UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => diet, training and injuries => power club => Topic started by: T_B on October 12, 2015, 08:45:15 am
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83.8Kg :ang:
M -
T - Foundry - lunch. Warmed up traversing. Shoulder a bit 'weird'. 8Kg weight 2 x 6 x 7 front 3. Back 3 felt a bit risky. 2 x 2 x 7 on BM crimps. Did 2 x max hangs 10 secs on middle two lowest w/o weight. And momentarily held monos on bottom. Lots of rest between all attempts! Fingers felt good at least.
W - Made up 17-move circuit on Foundry on board. Did 6 sets with 4-5 mins rest i.e. need to reduce rest period. Just getting a feel for it really. Easyish session.
T -
F - Foundry lunch. Warmed up, then working out a Steve Maisch-ish type set. 4 x front 3 10secs with 25Kg on Moon F/board with approx 4mins rest. 3 x 10secs half crimp on lowest BM with 15Kg, 2 x 10secs middle two lowest BM no weight.
S - Tor - only had 2hrs. Quick go at Staminahumps. Then a few goes at PUTPband. 1st and best go fell going for gaston, but 15 mins rest not enough - subsequent 3 goes fell at big sidepull move.
S - P.M. School. Campusing with Mrs T_B who has re-joined. Campus board: double handed dynos (did 1-3-2-4-3-5-4), nearly 1-5-8, various grim locking exercises. Did some rings, finished with 3 purple circuits getting through the crux to move 33. Hard session.
Keen to keep trying PUTPband, but not got time next w/e. And it seems the grit is in. Psyched for Steve Maisch max hangs. Probably the strongest I ever have been at the mo.. sort of anticipating breaking!
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Thanks Tom
10.10-13
M.Noon. Malham with Steve Mac, Paul Reeve and Andy Cave. Cloud forecast so expecting good conditions. Unfortunately not to be as holds were badly condensed. So bad in fact that Steve failed to do Raindogs in a oner (and to make matters worse pulled a hold off his proj} and Paul and Andy could scarcely do Seventh Aardvark. I managed to get to third undercut from ground but then greased out of it. Dogged/bouldered other stuff instead. A wasted day when I could have been working. Slept most of the way home
T. Early AM Fingerboard. Sore tips. More tired from previous day than expected. Disappointing scores
W.Noon Foundry Campus board Did 1-4-6 medium rungs three times and close to doing it on small rungs. Close to doing 1-4-7 on juggy rungs. Laddered up 1-3-5-7-9 on small rungs. As good a session as Ive ever had. Felt light and bouncy
T.
F. Malham with Steve, Paul and newboy John. Cons x 2 RPG x 1. Cloudy but still and warm with midges still making an appearnce. Run off at the top affected some of the last holds on the traverse and the finish. Tried towelling them but with limited success. Second redpoint managed to fight my way despite slippages to the final traverse but busted. Other goes didnt get to hold the horn. Disappointing again. Decided to leave it for ten days
S. Llanberis with Nick C. Warm up at the Pac Man boulder which wasnt as close to the Vaynol Car Park as I assumed. We both managed to do Karma Sutra V5. Tough start. Checked out a property that was for sale then up to Cromlech. Didnt get as out of breath as I thought I would. Was cold. A team on Left Wall. Nick did Resurrection instead of Right Wall but we both found it cold. Decided to make an early retreat and headed back home.
S.
Clock is ticking on the Oak now. Forecast to be dry this week so hopefully still OK next Monday. Going to boulder, fingerboard and campus till then
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STG - Roof Warrior, Body Machine
MTG - bit of bouldering and start to develop killer endurance over winter
LTG Put killer endurance to good use next Spring
M - Back a bit sore after lots of sitting and standing over weekend, gentle Aero at mini works 3x20mins
t rest
W - Aero on campus board. 3x15mins, would have been fine if I'd stopped then got a bit carried away and decided to do something for shoulders - On The Minute - 20 x 5 pullups (+ 10 pressups for 1st 10 reps)
th - a gentle ache in most of my upper body was full-on hurting by lunchtime. Did find a partner for Friday at least, maybe I'd be ok in the morning.....
F - No, woke still hurting and knew chances of a RP today were slim. On the positive side I did link kneebar to top fairly steadily and find a less strenuous way of doing the move right under the roof, the downside of that is the next move into the undercut being harder. Need to go back and see how it all feels when I can move without wincing.
SS rest (and (over)eat)
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STG: Re-hab bicep tendon. Slab climbing. Soloing. Build chain resiliance for burly DT training further down the line.
MTG: Onsight attempts on The Hurting, Cathedral, Banana Wall, Anubis (this winter)
LTG: 8c (within 2.2 years)
M. V.floss shoulder; curls 3x12 (7Kg); eccentric curls 3x12 (12Kg). M.Pro
T. Bit of mobility; v.floss shoulder
W. Core&mobility workout; v.floss shoulder; curls 3x12 (7Kg); eccentric curls 3x12 (12Kg)
T. Slate, Gorbals area. Did a slabby 6b+ warm-up, Gorbals (E4 slab) and Men of Leisure (E4 slab). Fell off right at top of Gorbals when duffed the sequence. Redeemed myself on Men of Leisure - good reccomendation Fiend. Mobility.
F. Tremadog. Leg Break/Meshach/Blinkers link-up; An Argument Among Plankton (E3 steep slab). Aggravated bicep tendon a bit on Argument - a bit too steep and not enough slab. Great route though, surprisingly independant and immaculate rock. Tendon sore in evening.
S. Bought a wheat heat pack and used on shoulder.
S. Slate. Excellent day exploring Lost World and Mordor - now very psyched for some of Ray Kay's lower-angled loose adventures, Fiend..! Did Journey to the Centre of the Earth (6b? Such unlikely terrain for the grade!); Purple Haze (steep slabby runout E3 - amazing route!); Release the Kraken (dolerite 6b+ - best grade 6 I've done in the quarries? brilliant climbing). Ian Lloyd Jones really has contributed so much quality climbing to the quarries in recent years (as have many others). Heat pack.
Bit slack on the KB and TRX workouts. On reflection the aggravation following the Trem E3 felt like good inflammation, seems to have quickly died right down again. Fine line between worsening it and pushing it along. Powerful undercutting still seems a million years away.
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Not good.
M- Sick in bed
T - Sick at work
W /Th - Ditto
F - Felt like an indoor session but would've left me short on recovery time for the weekend.
S - Family stuff
Su - Buthiers piscine. I had a list of stuff I wanted to tick/ finish off. Succeeded in backing off some (un) scary topouts, failing repeatedly on Ultrason despite doing the crux start, failing to get off the ground on a 6A sitter. Then got lost in the woods looking for a problem called Spider's paradise. Frustrating day, although my fingers feel sore today which is a good sign. Climbed crap, too overconfident...
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M - Fingerboard hangs, recovering from food poisoning so felt weak.
T - Works Easy Circuit
W - Rest
T - Wave
F - Rest
S - Messed about at burbage south boulders for a bit, tried electrical storm a bit but it seemed a bit damp so binned it off. Walked over to burbage north to have a look at Zaff Skoczylas and to my surprise fired it off after an hour.
S - Rest
Shoulders have been feeling increasingly tweaky the past few weeks so gonna try and do a load of theraband stuff/stretching/ icing this week. Tennis elbow seems to have completely resolved YYFY!
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Goals - usual
M - Nowt, worked evening
T - Nowt, worked evening
W - Wall session. Held up at work, so got to wall later than intended, and had to leave early for parent's evening. Had an OK session, ticked all new probs on 10 deg, except one grim one.
T - Weights, fairly light session
F - Nothing I can recall
S - Afternoon outdoors. Conditions looked marginal, but managed to find a spot that was reasonably good. Warmed up then set to work on 2 projects. Managed to get up eliminate first, in spite of snapping the best hold I came up with some new beta and problem is probably now better without it. Only about 6b/c or so, might be harder if you are short or have weak fingers.
Next got on traverse. Ticked a while back, but devised a nasty eliminate where you have to match a dirty crimp rail. Success came only with use of an even shittier crimp as an intermediate on the hard move. Might be easier with a knee pad on a crucial scum. Again 6b/c. Next project is to link the two, which eluded me this time round. Finished off with some other stuff until skin was feeling worn, plus a bit of platforming on another project (currently soaking)
S - not much. Bit of antagonistics and core in evening.
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STG:
Don’t get injured. Strength work, fingerboard or bouldering, twice a week.. Rehab. finger.
MTG: E5 OS and 7b RP by end of year.
LTG: Long hard (for me) rock routes in the Alps, Dolomites, Picos and Scotland. 7b+ RP.
Missed a couple.
293
M, T: shoulder rehab. stuff (side-planks, bicep curl-military press, press-ups, etc.)
W: Developed an elbow tweak. Recurrence of a known issue so no great surprise. Weirdly not immediately attributable to climbing or training, so just took it easy for 3 days.
T - S: rest
S: Wintour’s with Conor. EasyTrad. (to slabby E2). On way home noticed R. middle finger tweak. New issue, not a pulley or ligament, probably the joint itself. Pain on the back of the knuckle and a strange ‘sticking’ sensation when I straighten the finger. Not a trigger finger but felt a bit like it. Fragment of something in the joint? Anyone had anything like this? Odd it should occur after a day of gentle puntering, taking it easy on account of the elbow.
294
M - S: shoulder/elbow rehab. stuff; ice and gentle finger exercises.
S: very easy session at The Westway with the lad. 4 x routes to 5+
295
M: shoulder/elbow rehab. stuff; ice and gentle finger exercises most days.
T:
W: Westway. 4 x routes to 5+.
T:
F: Westway. 6 x routes to 6a+. Overcooked things slightly, finger sore and ‘sticky’ movement back again.
S:
S:
Deadhangs and bouldering on hold until finger settles a bit. Fingers are not usually a problem for me, and this is definitely a new thing, so still learning where the sweet spot is between doing nothing and too much. A bit gutted to miss last two weekends of mainly glorious weather. The ledge shuffling window has probably closed for 2015, 7b looking a little optimistic too. On the positive side, New Year trip to Chulillia booked and still have some free time over Christmas itself which could turn into a second trip if I can get my act together (and find anyone free at that time).
Pete, stick with it, steady progress by the sound of things. Like you say, some immediate discomfort is no bad thing and possibly necessary. As long as it doesn't feel much worse the following day then carry on.
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STG - ?
MTG - 7b/+
LTG? - maybe 8a, but seems a bit hard & not sure ill have the drive to ever work one for a long time
M- Rest/still ill
T- Rest/still ill
W - Bouldered indoors, 60 move pure endurance & some V4s, still feeling ropey
T - rest
F- another interview & 7 hour drive :boohoo:
S - Stoney West - RP 7a in my anti style and did some 6cs
S - RP 7a+/b - first of the grade in the UK & only took an hour or so :)
Feeling quite psyched as that wasn't my limit & its nice to see some progression after being sick for the last 10 days or so
I'm building that pyramid, sad that sport season will be over soon
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Ill = weight loss = float up 7a+?
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every cloud. . .
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T. Slate, Gorbals area. Did a slabby 6b+ warm-up, Gorbals (E4 slab) and Men of Leisure (E4 slab). Fell off right at top of Gorbals when duffed the sequence. Redeemed myself on Men of Leisure - good reccomendation Fiend.
Nice one beast. Happy hooking at the start of MAL?? The top crux of Gorbals was pretty fierce I thought, I was proper scrabbling...
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Goals: unchanged
M: yoga. Hadn't done it in a while. I was quite stiff, should do it more often.
T: power endurance session on the board
W: some bodyweight and rings exercises: pushups, jumps, handstands, rows, ab wheel
T: board session with short, hard problems
F: rest
S: rain all day. I went with to the opening of a new gym in Florence. Nice afternoon, though the gym has too much vertical walls and too few overhangs for my tastes
S: rest
I'm tired from previous weeks' training and should take some rest, but since the weather doesn't seem good for the next weekend I think I'll keep training :)
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S: Wintour’s with Conor. EasyTrad. (to slabby E2). On way home noticed R. middle finger tweak. New issue, not a pulley or ligament, probably the joint itself. Pain on the back of the knuckle and a strange ‘sticking’ sensation when I straighten the finger. Not a trigger finger but felt a bit like it. Fragment of something in the joint? Anyone had anything like this? Odd it should occur after a day of gentle puntering, taking it easy on account of the elbow.
The sticking thing I had for a bit but in the other direction (wouldn't bend - usually after a period of inactivity, mornings were worst) and the physio diagnosis was inflammation of the ligament iirc
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Haha... I lost 1 kg before illness. 86kg two weeks ago, weigh in due this week 😃
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M: Rest
T: Boardroom - Did a load of easy steep routes trying to sort out my massive weakness in this area. Got shut down on anything harder than 6b in a sweaty greasy mess. Felt good to attack my weakness though.
W: Rest
T: Local crag 5 mins from my house to check out a project that was rumored to be 7c - 8a. 6b+ flash as a warm up then one go up the proj. Managed all but one move. Really short hard route, powerful, technical and thin. Going to stick at it! Felt harder than anything I've climbed before.
F: Little one's 3rd Birthday. Took him down to Paulton's Park, he was psyched! Great day out.
S: Same as above, tired driving back late.
S: Little Orme - Back on the project, 2 goes up. Now done all the moves and short links. Nice to know it's possible for me but it is really hard, again harder than I've climbed before, mate reckoned it was 7c just for the first crux.
Went down to the Diamond to belay mate on his proj, abed in for the first time, harrowing and tiring experiance. Had an on-sight go of mates route to the first lower-off 6c+ish - failed as too tired.
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m: rest
t: wall session. warm up on the campus board (which has proper spacing rather than my home board, which has climbingworks/euro spacing) and feel reasonably good. manage to tag the 8th rung both sides first try at 1-5-8 and feel really strong on one-arm catch stuff. manage more than two-moves in a row on th bosi-testpiece. stop early cos i feel dangerously strong (doing one move on the bosi-testpiece is a rarity for me).
w: campus board half-crimpathon at home. am beasted from yesterday so was right to stop early.
t: nowt
f: nowt
s: nowt
s: wall session with campus warm-up. reasonably strong, but not as good as tuesday's session. don't risk any one-arm shenanigans, i think once a week is risky enough.
weird week. didn't get a single good night's sleep due to snuffly child not sleeping properly. definitely has an effect on recovery/energy levels.
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T: Local crag 5 mins from my house to check out a project that was rumored to be 7c - 8a. 6b+ flash as a warm up then one go up the proj. Managed all but one move. Really short hard route, powerful, technical and thin. Going to stick at it! Felt harder than anything I've climbed before.
Sounds exciting!
STG- Extremes/ 7s on grit this season. Wall of Horrors before it's too hot again.
MTG- 7b/+ in 2016
LTG- 8a
M-F- Rest. Jetlagged, tired. Got new car.
Sa- Gardom's. A bit damp. Really midgey. Did two VSs then Hearse Arete, which I've wanted to do pretty much since I started climbing ;D Climbed really well, felt great- psyched for grit trad now. Would have done more but HA took ages due to someone starting on the VS that crosses it/ climbs part of the same route after I'd set off... :wank:
Su-- Rest. Watched football.
I missed three weeks out as I went to the US and have been writing a trip report blog-style post that's really pretty long since I came back. If there are no objections I'll post it later today.
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LTG: Font 7b
M: Depot after work on V4-V6 wood circuit. Good set, but whole session felt a bit flat.
T: Was psyched for gym on lunch but had meeting so didn't get to go.
W: Gym on lunch, 500m @ 1:45 pace warmup then 25 x each of pull-up, push-up, 20kg goblet squat, 20kg clean & press, 24" box jump and burpee.
T: Depot after work with a bit of DOMs from previous day. Focused on my anti-style of the roof and got thoroughly beaten down.
F: Nowt.
S: Nowt.
S: Nowt. Had a pass but got the sense that due to household stress levels I would be unwise to take advantage of it!
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STG Get on some 8As
LTG Do an 8A
M. Boulder Central session. Climbed mainly on the Beastmaker 45degree board, bit of campussing and a bit of bouldering after.
T.
W. Got a message from work telling me that a ground investigation company had called them asking for me. Tracked them down and called back, arranged a job interview for the next day.
T. Went to interview........ Got the frickin job! Proper graduate position with a proper graduate salary, mixture of office and site based work, possibility of moving out of my parents gaff and house sharing with my friends, absolutely psyched. Quick session at Boulder Central on way home, climbed terribly but couldn't care less.
F.
S. Cheedale Cornice. Few goes on Jug Jockey 7c+, so nearly held the crux but didn't quite happen. Then a repeat of Whose Line Is It Anyway 7a+.
S. Plantation bouldering. Turned up just in time to see the Beastly Squirrel send The Ace. Decided to get on the Joker, tried for about 45mins but did not once take my weight on the holds convincingly - oh well! Few laps of Green Traverse then over to Brad Pit. First time looking at this, twice I got my heel in the right place and touched the next hold but couldn't hold it. Conditions were not ideal, warm and still.
Excellent week. After graduating in July the job hunt turned out not to be too bleak for myself and has gone pretty much to plan, wanted to be out of my part time hotel job by Christmas. Was also nice to have been approached by a company, wasn't expecting that. Then finished off with an enjoyable trip, in spite of not climbing much, to the Peak with old and new uni friends. Opened the account on two lines I have long aspired to climb, Brad Pit and The Joker.
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weird week. didn't get a single good night's sleep due to snuffly child not sleeping properly.
How old is said child? They seem to average a cold every two weeks when little.
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weird week. didn't get a single good night's sleep due to snuffly child not sleeping properly.
How old is said child? They seem to average a cold every two weeks when little.
One year old.
I'm pretty sure attending nursery has something to do with it ;)
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T. Went to interview........ Got the frickin job! Proper graduate position with a proper graduate salary, mixture of office and site based work, possibility of moving out of my parents gaff and house sharing with my friends, absolutely psyched.
well done that man! :icon_beerchug:
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One year old.
Still in your room?
Our eldest was ill pretty much the whole first 6 months of nursery, but has been relatively well (touch wood - just the occasional snotty nose) ever since.
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One year old.
Still in your room?
Our eldest was ill pretty much the whole first 6 months of nursery, but has been relatively well (touch wood - just the occasional snotty nose) ever since.
Nah, in his own room since he was 6 months old. Be hasn't been too bad illness wise, maybe only 3 or so times
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OK, just close the door on him and let him snore!! :)
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STG: redpoint 7a #4
MTG (2015): redpoint 7a+
LTG (2016/2017): Redpoint 7b's with dance-themed names (Sautanz, Brachiation)
M: Rest day. Listened to Pooch on Chalk Talk whilst ironing.
T: Wall, Boulderwelt. Circuit intervals.
W:
T: Beastmaker max hangs, Steve Maisch protocol. Improvement on half crimp and middle 2; weaker on pinch. (Had planned to go to the wall but was too late due to a big project deadline at work)
F:
S-S: family hillwalking / hut overnight weekend. Having done nothing but sport climbing specific training since the summer, it was a relief to actually get out and move about/uphill a bit. Muenchener's super tip for going hillwaking with whining yoof: find a hill with two paths up it, split yoof into two groups, tell 'em it's a race. Suddenly you're struggling to keep up instead of struggling to go slowly enough to keep the yoof within view behind you.
S: (evening) Wall, Boulderwelt. Circuit intervals.
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Not the greatest week..
Mon: 40 Min trail run.
Tues: Bouldering
Wed: Weights and treadmill intervals
Thurs: Rest
Fri: Weights and Maisch protocol max hang re-test. Pleased with results.
Sat: 1hr Trail run.
Sun: Rest. Hangover.
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OK, just close the door on him and let him snore!! :)
Haha
Just the small issue of the baby monitor ;)
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S - RP 7a+/b - first of the grade in the UK & only took an hour or so :)
Details man! Details! "A 7a+/b". What one?! Jordon and I need to know! Power Club needs to know!
Best of luck with the job shizzle anyway mate - you'll be sorted soon. You booked any flights out yet? Rob is looking at coming out at chrimbo.
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Mon. Nothing
Tue. Board easy mirror felt tired.
Wed. Nothing.
Thurs. Board repeating problems I did this time last year. Going ok.
Fri. Nothing.
Sat. Stormy Hall did Direct Storm 6c and Left in Storm 7a which I've done before, but did them with less effort and in better style. Went to Clemmits out, tried a one move 7a with limitless success. Did 5 other problems 6a to 6b. Felt knackered lugging 2 pads about in the bracken.
Sun. Felt weary couldn't face a long bike ride which was my plan. So board just lapping 2 easyish problems with screw on foot holds. Bike 36 miles.
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Haha thanks kelvin, it's at goddards quarry next to stoney... 7a+ in the guide but all votes on 7b on ukc! How are you getting on??
I'd still like to come over Xmas, Maybe able to do two weeks if that isn't too much for you boys! Do you know if it will be olive branch or orange house yet?
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OK, here's my Arkansas trip report/ blog thing. I've assumed that no-one who reads this thread has climbed in Arkansas and also that my experience of doing 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell is of interest so I've written so much that it won't let me post it as one post... mods feel free to move each week to the correct thread.
Apologies if it's boring!
I shot a fair bit of video over there so expect a film at some point. For reasons that seemed to make sense at the time I made the decision to not take any stills though (seriously regret this) so none of the pictures or video I've linked to on here are mine.
(https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/469908999_640.jpg)
Arkansas is in the south-east of the US and is a Southern State by every definition, The climbing is in the rural/ uninhabited north, 2-3 hours from the state capital Little Rock, and is on the "southern sandstone" that more famously provides climbing in Kentucky, Georgia, Tennesee, Alabama, West Virginia and south Illinois. Although they're not very well known, even within the US, Arkansas crags are the main venue for climbers from large sections of its five neighbouring states. There's bouldering (It has the famous V15 Witness the Fitness), trad and sport. Amazingly, full "rap-bolted" sport only caught on around 2000(!) so the state is currently in its golden age of sport climbing development. Like most of the southern US this seems to be limited more than access to land and willing/ capable personnel than quantity of rock.
Broadly speaking the sport climbing has a lot in common with Kentucky's Red River Gorge- heavily featured steep skin-friendly sandstone, but with generally shorter crags and a tendency more towards powerful cruxy routes than the pure endurance of the Red: there are a lot of roofs and less continuous overhangs.
The venue that climbers from outside the area will most likely have heard of is Horseshoe Canyon Ranch- while not having the best, tallest or even the highest number of routes in Arkansas, "The Ranch" has easy access and is heavily (almost completely) developed as it is a commercial dude ranch (an ersatz farm where city slickers can get their Chevy Chase on)- rare assets in an area where private landowners will shoot you and junglish inaccessibility is the norm. By a freak of geology HCR has a huge amount of fun, easy sport climbing- most of the quality is 5.11 (high 6s) and below and there's virtually nothing above 5.13 (high 7s). Nowhere in the US can match the quantity of good easy sport routes and the fact that you can rent a cabin minutes from all the crags makes it a kind of weird holiday resort. If you were going to climb in AR from abroad with no prior connection to the state (as I gather never, ever happens) HCR would be an ideal base to access the many other crags from too.
(http://www.mountainproject.com/images/40/36/107014036_large_803b03.jpg)
Central to Arkansas climbing is the annual event 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell, dreamt up by local climbers and driven by the Ranch's characteristics mentioned above. Teams of two climb continually at the Ranch for a 24 hour period and while there's a complicated scoring and ranking system the majority of competitors are working towards their own goals. The main rules are that only clean leads count and that each competitor can only lead a route twice. It's in its tenth year and is massively popular- even with climbers from outside AR's catchment area- and registration fills up within minutes.
My connection with Arkansas comes from my scond trip to the Red River Gorge in 2013- on the first morning of my trip I met a couple from Arkansas who were travelling from across the States following their college graduation. We climbed together for three weeks and I vowed that one day I would visit them in their home, sample the climbing and participate in "Hell".
14th September - 20th September
M-Th Rest.
F- Flying to the US. A gruelling three-plane, 24-hour journey. I attempt to enliven the 4-5 hour waits in Philadelphia and Charlotte with trips into the city centres, which adds stress for very short periods of reward. Get into Little Rock at midnight and immediately go to the Waffle House for some classic southern cuisine cooked and served by an inefficient team headed by a loud, overfriendly woman who I'm pretty sure is high :lol:. Welcome to the South. The exhaustion, sugar rush, culture shock and exhilaration at seeing my friends for the first time in two years is a pretty good primer for the forthcoming weeks.
Sa- Tired but up early as jetlagged. Aaron and Katie, who I knew in 2013 as carefree dirtbags, now have a house, two cars, a dog, two cats and two full-time jobs. As I'd suspected they can't get much time off work (god bless America) so my trip will have to fit around this. After Aaron gets off work we drive upstate for the first time. We get to the camping/ bouldering location (it's virtually all wild camping here) and meet their friends from Fayetteville just as the sun's setting and the deafening cricket/ cicada/ some-sort-of-insect-that's-as-loud-as-a-bird chorus starts.
Su- Another unwelcome early start due to jet lag. As the dawn breaks I realise just how much of Arkansas is carpeted in trees and that this is probably the most remote place I've ever camped- it makes the Red look like roadside climbing! We get to the crag (Hudson Mountain) and I immediately realise that I'd seriously underestimated the climbing here (mainly because there's so little info available online- the only guide I'd seen was an ebook for the Ranch whose lacklustre pictures made it look a bit rubbish)- while there's not miles of it, it's tall, the stone is impeccable and the views are stunning. There's little chalk even under the overhangs and vegetation comes almost to the crag- unspoilt is the word.
As usually happens at impressive crags I get straight into full punter mode- it's cloudy and cooler than I expected so I'm wearing jeans- halfway up my .10a (6a) "warmup" I'm soaked in sweat, feeling completely strengthless, unable to read the rock and gibbering "take". Shorts on, second go I redpoint it but it feels disarmingly like hard work. Three more 10s down and it's clear that while I don't feel tired I have no energy. Everyone else at the crag is on either an amazing-looking .11d (7a) flake-to-roof route or an equally impressive .12c (7b+) power-endurance prow but one go at the flake routee signals it's time to head to the ranch.
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21st September - 27th September
M- HCR with Aaron, who's my partner for 24HHH. Skunks steal the Hershey bars from my tent porch overnight. We go straight to the North Forty (the AR equivalent of Stanage Popular End) and do some classic .10s and low .11s on cool multicoloured rock. Its called the North Forty as lots of it is only 40 feet tall- told you it was like Stanage. it's also packed with routes, hence it's the prime destination for Hell. The areas not in the shade are also hotter than hell- today is my first experience of the heat that is normal in the early Arkansan Autumn- it's 35 fucking degrees. We both put a lot of energy into 7a/b-ish super-steep roof things that we don't quite do before heat exhaustion sets in. I'm a bit scared about Hell.
After tea we head back to the Forty for night climbing practice. Sweating up the hill (I've got trousers on again- rookie mistake) I feel like it's the last thing I want to do but, even though there are insects everywhere it's actually really enjoyable- this is my first experience of the real North Forty jug hauls like Cotton Candy- 20 metres of 5.6 (4+) chicken heads that keep getting bigger 'til they're bigger than steering wheels and you can sit on them like a saddle. It's fun. We do it Hell-style, doing two laps each, skipping bolts and climbing as fast as possible. I realise that the only times I've ever climbed by head torch in the past have been when I've been benighted and that when you intend to do it (and have a lot of ludicrously fun juggy rock to cruise up) it's completely different.
Tu- Today we check out the Eastside of the Ranch. In contrast to the Forty, routes 20m+ are the norm here and it's not grid-bolted either- only the better lines are currently bolted (but there's still loads to go at). The rock is surprisingly like quarried grit on some sections too- I guess it's more along the lines of the New River Gorge. However it has very little shade so once the sun comes round it like an oven. I fall off the baking-hot edges of Ranch classic 11a (6b+/6c) Horseshoes and Hand grenades, then again trying to reappoint it and give up. We finish on the tallest route at the ranch (actually the one next to the boundary fence- you can see the clifflike snaking off through the jungle on the other, forbidden side!) which is excellent and easy enough to be fun in the sun. On its top section the rock is eerily like Stanage, with holds like the horn on Congo Corner! We decide to start on the Eastside for Hell as it will be less busy, in the shade and will allow us more of a chance of a mile- on top of our target of doing 100 routes (which Aaron has done before with Katie, albeit entirely short routes in the Forty) he's hoping we can climb enough total height to reach a mile. He assures me 100 pitches is easy as he and Katie had hit 75 by 10PM and "child out all night".
W- Rest.
Th- Preparation for Hell (feels like what I imagine preparing for a big wall feels like) then an afternoon drive back upstate to the Ranch. It couldn't be more different than the peace and quiet of two days previous- there are hundreds of people here, sponsors, media circus etc. It is only now that I realise how much of a big event it is- there are hundreds of non-competitors, spectators, volunteers, people who have done the 12 hour comp today etc. We're just in time to watch the new Reel Rock, which features a film about last year's Horseshoe Hell. It doesn't go down as well as you'd expect though as it patronises Arkansans as hillbillies and focuses almost entirely on Alex Honnold, who, being the nice guy that he is, has apparently complained to the filmmakers about it. Two things strike me about the film- the state that competitors are in at the end of the comp and the abundance of non-competitors. Gulp.
F- Horseshoe Hell.
Up early feeling nervous.
9-10AM This hour is set aside for the sort of hyping-up that no-one can do like Americans. All teams are required to get together in the already-blazing sun so everyone (including spectators and the many photographers and filmmakers) can check out their costumes. The main organiser guy, dressed as Geoff Bridges in the Big Lebowski and standing on the back of a pickup truck, then gives a speech which is equal parts sentimentality and hype. It begins "Horseshoe Hell is about more than Alex Honnold!" (BIG CHEER) There is then a "roll call", which is equal parts registration and chance for everyone to laugh at each others' team names. Our name, Team Jugmunch, ticks the boxes of self-effacing climbing pun, in-joke and sexual innuendo so gets a decent reception but is nowhere near such gems as "Butthole Mono", "Busta Climbs and the Clipmode Squad" and "Out of the Crack and onto the Face". Pandemonium ensues after a name that's an entire bible verse is followed by the succinct "Pumped as Fuck". A guy in a medieval knight costume then performs a Hell-themed Jay-Z cover (99 problems but 100 pitches ain't one) before leading the traditional "Climbers' Creed", a long call-and-response oath you undertake while facing your partner with one hand raised. At some point during all this, Aaron proposes to Katie onstage and everyone goes (even more) apeshit. Then a guy fires a rifle into the air (hands up who didn't see that one coming) and we all sprint off towards our stashed gear and chosen starting points. All in all, I don't think any single hour of my life has been further from the experience of being a British rock climber.
10-11AM Our plan for the Eastside turns out to be rubbish as there are loads of other people there, it's already far too hot and we are slowed down by everyone congratulating Aaron. It's 10:20 before we get on our first route and while waiting the guy ahead of us offers to marry him and Katie that weekend as he's an ordained minister (must be from the bible verse team). I half expect Aaron to agree. When we start climbing it's at a fevered pace- I'm on a 5.8 (5ish) but instead of looking around for the most positive holds as I'd do when climbing normally I'm just taking a split second to assess whether the hold I've instinctively gone for is something I can pull on before using it and only clipping bolts if it seems really stupid not to.
11-1PM The sun has come round onto the Eastside and it's fucking baking. I'm climbing in just my tiny 80s-style union jack running shorts feeling like Ron Fawcett on Cave Route left-hand, when I'm actually 25 shades paler and crawling up an ugly 5.7 chickenhead-covered slab. We're lowering off really quickly like those guys you see at the climbing wall for the first time who bounce down thinking they look like commandoes and we're only clipping every third bolt. We've caught up our deficit and are at the bare minimum of four-and-a-bit pitches each per hour. Every hour on the hour a cheer goes round the canyon (I think the volunteers who check for accidents start it) like a Mexican wave, which helps us keep on track and keeps everyone psyched.
1PM-3PM We're moving down the crag, now synced with the other teams so free routes open up as we need to climb them, ticking the lot. Roman Wall, an area with some harder routes, presents the first blip as I get on a .10b (6a+) in the baking sun. It feels utterly desperate. This is the point when I realise just how hard it is to climb anything of meaningful difficulty. I'm really glad I taped my fingers up and wore Moccasyms as there are already some tapeless, downturned-shod climbers reaching difficulties.
3PM- 6PM Still on target but no more. These jugmunches seem long. A siren comes down the canyon- someone skipped bolts, went off-route, decked and broke their arm. At this point we stop skipping bolts.
6PM-8PM Cleaning up the accurately-named Cliffs of Insanity. The routes are all easy, hot and very long- we're still only just on target.
8PM-9PM I've lost my cricket-supporter-style England bucket hat. This doesn't matter as it's going dark, I'd planned never to wear it again and I've been given four free promotional baseball caps since I got here. A girl is getting serious cramps in her foot.
9PM-10PM It's now dark but thankfully cooler. I'm not sure if the route finding on the Lower Cliffs of Insanity is harder or whether the dark just makes it so, but the 5.9s (5+s) we do there are quite engaging. The insects are coming out. I feel something on my foot, which turns out to be a fucking praying mantis- bugspray time.
10PM-11PM We hit our 50th pitch just as the 10PM shout goes round the canyon, which is our cue to abandon the Eastside for the busy comfort of the Forty via a supply-grab at our tents- about time as the final route we've done here involved going off into the deserted far east and was a shit fridge-huggy arete with an unwelcome runout to the chains. You have to register at one of three checkpoints at 10PM- I was expecting a high-five from a cheerful organiser but instead a serious medical professional is shining a light in my eyes and asking me the sort of questions they ask concussed footballers. We've evidently done the fun half. The bottom of the canyon is cool and deserted but you can see head torch lights twinkling up on all the cliffs and hear the distant shouts of competitors. We drink half a gallon of orange juice each. It's kind of magical.
11PM-Midnight The Forty is packed. Most people climb here for the whole comp (We meet Aaron’s mates who have 100+ pitches each already) and most others retreat here for the night like us. This is also where the spectators go- at the Eastside we rarely saw anyone but the volunteers but here there are lots of non-competitors who have mainly been drinking and bouldering all day. Many of them are being dicks. We’re now behind target and set about climbing tiny, crap routes to quickly make our total up. I’m feeling grumpy. After 4 quick shortys we decide to only climb quality routes, not shitty filler-ins that were bolted mainly for people to tick at Hell. Our new policy means that we stay just on target as the good routes are longer and have people climbing them non-stop.
Sa-
Midnight-1AM As the night continues the competitors get more withdrawn and the hourly shouts get less and less exuberant. While a few people had speakers at the Eastside it’s a bit of a soundclash here- If I like the music I get a fresh burst of energy, if I don’t it’s the opposite. More than once we move along the crag when faced with an annoying person or music. I still feel strangely good though. What’s really concerning me is the idea of a ropework mistake- the darkness and fatigue are surely a recipe for it. Paranoid knot-checking is now an essential pre-lower-off ritual.
1AM-4AM I’m a climbing machine. I mean that in an almost literal sense- if there’s a 5.8 in front of me (there is) I will climb it like a robot that has only one program, counting a 4/4 beat in my head and moving to that rhythm. Between pitches our process is now totally honed, untying as soon as we’re on the floor, retying as soon as the rope is pulled down, each of us working on the other part of the current task in perfect synchronisation. But the beat is gradually slowing. Sometime between 3 and 4 we climb The Greatest Show on Earth, a steepish 5.8+ (5) up a black streak with a few slightly sloping holds. It feels like I’m onsighting at my limit and I’m almost off it.
4AM-6AM 4AM is often cited as the worst time. It’s the time when you realise you’re ¾ of the way through but still have a preposterous 6 hours of climbing to go. Sleeping people are lying in the dirt and others are having rows with their partners and spectators. It hits me at 4:35. A stick insect is sat on my half-eaten bagel, I reek, I’m covered in dust, my hands and feet are sore and the headtorch-lit rock is, in the words of Aaron, “just an ugly grey shape that you wish was easier”. I realise that when this is over I’ll be in a scorching field in Arkansas a long way from my girlfriend, with a whole day to fill. I’m never doing this again.
6AM-8AM The sun gradually rises and the group of grunting shapes we were climbing among becomes animated and very funny. We’re all helping each others teams to get on “open” routes as we finish them and shouting encouragement. The vivid colours of the rock are visible again, the birds are singing and we all remember why we go rock climbing. We get on a 5.9+ and Aaron onsights it by the skin of his teeth, then talks me through the moves in urgent detail as if it’s totally at my limit- I’m grateful as that’s exactly how it feels. Despite relaxing our route policy to include anything with a chain at the top our slowdown has meant that we’re still just on track for the 100 but cautiously optimistic about the mile.
8AM-9AM Suddenly there are far less climbers. It’s now totally sunny and Aaron and I round the corner to “The Land Beyond”- a more recently-developed, eastern-facing bit of the Forty, to find it almost completely empty. Aaron did all of these routes at Hell in 2012. We’re going to make it.
9AM-10AM We now need only two pitches each- one route. I’m so sore- I’d expected to have thin, weepy tips and painful toe joints like when you break new shoes in- in fact it’s more like a bruised swollen feeling in each- the worst is the balls of my feet from continuously standing up on super-positive plates and chickenheads. Competitors have really thinned out (doing one route per hour, which I saw as a gumby’s target, is actually something many climbers don’t manage) and spectators are giving similar approval to when people clap earnestly for the final mile of a marathon. Our costumes are distinctive and everyone remembers Aaron’s proposal so we get lots of props. It feels weird. I realise that I haven’t yawned once during the whole comp.
We pick Cotton Candy, one of only 2 routes I’d done before Hell, to finish on. It feels hard and epic. As we walk down to the same place we started from the shotgun’s fired.
(https://chequepictures.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/img_0724.jpg)
Right after we finished, holding our completed scorecards. Those are the kind of powerful thighs you need to climb 24 hours straight.
https://vimeo.com/140717173
Winner of the video contest that was part of the madness. I'm not in it thank god.
Shower, 45-minute accidental sleep/ pass-out in a baking tent that undoes much of the shower’s work and sitting in a camping chair groaning and eating all the awful sugary food we have left from the event. In the evening there’s a long and ridiculous award ceremony (winning competitors, freshly-changed from the event are obliged to approach the awards table via a “slip ‘n’ slide”) then a party that goes from 0-60 in approximately 15 minutes. That’s what happens when you have an open bar soon after climbing for 24 hours I suppose!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWuUiPzz_Do
Video of the afterparty. Again, I'm not in it.
All day people will greet me, like they do all other competitors, with the phrase “You did the 24 Hour right?!” You can just tell.
Su- Apparently I slept through a herd of goats eating all our remaining food. I feel fresh as a daisy upon waking and we head to the Westside of the canyon, which turns out to be lovely and shady with better sport routes than its reputation suggests. Warming up on two 10as I feel like I’m climbing better than ever- totally tuned into the rock, despite my sore hands and feet. I get on a really good short, steep and technical .12b (7b) Katie climbed while we were asleep the day before and get to the crux first redpoint but open a cut on my knee up and totally crash. Still, got to be pleased with that!
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28th September - 4th October
M- Rest. Walking on a flat indoor floor I realise just how much the soles of my feet have swelled up!
Tu- Litte Rock Climbing Centre in the evening. It's a bit basic bouldering-wise, but adequate for our purposes. Predictably I get tired very quickly and my skin's very sore. Katie is doing some structured training (unlike me and Aaron she's got a background in athletics so loves this stuff) and I attempt to join her on the campus board. I haven't been on one for more than three years and find I can't do 1-3.
W- Rest. Drive upstate again the evening. The crag is reached via 15 miles of dirt road with nothing but trees on either side. Like Kyloe in the Woods but with 1500 times further into the woods. Camping is next to the car at a turnoff I can’t believe Aaron even found. The moonrise looks just like a someone approaching the campfire with a torch 100 metres away. I’m not going to lie- this was all a bit out of my comfort zone.
Th- Stack Rock. This crag, one of the most remote in Arkansas has the route The Show Me State, a stunning-looking 5.12b that I saw on Aaron’s Instagram more than a year ago and vowed to go and attempt. It’s just been downgraded to .12a (7a+) so I feel quietly confident. My hosts have tried it before but not done it yet, so we're all keen
The crag, a huge 360 degree hilltop turret in the "Richland Creek Wilderness", ie the middle of nowhere (I can’t emphasis this enough- you can see for at least 50 miles in each direction from the top with no sign of civilisation) is largely trad and as unspoilt as Hudson Mountain. When we reach the route I get the chills. It’s intimdating-Motherlode-style steepness and a position to match anything there- the steep wall (40 degrees?) is completely hanging. After an inapropriate warm up on a vert 5.8 I’m up first.
(https://chequepictures.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/image1-4.jpg)
Here I am midway through the crux on The Show me State. Read the bit below before you get too impressed.
I'm frankly terrified bolt-to-bolting it. It's ages since I climbed anything this steep and exposed, I've been doing mainly easy climbing on this trip and I feel unprepared for something like this- the opposite from how I felt on Sunday really. Also on my mind is that I really want to shoot this route for my film. I come down, film both Aaron & Katie on it then get back on. You've got great handholds on this thing, sharp jugs for most of it, but not so good feet for crucial sections. The crux is a huge throw from an undercut for a roundish sidepull jug, a tensiony footswitch move laying away on that then a kind of fall backwards up to a big jug. After that it's just keeping it together for three bolts of easyish steepness. If I'd been climbing this sort of stuff all trip I know I'd piss it.
Up the easy lower wall and there's a no-hands rest in the corner down and left from the steep wall. Deep breath and I'm off on it. The traverse across feels hard and my heart's beating too fast pulling the rope up for the crucial clip at the end of it. It goes fine but I don't recopmpose and screw my feet up and drop off the first move up. This is my last day climbing on the trip, Aaron & Katie are done with the route and I don't want to spend our last afternoon working something I probably need more than one session for.
We move onto another part of the crag and do a brilliant .10c (6b) on a detached pinnacle. I feel warmed up and fluid as I climb it. The leaves are starting to fall off the trees, the sunshine is finally pleasantly warm rather than searingly hot and there's no-one but the three of us for miles and miles. I can't believe it's time to go. At least I've got a project to come back for.
Fr-Sa- Travelling back to the UK. Not fun.
Su- Jetlagged. Nice and cool in Britain though! Buy new car.
All in all a great trip. Three 24-hour days has probably taken years off my life but it was worth it. I'm really pleased to have experienced Hell and to hit my target- it was a lot harder than I'd expected it to be, even though I didn't really know what to expect. It's a shame I didn't climb anywhere near as hard as I have over here this summer, but the trip just wasn't about that- before Hell I just wasn't focussed on hard climbing at all, after Hell I was recovering from it. As I said above, my only real regret is not taking any still pictures. And having to come home so soon. :'(
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Mon: Circuits and 4x4s at TCA.
Tue: Fingerboard, max hangs. 20mm +30kg. Feeling strong for a change.
Wed: TCA, Woody Wednesday. Ticked a short-term project which was nice.
Thu: Swim.
Fri: Ace day mucking about on esoteric stuff in the Frome Valley with a mate. Put up a new problem in a venue of dubious quality (nice techy arete, shame it was a bit short). Worked Silent Roar at Snuff Mills - made significant progress, should go next session. Horrible landing will require some thought (and psyche) to deal with though.
Sat: 5km run.
Sun: Fingerboard, max hangs. Did some tests to see how things lie. Significantly weaker on smaller holds (the drop-off is much less linear than I expected). Needs work.
Hopefully get up to the grit again in the next few weeks...
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m: rest after two days on
t: indoor snowboarding
w: Depot, easy session
t: rest, physio exercises, massages
f: Hepburn. Nice crag, sent A Northern Soul 7a+ which I've wanted to get on for a long time. It did not disappoint, such an excellent problem, I even fell off once at the very top because I didn't know what to expect up there. Good fall. Good problem.
s: Kyloe-in for a few hours then Back Bowden. Very keen for Yorkshireman but it was a quite damp.
s: Kyloe-in. nothing hard, barely climbed, lapped some easy problems. Thoroughly exhausted and achey from sleeping on a hard floor for two nights.
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Cheque I have barely even skim-read that and it sounds rad.
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Cheque- just read all that. thanks.
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Fri: Ace day mucking about on esoteric stuff in the Frome Valley with a mate. Put up a new problem in a venue of dubious quality (nice techy arete, shame it was a bit short). Worked Silent Roar at Snuff Mills - made significant progress, should go next session. Horrible landing will require some thought (and psyche) to deal with though.
Hi Hugh :wave:
Was at Silent Roar yesterday with Ollie - Dropping off from the best (highest) of the crimps was fine, only used 3 of the 4 pads we had too. worth tying the spotter in though, and you probably wouldn't want to fluff the move to the sidepull jug - thankfully I didn't!
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Do you know if it will be olive branch or orange house yet?
Neither - will be in Catalunya somewhere, so flights to BCN will be your friend. Come as long as you want.
Settling into van life easily - finding a nice climbing routine is more difficult however. Did the usual thing of climbing too much to start with, excitement and a holiday attitude I guess but rest days are scheduled in now, no matter the weather. There's plenty of caves round here for inclement days like today - off to the big one at Sabart today. Lots of falling off for me...
Not climbing for five weeks before I left the UK has took it's toll, playing catch up is frustrating and I only went and tore the right knee cartilage two days before I left... going off previous experience, I'll manage about nine months before it gets critical.
I even had a shower and washed the dreads last night. Indeed.
Sent from my XT1039 using Tapatalk
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Cheque - one of the best reports I've had the pleasure of reading. Brilliant! I'd wad you but can't work out how to do it from my phone.
Sent from my XT1039 using Tapatalk
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Cheque, that's great. Thanks for taking the time.
Mods, how about a separate trip report section? I enjoy reading these in power club but they go beyond the original remit here.
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I even had a shower and washed the dreads last night. Indeed
All I can think of is you and Haydn getting jiggy with it :unsure:
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Neither - will be in Catalunya somewhere, so flights to BCN will be your friend. Come as long as you want.
Settling into van life easily - finding a nice climbing routine is more difficult however. Did the usual thing of climbing too much to start with, excitement and a holiday attitude I guess but rest days are scheduled in now, no matter the weather. There's plenty of caves round here for inclement days like today - off to the big one at Sabart today. Lots of falling off for me...
Awesome man :-) keep me in the loop, once I know about jobs I can start making solid plans. The lady is back home for xmas so I am totally free
2 days on 1 day off!
What I've found in the past, is having the chill out climbing holiday experience (away from work etc) actually cured injuries & made my body feel better... you'll be crushing in no time
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Fri: Ace day mucking about on esoteric stuff in the Frome Valley with a mate. Put up a new problem in a venue of dubious quality (nice techy arete, shame it was a bit short). Worked Silent Roar at Snuff Mills - made significant progress, should go next session. Horrible landing will require some thought (and psyche) to deal with though.
Hi Hugh :wave:
Was at Silent Roar yesterday with Ollie - Dropping off from the best (highest) of the crimps was fine, only used 3 of the 4 pads we had too. worth tying the spotter in though, and you probably wouldn't want to fluff the move to the sidepull jug - thankfully I didn't!
Hey Duma :)
Yeah, Ollie mentioned you'd both gone over there (nice work on the s.a. btw!). Good to hear about the landing (thanks for testing ;)) - if I'm going to come off I think it would be when trying to match on the highest crimp, so should be ok.
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On the positive side, New Year trip to Chulillia booked
Also booked to head out there then with Team Tenacity :whip:
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Niceone Mike! Did you tell them that Horseshoe is also part of Hell in the UK?
Loving the outfit.
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Mon - rest.
Tue - rest.
Wed - ab wheel static, dumbbell complex, snatch high pulls x2.
Thu - kettlebell swings, power press, overhead barbell carry, shoulder barbell carry x2. Fast and furious. Exhausting.
Fri - 2 mins dumbbell complex (speed), single leg glute bridge, broad jumps x2; hill sprints x6. Maybe a little too much...
Sat - indoor bouldering at local gym. High volume, medium intensity. Hot, sweaty, crowdy. Got very close to climbing quickly "the hardest problem of the gym" but never stuck the crux dyno on redpoint. Did it in overlapping halves many times though. The important thing that I learnt is: I could lap the single moves and bits of every harder problem, while on my board I have problems that I've climbed only a couple of times each in four years, and whose moves I can do in isolation only when at top form. This is all that matters to me.
Sun - rest and riding around on my motorbike as the coolest motherfucker on Earth.
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in other words thinking you were me :)
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Some great write ups here this week (esp Cheque)...
M: Wisdom tooth removal pain. Felt ferked. Neck and shoulders incredibly stiff. What was that dentist doing to me....
T: Still aching (jaw and neck) - feeling generally run down and done it. Was this the sedation still? or the AB's I was given?
W: Wanting to try and keep some form of fitness - went to Logport wall at lunchtime. Struggled up a few V4's. Oddly seemed to have incredible (for me) endurance on some problems... who knows...
Thu: Tired. Still. Jaw aching... Not slept properly all week. Sleep from 10 > 3 then lie awake until dozing off at about 6...
Fri: Pick up friend from York - head over to Ingleton to do the three peaks... feeling sceptical about potential performance due to lack of sleep and general crapness post wisdom tooth outage... Still on ibuprofen to take away the jaw pain...
Sa: Three Peaks day. Up at 6:45 - started from Hill in at 7:45am. Superb weather - cool, little wind. Storm up Inglerough in less than an hour. In the cafe at Horton for 10am for breakfast :) Minor blister forming on toe - compeed applied.
After a sausage and egg sandwich, get up Pen-y-gent in an hour. The Schlep down from there to below Whernside takes forever.. Neil has a cheeseburger from the dirty burger van near the viaduct - I have an ice cream. General hip and groin aches - nothing serious.
Long slog up Whernside.. takes about 1:40... cold wind picks up near the top and my left knee (well bits below left knee) start to seize up.. Fine along the top, but really hard on the descent. Have to shuffle down steps - can't weight left knee when dropping :( I move at the pace of the old people in front of us creeping down... finally make it to flat and get a bit more of a move on. Final push to the Hill inn.
Finished in 8 Hours 58min... Very pleased considering I (or Neil) had done any training for this... Head out for curry, beer and then collapse about 10pm after walking around Ingleton like John Wayne...
Su: Potter (still walking like John Wayne) up to Malham - have a cup of tea and head home. Lie on sofa and unsuccessfully demand pity and comfort from MrsTT...
Jaw still feeling bad. Getting fed up / concerned about popping ibuprofen to combat... should it still be hurting 10 days on? Moan moan, chunter chunter :)
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Jaw still feeling bad. Getting fed up / concerned about popping ibuprofen to combat... should it still be hurting 10 days on?
Was it compacted? Why did you have it out? If it was impacted they can be a pig to get out and leave a right mess. Dentist had to crack one of mine and remove the pieces, it was sore for about 2 weeks.
You could have an infection or dry socket http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dry-socket-symptoms-and-treatment
Might be a good idea to have it checked out.
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Jaw still feeling bad. Getting fed up / concerned about popping ibuprofen to combat... should it still be hurting 10 days on?
Was it compacted? Why did you have it out? If it was impacted they can be a pig to get out and leave a right mess. Dentist had to crack one of mine and remove the pieces, it was sore for about 2 weeks.
You could have an infection or dry socket http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dry-socket-symptoms-and-treatment
Might be a good idea to have it checked out.
I dont know... I wasnt in a state to know afterwards! He did tell MrsTT (who was there the take me home) that it was quite a tricky one.. don't think its dry socket or an infection (no bad breath, taste or smells)... I suspect he just had to smash the shit out of the area.. I havn't gone back as it has progressively got better - just much much slower than I expexted.. anyway.. off to the chemist to get some more painkillers!
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Su: Potter (still walking like John Wayne) up to Malham - have a cup of tea and head home. Lie on sofa and unsuccessfully demand pity and comfort from MrsTT...
My mate & I were driven to Portree by his girlfriend for a rest day after the Cuillin Ridge. Oh how she laughed when we failed to walk up the steps from the harbour car park.
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Glad the epic report is of interest.
Niceone Mike! Did you tell them that Horseshoe is also part of Hell in the UK?
It's quite hard to effectively describe Horseshoe Quarry to foreign climbers I find!
Loving the outfit.
:lol: Belive it or not that's actually the most flattering photograph of me. The combination of the shorts and a climbing harness was just plain wrong. :sick:
I missed off an important bit of the Hell report- we got 19820 points and did 1410m of climbing each. We were 19th (out of 138 teams) in the Advanced category and climbed the 15th-highest number of tall routes overall (238 teams), which I'm pretty proud of. :weakbench:
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Double post removed. :slap:
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;D ;D ;D
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;D ;D ;D
This was actually a reply to SA Chris and his motorbike riding comment...
Don't know how it got here, when I posted it was the last one.
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Lost the whole of last week to a D & V bug. Nothing positive happened. The idea of climbing feels wrong. Even walking up and down the stairs quickly makes my stomach weird again.
Hopefully something meaningful will happen this week (nothing yet has!).
p.s. nice to see you popping up here Hugh, its Sam!!
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Thurs: desultory indoor bouldering session, then tried a few dead lifts (first time for me) as the gym has a great weights area. Worked up to about 120% of bodyweight carefully. Not feeling any significant strain in legs or grip, but the potential for lower back injury disturbs me. I suppose I should keep it going for a few weeks.
Form/technique is important. Check out Mark Ripptoe vids on YouTube
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Crap week climbing wise, one possibly two BM sessions.
Poop.
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STG: More V8s. Consistent sub 75kg.
MTG: V9.
LTG: V11. Fear Factory List. 6/10 done.
Shit week. No outdoors. Pissing me off now.
M: 9 Degrees. Boiling hot, still lapped most of the harder stuff there.
T: St Leonards. Usual Tuesday. Flashed most of the new stuff, couple goes to do others and only 2 problems left. Worked out exactly what I need to train for the DWS project. So started doing that. It's all deep lock on the left that I don't have, so on the campus board I'm now doing 1-3(L)-6(R) and 1-3(R)-5(R). Abit of rest between for maybe half an hour before I move into shoulder physio.
W: Rest.
T: St Leonards. Lapped stuff, made some problems, but focus on the campus board. Lots of training and shoulder work and push ups.
F: Rest.
S: "Rest". Worked. Hardest physical day I've done on rope. Not a rest at all. Brutal.
S: St Leonards. Ruined from yesterday, nothing in me. Tried to train after but didn't get much done.