[fried]

Back from holidays on Friday evening, did nothing for 2 weeks except some swimming. Learnt to dive for coins in a pool! Not bad for someone that hates water and refuses to get their hair wet. Pretty good ankle rehab I reckon.

S - Played around with the Swiss ball my parents got me for my birthday, looks like fun. Short BM session 5x5.

Su - Up earlyish for a quick session at Les Cents Marches. I've never been before, and'll probably never go again, but fun for a quick rehab session. Climbed really nervously to start with...did the yellow circuit and some oranges. Still using the Aircast. Then did another short BM session (5x5) this afternoon.

[Muenchener]

STG (Saturday): Totenkirchl Westwand, Dülfer
MTG (2016): Redpoint 7b
LTG (<= 5 years): Redpoint 8a before I hit 60.

Dolomites: Race The Lightning.

M: Steger, Punta Emma. Pleasant, fairly short Dolomites warm up with an easy approach and quite a moderate descent with only one terrifying bit.
T: Wiessner Kees, Sass d'Ortiga. Proper Dolomites adventure. Long hairy approach, heavy shower exactly as we arrived at the crux (so A0), run for your life scramble & abseil hurriedly to be off the descent ridge before the thunderstorm came in.
W: Dolomites. A short, easy day on a six pitch V+ just above the hut. Accidentally-on-purpose climbed a nice airy rib for two pitches to the left of the chimney/crack system I was apparently supposed to be climbing.
T: Dolomites. Attempt on the Castiglioni-Detassis on the Pala del Rifugio. Had read that the first few pitches are chossy but it improves higher up. Started leftwards up greasy, poorly protected & generally frightening slabs until the feasibility ran out, then realised I should have been on steep wet grass further right. Rope got stuck traversing across. By the time we'd sorted all this out, we reckoned our time buffer for a fifteen pitch route on a day with an iffy forecast for the afternoon was already used up, so bailed. This turned out to be a very good call -  by the time we arrived back at the car at midday the summit was completely socked in.
F: Rest. Unpack, clean, sort & repack alpine gear. Went for a short bike ride to loosen out weary legs.
S: Half hour mobility & shoulder & knee rehab; half hour core.
S: Wall, Boulderwelt.

Weather forecast for the coming week & weekend in the eastern Alps is glorious, and my co-aspirant for the Dülfer on the Totenkirchl is available & keen. Game On.

[tomtom]

Cheers for starting the thread M...

M:

Tu: Rubicon.... warmed up well (felt good) and having noticed some micro foot beta from daves video of the problem found myself slapping up for the big jug on my first go. It went 2nd or 3rd time after that :D a bit of a YYFY - I've been trying that blasted problem for 5 or 6 years.. Had a brief rest and set to work on a Bigger Splash (the one with the minging crimp out to the right and the two sidepulls for the LH)... did OK, but was feeling a bit tired. Left a happy man

We:

Th: Fuck it was hot. Where to go? Ended up at Helsby - saw Stubbs' doppelganger in the carpark.. Did most things in the woods buttress, then decided to have a look at Ron B's at the barrel buttress.. Unpleasant. Fell off bashing my ankle in the process and spilt some claret.. gave up...

Fr: Decided to try weighted deadhangs... at +16kg (nothing monumental - but I only weigh 70...)

Sa: More weighted DH's whilst listening to Hull beat Swansea

Su: 3-4 hours sleep and up at 6am due to restless baby.. Off to Rubicon again - well where else was there that might be dry? Progressed on A Bigger Splash, static ish through to the high minging crimp#2 but decided I didnt want to hold it... faded. Pissed about on Kudos Easy way and managed to pull off the ground on A Bigger Splash Direct...

[Sidehaas]

Was that A Bigger Tail you did on Tuesday? Good effort if so, it's hard in my opinion!

[tomtom]

Was that A Bigger Tail you did on Tuesday? Good effort if so, it's hard in my opinion!

Yes forgot to mention the name in the post!

[nai]

Nice one, tt.  Careful on BS.

goals:
summer - train manage niggles
Autumn - Powerplant & Raindogs & this and that
LTG - this week I'm really psyched on doing some long Alpine rock routes.

M - Masson Lees Quarry - first time there, quite enjoyed it (no laughing at the back) OS'd 3x7a but ideal venue for me I reckon - gently overhanging, positive holds, juggy shakeouts and ego massaging grades.  Apart from the crumbly rock, what's not to like?

T - nowt

W -
AM - fingerboard - good, scores pretty much where I finished the last block
PM - AnCap - also good.

Th -
AM - finger a bit tweaky for 4x4 so Foot on campussing x 2 sets.  Work to be done here as expected
PM - 2x10mins LI Aero

F
PM - took kids to mini works, did a few boulders, R middle PIP complaining.
back home 10x1min HI AeroCap

S - rest day. Constructed a new deadhang setup in the garage using campus rungs and offcuts rather than a BM

S - tested new fingerboard setup. Counterweight works better but realised the campus rungs should be mounted at an angle so they're a bit too incut.

[ashtond6]

Finger injury still improving, still not focuses on my yearly goals and just having fun!
Mallorca next week

M rest
T stoney after work, OS 6c, 6b and 6c+
W rest
T the works, did Murple traverse twice
F rest
S rest
S masson lees, started badly following a big night on Friday.  6b+, 7a+ dog, 7a+ dog, 7a dog, 7a onsight, 6c

[shark]

Thanks fried

M. Roasting. Went to Mont Dauphin with Tommy. Worked up through the grades onsighting a 6a, 6a+, 6b, 6b+. Then went for Un baiser sous les astres 7a with a pumpy headwall before the sun came round. Uncharacteristically I managed to refrain from grabbing the chain.

T.  Mountain walk with family

W. Noon. Hot again. Went on a quest for obscure bouldering at Rue Des Masques with family. We took the wrong path and ended up bushwhacking. Fortunately managed to locate the conglomerate boulders before team morale totally dissipated. Couldn't find ones described on web but there were some names painted variously though the lines were inobvious so made stuff up. Did a 6Cish traverse and then I cleaned up another steep boulder that took my fancy and after a few hold breakages we did a couple of 6Bish problems. Felt quite tired at end of it.

T.  Rue des Masques with Tommy. Went to the Canyon sector which although shaded is a bit of a dusty, dirty hole with a lot of hold improvement. Started with a desperate pumpy 6b+ and then a pumpier 6c. Bit the bullet and onsighted Super Balls 7a which was OK. Tommy fell off everything on top rope. Escaped from the Canyon and went on one of the outside walls and failed to onsight 2H de Colle, a hard 7a+   

F.

S. Rain!

S. PM Went to Rue Des Masques with boys taking pads and rope. Managaed to find the La Boulette sector and warmed up on the boulder by the path. Went for a poo and discovered a far more interesting overhanging wall which was probably unclimbed. We got to work on the burly central line which was about 7A+ and did all the moves between us (pic of Tommy on it below) but no send and too tired and late for routes.

Having a good time. Plenty of sleep. No doubt heavy. Climbing OK but a million miles away from being in shape for the Oak

Tommy Rue des M by TheUKBShark, on Flickr

Looking across river from Rue des Masques bouldering area to Mont Dauphin

Ben Rue des M by TheUKBShark, on Flickr

[Nibile]

Power Club

Mon - overhead carry x1', dumbbell complex x15, pull ups x10 all x3 no rests.
Tue - rest.
Wed - BM max, incut rung. Back3 x6; half crimp +10/14 x1, +16/20 x2. Good going, very pleased. Left shoulder is weak though. Right arm very strong. Back to max added weight on both. Hill sprints x6. Finally back to sprints, so happy. Great session.
Thu - ab wheel, normal routine, overhead carry 1'30" x2. Fast and furious. Feeling strong on the ab wheel.
Fri - rest. Ate pizza and drank beer.
Sat - rest. Rode my motorcycle hell for leather (kind of...). Ate meat and drank prosecco.
Sun - PE low intensity, 2'+2'+1' 4' rests. Cleans, PB 2x63 kg! Chuffed!

Felt very bad on the PE, maybe due to tired forearms, torrid temps and two flappers. Hopefully. Plan is to take some rest nest week and try again the following week.

[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 again, claimed he didn't believe in partial pulley tears so says I have acute tendonitis?!? Recommended I buy a hand grip measurer and climb when the strengths of each hand are the same without pain. Did a workout on some static equipment in Regent's park with mates in evening. Lots of pull-ups, dips, core work, shuttle runs etc.
W:
T: Squash
F:
S: Squash - best result yet! Drew with my mate...
S:

Magic Wood in two weeks, finger feeling a lot better. Gonna try a session at the wall on Tuesday, then North Wales this weekend!

[shark]

Magic Wood in two weeks, finger feeling a lot better. Gonna try a session at the wall on Tuesday, then North Wales this weekend!

Good luck.

T: Saw hand surgeon again, claimed he didn't believe in partial pulley tears so says I have acute tendonitis?!? Recommended I buy a hand grip measurer and climb when the strengths of each hand are the same without pain.

BTW Have you consulted Dave Macs book yet re your finger ?

[petejh]

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

'Ticking over phase'


M.
T. Devil's Gorge after work. Cruised up devils haircut first go this time without any pump, should have done it last session. Good route. Retro-flash go up grand canyon placing the draws - feels a bit wiggy after the 'jug lunge' bit without draws in place! Would benefit from one more bolt for proper onsighters. Fell on the top wall after getting a bit wrong-handed.
W. Slightly tweaked lower back muscles removing a spider from the bath..
T. Diamond. Wondered if back would be ok but seemed fine. Crap connies so couldn't get on what I'd wanted. Bit of an uninspiring sesh. Laps up R'Leah, Rub a Dub and an OS attempt on Jungle Warfare ended with snapped holds and it was minging dirty anyway.
F.
S. Had to drive to Barrow-in-Furness and back for work. Always a bit of a shithole, even more so in end-of-days weather. The image of an ice-cream van parked up at Roosecote sea-wall being battered by huge waves, 30mph winds and horizontal rain sums up this southern tip of Cumbria.
S. Tried to boulder on pill box late afternoon but the weather quite rightly told me to fuck off to somewhere better, so went to the Mill for a board sesh. Good sesh working out a replica of the Mecca crux moves for next month's training.

Decent week despite spiders.

[Coops_13]

Magic Wood in two weeks, finger feeling a lot better. Gonna try a session at the wall on Tuesday, then North Wales this weekend!

Good luck.

T: Saw hand surgeon again, claimed he didn't believe in partial pulley tears so says I have acute tendonitis?!? Recommended I buy a hand grip measurer and climb when the strengths of each hand are the same without pain.

BTW Have you consulted Dave Macs book yet re your finger ?

Cheers. Yeah I have the book, have read it in the past and useful for helping in diagnosis of injuries as well as some rehab. I find a lot of it quite woolly in describing what is essentially common sense (though given the number of injuries I've had this year, maybe I'm lacking a bit haha)

[Doylo]

S. Had to drive to Barrow-in-Furness and back for work. Always a bit of a shithole, even more so in end-of-days weather. The image of an ice-cream van parked up at Roosecote sea-wall being battered by huge waves, 30mph winds and horizontal rain sums up this southern tip of Cumbria.

Try spending 6 months there over winter .

[James Malloch]

S. Had to drive to Barrow-in-Furness and back for work. Always a bit of a shithole, even more so in end-of-days weather. The image of an ice-cream van parked up at Roosecote sea-wall being battered by huge waves, 30mph winds and horizontal rain sums up this southern tip of Cumbria.

I feel for you! It's my hometown and not the most inspiring place ever... Though the climbing at the nearby Chapel Head Scar is decent (when it dries).

[petejh]

I went to Chapel Head once.. does look decent but we choose the one day per annum when Cumbria gets hot and spent the day sweating on slimestone.

Try spending 6 months there over winter .

I'd rather burn in eternal hellfire.

[T_B]

S. Had to drive to Barrow-in-Furness and back for work. Always a bit of a shithole, even more so in end-of-days weather. The image of an ice-cream van parked up at Roosecote sea-wall being battered by huge waves, 30mph winds and horizontal rain sums up this southern tip of Cumbria.

Try spending 6 months there over winter .

I grew up in Whitehaven, so not quite as depressing. Lots of similarities between West Cumbria and N Wales!

[SA Chris]

STG - get climbing again
LTG - summat hard

M - recovery ride - 21km felt OK so did some hill repeats.
T - nowt - watched olympics
W - SUP session 3.2km. Choppier than expected, so spent most of session paddling up on knees.
T - Nothing. Sore thighs from SUP. Watched Olympics
F - Stupidly sore thighs, could barley walk up stairs
S - out with family, watched olympics
S - thighs finally feeling OK, cycle to Stonehaven, fast way there, steep way back, 32km. Kyle wanted to go for a run, so did 2k with him, he didn;t seem to struggle much.

Got appt with specialist to look at thumb again on Friday, need to discuss plan B, as plan A (cortisone) has made no difference at all.

[tommytwotone]

M: Nowt
T: HIIT class at gym - 1 min work / 30 sec rest where "rest" was all-out cardio
W: Resigned from my job. Wall after work, fun trip round new Depot wood circuit - felt pretty strong considering lack of actual climbing of late
T: Nowt much.
F: Nowt much.
S: Nowt much - potty training little one.
S: As Saturday.


Kind of a "keep the ball rolling" week. Ended up doing some midweek drinking I'd been trying to avoid, goal is to keep off the source Sun-Fri.

[SA Chris]

Drinking and resignation related? Got something lined up hopefully?

[Ti_pin_man]

I'm an old fella, 47 and still plugging away, sometimes I post up and sometimes I don't but wanted to post up even tho I'm a mere plastic climber.  This weekend I managed x3 climbs that were classed as about f7a/f7bs.  I take the grades with some healthy doses of salt but it helps me measure my progress and the pyramid continues to move upwards.  I've had a couple at that level before but not three in a weekend so the hard work must be paying me back. I'm off to Font in Nov with the Boulder Bus guys so hoping to aim for some real life 7a's.  I half expect real rock will drop me a grade or two but I'll give it a whirl. 

[Luke Owens]

2x10mins LI Aero

10x1min HI AeroCap

What rest times to you use between reps for HI and LI AeroCap?

For High Intensity I usually do 1min on 1min off, sound about right?

Cheers

[SA Chris]

I half expect real rock will drop me a grade or two but I'll give it a whirl.

In Font for the first time I guarantee at least the "or two"! Doesn't mean you won't have a brilliant time though, just don't waste your skin thrashing away at problems you "should" be able to do.

[tommytwotone]

Drinking and resignation related? Got something lined up hopefully?

Aye - combination of with a missus not working at the moment (quit teaching in Jan this year), and not looking like she will be any time soon (Mini-Tone no.2 on the way in 2017...) I need to keep bringing home the bacon. After 6 years where I am now I could probably do with a change of scene anyway!

[Ti_pin_man]

I half expect real rock will drop me a grade or two but I'll give it a whirl.

In Font for the first time I guarantee at least the "or two"! Doesn't mean you won't have a brilliant time though, just don't waste your skin thrashing away at problems you "should" be able to do.

Second time in Font and I know not to get my hopes up high!   And I will have a rockin time no matter what number the climb has tagged to it
Thanks for the encouragement.