[tommytwotone]

STG: train power / fingers once a week, no midweek boozing
LTG: more font 7s


M: Big Depot in evening. Autobelay warm-ups, then punter campus session. Felt good so tried some stuff on the smallest rungs and to my surprise managed a 1-3 (and match) on both arms. Then nearly finished off the anti-style V5 I'd been trying for a few sessions, dropping the last (and actually about 5a) move. Came away feeling psyched, like the effort I'm putting in is going somewhere.


T: Nowt


W: Sheffield for session with Peak Physio Tim, then a couple of hours pottering at The Works. Total opposite to Monday, climbed like crap, no power, not at the races at all. Tried stopping and resting . regrouping but nothing worked. Left feeling pissed off.


T: Nowt. Party in Leeds evening at my mate's bar to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Free bar all night. Messy.


F: Dying of hangover.


S: Took Una to Big Depotbut feeling a bit lacklustre. Started well (flashed a 6c on autobelay) but then started feeling really weird. Hot, shaky, bit nauseous. Sacked it and went home.


S: Nowt.


Out of a high and back into a low. Hey ho.
 
 

[Will Hunt]

T: Free bar all night. Messy.


F: Dying of hangover.


S: started feeling really weird. Hot, shaky, bit nauseous.

 

Sounds like common or garden middle-age to me...

[SA Chris]

Welcome to the 2 day hangover. Definitely a middle age thing.

[shark]

Out of interest Simon. What are your best links on the Oak and when did they occur?

I remember seeing you do quite a good one a few years ago from not many moves in to the top. You were so casual that when I started shouting encouragement you were able to reply "this is not a redpoint!".

Hi James - yes I think that was one of the times I went from the second bolt (which is 4 moves in) to the top. I'd have to check but I think I did that link for the first time in 2015 and then a couple of times since. The Autumn of 2015 was my best season on it when I managed to get through the horn move 3x in a session and got my all-time highpoint which is in the video below: 

[Duma]

I still get tense watching that video Simon

[Will Hunt]

Have any questions been raised yet about having the 3rd bolt pre-clipped?

 

From this armchair, it doesn't look like you were fighting to stay on there. It looks like you initiate the move and then just give up. Considering you have cruised it from the 2nd bolt at about shoulder height, I'm absolutely convinced that this is as much a mental battle as a physical one. A key element of this winter's training should be to mentally prepare yourself to clip the chains in the spring and to really believe in that.

I really hope I don't end up like this with Red Baron Roof. I actually had a dream last night that dunnyg did it in a session and I woke up feeling disgusted with myself.

[shark]

I still get tense watching that video Simon

  How good would it have been to put it all behind me back then. I could have spent the last 3 years failing on Bat Route instead...

[shark]

Have any questions been raised yet about having the 3rd bolt pre-clipped?

Probably about half the ascents have that bolt pre-clipped. Some have challenged it being pre-clipped - from memory Lucy Creamer, Mick Lovatt and Mike Owen. Mina and Maddy didnt pre-clip it. Obviously I need everything going for me. 

Before I started on it Steve Dunning moved the belay which made grabbing it more of a temptation (El Mocho!). I put the extra bolt in near the top to take out the runout and also discovered an unobvious but bomber kneebar to clip the chain.   

[dunnyg]

If I do it before you, given i cant drag myself up 7A at the moment, you should go back to trad climbing. Proper tempting to get strong to burn you off on it now...

[tommytwotone]

Welcome to the 2 day hangover. Definitely a middle age thing.

Yeah - I've been experiencing them for a while but this one takes the biscuit. We've got 2 poorly kids right now so I'm not ruling out a hangover / fighting off a virus double.


Doesn't explain Wednesday's poor performance though, but having had this the last few time I think (cover your ears Sheffield types) I just don't get on with The Works any more. Can't quite put my finger on why but never seem to climb well there.

[spidermonkey09]

From this armchair, it doesn't look like you were fighting to stay on there. It looks like you initiate the move and then just give up.

Its amazing how often it looks like that on film I think. I have a video of me on Supercool over the summer falling off mid crux where I look like I basically jumped off, yet I remember the go and I was boxed out of my mind.

Great video that Simon. How many moves from salvation are you there? I think Tanya fell off around there over the summer from what I've been told.

[highrepute]

Out of interest Simon. What are your best links on the Oak and when did they occur?

I remember seeing you do quite a good one a few years ago from not many moves in to the top. You were so casual that when I started shouting encouragement you were able to reply "this is not a redpoint!".

Hi James - yes I think that was one of the times I went from the second bolt (which is 4 moves in) to the top. I'd have to check but I think I did that link for the first time in 2015 and then a couple of times since. The Autumn of 2015 was my best season on it when I managed to get through the horn move 3x in a session and got my all-time highpoint which is in the video below: 

That sounds like what I remember. Do you have a video of that link from 4 moves in? Based on that performance you must know you can do it, right? At least physically you have it within you? What do you think has stopped you sending?

[tomtom]

What do you think has stopped you sending?

Must. Not. Be tempted to answer...

[Will Hunt]

I love that every time somebody new gets interested in SharkSiege they have to ask these questions, forcing Simon to relieve over and over again just how close he has come to finishing it. And then comes the surgical dissection of Simon's weaknesses as a climber. It must be torture!

[tommytwotone]

I reckon a new pair of 5:10 whites and a pint of beetroot juice and he'll see it off.

[duncan]

They have a crack machine now? That's new since I was last there; can't wait to get back there and check it out. Anyway, I'm delighted it lived up to the billing!

It’s not tall and it’s a bit flexy at present but the boss has promised to stiffen it up.  Currently features tight hands, bomber hands and baggy hands. In an ideal world there would be a rattly fingers crack (~1”) too but I’m not complaining. I love how they surely know it won’t get much use but built it anyway because a serious training facility should have one.

[shark]

Great video that Simon. How many moves from salvation are you there? I think Tanya fell off around there over the summer from what I've been told.

From that position I just needed to connect with the foothold I was lifting my leg up to then stretch out left to a jug to 7a+ ground

[teestub]

The London climbing dress code seems somewhat more formal than Yorkshire!

[shark]

Do you have a video of that link from 4 moves in? Based on that performance you must know you can do it, right? At least physically you have it within you? What do you think has stopped you sending?

No - I don't have a video of that link.

In terms of what stopped me this Autumn I can only conclude that I had come into it a bit jaded both physically from not having sufficient breaks and mentally from not having any confidence boosting ticks leading up to it although overall I think I am generally stronger than I ever have been this year and had a good level of capacity but probably overcooked it as a consequence. The isolated session I had in the summer was really promising but somehow I lost some power and endurance by the time the autumn season came round.

[nai]

I know I might have worn this drum out but   

[andy_e]

Clam fibster

[webbo]

So a bunch of three move specialists offering advice about something twenty plus moves long, might have got it wrong.
Well I never 

[slab_happy]

Thanks for the photo!

In an ideal world there would be a rattly fingers crack (~1”) too but I’m not complaining. I love how they surely know it won’t get much use but built it anyway because a serious training facility should have one.

You never know -- the Wideboyz' touring Crack School seems to sell out, and the crack climbing class at the Women's Climbing Symposium was enthusiastically attended.

Currently features tight hands, bomber hands and baggy hands. In an ideal world there would be a rattly fingers crack (~1”) too but I’m not complaining.

There's clearly room for growth, though!  Maybe if I handcuff myself to it over Christmas they'll build me a Hastonator.

[petejh]

Have any questions been raised yet about having the 3rd bolt pre-clipped?

 

Is it the rule that you gain one extra pre-clipped bolt per decade of siege?

[teestub]

Edit

Not getting involved again!