[shark]

11.12

M. Post trip blues. PM Foundry. Was feeling a bit rubbish. Played on campus board but hot and greasy. 10 routes on auto belay in Furnace 6a-6c. Broke in a new pair of Katakis

T. PM Dog walk in Peak

W. Tor. PM Home warm up. Felt strong. Tor. Bens. More work on a non cut loose way of the kick move. Will be elegant if I can nail it. Can’t work out why I can’t stick a foothold. Happy with core.
Eve Foundry. Goat there, Guy and Stacked Sam. Did 3 of the new fluoros and got stuck on a fourth which should go next time.

T. PM. Felt a bit shit and chesty. Again. Foundry furnace autobelay 9 routes 6a-6c. Then had a couple of attempts on the start of a 7a then failed on a 6c I’d done on Monday so called it a day. Broke in a new pair of Crawes.

F. Slept badly. Tickly cough. Went back to bed in afternoon. Got up in Eve. Crap nights sleep

S. AM Felt terrible waking up but improved through morning. PM Ergo FC, HC and Drag deadhang 10, 10 and 10 secs BW 3x3 pull-ups supinated one arm locks on half pad edge  foot-on and a bar foot-off Fromt lever attempts    +12.5kg FC HC snd Drag 10, 10 and 10’secs 3x2 pull-ups FC, HC and Drag (took 2 attempts on FC and 3 attempts on HC) 17.5kg 3x1 8, 7 and 8 secs +25kg FC 6 and 5 secs HC 5 and 5 secs Eve Started to feel worse again. Sonia got it too.

S. Congested through night. Went to bed late Slept till noon.


On my fourth cold since mid October. Current one is the worst. Weather is shit. Seem to be climbing ok. Lost appetite and hence a bit of weight. Good to break in new shoes as I been putting it off for months.

[duncan]

Are we not a bit early for Bah Humbug?

M - Westway with Suzanna. Onsighting to 6b+, fell off a couple of 6cs. 
T - Travel to Siurana.
W - More travel to Siurana. On arrival, accommodation refused to recognise my booking so slept in a cave.
T - Can Piqui Pugui and Can Marges with Robbie. Led 3 routes to 6b+ and fell off Esquivapins 6c, which had a nails crux through a bulge. Not really my style and a bad choice for day one.
F - Sirunella Sud with David, tried Like a cuc which in theory is totally my style but grabbed a draw and ended up frigging up it. Then tried Laura with a similar outcome. A bit disappointed in myself.
S - Primavera, El Pati and L’Olla. Led 4 routes up to 6b+, with some repeats. Tan se’n fot is still great. Belayed David on a scoping exercise on Pati Noso, which he didn’t love, then on La boqueria which he did. It was an impressive onsight attempt and went  second go as the darkness beckoned. First time belaying someone on El Pati. It’s a hellava crag: when you lower someone off the top it feels like they will land on Negociee on the opposite side of the valley. Accommodation finally sorted, slept in a bed! It seems the place has had spaces the whole time. Bizarre.
S - Rest day. Shoulder stability stuff.

Great to be back in Siurana again. Feeling woefully underpowered and underprepared which I’m hoping is due to the long journey and lack of sleep and not because I’ve done no bouldering or sport climbing for 5 months and especially not because I’m getting older.

It’s been fun to climb with strong young people. I’m going to resist the temptation to just try stuff I know I've a very good chance of succeeding on. With that in mind I will have a play on La Muerte… shortly to see where I am. I suspect it’s going to be messy. Onwards…

[spidermonkey09]

Sleeping in a cave not my idea of a holiday! Which establishment is to blame so I can avoid the same fate?!

[Will Hunt]

As a basic courtesy to others, please could people stay out of the climbing wall when they have a cold?

[Fultonius]

Will elaborate later, but suffice to say I don't think I nailed my training and hit a great peak!

Pretty lacklustre performance last week in Tenerife.

Sunday: rain in the morning, wandered to Arico and managed a few routes up to 6c (didn't have the guide, so the 6c was an "unknown onsight".
Monday: Back to Arico, this time with guide. Various routes then tried Rejalate Primo 7a+ really enjoyed the first 3/4s up to the ledge where the 7b on the left's anchor is. One more bolt above to the top, very cruxy and didn't figure it out on the onsight or in a few tries from hanging. Noticed the bolt was loose, drew a cross under it and gingerly bailed off the adjacent anchor.
Tuesday: El Rio. Bit warm at the warm-ups so went through to the galeria / upper crag. Some MEGA looking lines in there. After various routes had an onsight burn on a 7a that was not my style - squirmy smeary corner technical move. Felt my foot greasing off the dusty smear and took the fall. Managed the move next go, clip above is horribly placed and required a balancy move with tricky fall potential to reach the clip. Turns out the route is a bit notorious! Flashed a F7c which felt tricky and pumpy (my girlfriend had been having an onsight go - her first at the grade putting the clips in I think!). Did another 6c slab fest (La Rudolf) which was mellow cruisy fun, followed by some very tricky slab. Foot slipped while stretching for a clip and had to steady myself with the QD  but did all the moves so a kind of lamesight.
Wednesday: pretending to be a 15yr old riding all the rides at Siam Park - way too much fun 
Thursday: Planet Zarza - for me the best crag we went to, close with Rio. Worked through some warm up and lower grades stuff, Guillotine @ 6b+ was a highlight. Jumped on the "big" route of the crag, Gofio Canario which is notionally 7b, but almost everyone on UKC and a good few on 8a reckon 7b+ due to the hard crux after what feels like a good 15m of solid 7b climbing to get to it. Had a really good onsight go, through all the spanny and powerful lower sections to the rest. Felt pretty powered out and pumped and wasn't getting a lot back. One attempt at the crux, but I could feel myself unwinding while clipping the bolt and could tell there was no way i had the margin to clip the rope in and try a bouldery crux, so lamely crabbed the QD!  Next go was smooth and I got to the rest fresh, but I hadn't spent enough time figuring out a solid sequence on the first go (was still tired, didn't have all day to hang around etc.) so didn't make it through the crux dyno. (a good climber from the Basque country had an o/s attempt too, also bailed low down but seemed to get a good kneebar sequence that meant the dyno wasn't required, but I couldn't seem to get it to work for me. Had a third go after not enough rest and felt powered out in the body in the lower sections, knew I didn't have a beans for the dyno and did one of those lame throws where your body is sagging almost equally and oppositely to your intended upward thrust!
Friday: Back to El Rio, some warm ups in the sunny side, but very hot with no clouds. Back to the Galaria to try the crag classic 7a:  Fluido Rosso. Steep, cracky, bit polished. I'm finding 7a onsights more stressful than in the past. I think I expect to be "better than the route" and be able to always outsmart and outfitness them, but often find I climb clunkily, rest to much and don't get much of a flow going (whereas on the 7a+ and 7b/+ onsight attempts I just went for it and flowed well.). I think it's maybe just lack of mileage and putting too much importance on the grade? I was done for the day (starting to feel creaky elbows/biceps), but in the end had to do 3 more routes - 6b that B wanted a top rope in (lead head disappeared day before), a 6c Liam took a whip off and didn't feel like finishing, and a 6a+ cat had left to of my QDs in at the top.....
Saturday: Packing, flying home but late flight meant plenty time for some climbs but picked the worst crag - Guaria is NOT a crag for full sun!  We knew this, but the advice had been only to climb in the morning unless it was cloudy. Admittedly we only arrived at 11am, but it was meltingly hot and we all just climbed one 6a in a shady corner then bailed for a swim...

Fun, and nice to be away, but a lacklustre performance for me. My best performances were all on failed onsights!

Don't think I'd go back to Tenerife, or the Canaries in general. Back to high quality crags for me - really wish we'd pushed our mates to go to Margalef or Leonidio. Shan't complain - lucky to get away!


Oh yeah, the reflection on training bit:

A week long work trip to France, with no portable training edge and no time for any exercise wasn't ideal - neither were the 3 course lunches...

On climbs, in general I felt reasonably fit and I guess I didn't really fail on any due to lack of finger strength, or fitness. They were all either technical failures, or more burly/power failures.

[Nibile]

Power Club

Mon - weights, 4x AM session. Ribs pain flared up again mysteriously.
Tue - boxing bag.
Wed - Pendlay rows, high pulls.
Thu - board climbing, very bad skin. Resolved to short links. Horrible. Weights.
Fri - weights.
Sat - GM session, heavy. Cold.
Sun - horror DOMS! Thruster, very easy. I need a change.

[Duncan Disorderly]

Missed a week and have been sick... club.

Last week:
M: AW with GF - Did some F6b - F6c's, too bloody cold for me so bailed!
T: Feck all
W: Hangar - Started feeling shit so bailed.
T: Bed
F: Bed
S: Walk in't Peak - Lovely day, would have got out on grit but felt too exhausted!
S: AM: Snow!! Took board up Meersbrook Park - Was too slushy and still wiped out from cold shit so bailed for coffee and mince pie! PM: Hangar w/ Enregizer Bunny - Climbed okay but definitely feeling some residual post-viral fatigue shit...

Shitty cold this one! Felt like I'd shaken it but it's a lingerer...

M: Wiped out from Sunday
T: Still wiped out
W: Meh...
T: Finally felt like doing summat - Hangar: mainly purples and reds with the odd white...
F: Hangar w/ Ennergizer Bunny and our girls - Girls crushed, I felt tired, EB was a shadow of their former self - chilled evening.
S: Nowt
S: Warmed up @ Hangar - Got involved in a fight with a tricksome red that had eluded me on Friday - Turned into a right tussle, it bit my knee and spat me off from pretty much every hold at some point, I prevailed and sent it down to Chinatown! AW - 6 x MB problems 5+ to 6B, 3 x F6a+ - F6b+ routes - Tired!

Finally feeling better and non-lurgyfied but definitely not 100% - Sunday was a bit much as feeling trashed today, gotta remember I'm pushing 50 so don't spring back as quick as I used to... 

[Duma]

Good luck with that Will.

Hope all the sufferers feel better soon. Have a good trip Duncan! Fultuonius, 7c flash sounds better than lacklustre, or is that a typo?

M -
T - eve TCA, 90 min, new Blacks (high 6's - low 7's). Not really feeling it but psyche improved through the session. Did 7, 3 flashes, 3 quick, 1 with a fair bit of work. All moves on 3 others. L golfers sore.
W - was going to run but started sore throat in eve
T - ill
F - ill
S - better but not enough to want to climb. Elbow rehab.
S - better again but busy with chores and still borderline tbh. Elbow rehab.

71 kg

Hopefully back on it this week.

[Fultonius]

Ha, deffo a typo!

Or maybe my subconscious trying to tell me what I "should" be doing. That 7c was most definitely a 6c. 

[Aussiegav]

Enjoyed reading the trip reports. 

Low volume low psych week.

Monday -
5 sets of 3 body weight +1.25kg repeaters. 1 minute rests.
3 finger open 4sets of 3 body weight +1.25kg repeaters. 1 minute rests.

Tuesday

Rest day

Wednesday
Rest


Thursday

Rest

Friday

Saturday
Rest

Sunday

5 sets of 3 body weight + 2.5kg repeaters. 1 minute rests.
6 sets of 7 sec hangs on 12mm edges with 7.5kg assist.
3 finger open 4sets of 3 body weight + 2.5kg repeaters. 1 minute rests.

Campus latches on 22mm edge
6 on the left, 6 on the right. 6doubles

40min peloton endurance.

[Wellsy]

Monday - Indoor climbing session. Felt v tired.

Tuesday - 125kg backsquat PB. Benched.

Wednesday - Board session. Very strong progress on the ultimate project. Felt v strong.

Thursday - Rested

Friday - Kilter, one hour session, tried to get a lot of volume in. Light squats. Works Party, 6am homelike

Saturday - Pina Coladas do not help with recovery

Sunday - Very tired. Indoor session, extremely lethargic. Fingerboarded up to 35kgs added for 10 seconds.

[Fiend]

  Next week STG: Keep climbing volume level consistent and sensible - hampered by Manflu3. Take care of niggles - I think so, TE niggling but trying to look after it. Try to motivate myself for more stretching / rehab - yes. Post on general climbing groups to encourage more climbing if possible AND social connection - no. Outdoor goals depend on weather but ideally try to get up a boulder problem or maybe two - aye right.
 
  The usual STG: Stay focused and don't make silly mistakes - n/a. Do something challenging and inspiring on a rope, or above a pad - n/a, keep in regular contact with suitable friends and partners - hampered by Manflu3, falling practise if I do routes indoors or out - a tiny bit, gym x 1 - 2 half sessions, elbow rehab x 2 - x 3, shoulder rehab x 2 - yes, stretching x 3 - yes.
 
 
  M - Ill-ish. Gym. Misc conditioning. Weak. Elbow rehab, knee rehab, stretching.
 
  T -  Ill. Nothing. Should have motivated myself for stretching and rehab.
 
  W - Ill. Rest. Brief walk. Elbow rehab, shoulder rehab, stretching - bored myself into it. Deadhangs on the minute 15 @ 25mm. TE grumbly after that. Apparently I'm not allowed to do anything remotely progressive. Lost a few kg of fluid by being a mucus fountain but still not near a functional climber's BMI and I doubt it's sustainable.
 
  T - Ill. Indoor routes. F6b, F6b+, 2 x F6c, 3 x F6c+, 4 near complete attempts on F6c+/7a. Gentle practise falls, didn't do proper ones because I kept falling off before I could fall off. Motivated and determined but very weak, no power after a few moves.
 
  F - Ill-ish. Gym. Micro conditioning. Weak. Elbow rehab, shoulder rehab, knee rehab, stretching. Did a decent job of the rehab I think.
 
  S - Less ill. Indoor routes @ Boardroom. F6a+, F6b, F6b+, F6b+, F6c, F6c+. Attempted 2 x F6c (F6c+/7a) and F7a. Not sure what was worse, the Boardroom's comically bad grading or my comically bad climbing. No practise falls due to short walls and old skool partner.
 
  S - Sport punting. F6a+ (okay), F6b+ (awkward), F6b+ (steady apart from missing some hidden jugs).
 
 
  Mixed / mediocre week that was fairly sabotaged by Manflu 3: The Mucusing. Now doing a bit of sport climbing and despite the Punterflu being mostly gone, I feel almost as ill-prepared for it as is possible. De-conditioned, de-recruited, nowhere near anything that could be considered a run of okay form. Aiming to get a bit less shit by the end of it.
 
 
  Next week STG: Try to punt less puntacularly than current puntage.
  The usual STG: Stay focused and don't make silly mistakes. Do something challenging and inspiring on a rope, or above a pad, keep in  regular contact with suitable friends and partners, falling practise if I do routes indoors or out, gym x 1, elbow rehab x 2, shoulder rehab x 2, stretching x 3.
 
 

[mrjonathanr]

I don't normally contribute, but here goes.

Joined a Bikram yoga studio on an eat-all-you-can style deal for one month. They do yoga and HIT Pilates (I had no idea, either) at 40*C and Kettlebell classes at merely warm. Seemed like 4 or so classes a week  alongside bouldering, weights etc would be good cross training. It's purgatory. I can't wait for the month to be over. The 45* is a walk in the park by comparison- I'll be leaving the ladies to it.