[Muenchener]

I'll start, since I already know what I'm doing tomorrow.

STG (August/September): get a couple more decent alpine rock routes done.
MTG (2016): Redpoint 7b
LTG (<= 5 years): Redpoint 8a before I hit 60.

.uk Family Visit Week 2

M: Highball in Norwich with M jnr. We got our arses kicked, in a good way, and came away impressed and surprised at the existence of such a high class bouldering wall deep in the climbing wilderness.
T:
W:
T: Biscuit Factory. Rather more user-friendly setting and grading than in East Anglia but still good. After warming up did a handful of pink & greens - nice movement on these - and flashed a couple of the easier reds.
F:
S: Depot, Manchester. Pleasant, large wall - but the Arch definitely has no case to answer regarding soft grades.
S: Fly back from UK; drive to Dolomites

[shark]

Thanks Muenchener

~11stone

M.
T.
W.AM. Deferred Tuesdays session to Weds as felt I needed more recovery Met Nick at Tor at 9.30am. Coolish for time of year. Dogged up Obscene Toilet and felt good. Then had three hopeless redpoints not getting through crux through lack of snap. Nick on the other hand was firing on all cylinders and after an abortive play on Call of Nature which started cutting his fingers he jumped on Obsecen Gesture and redpointed it first go. Finished at 2.30pm. Promised boys I would take them bouldering. Rang home. They were still in bed! Went out with them to Anston Stones. Briefly considered not taking my boots. Got involved in Blind Bat 7A+ and sent it! However shut down after on Last Stand 7A and Betablocker 7A after.
T.
F.
S. Drive to Arvieux, Hautes-Alpes
S.

Think Ive been running on empty (psyche) for at least the last week or so. Trouble is Ive had plenty of opportunity to go out so kept putting off the easy recovery week. Had no more than two rest days between climbing or training for last three months and no more than three rest days all year so longer rest well overdue so let myself go deliberately eating carbs this week - but also swigging wine.

Got next two weeks in Queyras area. Arvieux is a little more remote than I anticipated but a lovely setting. Planning on taking it steady ie slow build up through the grades and plenty of rest days so I'm not busted when I get back for resumption of Oak campaign.

Anyone know of any other bouldering in the region other than Ailefrode?

[shark]

Anyone know of any other bouldering in the region other than Ailefrode?

Just stumbled on some bouldering thats been developed on boulders by the river below Rue des Masques

http://ruedesmasquesabloc.blogspot.fr/

And here near near Molines en Queyras:

http://nicobrasfort.starnux.net/?p=461

[nai]

summer - train - maintain fitness, get stronger
Autumn - Powerplant & Raindogs (although psyche for the latter has waned since Saturday) + WIPs
LTG -still keen on raising OS grade and upping trad game

M -
AM - Max hangs
PM - HI AeroCap

T - AnCap & short attempt at a few TRX exercises

W - woke up with a sore, twingy shoulder.  Sure it was referred pain as despite the TRX I hadn't felt it go at any point (and my neck has been stiff from all the driving I think). Kids wanted to go to Backside in the PM, tested shoulder with a few easy problems and some traversing.

Th - took kids to Foundry, had planned AeroPow but thought I'd best not, did a few routes on autobelay, shoulder whinged a bit but felt better for being warmed up. 

F - shoulder as was. 3 day weekend free to climb, worried. Realised I'd been sleeping with the wrong pillows since holiday, switched back.

S - Plan was Gordale trad but Gordale was wet so headed to Kilnsey.  Hadn't been for 18 years and back then had different climbing eyes.  What a crag, even Malham should prostate itself in reverence.  New favourite.  Spent ages walking round like a kid in a sweet shop gazing upward in awe. Eventually did some climbing, shoulder was fine.

S- couldn't find a partner, almost went bouldering but opted for instead.  Rest seemed sensible in the circumstances as I can climb tomorrow.  Caught some nice Rudd.

[tomtom]

STG: to have no LTG. LTG to have no STG. going well so far

M
Tu: Rubicon. 4 hours sleep meant early start was easy - but also meant I was climbing really shit. Went home after an hour of futility.
W: log drive - work etc..
Th: baby stuff, stream of visitors etc..
Fr: back to Rubicon. Better. Better progress and better stamina/duration for the session. Was doing ok until I stubbed my forefinger stabbing for a pocket splitting if from the nail (a tiny bit). Felt sore, so went home...



Sa: Football (watching not playing silly!). Superb. Very unexpected win... Elated.
Su: cloudy, not too warm - not too much time to spare - Lancs quarry then. Went to Wilton1 where I've always been rained off etc. Managed SnakeyB original eventually - moved down to the pit - it got very midgy.. Moved up to the graveyard and it became midgy... So bailed. Good hour/90 min though and another new 7 in the bag.

[Nibile]

Mon - rest. Maybe.
Tue - rest
Wed - front levers and pulls session. Quite good. Front2, mid2, index and middle monos with 10 kg (8 kg weightvest and 2 kg at the ankles), ring monos with 8 kg.
Thu - standing ab wheel 3x3. Amazing, never felt so strong on it. Perfect form, awesome. Then 2x1' static pause. Max cleans. 4x4x56 kg. Overhead carry. Shoulder carry.
Fri - farmer's walk x56 kg, shrugs.
Sat - dumbbell complex x50.
Sun - rest.

Good week despite everything. Mega busy with work and study. Grinding it out.

[tommytwotone]

Actually did something this week!


M: Gym on lunch. 500m sub 1:50 row warmup followed by 25 x BW Deadlift, 25 x pullup 25 x pressup, 25 x dips.
T: Gym on lunch. Same warmup followed by 30 sec on 30 sec off intervals of shoulder press, upright row, bumbell front raise, plank x 4.
W: Depot after work - not been for ages so plenty to go at. Targeted new V3-5 reds. Weird, felt powered out after less than an hour, but then after a rest got back on it and had a productive second half of session.
T: Nowt.
F: Nowt.
S: Nowt - and then went out in the evening for "a couple" that turned into "a few"
S: Hungover, groggy but enjoyable trip to VW Festival at Harewood House.

[Coops_13]

STG: Fix self so I can climb (something) in Magic Wood
MTG: Solid at 7B/+ and 7b/+
LTG: 8A and 8a

M:
T: Saw hand surgeon, he wasn't overly concerned with finger as there didn't seem to be much swelling. Couldn't explain the pop
W: Squash
T:
F:
S: Had ultrasound scan. Radiologist showed me my tendon was about a mm further from the bone than the other side. He thinks partial pulley tear, not super serious though. Said it's up to me to manage pain and see how much climbing I can do in MW.
S: Boris biked round Hyde Park in the sun...

Magic Wood in three weeks, seeing hand guy again tomorrow. My try a light wall session toward the end of this week or early next week...

[SA Chris]

M- Nothing I can recall
T - 10k run. Had to change route and head back next to dual carriageway as it's getting dark a lot earlier all of a sudden. First under hour 10k.
W - went to beach after work, had a look at surf but it was fucking woeful; maybe a feeble foot or so, and pissing down. Went home and did weight session and watched olympics
T - nothing - watched olympics
F - nothing
S - day at the loch, entertained kids did a short run on the track with kyle on his bike.
S - SUPathlon. 700m SUP - second out the water in my wave, only guy ahead of me was on his knees (cheaty bastard) turns out he was a sprint canoeist. MTB - had mechanical hassles as small front chainrings badly worn, should have replaced them with chain. ended up slogging up hills in biggest chainring. Got overtaken by 1. Run was hard going, steep hill, but again only overtaken by 1. Ended up 11th out of field of 35, fairly happy with result.

[Luke Owens]

M : Rest

T: Plas Power - Endurance sesh:

15 mins High-end Aerocap

5 x 1min on 1min off (20 moves circuit)

10 mins Low-end Aerocap

W: Low-end Aerocap - 3min on - 1 min off x 3

T: Devil's Gorge - Place was condensed out again, did "Bananas and Coffee" (7a+) first go putting the clips in, flash pump! Mate tried to dry Grand Canyon, I had a go on it but wet feet made it feel nails. Ran a lap on the 7a+.

F: 20 minutes LI-AeroCap

S: Rest

S: Diamond - Had an epic abing in, Got 100m down the ab rope only to find it didn't reach the belay of the route, had to pull back out with no ascender...

Got back on "Non-Tidal Screamer" (7c) , figured some alternative beta for the top crux and worked the starting crux off the deck, felt nails last week and it all felt easy today. Felt like it was on and surprised to find the moves so do-able.

Had a redpoint and got to the 4th bolt and completely powered out, from then on I couldn't even string a couple of moves together and never recovered... really frustrating, fitness is terrible.

----

Anyone got any idea's on what I can do for fitness so late in the season?

I've started doing more aerocap stuff in-between getting out but I'm not sure I'll see any benefit from this until the season is over...?

Cheers

[mr chaz]

STG climb some good boulders in Magic Wood
LTG 8A 8b

Not posted for a few weeks as I've been out injured, not serious but annoying. I've made good progress in the last 2 weeks and am back into (light) training with three weeks to go before the trip.

M. Shoulder exercises and neck stretches, bit of theraband. Very careful sub maximal one arm hangs session followed by a 5 minute stint on the circuit board. More stretching to finish.
T.
W. Same as Monday.
T.
F.
S.
S.

Will be my first time in the wood, any ukb recommendations for quality up to and around 7C would be most appreciated 

[Footwork]

Tues - Drove from Brittany to Leeds.
Weds - Pottered around the house, post holiday blues. 
Thurs - Depot in the evening. Was climbing pretty decent despite the two week lay off getting fat. Shoulder work after.
Fri - Rest/ shoulder work

Sat - Mate came down to Leeds with the promise of climbing. We were thinking of some sport but were doing that Sunday and didn't fancy a busy Malham/ Kilnsey. Wind was just right for Crow Crag, with the skyline-esque buttresses above the trees in mind. So we risked the grit. Still warm but perfectly climbable we had the place to ourselves. Did Corkscrew Buttress (really good!!) which had a novel second pitch and Salieri where everything sloped the wrong way.

Sun - Moughton Nab. Climbed five 6's and then almost flashed A Breath of Fresh Air 7b. Was about to hit the last hold before the jug top and foot just slipped off. That would have been a PB. Got it second go, though I was still digging deep. Then flashed Far From the Malham Crowds 7a and Look - No Feet 7a+ to end another good days climbing.

[shark]

S - Plan was Gordale trad but Gordale was wet so headed to Kilnsey.  Hadn't been for 18 years and back then had different climbing eyes. 

Ones that worked

[duncan]

A two-weeker: not much on training but some good climbing.

STG: Don’t get injured. Maintain good shoulder rehab. habits. Sea-cliff E5 by the end of Summer. Rabada-Navarro, Naranjo de Bulnes. Excalibur, Wendenstock. 
MTG: Don’t embarrass myself on Caveman. Maintain sub-70kg     
LTG: Font 7A. Sport 7b+. Something properly long, hard and free.

M -
T - Shoulder strengthening, pull-ups.
W -
T - Up at 4am, saw family off to Japan, flew to Bibao with H, drove to Picos, hiked up to Naranjo de Bulnes with camping kit in the rain, in bed by 11pm, a long day.
F - Rabada-Navarro (6c+), all free in 10 hours. Another long day, ~20 pitches and 750m long. Some of those metres are easy but you still have to haul your body up them. 
S - Drank tea in the sun.
S - Levia, first 6 pitches to the half-height amphitheatre. This makes an excellent 6c (Abseil down Sagatario, equipped for descending with a single 60m rope). We were aiming for the full tick, however members of the team managed to drop a belay device (retrieved), rack of wires (disappeared), and quick draw (returned by 3rd party). I think we were still mentally tired from the R-N. Scrambled up to the start of the second part (starts with some 7a through a bulge on natural gear) but it was apparent the wires were a crucial loss so we bailed. Talking with a local it sounds like we made a sound mountaineering decision: apparently the threads are “so-so” and the crack takes wires better than cams. Drank beer.
M - Rumenes - Cliff rammed with various Brits., I blame Richie Patterson. Onsighted Invocando de Onan (7a) as a warm-up! Aerocap polishing the scratches out of our hire car (successfully). Flew back to London.
T - Work, flew to Zurich, met AJM.
W - Mixed weather so went to Lehn. Warmed-up and tried Meister Proper (7b). Disappointingly, this felt just as hard as in August 2015. My red-point tactics are still rubbish too which didn’t help.
T - Mixed weather again. Drove up Sustenpass, Wendenstock was soaked. Did Fair Hands Line (6a) at Handegg. Apparently inspired by a 70s US road trip, it seemed much more Scotland than California to me: boggy walk-in, heather rather than manzanita, damp Cairngorm-like granite. A nice ten pitches and a 20 minute descent down a staircase.
F - Weather brighter but the main event was still wet. Drank tea.
S - Glorious weather. Drove up to Wendenstock, still plenty of wet streaks. Procrastinated over what route to try but gambled on Excalibur; the name seemed appropriate. This was brilliant and tough. Every pitch made you think, the easiest ‘5c+’ crack was like a wet Gogarth E1, most were E2 or 3 in their own right. The famous ‘6b’ slab was around E4 6a, harder than Flakey Wall, though not quite as run-out as reputed (canny trad. climbers can supplement the fixed gear). I went the wrong way on the crux and had to jump off 10’ out from the bolt but go it next go. We ran out of time, energy and psyche on the 8th pitch and bailed, getting back to the car as it got dark. Ueli Steck is bonkers.
S - Drank tea in the sun. Flew back to London.


I was really happy to do the Rabada-Navarro. A very long time ago I joined the Sheffield University Mountaineering Club (RIP). The first social event was a slide-show of their expedition to the Picos and first British ascent. I instantly knew I’d found like-minded people, the place and route have been in my mind ever since. Would have loved to have done the Murciana too (that picture in OTE!) but didn’t have the energy. We’ll be back.

Excalibur was an impure ascent but a great experience. Wendenstock is bloody brilliant and so worth the effort needed to climb there. 

The training bit: reading that back I’m now less surprised I felt more tired than usual on the long routes. I had put this down to doing more strength training and bouldering but less fitness work this year. It could equally have been due to packing-in a fair bit and spending too much time in cars and planes. I still seem to have an impasse at 7b but have to keep the faith that strength (fingers and more general arms) will come slowly.

Plan: trad. climbing in Scotland, then I have a month to get fit for hanging footless off guano-encrusted shelves for long enough to place or extract gear (~7a+).

H on the Rabada-Navarro


AJM on Excalibur

[tomtom]

wow! Great pics...

[T_B]

Nice pics Duncan, takes me back. Just stepping off the deck at Wendenstock felt about E4

[Wood FT]

Well done Duncan, Tuesday and wednesday sound so knackering, how was the wind up on Naranjo?

[monkoffunk]

STG: climb Everyday Lives of Ordinary People. Find 7c+ project.
MTG: 1. French 7c+, before 1/1/17. 2. Get into shape for Spain
3. Tick unfinished business list (5/13).
4. Font 7B before 1/1/17.
LTG: 1. Cider Soak Anderson Academic, before 1/1/18. 2. Font 7B+, before 1/1/18.

M - Post nights. Few hours broken sleep. Felt appalling. 20 mins power nap and afternoon board session. Felt much better for it!

T - Rest.

W - Cheddar. Back on Everyday Lives of Ordinary People, clips in and then first redpoint of the day (not counting a fall low down after hand got stuck in pocket on the boulder problem). Little bit of beta refinement and a removable knee pad did the trick! Only really properly utilised the no hands rest on successful go, bit of a lesson on sorting out the beta for rests...

T - Ancap at red spider and not enough aerocap. Not a great session.

F - Work.

S/S - Visiting friend in Rochester.


Good to get Everyday Lives done. Going to try and find 7c+/8a project now, medium to long route ideally.

[nai]

S - Plan was Gordale trad but Gordale was wet so headed to Kilnsey.  Hadn't been for 18 years and back then had different climbing eyes. 

Ones that worked

And I have none now you've just scratched them out 

[ashtond6]

Fun week and some good trips finally booked! Goals for the year have totally changed
Utah for 3 weeks in March 

M rest
T stoney - did dead banana crack E1 (wow) and matricide E4
W rest
T social evening at horseshoe, did a scary 6b and stunning 6c
F stanage after work, did the Tippler E1, the Dangler E2 (hard) and Tippler Direct E3 (hard!). Gutted not to flash Tippler direct but didn't realise you had to jump. Really great route
S Stoney - did scoop wall E2, Dies Irae E2 and Kelly's eye E4. The slopey crux shelf felt almost 6b in the humidity!
S family stuff

Oh how I've missed trad

[petejh]

STG: first 8b+ (Mecca), in July October
MTG:
LTG: 8c, by June 2018

'Ticking over phase'


M.
T. Short core sesh side and front planks
W. Devil's Gorge. Good connies. Put clips in devil's haircut then gave it a redders. Foot slipped at top when I was comfortable and about to finish it off, duh. It then got too dark on the next go up to see the holds and I didn't send. Idiot.
T. Flew to NI.
F. Mournes with girlfriend. Spellack. Did White Walls and Cabin Cruise - good route depsite the heather-bashing at top. Midges came out later.
S. Cleaning and equipping crag X
S. Cleaned, equipped then sent a very good 7b at crag x.

[Duma]

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

68.5kg. Keeping weight off well atm

Body Audit: shoulder worse again, though not as bad as a couple of weeks ago. Still not clear on if it's work, driving, or climbing. Still no pain while climbing, most uncomfortable driving.

M: TCA eve, mostly trying Orange in roof, no progress. Little bit of campusing, 1-4-6.5 both sides. Touched 7 leading with left. Nights.
T: Open water swim eve here. Did three (very slow) laps. Completely fucked after. Nights.
W: Felt surprisingly ok, TCA eve. Short session, Brief play on Orange roof, then campusing. 1-4-6.5 leading with right, 1-4-7 leading with left! YYFY! (medium rungs) last managed 1-4-7 at uni, think it was 1998, so very happy. Be nice to manage on the other side too so going to keep on this. Nights.
T: TCA eve, easyish session, did all the Reds (6A+ to 6C) in an hr and 3 min (was aiming for an hr) 3 falls, pretty happy with that. Nights.
F: TCA eve, trying Orange roof again. Initially poor, not feeling like I'd rested enough. Sacked it off and tried the other orange I'd not managed, on the escalator went in a few goes, 7B ish? Did a decent link on the green "8a" on the second circuit board, from about half way to finish (16 moves). Went over to Orange roof again, unexpectedly managed new link from two moves in to fumbling jug in roof. pleased with session in the end. Couple of pints in pub after.
S: Camping on Wye with mates, bit of swimming, too much booze and not enough sleep though.
S: Another swim in the morning, spent evening wiped out on sofa.

[the_dom]

S/MTG: 8A. Not looking all that likely at present.

All in all, not a good training week.

Monday: I want to say that I went to Crossfit, but I don't think that I did. Edit: Now I remember - rowing machine. Not fun.

Tuesday: Bouldering. Went to try an 8A that I've played on briefly before without success. Still no success but did all the moves bar one, so not a bad day. Finished off with some one arm max hangs because I kept the session quite short.

WEdnesday: Indoor bouldering. Got schooled on the Moon Board and then did four max hangs + 36kgs

Thursday: Cardio thursday at Crossfit

Friday: Thruster friday at Crossfit. I only went because I was going away for the weekend. One arm max hangs while waiting for my wife to get home so we could go away.

Saturday: Spent the day tasting (drinking) wine and eating phenomenal food in the Cape Winelands. Good day.

Sunday: More wine tasting and eating. Rowing machine as penance.

[webbo]

Mon. Rode to work 20 miles, rode home 20 miles.
Tue. Nothing.
Wed. Group ride from Malton 32 miles going quite well on the hills able to kick a bit.
Thu. Nothing due having to work late due to someone trying to turn a drama in to a crisis.
Fri. Off work. Board repeated some of my recent problems. Bike 17.51 miles intervals. Out with friends for a meal drank loads.
Sat. Rough eventually managed to motivate myself out on the bike 39,98 miles 2 hrs 14 mins.
Sun. Bike 72.33 miles 4 hrs 19 mins battered.
Strange week, last week but one before I go on leave/ retire but still feels pressured.

[filz]

M: work. Nothing
T: 2h walk. Planks
W: nothing
T: More walking
F: Bouldering indoor.
S: Bouldering.
S: Bouldering. Did a 6b+ which I had failed in the past and a 6c+

Strange feelings when climbing. Lately I have mostly climbed on easy stuff with the rope. I hadn't tried anything hard in a while. It took me 2 sessions to be able to pull a little harder. Still far from being in good shape. I also will be able to do very little climbing and training in the next a couple of weeks.. Will start training again better in September.