tired, soft skin. Very close to climbing the project. The first move, after being impossible for years, is now a high percentage one. YYFY.

So, good to keep climbing on the board. Don't feel like doing any system training, so I don't do it. Too hot for fingerboarding also. Now a bit tired, shame the gym is closed. Looking forward to an iron September.

[duncan]

STG  - all out the window..


M - Micro finger-board session; 30 min run - felt great.
T - Arch Bouldering: 20 x whites (warm-up circuit), a few pinks (V1/2)
W - 20 min run
T  -
F - Easy trad. at Guillemot Ledge with the Bridbeast.  Legging it between waves for one last route, I felt like I’d been hit on the back of the knee with a heavy stick. Hopped up ‘Mistaken Identity’ (VS 4c) to escape; perversely entertaining once it became apparent we were not going to be benighted at the base of the cliff. The half-mile hop/crawl/shuffle up the hill to the track was simply tiresome.  Fortunately, the kind farmers of Spyway Barn picked me up in their 4x4 and drove me to back to our car. This couple also helped out a pair of mates a few years ago: be nice to them everyone!  Thanks Sean for the baggage handling and driving.
S - A+E: Perfectly useless of course, diagnosed ligament injury, the one thing I am sure it isn’t. Micro-fingerboard session.
S - Rest, Ice, compression, elevation...and beer.

My impression is the knee is fine but I’ve partially torn the gastrocnemius.  This is good compared to a ligament or meniscus injury.  It will still take at least 3 weeks to recover properly.  I have carefully negotiated climbing trips to Norway in 2 days, Northumbria in 10 days and Verdon in 17 days time, my remaining climbing credit for the year...

Typically this happens as the running was starting to go well.  Causation?  I was thinking that the hips were a little stiff and some stretching might be in order but I had been doing a good amount of calf stretching and plyometric work on my right ankle following spraining it earlier in the year and did not anticipated this injury at all.

[tomtom]

Two weeks worth of reporting for me.

Been on hols in North Norfolk, so basically no climbing for 10 days or so...
But - swam every day (in the sea) which has made my shoulders/elbows feel great!
Sat: Holmfirth - met up with Grubes.. nice to be back on the rock again..

Only managed to gain 1/4 stone on hols...

[Sasquatch]

Only managed to gain 1/4 stone on hols...

As long it was due to good food and Drink, It's well worth it

[wsmith]

Been away for a while.

Week 125 Mon 2nd - Sun 8th July

M – S. Away with family. No climbing.

Week 126 Mon 9th - Sun 15th July

M.
T. Travel to Ceuse
W. Travel to Ceuse
T. Medecine Douce 6c+ OS. OS attempt on Correspondance 7c+, fell about half way, dogged up. Had a second go, fell at same place. Tried Carte Blanche 8a but too tired to get very far. Saint George Picos 7a OS. Shit route. Jaime Lolo 7a OS attempt but fell. Shitter route.
F.  Did Corespondance second go of the day. Tried Colonettes 8a but couldnt do the start, dogged to the top. Dogged up L’ami de Tout le Monde 8b, didn’t do all the moves but psyched to come back to it later on in the trip. OS attempt at Bibendum  7b+, good fight but fell over the roof, shouldn’t have tried it when so tired.
S. Petite Illusion 7a+ OS. Cent Patates 7b+ OS, my hardest OS yet. Blocage 7b+ OS attempt, fell half way, dogged to top.
S.
Not the best start to the trip but plenty of time left. Surprised by how much fitness ive lost from a week and a half off. Session fitness is shit, forearms knackered after 2 routes.

Week 127 Mon 16th - Sun 22nd July

M. Ananda 7a OS. Corps Entrager 7b+ flash but have done the start from correspondance before. OS attempt on Mirage 7c+, fell off the last hard move, stupid twat! Tried Blocage again but fell lower than my OS. Did Bibendum. 2nd attempt on Mirage, fell lower than OS, too tired.
T. 6b OS. 3rd go on Mirage, fell lower than OS again! Worked out some better beta. Dog up Radote joli 8b, did most of moves but top boulder felt desperate. Another go on Carte Blanche, bit better but stuck at the crux. Lapinerie 7b flash attempt, caught wrong part of finish jug and fell. 2nd go fell off the starting slab. Did it 3rd go.
W.
T. Med Douce repeat. Did Mirage. Dog up Bourinator 8a. Did it 4th go. My first 8 in a day. Starting to climb better
F. Dog up Radote joli again. Did first boulder and linked from after it to second boulder and did a few moves of that but 2 moves left that I couldn’t do. Dog up Carte Blanche again, realise Busters beta is shit and found much easier way. Did it next go.
S. Zagreb 6c OS. Did Galaxy 7b+ second go. Felt more like 7c. Tried La chose 7c, got to 3rd clip and left ring finger started hurting. Came down, hopefully just a tweak that will go but slightly worried.
S. 6b repeat, finger seems fine. Tenere 7c+ OS attempt. Fell at mantel below the chains, stupid twat again! Did it 2nd go.

Climbing better this week, fitness coming back.

Week 128 Mon 23th - Sun 29th July

M. 6c at Thorgal OS attempt, fell off. Blanche Fesses 7c OS although took a while to get my feet off the floor. First 7c OS. Super Mickey 7b OS. Dogged up Face de Rat 8a+. Had a redpoint and fell at top crux.
T.
W.
T. Petit Montre 6a OS. Couilles de loup 6a+ OS. Au Sud de Nulle Part 7b OS. Carte Noir 6a OS. Dogged up Unique Monde.com 7c. No chalk so didnt really know where to go and it felt hard. Got to last bolt and could see chains over bulge and couldn’t work out how to climb over the bulge so sacked it off!
F. A Patrick 6a OS. Dogged up Sans peur et sanglier 7c+. Did it 3rd go. Did Jaime Lolo 7a.
S. La Femme Piege 6b Flash. Priveledge du Serpent 7c+ OS. Finally didn’t fall off the last move of 7c+ OS, first goal of the trip ticked off. Keket Blues 7b flash but have done the start before on Super Mickey. Magicien de Riga 7c+ flash. Pleased with this as it was such a fight. Dogged up Teuchipa 7c. Did it 2nd go. Maybe my best day ever?
S.

Feeling good now. Left elbow started getting bad again so started doing pronators which normally sort it out.

Week 129 Mon 30th July - Sun 5th August

M. Dogged up Face de Rat 8a+ again. Did it next go. Dogged up Encore 8a+. Had a redpoint but fell quite low.
T. Med Douce 6c+ repeat. Association 7c+ flash but done the start on Corps before.
W. Les sales 6c flash. Vagabond 7c OS. Glad to get this out the way as really wanted to os it and had saved it for a while so felt quite pressured. Tried Rosanna 8a briefly, fell at the first clip twice and landed in the thorn bush twice. Fuck that. Petit Monstre 6a repeat. Retour en Afrique 7a OS. Dogged up L’ami 8b again. Much better, did all but one move this time. Psyched now.
T.
F. Tete d’Ampoule 6b OS. Dogged up L’ami. Found better beta and did all moves. 3 redpoints, fell at same low move on all of them.
S. Coup de Blues 6a+ OS. 4 redpoints on L’ami, got slightly higher on 4th one and tweaked some beta.
S.

Week 130 Mon 6th - Sun 12th August

M. Went to Cascade to belay but started raining and wasn’t sure if L’ami would be dry so decided to climb. Fell off Ananda. Tried Hyper Mickey 7c, dogged to top. 2nd go pinged off low crimp. Did it 3rd go. Pleased as its my anti style. L’ami was dry. 3 redpoints. Good progress on first 2. Fell lower on 3rd and had a bit of a shit dog part way up. Feel way more positive about it after the progress today though.
T. Le coquelicot 6c OS. Did L’ami first go of the day. So happy! My first of the grade and my goal for the year done. Dogged up Retour en Afrique to put clips in for Alice.
W.
T. Super Mario 6b+ OS. OS Attempt on Makach Walou 7c+, fell off last hard move. Stupid twat again! Did it 2nd go. Did Blocage 7b+. Queue de Rat 7b+ OS. Great fight with a head torch on this.
F. Comme des Phoques 6b OS. Dog up Petit Tom 8a. Did it 3rd go. L’errance d’une Passion 7c OS.
S. Dog up Encore 8a+ again. Did it next go quite unexpectedly. Les Maitres du Monde 6c multipitch. Stupidly set off at half 8 and had to do pitch 3 and 4 in the dark, fun though.
S.

Really good week. Fingers feel stronger despite having done no power stuff for the last 5 weeks, possibly lost weight.

Week 131 Mon 13th - Sun 19th August

M. La Galere 7a OS. All 3 routes I wanted to try had a queue so went to try the start of Collonettes again. Still couldn’t do the move at the start. Queues still there. Reine des Pommes 7a OS. Dietic line 7b OS.
T. Nitassian 7a OS. Dogged up Femme Noir 7c/+. Did it second go.
W. Travel Home.
T.
F. Planned to have a week off but risked it and went bouldering at Warwick. Elbow was feeling it so stopped after 30mins. Need more rest.
S.
S.

Elbow seems worse now im home but its not too bad yet. Will keep resting and doing rehab stuff till wed/thur. Very happy with the trip, got my 2 goals done. Think the plan worked pretty well as felt in good shape once I was past the dip at the start. By the periodisation theory I should now go through a trough in performance.

[cheque]

I'm listing 8 days as I was away Sat-Mon for a trip which constitutes the end of what people more organised with their training would probably call a 'cycle'.

M- Rest
T- Deadlifting- new PB of 100kg (1 & 2/3 BW). BM max hangs.
W- Rest
T- Stoney trad. Decided to test readiness for Pembroke on Dead Banana Crack- took an ~8m face-first whipper from the mantleshelf move into Froth after making numerous schoolboy errors.  Luckily nothing but cuts and bruises to body and ego.
F- Rest. Drive to Pembroke.
S- Bosherston Head/ Saddle Head. Manzuko.   
S- Crickmail Point. B-Team Buttress Direct. 
M- Mowingword. Sealhunt.     Drive back from Pembroke. 

My two aims for Pembroke were to climb E-graded routes every day and to do my first E2. After Thursday's experience I decided I'd settle for the first one and, having ticked that with gusto and had an absolute blast trying really fucking hard on the fantastic routes I did, I can't say I'm dissapointed- feels like I've improved so much at trad in just 3 days and it's been the most satisfying trip I've had in the UK yet.

I've realised that climbing trad routes that are technically much easier than my sport ones is nothing to be ashamed of or frustrated by 'cos trad is hard in so many additional ways (it is for me at least!) and if I just chill out and enjoy routes that test me regardless of numbers I'll get to where I want to be anyway.

[SA Chris]

Nice. I found B-Team Buttress harder than a few E2s I've done at Pembroke.

[Wood FT]

T- Stoney trad. Decided to test readiness for Pembroke on Dead Banana Crack- took an ~8m face-first whipper from the mantleshelf move into Froth after making numerous schoolboy errors.  Luckily nothing but cuts and bruises to body and ego.

Blimey, Pembroke must have felt like Grit after that slippery bar steward

[andy popp]

This week's entry in the diary of shame and ineptitude.

Mon - work
Tues - work, pm session at Frodsham, 11 problems up to V3 - even some I hadn't done before, very rare in Cheshire for me now. The hill, jungle bashing and lack of familiarity with the problems meant more work than last week's venues, where I could probably climb blindfold.
Wed - work. First session on board in months. V uphill but probably marginally better than expected.
Thurs thro' Mon - festival!!! Massive fun but also huge amounts of work given Somme like conditions. Felt totally worked on getting home yesterday. Met Duma for a couple of pints Sun afternoon

[Muenchener]

Opps,  missed a couple of weeks due to motivational issues. Catching up as far as I can remember ...

Week ending 5th August

M.
T.
W. Wall, Thalkirchen, routes, motivation & achievement level low
T.
F.
S. Frankenjura. Focus on pre-Dolomites onsighting confidence at 5c/6a
S. Frankenjura: ditto but also did the moves first time on a proper 'jura 6b with overhanging pocket pulling & spaced bolts. Two rests but was psyched nevertheless.

Week ending 12 August

M.
T.
W. Wall, Thalkirchen, routes. Focus on pre-Dolomites onsighting confidence: 6 x 6a+
T.
F.
S. Dolomites, Moiazza. Colatoio Nero 10-pitch V+: moderate Dolomites cragging classic, good warm up route.
S. Dolomites, Moiazza. Attempt Soraru Arete on Pala della Belia; ab off after 7 pitches having been stuck behind an even slower team and with weather closing in

Week ending 19 August

M. Dolomites. Drive from Moiazza to Pala, walk up to Velo hut for Cima dell Madonna
T. Dolomites, Cima della Madonna Spigolo del Velo 13 pitches V+. My first alpine classic rock tick yyfy
W. Dolomites, Piccolo Lagazuoi. Cengia Martini 4 pitches V. Easy day after long & strenuous drive from Pala to Cortina.
T. rest day.
F. Dolomites, Tofana di Rozes 3rd Pillar. Big Day Out: 18 pitches / 800 metres V.
S. Dolomites, Cason di Formin. Cecila 7 pitches VI. Very good route: found it hard going but chuffed to get a VI in in my first week, this is better than I was expecting.
S. drive home from Dolomites.

[shark]

Nice trip tickage wsmith and cheque   

Weight 11.7-8 

M. Eve Bouldered on Wave. Seems like its been a while. Did 2 x L2 fluoro Pink and Yellows on steep section then worked on 40deg circuit.
T.
W. Eve. Knocked going to Chee Dale on head due to deluge so had a Shed sess with Duncan Disorderly on Oak circuit and a set of 20/10s at end
T.  Eve. Tor on own. Re-worked weedkiller and did both halves.
F.
S.  Malham. Oak wet. Hot humid but with some wind. Opened an account on Predator and worked first (7cish) section. Good moves, great rock and features.
S. Drove to London leaving threenine to look after house and pets .

Generally feeling strong but fat. Forgotten what it's like to tick a route.

[tommytwotone]

STG: Great North Run 2012 in sub 1:56:18
LTG: boulder again at some point / Font 7b!

Was in Scotland on hols but did a bit...

S: 10 mile training run along beautiful west coast road, just a shade over 8 minute miles
M: Nowt, went to Mull
T: 50 minute hill rep session
W: Nowt
T: Spent the day sea kayaking - great fun!
F: Nowt
S: Drove back from Scotland via the Loch Fyne restaurant
S: 15 mile training run, completed it in just over 2hrs

Feel like I'm getting there with the GNR training now - confident I'll beat my 2010 time but it's just a case of whether it'll be sub 1hr 50min (which I'm hoping it will be!). If I can get anywhere near a 1hr 45min I'll be a very happy man indeed.

[cheque]

Nice. I found B-Team Buttress harder than a few E2s I've done at Pembroke.

Cheers! A mate I bumped into down there said similar about Manzuko, which I found the easiest of the three: a true trad climb for sport climbers (who can place wires really efficiently). My opinion may have been biased by getting gradually more tired as the trip went on, but I found Sealhunt both the toughest and the most rewarding.

Decided to test readiness for Pembroke on Dead Banana Crack...

Blimey, Pembroke must have felt like Grit after that slippery bar steward

Certainly did! I always forget how good the rock is in Pembroke. A brand new pair of shoes for the trip helped too. I only realised how thin and squidgy the toes on my old ones had become when I got the new stiff pair on.

[andy_e]

M: Nothing
T: 60 new problems to go at at ClimbNE. Barrans has set everything involving left shoulder presses. Finish after an hour due to shoulder pains.
W: Nothing
T: Nothing
F: 1pt Harviestoun Number of the Beast. Refreshing flavour. 1 330ml bud. 1pt Rooster Wild Mule. Another crisp bitter pint. Home for a rum and lemonade followed by a Meantime London Pale Ale. Delicious but expensive. Acorn Blonde. Not bad, good Yorkshire brewery. Rum and ginger beer to finish off.
S: Wander around the dales looking for new rock. Stumble across a cool project. Then off to Brimham to try some 7As at Bovine Buttress. Turns out they're quite high with dodgy landings, and they're slopey and it's warm. No sends above 6B. Oh well. Many pints of Durham Brewery Magus and Church End Brewery Fallen Angel.
S: CityBloc for an hour. It's very hot so I give up.

[Richie Crouch]

Sounds like you had a stronger drinking than climbing week there andi! Does city bloc heat up like a tropical jungle? It's been bad the last 3 weeks down the hangar but awesome stays a bit cooler being in an old church.

[andy_e]

Typical week for me. CityBloc does get hot, it's nearly impossible to regulate the temperature in there as it's so huge!

[fried]

Fritzed phone battery by using a free car charger

Now I can't really remember what I did. I was in Targassonne then drove back to Font, it was very hot, I followed small children around white circuits (my own!). I drank a lot of beer.

Weight down to 74.3kg