[fried]

Monday - 50 push-ups
Tuesday - Indoors. Really nice session, loads of new problems to try, onsight 3x6A, 1x6A+. Then get 2nd 6B. Feeling good. Incredible what a bit of motivation can do. Then watched as a young girl climbed problem after problem in the most incredible controlled style. I've watched some good climbers in my time but this was incredible, being small she couldn't even use my lank for the hold and grip on for grim death method and had to fashion some of the most bizarre mantels I've ever seen. I asked the boss who it was, turns out it was Elsa Ponzo, top French youth team member.

Wednesday/Friday - 50 press ups + one day off
Saturday - Another nice session. Tried lots of difficult stuff 'til my fingers ached. Finished with some repeaters 4 sets on different holds. I can now do a full set on the rungs that I could just hold for 5secs, 3 months ago.

Sunday - 50 press ups.

Doing two good sessions a week feels more productive than three tired ones. Luckily as I'll be moving to my new apartament soon and can split my fingerboarding and other stuff off from my bouldering. And the sun came out today.....spring is on its way.

Weight 75.4kg

[csl]

Goals for Jan

Start climbing regularly again
at least twice a week at Kelsey Kerridge
one fingerboard session a week.
Enter Bouldering competition 2/2/2013 and come top 10.

Mon-
Tue- Good session at Kelsey Kerridge - did a crimpy v4/5 eliminate and repeated a V5 and a V4 i'd done before first go. Repeated lots of easier problems and then made a 30 move circuit which i did 3 laps on. Did a core session from the Climb Strong blog when i got home - good workout.
Wed- Fingerboard - open hand and front 3 and back three 3 hangs on each for around 10 seconds on medium rung. 3x10 pushups.
Thur- 11km run in 50:43
Fri- poor session at KK - couldn't do crimpy eliminate i did on tuesday. Did repeat other V5 and 4 first go again tho. And had some brief goes at a steep v7. Lots of easier stuff as well.
Sat- Parkrun - Wimpole. Came 5th - led the first 2.5km but the course was very snowy and icy which slowed me down.
Sun- About to do a core session - same as tuesdays - maybe some invert rows and pull-ups.

[Falling Down]

Had a really nasty virus all week and couldn't even work never mind climb.  Consoled by my dream on Wednesday night when I did several consecutive one arm pull-ups on each arm.

[shark]

Thanks fried

11.9-10 (last week same)


Mon. 
Tues. Noon. Weighted deadhangs and assisted one armers. Eve. Foundry with Poppy and Ben. Bouldered. Couldn't do touches on campus board so held rung to drop down instead. 
Weds. Noon and teatime. Getting back into endurance work on systems board 
Thurs. 
Fri. Eve Weighted deadhangs and assisted one armers.   
Sat. AM. Works jus over an hour with Ben. Arms tired.
Sun. PM Foundry 3 hour bouldering session. Arms and shoulders feel wrecked now.

Good week although didn't get outside.

Still no takers for sport climbing at half term

[duncan]

STG - rehab. wrist


M - Short run
T - finger rolls - R hand
W - Short, fast run
T - finger rolls - L+R hands
F - Biscuit. c. 10 x Blacks (V0).  L. wrist tweaky.
S -
S - finger rolls - R hand

Wrist not quite right.  Be patient...

[webbo]

Mon. Finger still painful but not as swollen Weights highlights benchpress 1 x 72.5k deadlift 2 x 85k ( no more weights )
Tue.  Turbo 10 min w/up 1min 53 x 21 increasing in 1 min to 7 mins at 53 x 15 with 1 min easy between each set h/r ave 128 max 168 10 min w/down.
Wed. Nothing
Thu. Turbo 10 min w/ up 1 min on 1 min off x 10 53 x14 10 min w/down h/r ave 132 max 175.
Fri. Nothing.
Sat. Weights highlights deadlift 5 x 85k lowlights dropping 65k on my chest. Turbo 10 min w/up 15 secs on 15 secs off x3 x5 x7 x9 x11 x15 1 min easy between each set 10 min w/down h/r ave 144 max 173.
Sun. Bike outside. Blowing a gale out for 2hrs 14 mins up and down South Ferriby Wold by 7 diffrent climbs h/r ave 144 max 194!! cakories burnt 1510.

Finger alot less swollen and I now have a good range of movement but if I try to pull on it,its painful. Stopped icing it and now trying to massage it.

Biking's going well    

[Muenchener]

STG : none just now; barely ticking over
MTG (2013): Frankenjura VII onsight; Alpine multipitch VI; Welsh trad E2
LTG (<= 5 years): Big alpine rock routes: Totenkirchl west face (Dülfer), Marmolada south face (Vinatzer-Messner)

Had a really nasty virus all week and couldn't even work never mind climb. 

Ditto.

M - S: Bronchitis. Bored. Obsessive study of Ground Up North Wales book, cam shopping
S: Antibiotics starting to bite, sufficiently to manage a light yoga/stretching session.

[Dolly]

M Walked miles in the snow taking various kids to schools (My kids, not just random kids in the snow cos thats wrong) Completely knackered and had to have a power nap on the sofa at work at lunchtime
T Good lunchtime sess on the wave at The Foundry
W
T Good powerful shed sess
F 5.3 K run in the snow, felt very hard
S not sure if this counts as a legit power club entry, but snowballing up the garden followed by snow sumo, snow football and snow rugby. Came inside and fell asleep on sofa straight away (think this might be one of my core skills)
S beautiful snowy plantation with no one there. Wrecked my skin on that daft pebble pulling problem right of crescent arete without really getting anywhere. Burb N for repeated failure on Blind Fig but had a good workout and saw Gritlad piss it


Shoulder about the same. Off to see Val next week

[Luke Owens]

M: Rest
T: Indoor Bouldering Comp, managed 15 problems, 12 Easy/Medium flashed, 3 "hard" problems done after 3 goes, didn't managed the other 5 Hard/Nails ones. Managed to tick two V4/5's at the end of the session too.
W: Core
T: Weighted Max Hangs, 11.5kg added weight, 3 x 10 sec main sets - felt hard possibly didn't warm up properly.
F: Shoulder Stability Weights, Built 3 gaint snowmen...
S: Weights, Biceps, Triceps, Shoulders.
S: Nesscliffe, got on a V5 and V6 that I haven't tried in months both of which still feel nails despite being able to get slightly closer on both to do "the" move on each. Managed to get through the crux on a V5 traverse only to pump out on an easier bit at the end of the session. One to go back for as soon as possible.

Need to stop yo-yo-ing my attemps when i'm out bouldering, need to rest more between attempts (Note to self: take a watch!)

[cheque]

STG: 7A and E2 on grit this season. Maintain sport fitness over winter
MTG: 7b, 7B and E3 in 2013. Gain finger strength.

M- Rest
T- Depot. PE on circuit board, ie. repeatedly doing the hardest I can do with 12 minute rests inbetween rather than linking it into easier ones 'til I pump out. Managed three separate laps. I never drop this one now so I'm pleased with that. Some unfocussed hard-feeling bouldering afterwards.
W- Rest.
T- Max hangs. Proper max hangs hanging for as long as possible once on each grip type and no more and writing the results down.
F- Rest. Feeling really worked from max hangs. Probably a sign that they're worthwhile training!
S- 45 minutes snow shovelling then Notts Depot. New circuit board PB. Working the hardest circuit I can do (which now feels quite steady) with only small footholds- didn't quite do it. Next hardest circuit still feels more like bouldering however. New red ('V3-V5') boulder problems- did about half (15). Monster session.
S- Notts depot. Did all 30 new blue ('V1-V3') boulder problems then five more reds.

[nai]

M - Max hangs, first session for two weeks, managed same weight but for less time.
tw - rest
T - didn't make it out as planned, tried a hang session but a tweak from elbow and finger suggested I should can it. 250Kg TGUs & 120% BW deadlifts
f - rest & plan weekend

S - Porth Ysgo with 2t, 3t & Grubes, a bit damp and only had two hours before rain frustratingly stopped play - half a dozen problems including a flash of Really Cool Toys

S Ysgo in fine fettle, a good haul including Popcorn Party, Jawbreaker, Perrin Crack SDS & agonisingly close to Incredible Shaking Man SDS. Did that last-day-in-Font thing when you keep trying it although you're trashed because you know you won't be back for ages, getting so close but needing so long between attempts to recover before eventually having to concede defeat.  Great day.

[Duma]

STG - Wrist rehab stuff, run regularly, get in shape for MTG
MTG - Peak trip + font trip before spring, if I do any hard stuff that'll be nice too.
LTG - 8A, 68kg

M -
T -
W - TCA afternoon, left climbing bag at mates house so had to make do with annoying old boots. worked last couple of reds with Rory, did the new probs that had been set on the mothership.
T -
F - TCA eve for Jacks last climb. Probably best session since wrist injury in spring, felt really good. Finished off the last two problems I still hadn't done from the red circuit - these are both around 7B+/C, and I'd not managed the crux move on either until this session. 20 minutes on the woody, then repeated the blue 7C on the mothership first go, plus the orange 7A/+
S - work
S - work, few press ups.

69-70kg - ate too much this weekend.

Friday session was ace, but depressing life issues are killing psyche at the moment.

[Muenchener]

250Kg TGUs

 

[i_a_coops]

M - Board session at Westway, fell badly bit off a small part of my tongue and got a split under my fingernail . did a V7 while spitting blood  . Ancap circuits.
T -
W - Wishing split would  recover faster, core
T - Route 4x4s on steep 6cs with occasional 7a. Good session.
F - Weirdly good indoor bloc session at Westway up to V7, aerocap/ARC
S -
S - Portland, Cuttings. Tried Fighting Torque, did hard bit in two sections after taking far too long to work out a sequence. Should go next time....

[nai]

250Kg TGUs

 

Haha, total weight lifted obviously, not one max rep, just don't want to bore everyone with the small details

[SA Chris]

STG - get climbing again
MTG - get down to 13 st (from 14st 1 ish on NYD)
LTG - redpoint something plus several other projects

M -
T - weather shite, free weights and yoga at home
W - surprisingly achy after weights.
T - Day out boarding at Glenshee - not a load of exercise, but boarding on pomas all day is pretty knackering. Managed to get stuck in a gully off piste, which was a workout getting out of, as anyone with experience of this knows.
F -
S -
S - Morning swimming with K, had him on my back for a bit so got a couple of lengths in before he got bored.

Monday am weigh in - 13 st 9 3/4, down nearly 2 pounds from last week.

Need to try and get to yoga this week, failed spectacularly this year so far.

[iain]

STG: Continue rehabing finger
MTG: Get in shape for font, 3x 7c+/8a before end of April now
LTG: Infinite Gravity in September

M: Rest
T: Rest
W: open hand max hangs session, one arm work
T: fb ancap
F-S: nothing

A low volume week although the sessions I did were a good intensity.

Finger's still improving and I even went climbing on it last night but there's still pain. It's probably/hopefully scar tissue but going to continue taking care of it so lopez hangs will need to wait.

fell asleep on sofa straight away (think this might be one of my core skills)

I think this is a weakness I need to urgently work on.

[rich d]

Mon - sun ate loads and drank even more - cullminating ate in Roux's place on friday in London and a kebab on saturday
Sat - notts depot - climbed rubbish - went on the circuit board towards the end of the session to try and improve my endurance/ability to climb more than 1 problem an hour - quite enjoyable. Watched the pooch climbing - very inspiring.
This week - eat a lot less (did a full fast day yesterday - suprisingly easy)
Don't drink til weekend - 2 days down
Core and lots of it - a massive weak link
Fingerboard 4 sessions another massive weak link.
At least one indoor session and weather depending time to test the lard on a couple of peak 6bs.

[tomtom]

How do you fast for a day - I'd faint...

[rich d]

Thought I'd give it a go. Amazingly felt fine - I often miss breakfast and lunch anyway - so it's probably not too much of a push from that. Really wierdly don't feel hungry at all today, just feels like a normal day almost like my body has reset itself. Managed some core and fingerboard stuff last night too. According to google and my calculator I need to do 15 days of this (not in a row) to get to my target weight, feels more doable occasionally than restricting everyday.

[cheque]

I don't think skipping meals or fasting is an effective way to lose weight (fasting everyday will work obviously, but you never saw Gandhi cranking hard).

This is pretty much how I understand it. I work with a guy (roughly the same age as me, also active) who doesn't eat at all during the 7.5 hour work day, whist I'm renowned at work for pretty much eating constantly. I'm lighter. 

[rich d]

Fair point - I don't think it's a magic cure for losing a bit of weight (some people seem to be zelous in their beliefs over certain diets/fads). Just thought once a week would cut some calories back and give a concrete goal for target weight of 15 weeks. My biggest thing is drinking mid week and then eating crap as I've had too much to drink as well as the calories in alcohol. Last night I didn't feel I would have had the energy to do a lot of aerobic stuff. But 50 pressups, 3 mins of plank and a short session on the fingerboard felt no tougher than usual - as the workload last night wasn't too high I don't feel achey or worked over today yet - got another short midweek session tonight so I'll see how I react to that.

[nai]

There was a program on about fasting 6-12 months ago (might have been a Dispatches if anyone wants to search for it), it's being used as a treatment the theory being that if the body isn't busy digesting food it can turn itself to repairing injury & illness.  Sounded quite convincing and did generate results. The fast day allowed 500Kcals and was only 1-2 days per week.  Keep meaning to try it but I am a bit of a grazer.
 

[metal arms]

I'm doing this.  It was Horizon - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19112549

I started it a month or so before xmas doing 2 days a week and only having a light (under 600cal) meal in the evening.  Lost a bit of weight but not loads.

I sacked it off over xmas because I love eating and drinking to excess at any excuse but have started again, just doing one day though because I have started going to the gym on my dinner break.

I was fairly convinced by the claims on the programme, but the main reason was that it was a much easier lifestyle change for me than monitoring my daily calorie intake.  1 day a week of misery is easier than constant scrutiny of my food and drink intake.

[tomtom]

I'm a complete grazer - with a pretty high metabolism and slightly sketchy blood sugar levels (If I'm ever angry give me a flapjack and I'll be an angel in 5 min..). I think fasting would be dangerous for me (and unpleaseant for those around me!) but thats just my odd body..

[andy_e]

I'm a complete grazer - with a pretty high metabolism and slightly sketchy blood sugar levels (If I'm ever angry give me a flapjack and I'll be an angel in 5 min..). I think fasting would be dangerous for me (and unpleaseant for those around me!) but thats just my old body..

[tomtom]

I'm a complete grazer - with a pretty high metabolism and slightly sketchy blood sugar levels (If I'm ever angry give me a flapjack and I'll be an angel in 5 min..). I think fasting would be dangerous for me (and unpleaseant for those around me!) but thats just my old body..

I was even worse when I was younger an ex used to carry a spare cereal bar around in her handbag to give me when I was getting ratty...

[andy_e]

I can't talk, if there was food readily available in my office I'd weigh twice as much now from constant grazing.

[Dolly]

Aren't those to do with insulin splikes TT ?
Have you tried low carbing it ?

[tomtom]

Aren't those to do with insulin splikes TT ?
Have you tried low carbing it ?

I dont know - I've been tested for diabetes and all OK..

By trial and error I've found its the right carbs.. probably low GI (I can never remember what all thats about!).

Bread is bad for me (wholemeal but white even worse) as in I'll be fine for an hour or so - then crash.. Porridge (aka gruel) or Muelsi (aka horsefood) is good, pasta OK, falafel, couscous and flatbreads all seem fine.. Give me a bag or Haribo and I'll be fine for an hour (a little perkier) then it feels like I've just collapsed after running 10 miles.. shakes, sweats, wobbles... Spuds seem OK... I've cut down on the meat I eat this year and that seems to be a good move (aside from the pork products diet this last weekend!) - the worst thing is when I go on holiday or somewhere where I find it hard to regulate my food input properly..

God knows how my mother coped - I must have been a hyperactive child from hell and that was before there was much knowledge about too much sugar/right types of food etc..

Sorry - this is clagging up the power club thread.. I do have a long long post brewing that I should type up tonight...

[nai]

Sorry - this is clagging up the power club thread.. I do have a long long post brewing that I should type up tonight...

Far from it, Power Club is a sub forum of diet, training & injuries, all good (and goes a long way to explaining your eating habits at the weekend ).  The way threads morph, organically stray from the original topic then come back on track is a ting of beauty.

[Dolly]

Sorry I meant insulin spikes as a consequence of any carb/sugar processing, irrespective of any diabetic condition. AFAIK (Mrs Dolly research) then reducing the amount of sugar and carbs means you have fewer spikes, therefore fewer mood swings.
I'm not sure that explains it very well.
This [size=78%]http://http://www.drbriffa.com/category/low-carbohydratecarbohydrate-restriction/[/size]  expains it much more betterer

[tomtom]

Its been a big week....

Nai, Grubes, TommyZtone, James and myself had a weekend planned in Northumberland at the end of the week – and in the beginning the forecast looked good. But during the week it snowed, and snowed and snowed and by mid week reports suggested there had been about 30 cm of snow up in t’county which made our trip look a bit marginal.. To make things worse, the long range forecast had things warming up by the weekend – so not only would getting around and cleaning snow from problems be an issue, but the probable melt, seepage and runoff over crags looked like it would put the kybosh on our planned foray...

Closer to home, there was plenty of snow about – and on Tuesday, with some trepidation I headed to the ‘cliff to get my Keel on again.. I wasn’t that hopeful to be honest, travelling over from Hull there was a mixture of clag, sunshine and freezing fog – but she was standing proud of the weather and covered in 10-20cm of snow... Unfortunately the sun was melting the snow (just) and it was running off down most problems. The usual warm ups were streaky with water – and the Keel, the beloved Keel had two large streaks running down it, one over the chip and the other over the pocket. Game over. Well nearly, I sat down in the snow, had some lunch, exchanged pleasantries with a man taking some pictures (who expressed his doubts about climbing) and had a think. I brushed off the snow on the slope above the face – towelled down the face and in the sun it started to dry.. with the towel positioned on the slope above the pocket, it intercepted small drips from above and after 30 min or so it was bone dry and clean... we’re on again.. But this is tough.. its close to freezing, nice in the sun but no-where to warm up.. I do some press-ups, potter on the Virgin traverse (Which I loathe), do some planks – then start working each section of the Keel in isolation. Christ its hard warming up on the problem you’re planning to do.. my shoulder screams from the pocket wrench.. core grumbles on the span out. The blister on the top of my right foot opens up again (from the foot jam on the start) – ach... still, I pull on – its laps I tell myself, practice, all money in the bank etc.. and to be fair Its not feeling too bad. Of course if I do the problem I cant top out – as its covered in 20cm of snow!



Martin from Citybloc racks up, has a look up at the top tier (DWR area etc..) and comes back down again – gopping he says.. and starts pottering around under the Virgin boulder.. I try again.. and again.. get the pocket with a whopper dab on the mat. I get straight back on to try the top out move so I gain some stamina.. shoulder wrenching and I just cant lever my left toe onto the end of the nose.. ach.. I wandered down to the Virgin and Martin is trying Cherry falls – and so for the next hour or so I rotate between spotting him on that, and moving mats back to the Keel and flailing away on that.. the sun drops, my towel is now frozen to the upper part of the Keel boulder and Martin is getting closer.. desperately close. I am getting further – maddeningly further.. I start just practicing the final moves as it is my obvious weakness but its all wrong, nothing working – I hang from the pocket with my legs flailing around trying to get some sort of purchase to get a toe on. My right knee starts bleeding though thermals and double kneed trousers through pushing on the face to get some leverage... light is fading, Martin is getting increasingly close latching the top but not holding the sloper once, twice and the last time holding it then as his body rotates it pulls him off. Man – so close.. Packing up the temps have plummeted, and my towel has stuck to the face of the Keel, and we both trudge back to the cars through the quiet snow defeated.. Tuesday was a really hard session – no room to warm up and wet snow.. mats slipping, shoes and clothes getting wet as it was melting – a real struggle to keep things out of the snow and dry, bouldering mats skitting away down the hill..

So with an eye firmly on the weather the week progressed.. for me teaching starts the next week, so this was my last fairly free week to get some sessions in – and Friday looked like it might work. Heading over to Manchester anyway – it was freezing fog most of the way from Hull to Wetherby.. superb. Freezing fog bizarrely is one of the best conditions I’ve ever found for the cliff.. as long as doesn’t precipitate out on the rock it can be mint.. below freezing and still. But as I drove past Collingham it started to snow – proper snow – but not the deluge we’d been promised would happen later in the day. This was some snow starter just to get things going.. the road up to the Cliff was better than Tuesday and despite the snow I thought I’d go and have a look.. at least it was below freezing so no melting out on things.. Stomping up the hill to get warm, I saw someone under the Virgin – and it was Martin again working Cherry falls. Friday was a completely different picture to Tuesday.. it was colder, now windy and starting to snow properly – I think Martin was finding it hard to get going in the conditions.. Wandering over to the Keel  - the pocket and chip were starting to fill up with snow! The trusty burgundy towel came out again, and by stuffing one end in the pocket and draping it over the nose I could keep it covered. I warmed up by deadhanging on the Virgin face, doing strange pull ups and sideways moves.. Tom P came along to help spot Martin – and like Tuesday it rotated between Cherry falls attempts and dragging my mats back to fart about on the Keel.. Video says it all 



To be fair, I had one really close attempt – in the pocket and then plopped out – and the one that I filmed that had a fairly large dab. Importantly, I managed to figure out my knee beta for the final pull up from the pocket. I have to bring my right leg close to my chest, and my right knee goes in a high dish on the underside of the arête – almost nestles in there – from which I can lever my left toe onto the face. This is really vital for me – as I’ve done this instinctively a couple of times when I’ve nearly done it – but flailed badly on others. So now I know what to do – exactly – for every part and I tried this last move 3 or 4 times successfully. While Tuesday was wet – Friday was cold. Really cold – snow got everywhere, mits off, shoes on, down off, on problem, fail – then reverse...

Martin nailed Cherry Falls – Tom gave him some good beta about how to push down to hold the break, and three really close attempts later he got it.. superb. Probably the 6th or 7th repeat - and the first time I’d seen some one work and land a problem that hard.. Fantastic effort.

So, the big Northumberland weekend. Not. Snowmageddon III was forecast for Friday afternoon/evening followed by the big thaw – so we took the tough decision to cancel. Tweets were flying in all directions on Friday. All of us had a weekend pass out (which was rarer for Nai than most of us) that shouldn’t be wasted – but most of the UK had LOG written all over it as far as Sat and Sunday were forecast.. picking the UKB twitterarti collective brain cells, someone suggested Porth Ysgo – and as the forecast for the weekend drew closer it seemed like a better – if not the only – alternative. Nai booked a bunkhouse (thanks Fatneck for all the help/advice) and at 8-9 on Saturday Morning, Nai, Grubes, James and 3T rolled up to MrsTT’s house in Manchester and we set off to the Lleyn.

I’ve never been to the Llyn peninsular.. I lived in Aberystwyth for 6 years – had a house on top of a hill with uninterrupted views of the Llyn.. watched thunderstorms roll across it at night – seen patches of cloud form above each of its hills in the day, seen the lighthouse on Bardsey wink at me during summer nights.. I loved the drive over, once you got past Bangor into the wilds, it was great – like chunks of wild cornwall with great hills looming up above.

None of us had ever been to Porth Ysgo before and after some fannying around figuring out where to park etc.. we wandered down the path (it did rain a little) and scrambled on to the beach/rocks.. What a place – it looks like a geological mess when you first arrive, but as you thread your way carefully over the rounded slippy boulders it reveals more and more fantastic grippy gabbro boulders and problems.
So we started in the first set of boulders – Ysgo Flange, Unnamed, Justice – Nai flashed Really Cool Toys (impressive sloper thrutch fest) and we wandered over to Higginsons Scar. I had real problems with this, I just felt too tall to get under it properly for the balance move over – and had about 6 or 7 attempts – eventually managing by using a little crimp on the RH face before lanking up to the shelf. Which felt like cheating :-/ We got about 2 hours in, then it started to drizzle – (as I finished the scar) and rain harder – so we packed up. Given the sketchy forecast – a couple of hours was probably a good shout.. then – as James put it RAIN PIE BEER – then cards and bed..


Me overbiting badly on Higginsons Scar.. nice picture apart from the Chipmunk effect..

It would be an understatement to say group psyche was high.. The rock was superb – problems looked great and we wanted to get on it the next day.. It shat it down with rain during the night, but as sun broke the skies were clear and it looked like a mint day was ahead. I got the bacon on at about 7:30 and we were parked up ready to walk down by 9.. Oh yes.

Oh fuck, was it windy.. and as we walked down, foam was blowing up and water blowing the wrong way off little waterfalls in the beck.. never mind – it was windy the day before – yet surprisingly sheltered down by the sea. But as we came to the edge all was not well.. High tide was about 8:30 – and with a low pressure, big moon and strong onshore wind – the sea was high. The picture does it justice..  no dry boulders there.



Spectacular – but a disaster. What to do? We walked back to the cars where Fatneck was tweeted for advice, alternative venues sought.. the pass? RAC? The Cave – psyche was not high for anywhere else, and we decided to head to Abersoch, have a coffee and come back in a couple of hours when the tide had gone out a bit. 11am – and we’re back at the car park.. run down the hill.. and – well its marginal – lets have a look – and well, surprisingly the boulders at the back were fine, wind wasn’t high in amongst the boulders and the sun was out. T shirts, drying rock and many pads.. superb.. Grubes made a short film, that captures some of the days highlights..



For the team as whole, problems ticked were The Ramp (V3), Unmarked Grave (V4), Closer (V3), Jawbreaker (V5), Popcorn Party (V6), The Incredible Shaking Man (V3), Perrin's Crack (V2), Perrin's Crack SS (V7)
I really struggled on the harder problems – all of which seemed to involve a horribly bunched sit start – or powerful dynamic moves... my usual lanky grit nouse didn’t serve me too well here.. Unmarked Grave was superb – fantastic moves. Closer had me panting and scrabbling at the top like a fresher on their first climb.. Jawbreaker utterly beasted me.. campus moves with a wart as a foothold – nope.. Personally, this was a bit of a disappointment – in myself. Talking to 3T on the way home many of the problems were like wall problems – clearly defined holds and powerful moves. I guess I’ve not got the guns for that at present.. Perrins Crack SS looked fantastic – except I couldn’t fit and then extract my body and legs from under the Sit.. Popcorn party felt better – but it ate my skin and I wanted to save some for later on in the day. But my performance aside it was a superb team effort – James got 3 V6’s and above.. 3T smashed in Perrins SS and Jawbreaker... the Most impressive performance was Nai on the sit to Incredible Shaking man (7B). His last problem of the day – and after 5-6 tries he got the first move with two power screams (one to set up – one to go) – watching him work the next moves – and then get that first really hard lunge repeatedly after how hard it was to start with was pretty inspirational.. He was so close to getting it – and only fading light and a pressing need to get home with a 3 hour drive ahead of him dragged him away from it.



What a great trip – what a great place. I hope I don’t sound down on it in the above – thats just a reflection on my own performance.. I think I find it hard adapting to different rock types – I’m OK at working harder problems, but my onsight/flash/new rock skills are much weaker.. I want to get back – there are problems there I need to try again, and new ones I must get on... appetite whetted

[Luke Owens]

Great post Tom! It's got me keen to get back to Ysgo!

[andy popp]

Really good post Tom. Stirring stuff!

[tomtom]

Really good post Tom. Stirring stuff!

Thanks - not sure I'll get a week like that for a while now that teachings started.. :/