[tomtom]

More recovery stuff...

M: Minor injuries to get the wound in my back re-packed/dressed

Th: Minor injuries again... getting to know the nurses now Had a session on the Beastmaker (1k) - big jugs and big slots

Sa: Still aching from BM on Thurs... tentatively pulled on again decided to rest

Su: Minor injuries again (another week of this probably) - and just finished a Beastmaker session in my pants. As its 25+ degrees here in Manchestershire...

[fried]

M - Nothing
T - Indoors Arkose, humid, but fun as they've heightened some of the walls, although it does feel a bit oppressive. Did 2 easy circuits, and a couple of harder probs.
W/Th - Nothing
Fr - Was supposed to climb as I was working in the afternoon, but the grey, endless rain, strikes, flooding and one glass too many of wine, led me home and for a nap of the sofa. Feel really guilty.

S - Continuing crap weather
Su - Indoors, OK session, did a few new 6A probs.

Crap May, losing momentum outside, nowhere near the amount of sessions I'd like. I have some vague hopes of getting out this week.

[shark]

Sa: Still aching from BM on Thurs...

Sounds like quite a bowel movement   

11.0-2

M. Went with Tom to Caseg Fraith Boulder in Ogwen. Glorious weather still. 3rd day on.Lovely spot and a clutch of ace problems. Managed Ogwen Jazz 6B but didnt quite hold teh lip on the classic dyno Oh Yeah 6C. Moved on to seek out the Gallt yr Ogof Boulder. Eventually found it. Did the slab but failed on the 6B layback arete. Rest day required
T. Blue skies but a gusty wind. Went to do Crib Goch - a first for me as well as Tom  .Amazing outing. I was keen to do the rest of teh Horseshoe but Tom reminded me it was meant to be a rest day so we slithered down the scree atr the end and headed back
W. Scorchio again    Went back to Sheep Pen. Tried to warm up on Little Groover 6A but couldnt do it! Went to the main boulder. Felt tired and also a bit dejected from failing but worked Kingdom of Rain 7A ruthlessly and took advantage of a brief bit of cloud cover to unexpectedly get the send. \o/
T. Needless to say more hot weather. Headed up to Wavelength where I was to keen to try King of Drunks 7A which I had failed to do the powerful start two years ago. Started working it but decided I styill lacked the requisite power and worked out a way to do the sit with left hand on the shelf and right hand on an edge and got to the penultimate move going for the crimp. The Perfect Man arrived with A Steve From Manchester. ASFM made the start look easy andf also missed using the intermediate crimp. I had a go and also found I could do it (though TPM couldnt) A few goes fluffing the top move then a bit of micro beta and I got the whole thing. While still buzzing retroflashed the Groove 6B to its left then headed down the hill and home for Sheffield
F.
S.Ben up fgor going out so went to Cratcliffe. Warm and muggy. Went straight to Jerrys but it was largely wet. Had a play around. Felt out of sorts. Went to have a look at Suicide Wall which Ive alwatys wanted to solo. Didnt have a guide. Start was wet. Climbed up mainly using the tree. Couldnt remenber the exact line and generally felty today wasn't the day so escaped right. We had a look at T Crack which was also damp and so headed over to RHS. I came over all peculiar and legs felt really heavy (keto flu?). The Cave at RHS was wet too but Ben had a play whilst I had a nap. Ben decided the Works was a better option but on way out clocked the Grizzly Arete 7A+ was dry and in fact catching a bit of breeze. He had a few goes and feeling a bit better I joined in. Ended up getting involved and to my surprise doing it \o/.
S.

Probably the best week of bouldering Ive had. Had a great time in Wales with Tom. Great tonic for the disappointment of not getting whatever that route was that I was trying at Malham. Tom wasnt on form climbing wise and not up for tradding but seemed to enjoy himself. I started experimenting with the keto diet whilst away and lost a few lbs. Even better when got back Sonia seems up for trying it as she read about it in a running mag. Off to Fairhead tomorrow for 5 days to get scared.


Caseg Fraith Arete


Gallt yr Ogof Boulder





           
   

[tomtom]

Great week Shark!

[Muenchener]

STG (July): Get a decent alpine route or two in in the Kaisergebirge/Oberreintal
MTG (2016): Redpoint 7b
LTG (<= 5 years): Redpoint 8a before I hit 60.

Had planned an alpine multipitch weekend, but the weather is dismal and looks set to remain so for a while. Bailed to the Frankenjura in the hope of finding scraps of dry rock between thunderstorms.

M: Bike to work one hour.
T: Wall, Boulderwelt. Short session with M jnr. Finished off with ring l-sits & shoulder stuff.
W: Bike to work one hour.
T: Wall, Boulderwelt.
F: Bike to work one hour. Got soaked in a thunderstorm on the way home: proper alpine training.
S: Frankenjura. Successfully found a scrap of dry rock, on which is situated one of my longest standing projects. Schöne Aussicht was one of the first VIII- (UIAA - 6c+ in real money) routes I ever tried, and I found it desperate. It generally has a soft touch reputation, but today was my third day on it and I still had to fight for the redpoint.
S: Frankenjura, bouldering. Redpointing Saturday, hard bouldering Sunday probably not the cunningest possible plan for a weekend, but it was a fun way to fill in a couple of hours before the next thunderstorm. Bouldering on limestone is so great for finger power, body tension, foot positioning ... I enjoy it even though I'm hopelessly weak at it. Summed up by a local we were talking to: "you look like a route climber trying to boulder"

[ashtond6]

Quiet weekend resting the finger injury

M rest
T long walk
W push up and pull up training
T 7k run
F rest
S 20 mins light climbing on a vert wall
S 1.5 hrs on the cemetery park boulder, quite fun and hand felt stronger

[Duma]

Sounds like an ace time in Wales Shark! Enjoy Fairhead.

Goals:
Summer - lots of local sport, unfinished business with cider soak from 15 years ago, tick Neath Abbey, identify (and if possible do) candidates for:
8A and 8b by next June

70kg. ( my ikea scales don't really do increments of less then a kg, but this week I had to start rounding up)

Body Audit: clear (touch wood)

M: finish nights, few hrs sleep, load van, drive to cornwall to help ex move.
T: Up early as she started work, took advantage of being down that way to nip in to Tintagel for the morning - retro flashed Purple Haze (7A), flashed PH Right Hand (6C), and managed AWOL Apprentice (7C) in an hr or so. Brief attempts at Dans new thing (Path of Daggers 7C+) curtailed by skin protest, and Colorado Drreaming (7C+) curtailed by general feebleness. Back in Bristol by 2, then met Rosea at UCR for a few routes - knackered, but a few worthwhile attempts at some steep things getting pumped and failing above bolts, which should be good for me.
W:
T: TCA at lunch before evening shifts. weighed in over 70kg for the first time in years which was a bit deppressing, seemed to affect me (mentally?) as "climbed heavy", struggled to get going, powering out after a few moves, etc. Managed to shake it off for the last twenty minutes of the session and ticked one of the three blues I had left (prob 7B/+) plus repeated the crux move of another.
F: Feeling keen so Huntsham before an evening shift - have wanted to check out Hunters Roof (8A) as a potential "pre 40" target for a while now. Warm up on Short and Steep (6B) a few times then onto Hunters. Getting to matching the undercuts is ok, then pretty burly to get your feet into position for the crux RH slap out to the sloper on the lip. Didn't manage that move despite many goes, the undercut rail/flake is unnervingly flexy and hollow, plus I'm shit on undercuts. Was close enough that it seems a possibility though. Did it from there (matched on the undercuts, jumping one foot off the floor whilst simultaneously slapping out with RH). Great sequence compressing with heels to get LH out, then a quality bit of footless pebble crimping before a last droppable move to the break. Psyched for this! Need to get stronger on undercuts.
S: Had daughter for weekend, went to the beach.
S: As above, but zoo.

[tommytwotone]

Current status: trying to climb out of hole of work stress / general de-psych / other life taking over
LTG: Font 7anything


M: Nowt. House stuff. Mowed lawn. Went to tip. Took Una to Krispy Kreme.
T: Nowt  - meant to go to gym but project go-live overran and took out my lunch break.
W: took delivery of new (to me, slightly drunk eBay "surprise" gift by myself) 5:10 Blancos. Needed to go to Wickes in Pudsey so first Depot trip in a while. Decent if unfocused session. Started breaking in the Blancos, feels like they might be a touch big but for 12 fuckalls I can live with that.
T: Gym on lunch. "Fat Burn" HIIT class. Hard.
F: Gym on lunch - tried 200 rep workout: 50 35kg deadlift, 16kg goblet squat, pressup and bench dip. Tried to limit the rests.
S: Nowt.
S: Put up a curtain rail.


Seriously low psych, but did have a decent wall session on Weds. Think it's a sign that my normal bog / bed reading has switched from bouldering guides to the Wickes and Screwfix catalogues.

[36chambers]

STG: make a training plan for Squamish
MTG: Zoo York
LTG: 8B

M: bank holiday. First time at Gardoms Edge. Managed Mark's Roof 7B and Soft on the G 7B(/6C...). The former being excellent, the latter being underwhelming.
T: ...bank holiday. Stayed over at the Roaches, so had a nice morning there before heading home via Curbar. Highlights being Stretch and Mantle 6C and Early Doors 7A+. 
W: rest
T: Sister's wedding stuff
F: Sister's wedding stuff
S: Sister's wedding.
S: Hangover day at Widdop in what felt like the hottest day of the year. Thankfully we had a late start and so after pottering around for a while Fight On The Black 7B became shaded by the trees. Managed it first go of the day and then repeated straight afterwards. YYFY! This problem was the first "hard" problem I ever saw, on my very first day climbing ~10 years ago, when me and my friends thought 7B was the highest grade possible. Over the past 3 years I must have made 8 trips to try it. Usually on my bill over the christmas holidays (once on Christmas day) and more often than not to be rained/snowed off within minutes of arriving or to find the break in bad nick. It's been a bit of an epic for something that now isn't even that hard. Very happy.   

No training this week. Instead I must have practically eaten my own body weight in cake. I wonder how much weight you can gain from 3 days of severe indulgence. I'm almost feel bad about it.

[Nibile]

Mon - took day off. Went to the sea, ate seafood, went bouldering, climbed project in terribly hot and humid conditions with a vulgar display of power, ate roast chicken, went home. Brilliant.
Tue - rest.
Wed - PE on new holds, three excruciating goes, 2'10", 2'15", 1'35". Improved by a good 20". Excellent. Dumbbell complex. Quick and hard.
Thu - board climbing. Nearly did project, excellent form. Got injured on my second go though, bad bad back contracture, could barely take my shoes off. Overhead and shoulder barbell walk.
Fri - slightly better. Pull ups, 10x10 (chins, wide, narrow grip).
Sat - slightly better. PE on new holds, 2'30", 1'40". Pull ups, 10x10 as Friday.
Sun - rest.

[monkoffunk]

STG: climb as many 7A/+ and 7b-7c as possible. Find 7c+ project. Sort out training plan for Spain in December.
MTG: 1. French 7c+, before 1/1/17. 2. Tick unfinished business list (5/13). 3. Font 7B before 1/1/17.
LTG: 1. Cider Soak and Academic, before 1/1/18. 2. Font 7B+, before 1/1/18.

M - Day 3 on. Anstey's. Clips in Sole Fusion 7a+ to warm up. Two further redpoints to send. This was the route I couldn't touch in November that made me want to sort my life out and get back into shape, so sort of like a mini mile stone. Then got on How the Mighty Fall also 7a+.  Went off route and blew it at the top of the extreme retro fudge point, which certainly was extreme with my 'I'm going to die' moment placing the third awkward draw on lead. Went the go after that. Unfinished business from around 2009 with Mark, the weirdest thing on the list, and the happiest I've been about never having to do a route again!
Main event of day was really after that. One go doing some of the moves on Cider Soak. Mostly focused on moves from first pocket rail to the pocket after third clip. Spectacular moves, glad I could do any of them as tired as I felt. Really awesome. Incredibly psyched to train for this thing.

T - Day 4 on. Planning on Pride Evans at Cheddar but people there so went to wave instead. Couple of goes refining beta on Seven Months Later, 7c, with some help from some stronger people than me, and went next go! Unexpected. Then back to Pride Evans. Couple of goes on Directoonima. Tried hard, but I was pretty exhausted so no joy. Think I have a good sequence though! It's really good. Will be my hardest route when I do it.

W - Rest day, or back to work, whatever you call it.

T - Portland. Did Danny Wellback, 7A. Took me about a million goes because kept on dabbing. Massive boulder right in front of problem and first foot hold in a hole, so many places to dab, and I dabbed all of them on one attempt or another. Finally did it. Worked moves on 7A+ variation after which up was surprisingly awesome, much better moves. Too boxed though. This is why I need better session tactics or something. Finished off by running a few laps on DNA Test, a 6B+ with what seemed like a sketchy top out at first, but becomes really easy when you figure out how to do it. Need that for the 7A+...

F - Work. Core in evening.

S - Work. Sluggish start. Will power failure at work yesterday. Learnt that biscuits do nothing to satiate my biscuit hunger. Make worse if anything. Bit of a biscuit hangover today. Poor motivation to do anything when home but figured I really needed to. Rock ring lock session. Previously had done with pyramid of weights. Instead today did progressively altered grip to make more pinchey and hard to hold. Harder than better grips with weight added. Felt way better after doing it.

S - Work. Another somewhat fat day. Gotta sort it out. Had some time free in the afternoon. Listened to Barrow's podcast from 2014. Gave me some ideas. Did a brief finger board session when home. Normally do something Anderson style with weights. Instead did 4 sets with no weight added. 5 hangs per set 5 on 10 off. Half crimps on the bottom BM 2000 crimps. Failed on last hang of fourth set so stopped. Little bIt dangerous maybe.

Pretty great week climbing wise. Bit of experiment with supplemental training at the end. Most of the boulders I want to do right now are either crimpy or pinchy or both. I think I'm weaker grip/fingers relative to forearms, biceps etc. Might be useful to switch things round a bit. Board session tomorrow.

[nai]

Goals:
June/July - Powerplant, Peak WIPS.
Autumn - Raindogs, LHS Tor.

M - fingerboard and first attempt at TRX
T - sore shoulder
W - the rain had stopped, an early scout confirmed it would be a day of slim pickings.

AM - warmed up on FB then headed to Gorge Aux Chats. Mostly wet but managed to dry Sa Pelle Au Logis (https://bleau.info/chats/623.html) and did it in decent enough style for an uninspiring, dab fest, arse drag.

PM - Arrived at JA Martin at the exact same time as a shower. Went to 95.2 instead and tried Indestructible (https://bleau.info/95.2/8456.html), a cool prow which I'd tried last year but lost a race with the sun coming around on to it.  Unfortunately I struggled to get a heel to stick on the crux and lost the battle to sore skin and tired muscles this time.  Hour guiding on oranges (yellow circuit was being repainted as orange as we were there)

Th - waited until 3 to allow drying time then arrived at 95.2 just as a shower soaked everything. Found Rudeboy (https://bleau.info/95.2/2126.html) dry, wanted to try this for years (admittedly originaly because of the name) and it is an excellent burly problem, worked it all out but it turned out that one crucial hold was wet. Did Duel Dan's la Lune which avoids it as a decent consolation.  Got on Retour Aux Sources but using whack beta at the top so no cigar. Hour guiding on Oranges and blues.

Fr -
AM - arrived back at Indestrucible at 8am having debated all the way from the gite which problem to go for. Light drizzle started but the tree above kept it dry. Heel still wouldn't stick, wonder if it's something to do with a knee injury meaning I can't squeeze on it hard enough. Back at the gite by 10 with pastries.

Noon - 91.1 Did Le Flipper Asssis (https://bleau.info/91.1/21354.html) in about 20 minutes from cold. Felt far easier than any of the other problems I've attempted this week. Hour guiding yellows and oranges.
Tried this (https://bleau.info/91.1/21393.html) thinking it felt hard for 6C+as per Fun Bloc and how much easier it would be to gain the arete if I could leave my foot on.  Only subsequently noticed the "graded for tall climbers only" micro dot sub clause they've knocked 2 grades off for. Great logic that, would have tried something else, wasted the final climbing time of my holiday.

Only weighed in 1kg heavier for the week which is a result.

[tomtom]

Not a complete wash out then...

[nai]

Not for us luckily, we got to come home but it's going to a long drag for locals.  Highest rainfall since 1874 apparently, never seen so many emergency vehicles whizzing around, Pompiers pumping water everywhere.  The area's been on loop on the national news, down near Nemours and surrounding villages there's been loads of homes and businesses flooded, roads closed, farmers fields submerged.  Grim.

[dave]

......

Shark if you will indulge me, about what Font grade are we talking for the crux/es on The Oak (which I gather you've had a dabble on at Malham)?

[tommytwotone]

......

Shark if you will indulge me, about what Font grade are we talking for the crux/es on The Oak (which I gather you've had a dabble on at Malham)?

God I'm hoping Shark doesn't leave his caps lock on by mistake when responding to this one.

[dave]

God I'm hoping Shark doesn't leave his caps lock on by mistake when responding to this one.

From reading Shark's post about about Sheep Pen and Caseg Fraith I was surprised to see he'd managed to find some sport routes at those crags.

[tomtom]

......

Shark if you will indulge me, about what Font grade are we talking for the crux/es on The Oak (which I gather you've had a dabble on at Malham)?

I believe the correct reply is "bright yellow trousers"

[SA Chris]

M - Nothing
T - some weights
W - core (i think)
T - quick spin on new bike, pleased
F - some weights
S - Heavy gardening in morning
S - went to Knockburn Loch, had a blast about on iSUP, first with Paddle, then with arms, prone, then prone with some resistance weight added (children) knackering, but good training. Evening, got in for a surf, some nice waves, but a lot of paddling (typical for Aberdeen).
 

[filz]

STG: Loose Kgs added recently. More AnCap and AeroCap training
MTG: tick some routes (by end of summer)

M: board climbing. Feeling tired
T: nothing
W: board clibing. Some AnCap
T: trip to the Dolomites. Nothing
F: 1 easy route than it started raining. We went to the gym but it was closed so I ended up doing some bodyweight training: push pus, planks, L-sits
S: more rain. Nothing
S: Indoor bouldering on the way back from the Dolomites. The temperature in the gym was torrid. I tried to do some volume. Lots of problems with short breaks and boulder laps. Good session.

[Nibile]

We went to the gym but it was closed

The nightmare of nightmares.

[tk421a]

STG: Scotland trip next week
MTG: 7C/8a
LTG: 8A/8b

Good week, right ring a2 pulley feeling back to normal, pulled hard on some moves. Got out on rock!
M: -
Tu: -
W: Vauxwall, was comp night so I came late, chatted, before doing some laps on juggy easy circuits
Th: Yoga + Biscuit Factory with girlfriend. Deadhangs, Eva Lopez style, on 3finger open hand on the BM 1000 smallest crimps. Campused their circuit board whooo
F: Circuits at work
Sa: Drove to Portland, pulled on Force Majeure 7B. Worked out some beta for the non tall people (tall people can reach a sinker slot off the first move). Couldn't stick a slap to a sloper around the lip of a roof
Su: Some easy problems at the cuttings before it got too hot and we switched to Pulpit Rock. Pulled on Date Night, 6C+ but bottled the last move, felt sketch over a bad landing.

Looking forward to flying up to Scotland on Friday for some scrambling (weather dependent...) and maybe some trad. Does anyone know of boulder mat rental in the area?

[SA Chris]

Never heard of pad hire in Scotland. Where are you flying to and what areas are you visiting? I could loan you one, but I doubt you'll be in (or anywhere near) Aberdeenshire.

You could try contacting local walls or shops, or Facebook pages and see if someone  who isn earby or works there is feeling generous?

[Coops_13]

STG: Get fit/strong again!
MTG: Get solid on 7B/+ boulder and 7b/+ sport and find/do a project
LTG: 8A & 8a

M - Drove Devon to Portland, tried Pickled Winky, Winkle Picker and Date Night. No ticks...
T - 2.5km run, first run after knee injury and first time I've synced my breathing with my steps.
W - Ab Ripper X
T - 2.5km run, had music on this time so couldn't hear my feet to match breathing. Much harder
F - Drove to Birmingham, partyyyy 
S - Drove to N Wales. First time at Sheep Pen. Did Dog Shooter 6B, Toe Dragon 6C and Dirty Slapper 7A. Went to the Cave and ticked Lip Service 7A+ at the end of the day. Great bivi spot just up from the Cave for bed.
S - Fingers, skin and arms aching. Tried Bust Lip but no ticks...

Good week of phys then cracking weekend in the sunshine. Psyched to get back to full strength after my annoyingly-timed holiday next week!

[tk421a]

Cheers, I'm flying in to Inverness then heading to Skye, will be staying round Fort William for a week. I'll probably just go running