[Grubes]

I have been avoiding this thread for a while.

my climbing this year has been poor to say the least a few things have got in the way.

Trad
Climb E2 regularly think I have done 6 trad routes maybe 1 E1 repeat
Climb E3 see above
HP E4/5 see above
Climb more route than last year did not think it was possible

Sport
Onsight 6c or harder best onsight 6a+
Climb 7b again or harder 7a was my best

Bouldering
7A I did climb one and down graded it to 6C. I made sure it went in the guide at 6C not 7A

Other stuff.
Put up a FA on isle of man did not go to isle of man ... sorry Nik
Dolphin belly slap not been to almscliff
Climb in 4 different countries england, france and spain (not even wales)

I climbed so little this year I had a new route named after me in honley quarry called Better than video games - I was recovering from an operation that stopped me climbing at the time
I have really been struggling to get out this year due to partners, weather, injury but more than anything it was motivation that let me down.

I had an op on my toe in June which meant no climbing for June and most of July.
I then had a few things go wrong in my personal life shortly after that and things never seemed to stop coming. the shit is still coming now. Hopefully things will pick up in the next few weeks.

I did achieve a few things this year though.
I got on a bike for the first time in 15+ years
I cycled from London to Huddersfield in under 72 hours only 4 months after getting back on the bike.
After putting on a lot of weight after my operation I got fit again.
I then ran a sprint distance triathlon and went straight to the depot and entered the battle of britain.
I some how will struggling to stand up managed not to finish last at the battle of britain.
I climbed my first 7a in el chorro after three visits trying

Mostly I am disappointed in myself for this year. I should of done more.

[kelvin]

Learn to appreciate grit I guess - I just don't understand it. *Yep - I think I get now
Loose some more weight - 75kg  (78/79kg lately) *Heavier -82/83
Generally not forget to just enjoy the mountains - scramble, wildcamp etc. Lots of soling on Idwel slabs, Cniefon Arete etc

Boulder
Get outside more than once! Bad effort last year. *Font for 5 days, Plantation, Cratcliffe etc. First 6A and 6A+ in the forest, a few grit 6As too
Indoors V4 (almost yesterday)  *Flashed 3
Indoors V5 Nowhere near at Pinnacle

Trad
Not get sidetracked by falling in love  *Strong effort here - almost celebate
Get some more E1s *3 more, all slabs. Still chasing...
E2 (ideally Pull My Daisy) Got on E2 5c and E3 6a, no joy. Still chasing...
Consolidate VS and HVS Dunno really. 2x5b,6x5a,12x4c tech pyramid but find grit HVS particularly hard

Sport
Onsight 6b A perfect Feb day - on limestone
Actually redpoint something  What is this redpoint thing people do?!

[kelvin]

• UK trad excursion A short but pleasant North Wales visit with Kelvin

Looking back, I think your father's ill health at the time probably cast a larger shadow over the slate visit/climbing than you realised and also the fact you were climbing with someone from off the interweb - Pull my Daisy is so inside your capabilities. If you need a belay again this summer, just shout and we can get in the quarries with a plan to tick some good stuff.

[tomtom]

The last two years have been a real rollercoaster and for the first time I ages I feel settled. So......

- Lose a stone.

Lost 3/4 so nearly done.  Had I not cracked a rib and got the flu I reckon that would have been ticked.

- Pass my bike test and buy a good bike

Done, passed in May and bought a Victory Hammer-S


- Have a really good trip to the Ments with GME and the lads

Done, a brilliant trip, especially after not having surfed for such a long time.

- Go climbing

Only once but not that bothered.

- Do some music thing

Yes, yes, yes.  Really came on playing my guitar this year. Written some songs.  Played with a few musicians.  Psyched about the coming year to play live and stick a record out.

Brilliant!

[shark]

Complete recently started stuff - eatswood Reverse (ideally do the full circuit), Blind Date. Fell off the last move of ER at end of Feb and now JonBoy has made the finish harder by removing foot ledges. Sacked off Blind Date as it shredded my tips and instead went on West Side Story which was a nicer equivalent challenge and did it at the beginning of march \o/

Be in great shape to attempt the Oak from end of Feb I was in pretty good shape and doing better than ever on it in March to mid April but unfortunately it went pear shaped after that

Complete longstanding projects - Anger Management, Oak, Rattle and Hump start (ideally do links into it) and Kudos start (ideally do the route) Decided to boulder through the summer so AM didnt get a look in. Was not psyched for the travel and effort of trying the Oak in the Autumn. Didnt achieve either of those boulder problems.

Bolt and climb two new sport routes I’ve got my eye on No

At least one bolt clipping trip away with Tommy and teach him to lead trad Great trip to Kalymnos with him at the end of Oct and one trad day at Stanage when he led an HVS
Come to terms with turning 50 

Lots of property aims principally get an extension done and a new property completed on and refurbished and let by summer Good success here but soaked up a lot of energy and I had no idea of the effect it would have depleting my climbing psyche - hence not going on the Oak in the Autumn 

Do a couple more interviews Malc done but not seen the light of day yet.  Not sure I want to do any more

Rebolt some routes None done but went to bolting workshop and lent my drill out to High Repute to rebolt

Now I've written it all down its not been such a disastrous year as I thought it was.

[Grubes]

Do a couple more interviews ... Not sure I want to do any more

how come?
effort involved etc? or running out of people who have climbed hubble 

[GCW]

1.  Use the board at least once a week.  Not been on it as much as I should.
2. Boulder 7C or harder.   Ha ha, yeah right.
3. Reacquaint myself with Silverdale after two years of not visiting.  Nope.
4. Do some trad with Nik at Work.  Never came off, next year......
5. Tick two problems from the last few years Aims For lists.  Nope.
6. Run another hill marathon or two.  Yeah!  Further Faster series done, UTLD 50, 3 Rings of Shap.  Essentially I've done seven hill events of marathon distance (or more) this year.
7. Find some new rock and do a good FA.  No new rock, but got three nice FAs.
8. Do at least twenty new Wainwrights  Nope.
9. 7b in Font  Nope.  Circumstances and family bereavement didn't help our France holiday.
10. Read ten more books from the BBC Big Read top 100  Read half a dozen but now trudging through Middlemarch I've lost direction!

[kelvin]

I did achieve a few things this year though.
I got on a bike for the first time in 15+ years
I cycled from London to Huddersfield in under 72 hours only 4 months after getting back on the bike.
After putting on a lot of weight after my operation I got fit again.
I then ran a sprint distance triathlon and went straight to the depot and entered the battle of britain.
I some how will struggling to stand up managed not to finish last at the battle of britain.
I climbed my first 7a in el chorro after three visits trying

Mostly I am disappointed in myself for this year. I should of done more.

When I first joined fitclub, you were so psyched all the time Grubes - it's tough to keep that going constantly tho but I reckon, just looking at that list I've quoted, that you've put way more effort in than you've given yourself credit for. Operations and personal shit never ever make life easy and most just curl up in front of the sofa. You've done your first sprint tri :-D and finished the day in a climbing comp! Total nutter.

You might not think it but some of us notice and people achieving when odds are stacked against them is always impressive.

Roll on next year eh?

[galpinos]

Most of these are the same as 2013 as I totally underestimated the effect a mini-galpinos would have but I reckon with better organisation and now she’s a little older, it could happen….

Climbing:
Font 7c – The Goal, anything else is a nice to have.
30 new 7s (new to me, not new problems)
Tick the problems on The List
E5
7c
Orion Face Direct (depends on whether conditions coincide with an opportunity to get to Scotland)

Running:
Highlander MM - Top three in Class
Saunders MM - Win Class
Sub 19 5k
Sub 40 10k
Sub 90 half

General:
Write a training plan and stick to it.
One arm pull-up (both arms)
Ski another gully on the Ben (Tower Gully?)
Get below 13st.

Total abject failure. Had some lovely days out but struggled to balance climbing/running with work and family. Think I've reached a better balance so am attempting to put that into practice with a proper training plan over the winter.

[T_B]

This is fun - I never posted mine at the start of the year, but the climbing ones were..

Redpoint F8b, on-sight 8a Had meant to try Revelations but never did. Had a quick play on Zeke but decided it was too fingery for me. Did a 'soft' 8b first RP in Spain and an 8a+ in two sessions, so not far off, just need a bit more time to commit to a siege. Hardest o/s was 7c (but a bl**dy classic one - Dominatrix), so still miles off 8a o/s. I reckon this is pretty unrealistic without a lot more time on actual rock.
Consolidate Font 8A Hmm, didn't really get it together bouldering-wise as got into doing routes. Failed at the Cave in May. Repeated Staminaband in a couple of sessions, which I'd only done once previously, 11 years ago. Spent quite a bit of time in the spring on Press Low Left, but need to be stronger for this.
Drop to 83.5Kg by end April 83.8Kg, so close. Was under 83Kg at end of October Spanish trip. A good year for not being too heavy.
DWS late August + flash Cider Soak F8a Just a DWS comp, but did OK in that. Got to 5 moves from the top of CS on the flash, but it was wet and a bit too hard. Did it quickly in 2.5 hours though. Syked for Tuppence in the future as the length/angle of that wall suits me.
O/S F8a in October My Spanish trip in October turned into a redpointing trip as I fell off the 8as that I tried. Getting 2/3rds of the way up of a couple of the obvious ones. Just didn't have that long route stamina.

Also had an extension built on the house, so that was the major non-climbing tick. 8m x 2.5m garage means I could build I board (if I didn't already have 3 walls to climb at and could be ar*ed...)

[Will Hunt]

Bouldering:
Do more problems at 7B+ and 7C

I have done a couple this year but I'd hoped to do more and I seem to be blighted by soft touches which don't really give the full satisfaction. Fluide at Crow Crag is morpho and almost certainly 7B or 7B+ for me. Parker SDS at the Glen can't possibly be the same grade as Underhand for someone who isn't tiny!

Sport:
Take up proper sport climbing and actually redpoint some stuff.

A funny one this. I did give sport climbing a bit of a go with mixed results. Everything at Malham puts me into a state of quivering fear as when you're heading for the lower-off, pumped solid, there always seems to be a huge run-out with nothing between you and death but one bolt. What if the quickdraw fails? It's rare but it happens! Ended up making embarrasing screaming noises and grabbing the chain on Wasted Youth despite having flashed it to the lower off.
Got on much better at Troller's Gill which is much less scary but didn't quite manage to project anything - just ended up flashing stuff or doing it after a go or two. Really enjoyed climbing there though, much more so than Malham!

Trad:
Use the above to do trad better. Continue to get on stuff that I want to do.

I tend to book a day's trad in, get the guidebook out, get psyched to do a particular route that I might find tough, and then get to the crag and flake out through fear. This is hugely disappointing and it still feels like a major barrier in my climbing is actually setting out to attempt these routes - most of which are vastly within what I know I am physically, but not necessarily mentally, capable of. This year confidence has definitely improved. I don't do as much trad now, but I can't remember not attempting something that I had got psyched for. This year I've done: Eavestone Wall, Crazy Paver, Equus, Psycho (a highball really), Whisky Wall (crap route but wanted to do it for years) which are all routes that would normally be walked away from without even trying through fear. The year seemed to climax on Saturday in one of the best days I've had on rock ever which included an on-paper personal best for me - Track of the Cat. I knew I wanted to get on this route and I'd worked myself up into a lather about it. Of course, once you've committed to tying on you find that it's a breeze. I think I zoned out for a lot of the slab and once I got started I felt utterly relaxed. It's really unusual that you can spend a whole week in a bubble at work feeling stressed or anxious about everything and then, at the very moment you are most in harms way, feel completely tranquil and at peace.

[SA Chris]

Guess it's time to put it out there! Edit some rollovers and some new ones

1 - Carried forward from 2012 - the sea arch traverse. If the planets align and we get a decent dry spell it will go. Insallah. - dry conditions never came when I was feeling fit
2 - get woody up in new house - bought some wood and holds for it
3 - get bouldering fitness back on above mentioned woody - had a good spell of fitness but 2/3 of year plagued by injuries
4 - get to wall once a weekish and get on some routes - was getting down, but not on routes
6 - NYD I tipped the scales at 14 st 1.5, my heaviest yet. Aim to be back down to 13.5 st by the time clocks change. - down to 13 stone, which I have maintained most of the year.
7 - get on some of the 20 or so FAs I have earmarked for development managed nearly half that
8 - get on some traddy stuff - esp potential new local crag a couple of good days
9 - yoga at least once every 2 weeks about twice in the year
10 - ski / board more - ski or board (depending how long approach is) one graded gully. Get to Alps for a week of snowsports couple of resort days in Scotland, no Alps trip
11- Surf more, hopefully get somewhere warm for a family holiday / surf trip - had a god spell mid summer, but no away trip
12 - Get decent desktop and get better at photo and video editing - Yep! Not had a load of use though!

[willackers]

Bouldering:
Do more problems at 7B+ and 7C

I have done a couple this year but I'd hoped to do more and I seem to be blighted by soft touches which don't really give the full satisfaction. Fluide at Crow Crag is morpho and almost certainly 7B or 7B+ for me. Parker SDS at the Glen can't possibly be the same grade as Underhand for someone who isn't

I'm a lanky git and I personally think that Fluide is a hard problem. I've done much easier 7C's in font!

[shark]

Do a couple more interviews ... Not sure I want to do any more

how come?
effort involved etc? or running out of people who have climbed hubble 

I started a trend now everyone is at it.  Joking aside there just seems there is an overwhelming amount of talking head content out there now. If there is a desire for more will do it. Maybe not the megastars - might be more novel to do interesting people I know - like zippy or john welford or Seb or Paul Reeve.   

[nai]

I'd take one of the boards off you if Tom doesn't want them

[shark]

I'd take one of the boards off you if Tom doesn't want them

Sorry Ian - I took that post down as Lagers had PM'ed me PDQ. Never seen a fat man move so fast. If there is a board left I'll PM you

[Fiend]

Rough chronological order:

1. Climb some more grit routes this winter. - semi-fail. Had one brief trip whilst injured so didn't do much exciting. --- had another trip down and hampered by a few things but got the psyche back, carrying this forward to THIS winter.

2. Short trip to Pedriza in late January. - success! A bit hampered by weather but managed to do a few ace slabs.

3. Short trip to Berdorf in cool spring / autumn. - fail. Need to organise something this autumn. --- fail.

4. Short trip to Pfalz in cool spring autumn. - fail. Need to organise something this autumn. --- fail.

5. Move to Manchester / Peak area. - fail. Need to do this. --- fail.

6. If successful, climb some cool routes in Wales / South West. - semi-fail. Had a few days in Meirionydd and loved it. Hopefully get down more this autumn --- ran out of weather.

7. Get weight below 12 stone in spring. - fail. Despite cutting out soft drinks and keep training more than last year, I keep gaining weight.  --- training more than usual, looking more defined above mid-torso, but haven't dared weigh myself so will assume I'm still fucked x100

8. Keep doing falling practise. - success. Done this every time I've been to the wall and it's starting to feel familiar. --- doing all the time, getting more comfortable, done a few 2-clip-skips at Ratho

9. Keep training CV at gym and micro-runs. - semi-success. Done this a reasonable amount, could do more though. --- upgrading this to a success as I've kept doing it over Autumn, and have had a few walks and runs where I've felt very slightly better - maybe a whole 5% improvement  - for the first time in 5 years.

10. --- to be added later --- Let's say: Do some good routes in The Lakes. - success. Done some good routes in The Lakes! Still need to get to Raven and maybe Dow before my brain explodes from desire - fail, ran out of Lakes season.

Same as 3/4 term report. Bad on actual goals, quite good on actual climbing and also training. Bad organisation, report to detention after the bell.

[nai]

Started the year injured and sulking so didn't post in here as I didn't want to spread my negative vibe. Finished the year crocked too but taking the chance to rest while I repair.

Goals would have been:

8a - came close, fell of the top wall of HFC a number of times including the last move once
E4, specifically Resurrection hardly did any trad and didn't get to Wales. In fact haven't had a weekend away all year
Brad Pit didn't get going til April & got injured again in November so missed both grit windows
3:30 marathon got injured training for Spring event then couldn't handle the mileage in summer heat while training for an Autumn event
4lb Perch & double figure carp had an 8.5lb Carp which is a PB, Perch season underway, still hope for these

Despite the amount of red on the board this has been one of my most enjoyable and most productive years of recent times. Didn't quite get the 8-grade but did a fair selection of decent, hardish routes.  Worked out my training at last, a few tweaks next year should see improvements again and if I can stay fit and healthy I'm optimistic that success will come.

[duncan]

I started a trend now everyone is at it.  Joking aside there just seems there is an overwhelming amount of talking head content out there now. If there is a desire for more will do it. Maybe not the megastars - might be more novel to do interesting people I know - like zippy or john welford or Seb or Paul Reeve.   

Dark horses - and people not trying to sell me something - would be interesting. Of course they are the most likely to say no but you can only ask.


I didn't announce my aims at the start of the year because number one was too scary! They were:

1. NIAD - Oh yes! I was quiet about this beforehand but it's been the focus of the last two years, perhaps longer. A very resonant goal. Like the most satisfying achievements, in doubt 'til the very end. 

2. E5 onsight - nowhere near. Very little trad. other than polished granite cracks. Peaked at E3/4 for the 4th year running. The time I had allocated to trad. - high summer - I was in a post-Yosemite dip and not really syked for anything. Number one aim for 2015.

3. 7b RP - no cigar. Tried 3 and came close in a day last month, 7a+ OS for consolation prize. Unlikely but I've not completely given up for this year.

[Johnny Brown]

This year I've done: Eavestone Wall, Crazy Paver, Equus, Psycho (a highball really), Whisky Wall ...
The year seemed to climax on Saturday in one of the best days I've had on rock ever which included an on-paper personal best for me - Track of the Cat.

Psycho is way harder than Track, and for me really impressive. Most highball slabby E5s on local crags I get wired and do regularly, but not Psycho. It's hard; good effort. I think Track is probably only E4 but it is a very special route - your experience is by no means unusual. There's something about the setting, something about the rock... and the moves just flow. Magic.

I'm a lanky git and I personally think that Fluide is a hard problem. I've done much easier 7C's in font!

Such as?

[Will Hunt]

Thank you for the kind words, JB. I'd agree that Psycho is more technically difficult but is probably only Font 6B (I've seen it billed as 7A elsewhere!) or something. The landing is perfect so with a few pads it's quite safe, even if you really don't want to fall off the last easy moves!
I tend to agree with you about the grade of Track. I wouldn't have felt hard done by at E4 5c; regardless of which, those tall spicy slabs have a way of focussing the mind which no other climbing seems to do.

That was me and Footwork (of Living With Wads fame/shame) at Tetris later. I hope your little one got their "MIIIIIIIIIILK" in the end! And that Peregrine, WOW!

[Stubbs]

Will, I think there's always going to be problems that suit you and those that don't. There's no shame in doing the ones that do when you're new to the grade, and both those two are classics! Did you do any other 7B/C's this year?

(Fwiw I think Parker sit is nails and have not done it, not got around to trying Fluide yet.)

[willackers]

This year I've done: Eavestone Wall, Crazy Paver, Equus, Psycho (a highball really), Whisky Wall ...
The year seemed to climax on Saturday in one of the best days I've had on rock ever which included an on-paper personal best for me - Track of the Cat.

Psycho is way harder than Track, and for me really impressive. Most highball slabby E5s on local crags I get wired and do regularly, but not Psycho. It's hard; good effort. I think Track is probably only E4 but it is a very special route - your experience is by no means unusual. There's something about the setting, something about the rock... and the moves just flow. Magic.

I'm a lanky git and I personally think that Fluide is a hard problem. I've done much easier 7C's in font!

Such as?

Vandale, La Berezina for a start. I thought Fluide was tricky.

[Doylo]

To have less injuries than this year.

Get in.

[Will Hunt]

Did you do any other 7B/C's this year?

No other 7Cs or B+s. A good year at 7B though! Crimpy Roof and Pistol Whip at "proper" 7B and also Bit of a Jerk, Bird Flu (think this might have been graded for a different sequence), and Buffy Wants Daddy.

Bird Flu is probably one of the best aretes out there and quite manageable if you use your feet properly and get the good sequence. Right foot on low smear, left hand on the arete, right hand on the low chicken head thing. Pull on and get left foot into the high diagonal smear, bump left hand, then do the most fantastic step through with the right foot onto a high foot jug close to the arete. Then MATCH the arete (absolutely briliant movement) and stand up, drinking in the subtelty of it all. Honestly one of the best problems on the Fell. Can't praise it enough!