[Bradders]

Nice one Duncan, good to read.

[Wood FT]

If I could show you from our walk a year ago you’d be very proud of the progress you’ve made. The climbing aims seem small in comparison but I’m inspired by your Supercool ascent, a life goal of mine.

[abarro81]

Nice post Duncan, hope 2022 is good

[seankenny]

Basically, what reeve said above is my intro too!

Clear up the mess left by 2020
I'm at a fairly low ebb so these things are the priorities:
- Finish fixing dodgy elbow, knee, shoulder.
- Finish masters, get a job.
- Do some kind of base training block to get myself back in some sort of basic climbing shape.
- Get some counselling to help me deal with the grief of losing my father-in-law.

Body in mostly decent working order tendon-wise. Got a distinction in my masters which I was really pleased with, didn't quite get a distinction in the dissertation but considering the state of my life when I was doing it, I'm fine with the result. Have taught myself basic R in the meantime and replicated a classic economics paper so carrying on learning independently which I'm pleased with. Did do a decent bit of training earlier in the year.
Despite a pretty solid masters, gainful employment has been difficult to find but I've done some freelancing in my old work and had a couple of interviews. Not done any counselling but really should.

Climbing
- 7b/7b+, probably Portland, Cheddar, Brean, but not fussed. Get a bit more stuck into redpointing.
- Get on one or more E3s/E4s. Doesn't matter if I don't finish them, or dog them, the point is to try, as I'm quite good at sabotaging myself by not being "ready".
 - Climb in North Wales, Pembroke, Cornwall, etc at least once. Ideally several times.
- Would like to climb abroad if possible, despite continuing covid disruption and finances.
- A bit more bouldering would be nice, but it's the least important on here.
[/quote]

Climbed in N Wales, also bouldering down on Dartmoor and Bodmin. Both were great!
But... just plugged along really in climbing this year. By the end of the summer I was getting up to speed and hoping for a good autumn when I got sick with viral illnesses (at least one wasn't covid but the other might have been), since then I have had virtually no energy. I felt a bit better and went to the wall, promptly got sick again for several days, same again when I tried to go for a walk of more than half-an-hour. Very distressing! The doctor has tentatively suggested Long Covid which is bloody frightening, but later on also diagnosed low vitamin D so I'm taking massive doses of that and it seems to be improving.

Training
- Get back to being able to train on a board.
- More fingerboarding.
- A proper block of aerocap and then short power-endurance training.
[/quote]
A decent amount of fingerboarding has occured, and I can cope with a bit even though I'm ill.
The other stuff has not really happened.


Life
- Support my better half as well as I can.
- Improve my Sinhala with some proper attempts at learning grammar and vocab rather than just doing it by ear.
[/quote]A few months ago my partner said she thought we had probably achieved parity on household tasks, next thing has been emotional labour but I managed to do all my own Xmas cards very early and do plenty of caring for my unwell and elderly mum, so I'm going in the right direction! Have learned more Sinhala vocab, grammar is still pretty shocking but overall I feel my Sinhala is much better.

[Duncan campbell]

If I could show you from our walk a year ago you’d be very proud of the progress you’ve made. The climbing aims seem small in comparison but I’m inspired by your Supercool ascent, a life goal of mine.

Yeah life seemed very bleak back then.

Thanks for all your support

Thanks for the nice messages too everybody - wasn’t sure whether to post or not but maybe it might help someone else. If so we’ll worth it

[Murph]

Always good to read through the annual Aims threads.

Good work everyone who has come through the dark days and managed to keep the wheels on the bus.

I started the year at a really low point after having my bowel removed and a bag put on it. Didn't write an aim but if I had it would have been to climb again and maybe get up a 6A. Realistically, at the start of the year that was the limit of my ambition - I couldn't sit up in bed without a bit of help.

Anyway, not to fear, turns out having a stoma hasn't been that big of a deal and I'm back on the (low) 7s again more or less. Nothing like my previous peak of form, but I've not been training much yet have still repeated a few of the old ones and even done some new ones.

Can't complain. Onwards and upwards.

[Aussiegav]

I had very high hopes, overly high, but I’m prone to over positivity and setting unrealistic goals.
But getting COVID in the end July & being unwell all of August had a impact.

So here is the outcome of the year;

Bouldering
- Soft on the G - Gardoms
- Bottom half of Project Never managed to get on them
- 1x 7a at the School over optimistic
- 3x 6c/6c+ at the School/Moonboard came close on 2,
- 1x 7a on the Moonboard I had no idea how undergraded these are

Campus board
- 1-4-6 (L&R) (23mm rung)
- 5 reps of 2on:3off Feet on Campusing ✅

Climbing
- Onsight 6c❌
- 2x 7a in a day❌❌
5x Redpoints 6c to 7a+
- managed four  6c’s. each done in a session

Finger Strength
- 20kg 20mm edge 7secs. ✅

I only managed 26 days outside in 2020❌
This year I managed just 23 days. Most of these were only half day sessions.

Been to a few new crags which was a bonus.

Despite not achieving most of the goals, life has been good this year. Maintaining a really positive outlook has been instrumental to this.

I’ve realised I need more variety and volume in my climbing which I’ve addressed  for next year’s goals.

[teestub]

Big ups to everyone who has made the best of this year, it’s been a tough one!

[dunnyg]

Effort Murph, I've got dodgy guts, so good to know bouldering can continue if I end up with bag one day. Cheers for sharing.

[Murph]

Effort Murph, I've got dodgy guts, so good to know bouldering can continue if I end up with bag one day. Cheers for sharing.

Thanks dunnyg I admit that was my motivation for sharing. I didnt have much idea how much it would hold me back and folk who have one of these are understandably not obvious about it. Wearing a harness isn't much of an issue either - indoors at least, not worn a full rack for a while.

[dunnyg]

That's great news, suppose a gogarth/yosemite rack might be a different ballgame. Hope the new year brings more gainz!

[dunnyg]

1) Annual E5 or greater Top was E3 (or highball 6C) FA, other than that I repeated an E1.
1.5) Another E5 or greater
2) Explore 'new' local crags Had a great run of new Ilkley Moor crags, not all amazing, but new to me and some FAs thrown in for good measure. Also explored minor crags of upper wharfedale/nidderdale with more (easy) FAs.
3) 7C Didn't really try any in earnest (other than perhaps some stuff on front of the calf?), but did loads of really good 7Bs, so not a bad year for me bouldering, considering I have had a finger injury for most of the year, and a few other ailements. 2022 is the year!
4) Sport 7a Only tied in for "hard" sport once this year. Failed to dog up barguest direct. Didn't really enjoy the experience due to being scared. Did the calf traverse, but the challenge for me in sport is definitely mental at the moment, and no bolts means no tick.
5) More off 3* yorkshire gritlist Wailing wall (headpoint!) and cassius crawl at hetchell. Enjoyable despite the company, get on them!
6) 1 arm hang bm low rung 10 second hang one arm the big BM2k slot on both arms. Regular fingerboarding to warm up for the board means this may become more realistic in the future.
7) Get outside as much as possible. Started well, then injury and shit guts have made it difficult. C'est la vie.
8 ) Get some FAs  Developed a mostly new crag at Thrope Moor end, including "Sonic, 6C/E3" which is the best line of the lot, new easy boulders at Knipe scar (topo in progress ish), junction crag and crag top quarry on Ilkley Moor, and finally some stuff at St Ives (I think!). I've also scoped out a few crags for the future and visited many other crappy lumps of rock. Being unable to climb as much at times has had it's benefits!

  Bonus achievements: 
Got a board and enjoyed using it.
Stayed sane despite various challenges.
Still alive!

Alezzzz 2022

[User deactivated.]

Climb & skate with daughter; Yep. Well she got bored of skating but she can now get to the top of my board!
Don't let work add to stress; Good balance at the moment
Jason's roof at crookrise; Didn't even get up there to try
Kilter board 7C at shallow, medium and steep angles; I'm not sure i've climbed on a Kilter board this year but some of the stuff i've done on my board is definitely >7C and i've done lots of outdoor 7C's in various styles.
Get side splits; Not for lack of trying. Every time I push this one I seem to get injured. Still pleased that i've kept up stretching almost daily all year. One to carry over
Flip the step up at revolution bike park; Have enjoyed motorbikes more than mountain bikes this year.
Freestanding handstand press up; Shoulder gains have been good

I need more climbing goals for 2022!

[Ed booth]

Good psyche posts on here from everyone . Is there a new one already started for 2022? I’ve not done it before.

[Ged]

Always good to read through the annual Aims threads.

Good work everyone who has come through the dark days and managed to keep the wheels on the bus.

I started the year at a really low point after having my bowel removed and a bag put on it. Didn't write an aim but if I had it would have been to climb again and maybe get up a 6A. Realistically, at the start of the year that was the limit of my ambition - I couldn't sit up in bed without a bit of help.

Anyway, not to fear, turns out having a stoma hasn't been that big of a deal and I'm back on the (low) 7s again more or less. Nothing like my previous peak of form, but I've not been training much yet have still repeated a few of the old ones and even done some new ones.

Can't complain. Onwards and upwards.

That's the most inspiring post I've read in a while. Man has bowel removed, and just cracks on with it. Pretty impressive getting back to near your best after any kind of surgical meddling involving your abdomen, but especially that...

[Bradders]

Good psyche posts on here from everyone . Is there a new one already started for 2022? I’ve not done it before.

Just started it up for you boss 

[Fiend]

Good effort Duncan Campbell  (depression hiding behind the usual giddy psyche posts) and Murph  especially.

Also.....

1. Finish of the Boulder guide for Strathnairn{Inverness}
Done all the master text, taking/collecting pics for the final edit.

That's good progress though...

3. Find cure for baldness and being a C**t
Nope and No chance.

Surely not something anyone needs to change.

8. Persuade UKB folks that "Bring out your dabs" is a little bit judgey..... .Is it though?....But is it?....No seriously, Is it?
I suspect you guys like it Just the way it is

LOL, it's one of the highlights of the forum IMO! Any targets have actively chosen to show their failed ascents on the internet, often with bragging about success and grades.

[kingholmesy]

Climbing

In order of priority:

1. Climb three more E5s from the Devon & Cornwall lifetime list.

No E5s, but managed three mega XSs, a handful of E4s onsight, and a couple of E6s (one head pointed, the other above a stack of mats) - so pretty happy with that.

2. Climb somewhere outside of Devon & Cornwall at least once. Swanage &/or Gogarth ideally, although any of Pembroke, the Peak, the Lyn or Nesscliffe would also be good.

Nope. It’s hard to justify leaving the wife with our three kids for a full weekend - plus there’s still so much to do near home.

3. At least try one or two 8a’s to see if they feel feasible and decide whether I want to invest time into them.  This will only happen if I return to working in the office more regularly (cos home is so far from any sports climbing).

Working from home most of the summer, 2 hours drive from any suitable projects, meant this was never going to happen.

Life

1. Maintain happy family life.

You’ll have to ask the Mrs, but I think this should go in green.

2. Decide whether to build an annex on our house to launch an air b&b business.

Still deciding what to do.  Now looking more likely that we will use the space to build a double garage, which would have the advantage of allowing me to build a home board.

3. Decide whether to buy a dog, and if so what breed.  At present I want a whippet, the wife wants a vizsla.  Anyone with advice on this please feel free let me know your thoughts!

Bought a whippet!  He’s complete pain in the arse, but we all love him.

[Fiend]

Need proof of the last one....

[Yossarian]

Have been looking forward to healthy reboot, as have been eating / drinking too much over the past few weeks. Luckily I have quite good form at NY abstinence / radical weight loss and have been banking on this setting me up nicely for the year.


Well, that didn't really happen very successfully, though that was the least of my problems in 2021.

Climbing
Climb lots of 7s at Ansteys, Dorset Cheddar, SE Wales, inc Road Rage / Avenging the Halsewell / Empire Direct / Seven Months Later, etc
Climb at least 1 8a (Cider Soak / LWM / Thormen’s Moth / various others in mind)
Make quick work of all the low 7 boulders that I struggled on this year
7B / 7B+ (Rubis / All along the Watchtower / King of the Swingers / Force Majeure
If I get on well with the above then some trad later in the season. An E5 would be nice.
Font with the kids - maybe a fortnight in which we rapidly knock off all the spankings from 2020
Climb with more UKB people, carried over
Raise our game re in-a-day bouldering trip tactics - remember the long brush, buy a ladder, download / watch all videos in advance, trawl for beta, etc.
Unleash my new knee pad
Almost universally crap year for climbing. Had fun with CSL at the Churnet in March (but I didn't actually get to the top of anything), two trips to north Wales with daughter in the summer (really good fun, but I didn't get to the top of anything of note) and nothing else. Going to give up these sorts of wannabe ticklists until my life is organised enough to actually get out regularly.

Training
1 arm lock-off
1 arm pull-up
1/2 crimp BM 2000 slot hang - did 92.5kg in the autumn so theoretically this is just a question of weight loss
147
Address various inflexibility issues (shoulders mainly)
Fingers continue to feel amazing, but unfortunately they're attached to the rest of me. Managed to hold the BM slot for about a second a few times on one glorious afternoon, but it wasn't long enough to feel it really counts.

Other
Run 2-4 times a week and not get injured
Go swimming in the sea once a week
Do slightly more of the South Downs Way in a day


Did some regular running at various points through the year, although swapped to lunchtime walks in the late autumn when I realised I could come up with good story ideas and write them into my phone (rather than trying to remember it all on a run and write it all up when I stopped / got home) which has been really helpful and good for my head.

Life
Sort out work, sell house, move on in a manner that doesn’t disrupt the kids too much
Acquire a van
Bootstrap London Climber to a position of international renown - the Vice of adventure sports, launch a branded skincare collection, hire Dave Graham as a guest editor, release first feature-length film.

Absolute rollercoaster that was leaning towards ending in totally shiftiness until about half an hour ago (which sums up the year entirely). Work situation utter shit until September, which caused all sorts of issues including mortgage company trying quite hard to repossessing house (was nearing the second repossession hearing before I managed to get some family help). Living in the same house with my now ex wife was not very good for the first half of the year, but we now finally have a plan to sort what needs doing (mainly me chucking / clearing the vast amount of stuff I've accumulated and doing various tarting up before selling it in the spring). Lots of arguments, mainly caused by my inability to get my head around moving on.

After a slightly bizarre set of circumstances I got diagnosed with ADHD in September. An amazing revelation, and (apart from being a bit pissed off at various things like how things might've turned out if I'd known this when I was 8-10 years old and got some help then) a pretty positive experience. This explains a host of behaviour over the past 30 years which includes turning our house into a total disaster area of unfinished works in progress inside and out, chronic financial fuckups, launching multiple businesses which all fell apart thanks to ignoring anything unexciting (like paying HMRC, doing what my accountant told me, etc), making endless climbing ticklists but generally being too disorganised to ever actually go anywhere, etc, etc. Started medication which was a total revelation, but by December it wasn't having quite the same effect - coupled with divorce being finalised I then sunk into a pretty black mood, started drinking too much, etc.

Finally got new job in mid September, albeit an initial 3 month contract. Coupled with the ADHD diagnosis I got very excited and optimistic, started managing to get my own projects into an organised order (rather than trying to do 5-10 side projects at the same time). Book I was working on has been delayed a year because of various issues at the publisher, so started work on a kids novel (just over 10,000 words so far - quite a large chunk written into my phone on midday walks) and after the first chunk has been redrafted a couple of times I'll give it to my agent - hopefully in Jan / Feb. Also finally found a solution for my put on hold poster project, which means I can relaunch it with international print to order / dropshipping and not having to worry about rolling up piles of posters ever again. Started thinking about how brilliant things are going to be in 2022.

Then around 2 weeks after divorce notification and can I feel any more depressed, I lost job in the most shitty circumstances - i.e. being suddenly disconnected from ex boss's electronic workplace twattery last Monday - Slack / ClickUp / Missive, etc without even an email to explain why. Spent a few days trying to persuade myself that I could suddenly turn things around with some very quick clever ideas, before realising that its was going to be quite hard to find something decent quickly to get back on track and be in a position to move house in a few months time. All hopes and dreams above came crashing down.

Then about half an hour ago I got offered a new job based on a few interviews I did back at the start of the month, vastly more exciting and innovative company, better deal and perks, paid trips to Switzerland every few months, totally saved my bacon.

So rather than ending the year thinking everything was back to being a multi-year continuous disaster, it's actually turned out quite well...

[csl]

Weird year - started off by training hard and getting stronger than ever, then some shit news and the associated stress of dealing with that for 6 months meant I didn’t actually do very much.

Main goal is to climb 3 routes or boulders from my lifetime list.

Managed 1/3 - didn’t really give myself the opportunity to try many of them, or take those few opportunities that i got. I did have some great days out, including climbing at Kilnsey for the first time in nearly 10 years.

Number chasing
7c in a session - not done, did a 7b+ second try tho.
7B - done x2
7C - didn’t try anything hard this year.

Training
40cm side split - got to 50cm at one point.
Hanging off fingerboard @ 75kg done

Climb at 5 new crags - done. Gordale, Sron na ciche, Bovey woods, churnet, tremerchion, coire Nan Arr, Carrock fell.
Climb with 2 new people - done, nice day out with Yoss in spring, reversed into someone’s car at Kilnsey then ended up climbing with them in the summer.

[kingholmesy]

Need proof of the last one....

Not sure if this is gonna work cos I’ve not tried embedding a photo before, but your wish is my command Fiend …

https://flickr.com/photos/194715711@N06/51783311430/in/dateposted-public/

[Fiend]

Noble!

[nik at work]

I’m not sure what the correct response to all that up and downery Yoss, but on balance I’m going to go with an old skool
Nice one
For the last gasp minute ending, hoping 2022 looks after you 😁

Climbing
Just start getting out climbing again on a fairly regular basis. Would be nice to tick some 7’s Boulder and sport, and bumble up some low to mid E trad.

Nope, barely climbed. Did some very easy trad with various children and have ventured to the wall a few times. Only event of note was the somewhat inevitable moment when my eldest burnt me off on a move. Although given it was a Euro-pop comp style blob dyno rather than “proper climbing” and he didn’t actually complete the rest of the problem I’m still officially the better climber (even if it is just on a technicality…). Simultaneously depressed and proud.

Running
Turns out I actually like fell/trail running. Complete shock to me. Would be nice to keep it up, improve a bit (total noob right now) without pulling my usual trick of going to hard and snapping myself...

Have managed ok with this, seem to suffer with niggling calf injuries (currently nursing a frustrating minor left calf tweak). Still enjoying it, night runs are a particular joy. Never in a million years thought I’d get into running.

Riding
Also really enjoying the bike, MTB and road. Would be nice to get my MTB skill level a bit closer to my “willing to try it” level, the current disparity could see me getting into trouble... Road bike, do more, get fitter, get faster, go longer, see more places.

MTB has been very intermittent but has a great day at Stiniog with my eldest in the summer and a few entertaining local rides with mates. As for the road bike I’ve just not managed to put in the miles to see significant improvement this year… next year hopefully manage to get out a bit more.

Swimming
I don’t really like swimming, but I’d like to get to the point where I can happily bosh out a mile or two at a semi reasonable pace for a chump. As a dedicated breast stroker, a transition to crawl would be a massive tick.

Possibly the big win of the year, discovered I actually do like swimming. But open water rather than pool. Also I can now do crawl without drowning… actual massive news!

Which leads me to..,
The Hellvelyn triathlon that I’m signed up for later in the year. This is probably my main “sport” goal/target for the year. Doing it with a group of (way more experienced) friends. Would like to get round without feeling like I’m about to die, and be able to have some nice food and a pint after rather than needing to crumble into bed a broken man.... obviously a semi respectable time/position would be nice, but have no idea what would constitute this.

Did this, was ace, will hopefully do it again in’22

Life
Continue to build new business, see more of my kids, stay happy.

Business is growing, but has also become a side hustle as I am also now in full time employment. Which is nice from a financial security POV, but a bit rubbish from a “managing to have more free time to do all the things I’ve mentioned above in 2022” perspective. Ho-hum…
See more of the kids has continued to be majorly impacted by Covid, but now this seems to be a much lesser issue so hopefully more time with them next year. I guess the main thing is they both seem to have coped with Covid and associated fallout alongside parents separation and divorce with style. They’re far cooler than me…

Stay happy, tick 😁

[moose]

No doubt Covid and weather will make a fool of me, but for what it's worth:
Routes
(1) Actually get back into routes (this will require a diminution in Covid for me to feel happy hooking-up with randoms from the Yorkshire Lime facebook page).
(2) Finish off Main Overhang (Malham) and if it goes, find another Malham project.
(3) Identify and work a Kilnsey project (i.e. a >=8a+ that I haven't already done).
(4) Visit non-Kilnsey / Malham crags more - Yew Cogur, Giggleswick, Gordale,  Victoria's Cave, anything in the Peak.

Complete failure in all respects.  I just never felt any mojo for routes all year (despite the puerile ticking prize of extending my run of at least one f8 every year to 10 years!).  I might be tempted to get back on Main Overhang next year though.  All users of the Malham / Kilnsey Facebook page: beware!

Bouldering
(1) Chance trips outdoors more - resist the easy option of another Depot session when the forecast is dubious, and go to more non-roadside crags.

I certainly did more bouldering but never showed any more gumption than previous. I'm still very much a fair weather boulderer. 

(2) Try harder, and manage at leat one perennial on my wishlist i.e. do at least one quality 7b+/7c.

Success (at last). I did loads of problems that had thwarted me when I was younger and stronger - Flakes at Earl; Ju Ju Club; Frodo and Freemason at Anston; Butternut Squash,  Deal in Pain, Crushinator Low, and Blood Sex Sugar Magik at Woodwell; Starship and Nemesis at the Wiltons etc.

(3) Covid allowing, spend a week in the Lakes visiting crags that are out of day-trip range (Coniston, Sampsom Stones etc), or have a week in North Wales.

I made the effort but I might have been best off not bothering!  I had a nice 3-day holiday in the Lakes... then on the first day of the follow-up visit, I broke my wrist and was out of action for July and August!

Training
(1) Keep up current regimen of doing something four out of five weekdays (currently I'm selecting from a menu of weighted pull-ups, TRX, ab-roller, fingerboarding, woodie).

I'll give myself a win.  Work has made it tough but I usually manage a couple of fingerboard and pull up sessions a week.

Life
(1) Drink less (as always... ).

Ha!!! (hollow laugh,  deranged glare).

(2) Keep cooking and making an effort to try new recipes.

Pretty decent, and now I'm back to WFH, it should continue.

(3) Visit / phone my parents more (Covid has made me realise how much I've taken them for granted).

I telephoned / messaged them more,  but didn't visit with any great regularity.