[Murph]

OK if I start this one? My Sunday is already set in stone.

M-rest

T-working Advanced Training with Matt  . Fantastic session, learnt a lot about "the process". Felt like I was getting precisely nowhere, and suggested we move the mats across to try something easier. “No way!” was, to paraphrase, Matt’s reaction to this. Within an hour I was falling off AT one move from the top after Matt worked out *the way*. Neither of us got it but it was now surely only a question of time. Unexpected turnaround and taught me a lot about digging deep and not giving up.

W-sort of rest, sort of doing easy routes on Stanage in the morning before getting rained on. I don’t know, is VS a decent route grade for someone working 7C+ boulders…?

T-reality meets expectations. I thought, I’ll just quickly tick off this 7C+ then take my mate to Rubicon to show him around…..wrong! 15 good efforts on AT and I fell off every imaginable move, a number of times just forgetting the sequence. Thought of The Shark and his Oak towards the end of the session…it wasn't supposed to feel like this.

F-rest. Studying my selfie footage of AT and MoS – think I’ve seen the crucial difference now in the footwork. Surely tomorrow...?

S-Morning session on AT. I promised myself 6 good goes with lots of rest in between. On the 6th go I only went and fell off the last move, latching the finishing spike badly and peeling off. NNFN doesn’t nearly do it justice. 4 more poor goes ensued with nothing like that success.

S-Rest. Fingers now in tatters. Psyched out of my box.

Weight – 64.3kgs average. Up over a kilo from last week. Need to sort this out pronto it could easily snowball / balloon…

In light of recent developments and my impending return to work after 3 months Pat Leave, I am updating my goals.

STG – Advanced Training, get back to 62.x kgs average.
MTG – Advanced Training
LTG – Advanced Training
Problem Wishlist – Advanced Training, Piss, G, Tsunami, Dancing Fish & Picnic Sarcastic (as and when)
Training Wishlist – 147, BM+50kg, OAP

[nai]

Problem Wishlist - G

What is this? Is there really a problem just called 'G'?

[Murph]

More formally known as Soft on the G

[nai]

Ah right, my initial reaction was if you're trying a lime 7C+ then you should really be thinking about Full Power,  but I guess it's compression strength vs crimp power.  Hope you've not been neglecting the bench presses.

[nai]

goals -  Aberration, Body Machine, Proud Whore, 7b OS, E4 OS.

Mon - Tor, put clips in Body Machine, worked traverse 3 times so I knew the right foothold to use then managed to redpoint it first attempt of the day. Almost came off the rockover and was a bag of nerves at the final shake after the traverse but it was otherwise steady.   Finishing this meant I'd done as many routes of 7c or harder in five months since May as I'd done in the previous five years.
Went up P1 of The Prow routes, seemed ok, guess the hard stuff kicks in above.

Tue - rest
wed - rest

Thu - Two Tier - dropped my gloves in river on the way in and that was effectively the day over. tried various ways of warming hands up before setting off on RPs but it turns out nothing is as effective as actually wearing gloves during belay stints.
Last go I actually made it through the crux in heavyish rain but fell unable to see the foothold I was aiming for due to the raindrops on my glasses. Bet you've not heard that one before?

Fri - went up Prow P2, the hard stuff does kick in above... but Wowsers, what a pitch

S - set off for a quick mtb ride before dusk, did all the climbing then punctured 100m into the descent only to find Mrs had borrowed my pump.

S rest

Hopefully back on PW tomorrow, just hope the start survives today's weather.

[Murph]

Good work on BM Nai!

My grades are all over the place. There is no equivalence whatsoever between my grit and lime ability. And the bench press, yeah, not found a way to incorporate into training what with life getting in the way. But it's not exactly a weakness (I think) - 60kgs for reps with no specific training.

The obstacle between where i am now and getting SotG ticked isn't really strength, it's general crapness at climbing and not having tried it for months since gouging my knuckles on it and getting infected.

[fried]

Cheers Murph.

M - Short (1h) session indoors, achey tendons which I don't even bother climbing through now, just stopped. Sore from Sunday. A lot of easy stuff.
T - Rest
W - Second short indoor session, feeling good, but didn't push it.
Th - Rest
F - Short BM sessios 5x5 slopers/ reduced pockets
S - Played around with shoulder exercises, had a birthday in the evening that I foolishly thought I might be able to escape from at a reasonable hour, no such luck...

Su - Should be in the forest, the sun is shining, but I'm at home feeling a little fragile....may have a beer soon.

[shark]

Mon - Tor, put clips in Body Machine, worked traverse 3 times so I knew the right foothold to use then managed to redpoint it first attempt of the day..... Finishing this meant I'd done as many routes of 7c or harder in five months since May as I'd done in the previous five years.

 

Fri - went up Prow P2, the hard stuff does kick in above... but Wowsers, what a pitch

Definitely get an airy feeling round your ankles

[nai]

Definitely get an airy feeling round your ankles

Yep, I tied in with a figure of 8 the second time I went up, Bowline (which had felt adequate enough to skip the clip before the traverse on BM) suddenly looked like certain death hanging up there.

[shark]

Thanks Murph

10.10-12

M.

T. Malham PM. Up with Ben Heason, Rab and Steve. Stopped off in Bradford to look at a new van for Ben. Probably got there 2.00pm Less sunny than forecast which was promising. Catwalk was nice and quiet - a good mix of people, Gresh, Charlie, Chris Gore, Basher. No mortal enemies. Ive been using a cheap temperature and humidity meter which I'm starting to obsess over. Temps started at 19 deg and dropped to just below 10 with humidity rising from 50s to 88% . Every session as the afternoon progresses into evening you gain with lower temps but then lose with the increased humidity. So conditions not perfect but still the best day so far and at a lower bodyweight pressure was on - No Excuses! .
Cons x 3
Go 1 Dogged with ease and linked horn to top. I felt good, rock felt good
Go 2 Tried to calm down before the redpoint doing some breathing and counting to ten - seemed to work - climbed the bottom section and past horn with precision and ease and got to rest before final traverse - felt uncomfortable and unresty at the rest and panicked a little that I was going to get pumped and rushed into the traverse alll tensed up and failed to adjust to bear in better on the second gaston which meant I was already falling out when coming in with the right hand for the sidepull which I consequently failed to hold. Disappointing but still a seasonal high point
Go 3 Went for a walk to top of Cove. Thru horn again solidly and got to rest before top traverse. I clipped the bolt then made a conscious effort to relax more this time at the shake but overdid it ! - the right foot shot off when I relaxed as the foot wasn't in the best place in the groove and I was off again. 
Go 4 Getting dark. Went for walk. Humidity now in 80's but just under 10degrees Got horn from ground but didnt quite hold it - thumb slipped off. Clipped into 2nd bolt for just two minutes then did 2nd bolt to top    - Contemplated doing some more links on top section but decided to finish strong and not busted. I reckon this was the best session this year.
Looking back at diary the previous best this year was on 28th April when I got thru horn move three times but the temp was a baltic 2.5 degrees and I also didnt do the 2nd bolt to the top link then (not that I tried). Going back further compared to last Autumn 2015 I am back up to an equivalent level of my best sessions which was typically getting through the horn move three times but only up to the top traverse twice. Also today I fell off due to very small errors rather than from being shut down on the first two redpoints and probably due to rising humidity on the third.


T.

W.

T. Noon. Up with Steve, Haydn and Haydn's mate Silent Will. Armed with slinky new Sterling Nano. lightweight chalk bag and roller biners for first two draws. Looked bleak on walk in - long wet streaks but fortunately Oak unaffected Sunny then drizzly. Temps starting at 19 and dropping to 10 and humidity rising from 70's to 80's%. Feeling confident after Tuesdays performance. Cons x 3 to warm up as usual.
Go 1 felt good dogging up bottom bit and did horn to top.
Go 2 Climbed well and got to horn where I felt good enough to chalk up (usually just slap my thighs) Got to undercut rest before top traverse and suddenly everything ebbed away and I couldnt even take a hand off to chalk up - launched into traverse but was bolloxed and fell off trying to get purchase on second gaston. Analysing it decided that chalking up at the horn had fucked me up - though maybe I wasnt quite warmed up enough?.
Go 3 Went for a walk and came back to hear Gresh's victory shrieks on his new route. Good vibes but then put in a shambolic redpoint where I seemed to have to adjust on a few holds so came off before throw. 20 mins rest then
Go 4 Seemed to go to pieces setting up for the throw - touched horn
Go 5 Went for walk. Getting dark and humid. Climbed well - got the horn badly but managed to cling on and readjust - similarly got undercut badly but still pulled into rest and could chalk this time and got a foot move further than previous time. Lowered to second bolt and pulled rope and retied and had 5 mins rest then tried second bolt to top but fell off midway thru traverse. Comparable session to Monday. A few micro beta lessons learnt. Need to combine freshness of first go with application of the last one and resist temptation to chalk at the horn however fresh I feel

F. PM. Popped into Foundry for a power top up. Renewed membership. Bouldered on Wave for first time in months with Andy Coish. Really enjoyed it. Did some level 2s on steep section. Felt fresh, light and good. Eve. Sonia had been plied with Prosecco at the hairdressers and suggested opening a bottle of wine. I hadnt drunk all week. Polished that off at dinner and had a large G&T.

S. AM Felt a bit hungover. Moved some large rocks and slabs with the boys

S.


I left the crag on Tuesday far more confident. Now down to keeping low weight, being fresh for sessions, good conditions, good mental attitude and redpoint execution. 4 out of the 5 are down to me. Desperately trying to avoid catching Sonia's cold with powders and vitamin pills.

Forecast over next ten days looks to remain generally warmish and humid but at least not much rain so seepage shouldn't be an immediate threat. Getting up to the traverse twice in a session on succesive sessions is the level I was at last Autumn when I nearly did it. Looking at last years performance I reckon I can hang on to this peak till the start of November by which time it will most likely be seeping anyway. Therefore in theory I have decent window to get it done. Going again Monday with Steve, Rab and Haydn and then probably Friday (no arrangements) 

[Will Hunt]

That stuff about falling temps and rising humidity, Shark, I wouldn't read too much into them if I were you. As temperature falls then humidity is always going to rise. The reader is telling you about relative humidity, and since colder air cannot hold as much water vapour as warmer air, the same total moisture content will be relatively more humid (i.e. closer to condensation) in cooler temps.

There isn't really a science (yet) about what balance is the best connies for climbing. You're better going by feel and if the rock feels good then just getting on with it.

[shark]

Thanks Will - I didn't know that. There was definitely one point that it felt fresh with a breeze but the humidity was in the 90s which was totally out of whack. I'm certainly not basing my redpoint timing on it as there isn't enough spare daylight to mess about and I usually need 45mins to 1 hour to recover properly

[Will Hunt]

No problem. It sounds like you've had some really good cracks at it. Promising stuff. I think you definitely need to be approaching it with the attitude now that you are going to do it and really commit to the redpoint goes, even things go a little scrappily early in the climb.

[TobyD]

Monday Foundry first climbing for 3.5 months. Not terrified: result. 6b on a top rope felt like redpointing 8a did in April/ May. Less of a result.
Tuesday Gym
Wednesday am Gym, pm first bike ride for same time as above: 8-10 miles on a flat cycle path felt pretty tiring
Thursday 5-6 mile walk
Friday Gym
Saturday London for the day, a few planks at half 6 am before leaving for a train.
Sunday Gym AM

Hard to gauge any progress really, but hitting myself with 'new' things which always takes it out of you. Great to see a few people in Sheffield and actually be outside on a bike and not an exercise bike. Hopefully get some more climbing in next week between multiple medical appointments.

[tomtom]

 Yeah - there's a pretty solid relationship between temp and humidity.

Good efforts though shark.. sounds like one of these go's you'll throw three sixes in a row and it'll all happen... I seem to remember you having problems getting to/holding the horn... now you're chalking up and showboating on it!!

[Will Hunt]

M: Cala Barques with the missus. Nipped round to the DWS and downclimbed to Hercules. Got a bit spooked and decided to have a test jump into the sea which was fine. By the time I'd swum out the queues had reformed at the bottom and it wasn't quite hot enough to be psyched for another trip down. Went and played on a nice steep lowball traverse and a few variations on that. All in the low 6s.
T:-T: Holiday stuff
F:Barques again. Had a go on Watch For Jellies which is a bouldery traverse (possibly undergraded at 6c+). Fell in failing to find the holds. Climbed a 6a+ to escape while wringing wet and with no chalk which was spooky! Went back round to try the traverse again and the key slopey pinch was now wet and my makeshift chalkbag had broken so had to give up which was a shame. With no chalk things weren't looking good so played on the lowball traverse again. A bit disappointed, headed back to the beach and decided to look into the Cova cave on the way back. Saw some of the people I'd met over at the Hercules cave and borrowed a chalkbag so I could have a go on Might of the Stalactite. The downclimbing was a little adventure in its own right, and then swinging along those massive jugs and hanging tufas! Awesome! Made up for the poor showing at the other caves. Nice leap in off the block at the end.
S:
S:

DWS is weird. I can imagine being a lot more psyched and willing to go for it if I was there with a group of other people. You've definitely got to get used to falling in the sea in order to climb well at height.

[shark]

  I seem to remember you having problems getting to/holding the horn... now you're chalking up and showboating on it!!

Getting and holding the horn when stretched is still hard but once you've got your feet up and bridge out it becomes a good hold

[Wood FT]

Will - I had a holiday to Majorca with an ex, had few days at barques and had a similar experience to you. I went back a few years later with 'the crew' and it's up there with the best style of climbing I've ever had the pleasure to do. Book a trip. the bigger the group the less scary the sea becomes (unless it's choppy in which case fuck that I'm taking pictures)

[36chambers]

STG:
MTG: 8As
LTG: 8B

M: Lunch circuit training, full body.
T: Indoors. Felt weak on the board so finished with some FOC x 6.
W: Henry Price lunch, recovery/aerocap. W4 gym ball, elbow management, stretches etc.
T: Indoors. PE 4 sets in the cave, there's currently a perfect cave problem for lapping. Excellent session.
F: Drive to Northumberland
S: Brief session at Bowden.
S: Half day at Back Bowden, climbed Severus Snape 7B+, which is really good. I'm too small to reach the pinch off the foot so had to embrace the big throw and cut.

Aim: get stronger and better. Got big plans for winter, but it all depends on whether I've improved in the last year or not.

[shark]

Hi Will

Re DWS I also had a similar experience:  https://27crags.com/climbers/shark/blog/shark-infested-water

[IS2]

STG Onsights around 7b ish
MTG 8a at 70
LTG Probs no LT left
Mon: Feeling a bit tired so had  low intensity  session at Sunderland. 12 23m routes all easy 6a-6c.
Tues: DCC boulders ladder up to 6c then worked / sent 2/3 harder
Wed: Hard session at NA ten long hard routes all over the big roof 7a-7b+ Then coaching at DCC was a bit jaded.
Thurs: Rest rest and more rest stretches and antags.
Fri: More rest stretches antags and brief pinch machine session.
Sat: Back on the board big intensity low volume, flashed all test blocs then repeated them twice. Three link attempts, linked 3 and bit blocs. Pinch machine and stretch.
Sun: Much resting brief stretch Tomorrow will be repeat of board session. Then off to Scicily for a couple of weeks. Winter trips begin all booked through to May. Life is good. Will up date training when passing through UK.

[Will Hunt]

Shark, Guy - I think both your accounts sound similar to mine which is comforting. All you ever see of DWS is Gus screaming "SOOOOOOOUP" down a megaphone and really good climbers taking massive falls into the sea like it's nothing. I went to Barrel Zawn earlier in the year and dig a few things but was really scared of falling off - I didn't. I ended up back there in the latter half of summer and met one of the local activists who told me you just have to jump in. After jumping in once I realised that the fear was more of unknown cold water and the unknown unpleasantnesses of a dunking. When you realise it's not cold the fear rapidly diminishes.
Heading back to Barques a second time, I was watching someone from the top of the smallest of the three caves and I looked down into the water and thought it definitely looked closer than it had done on a cloudy day earlier in the week. I definitely could have jumped off the top.
I think there's a definite learning curve which is shortened by having it nice and warm with lots of mates about. Keen to try again sometime. The carefree swinging on the jugs of the Stalactite traverse was just brilliant. No ropes, no dabs on ground a few feet away. Just airy climbing with deep knee drops, wild heel hooks and stalactite straddling hands off rests. Brill!

[Muenchener]

STG: Moon Board 6B+
MTG (Spring 2017): Redpoint 7b
LTG (<= 5 years): Redpoint 8a before I hit 60.

M:
T: Boulderwelt with M jnr. Weak session for me, not fully recovered from moonboard & max hangs on Sunday. And am in the grip of a recurring/persistent cold that I can't seem to fully get rid of.
W:
T: Wall, Thalkirchen. Token endurance maintenance session: half a dozen routes, including significant progress on a 7a proj.
F: Bike one hour.
S: MTB two hours. Had planned a lads' outing with M jnr but he was out of action with a cold. Instead I voluntarily went for a solo bike ride. Oops, slippery slope.
S: Boulderwelt with M jnr. Lots of stuff around my onsight / couple of goes level; really need to do more projecting. IYTs & sling trainer planks to finish off.

[Duma]

Goals:
Lots of local sport, unfinished business with cider soak from 15 years ago, good winter bouldering season,
8A (Hunters Roof?)and 8b by next June

Body Audit: pretty much clear, touch wood (apart from the fucking sleep issue).

M: nothing, slightly better sleep (~6.5hrs)
T: nothing, ace meal out, too much booze and food but well worth it. Late night so ~5hrs.
W: TCA eve, half new hard set up, fun session playing on them, prob a few things in the high 6s/low 7s. ~6hrs
T: Bloc for brief play, couple of steep things in low 7s, worked one that's prob mid to high 7, then did absolutely amazing eliminate on one of the comp problems (basically jumping into a knee clamp mantle, of no training benefit at all). Good to see different crowd. Then had amazing dinner made for me - too much food and booze... Pretty much no sleep, must have dozed a couple of hours at some point I suppose.
F: Nothing, really struggling with tiredness by the afternoon, got in car accident on way home (my fault obv, but low speed and everyone fine, cars both drivable ok). Had to go straight to pick up daughter for the weekend, pretty strung out and emotional by then... In bed half an hour after her, must have had about 8hrs plus couple more dozing.
S: Nothing, hanging out with daughter. Feeling much better unsurprisingly. ~6 hrs but few hrs dozing too.
S: nothing, hanging out with daughter. In bed already as I write this, hoping for a decent night...

Really need to sort the sleep, affecting the rest of life quite severely now. Had ok weekend so far though, if I get a decent chunk tonight I'll be a lot happier, if not I think I'll be in the chemist at lunch tomorrow :-(

69kg (prob more actually, but not weighed in since midweek)

[Dolly]

C'mon Captain Shark. Very close now


M Bodyweight HIT
T Wave at lunchtime. Managed another level 3 after T_B showed how to swap feet on a hold
W Had an awful night's sleep and for some reason decided that it was best to get up early and do some Kettlebell HIT. Hard.
T Rode into work via the MTB skills track in Heeley Park. Shed in the evening. Brutal and brilliant as ever.
F
S Plans to go out were scuppered as the boss had a migraine. Managed to pop out later with smallest daughter for a quick blast at Jackson Tor (chosen as it has a playground at the top) and did The arete which really is very good for an easy problem.
S Boss still ill so did another Kettlebell HIT session at the gym.


Nowhere near enough climbing, but will be different this week.