Depot Dismay

Headed the Depot yesterday for the battle of britain, personally i wasnt expecting to do well as the problems are always hard.

But damn i didnt expect to be that shit! haha, managed to haul my fat arse up 17 of the 30 problems set, although i only managed to flash 15 of them. puntered about and fell off a v2 an v3 just for being an idiot.

Gotta say i do have ultimate respect for the boulderers who compete, the level of fitness needed is unbelievable.

Pretty keen to get back there and have a go on some of the harder problems i couldnt do, maybe really work them an put some effort in.

Well we will see if i can improve this week if we go the Rockover for there comp on Friday.

A Week of Power

The title sums up my week so far!

Went to a new venue for me on sunday headed out to Anston Stones and Roach Abbey on Sunday.

Had a cracking session managed to get a new 7a and 7a+ done at Anston, not sure of the names of them think they are called Blind Bat and Last Stand.

When walking upto Anston i wasn't expecting much as the air was damp and the floor was soaking, but turned out to be pretty dry up at the crag itself. However that cant be said for when we were at Roach Abbey as the air was damp and i took a big ping and bail!! Hurt at the time but wasnt half funny looking back at it.

Monday morning woke up psyched for a Cave session... after working Beaver Cleaver for most of the session i thought i was going to leave and have a tickless session until i asked Rich about some problems on the right of the lip. He showed me the beta on Lipstick RH which i managed to do first go with the beta, after that i was psyched for the original Lipstick so jumped on it pretty knackered but it didnt feel impossible... as it was getting dark i could barely see the footholds i managed to pull it out of the bag! So left the cave with 2 new ticks 6c and 7a!

Tuesday i woke up and felt like i had been in a train wreck i was shattered!! good sessions tho!

So Thursday comes and im super psyched to go back an get back on Beaver Cleaver to try get it done, warming up would prove to be the main constraint today as there was a baltic wind blowing right into the cave and it was freezing.

Noticed on the guide that RWT into Lipstick RH gets 7a so mid warm up i jumped on it and did it first go! proper happy.

Warm up deffo went well for Rich as he jumped on Oppatrocity gave it a quick RP falls mid moves then a few more warm ups and crushes the fuck out of it!!! Another 8a in the back for the strong Ginger. Good work fella!!

Gets on Beaver Cleaver and tried again.... and tried is what i did! i put so much effort into but just cannot stick the move from the undercut into the pinch on the lip! Well i suppose a way to look at it is that i am making progress each session so hopefully will build up the strength to get it nailed before the end of the year!

Again right at the end of the session as everyone was sat there freezing their tits off i asked rich for some more beta this time on Clever Cleaver from the stand up start, pulls on an trys to get the heel up but bailed! Psyched i had a rest jumped back on an crushed it!!

I think its a new pb to get a 7a+ done in like 4 goes!

Gives me a goal now to do it from the crouch start an get the 7b+

So rest the weekend and back monday again!

Krispy Kreme's All Round!!

Yes as you can guess from the title of this post i have done it! finally climbed my first 7b!!

WOOO im so psyched.

Well getting down to it im sure you want to know what one it was, Lip Service in the cave.

After a weekend of drinking we headed out to the cave this morning and i didnt have high expectations as i was feeling overweight, dehydrated and with a sore elbow, the winter is definatley coming as it was freezing when we got there, found it really hard to warm up.

Pulls on the regular warm up problems and we all found it hard work to get motivated. anyways about an hour after we got there finally started to feel fully warm, pulled on and about third go managed to get the thumb catch. This was the progress i needed never actually managed to hold this before in my shock i forgot what to do for the next move and fell off. After a quick break a sandwich and some h2o pulled back on and warmed back into the moves then crushed it.

i was so psyched to get it done! Really motivated for the winter now time to keep gettin more ticks in different places so a trip to Rotherham at the weekend will be well earned after the next 5 days in work.

One thing i do find hard about working in a climbing wall is the different shifts, its so hard to find the time to train, work and actually have a life! So applied for a different full-time job and lets hope i get it, if not at least i will hopefully get some feedback!

anyways people

Peas out! x

Back to training

Well its certainly been a while since i had a proper indoor bouldering training session just because of the amount of injuries i keep getting.

So thought last night ill have a session as the fingers are starting to feel much better, turns out it was the right choice as the session went really well. Started a warm up on the stepped wall which didnt go to bad then thought ill test out some Cassidy's legendary problems in the crypt, at first i was gettin shut down on th v4-5's which didnt go to well as i was getting massively psyched out.

After getting frustrated i needed to go else were so headed upto the new woody.....only to get uo there to realised there was 10 people there!!!! first time ive had to queue to get on the woody haha did i few easy warm up problems and then got fed up waiting to climb.

Back down to the crypt i went and turns out all i need to do was have five minutes to let the muscles warm up properly as i tried the problems i was getting shut down on previously and crushed it first try! then went on to flash the other v5-6's.

only a short session but i felt cut it short before i push it and get injured again. i think taking advice from other people is a massive help ive noticed Rich drink plenty of water while training and i think i need to do the same so i drank like 1l of water in 2 hrs.

Now time to keep on top of conditioning, weights, core, genreal training, diet and hydration in order to start pushing the grade again and stay injury free!

Kalymnos Holiday Time

Wow just got back from a week long trip to Kalymnos and the only thing i can say is that i was gobsmacked by how beautiful the place was, how nice all the people were and best of all how good the climbing was there.

After failing to train properly for the trip by having one route session before we went i was prepared to be ultimately shut down by complete lack of fitness, turns out this wasn't actually the case. So before we left i aimed realistically for goals for the trip aiming for 2 7a's.

First 2 days can't say i was feeling the strongest but there is masses of hands-off rests which when as unfit as i am you have got to milk, so managed to have an amazing day at Arhi where i managed to flash Kastor (7a) my prefect style of route, just pulling big holds down past your waist to more big holds. Was so psyched to flash it as it matched my PB.

So as the week continued i was still pushing at flashing and on-sighting more 7a's, the fitness levels continued to let me down by falling off DNA at 2nd to last clip on the flash, also trying to on-sight another 7a at Spartacus on the last move, the route was 30m long so had absolutely ruined myself and didn't get another go, well at least i've got a reason to go back!

Me on Kastor 7a

Turns out that climbing with people who climb harder than you does make a HUGE difference, until this year i was happy with the climbing i was doing and the grade i was at 6b max until i realised i have got more potential and can push the grade a lot more, one thing i have noticed is that when you go out climbing especially with people who climb harder there is a natural instinct within that makes you want to be as good as them or at least just better than you are.

Most noteably this was from some hard ascents by Shauna (Orion 7c+ on-sight, Daniboy 8a RP 3rd go) Michael (Eros 7b+ on-sight, Gladiator 7b on-sight, both placing clips!!)

When you see these ascents in person then there is nothing you can do but pull harder!

Came back from the trip super psyched to get on more sport now... hmm good choice Mark its end of route season! Well all i can do is train over the winter, boulder loads and then next year push for that 7b!

Indoors Outdoors

Well turns out the time has come to be getting ready an packing for our trip to Kalymnos.

Wow the training has gone well.... not!

Although i haven't been specifically training any form of endurance i have been climbing LOTS, had a four day period off work where i managed to get out bouldering for 3 days.

Day 1 - Caseg Boulders

what a beautiful setting right next to the river sun was shining, no wind, climbing with tops off in October?? if anything it was a little bit too warm. Either way that didn't stop the crush, with Rich, Sean an Mike managing to all make short work of Don't Drink Think 7a+. And i managed to get Caseg Groove 6c done which i was very pleased with also an outstanding climb amazing moves.

later that day after a chilled coffee in V12 Llanberis we went to Jerry's Roof where i was trying the tourist tick an felt fairly strong good sign.

Day 2 - Parisella's Cave

After a long day i felt like a wreck so wasn't expecting much, but with the finger feeling fairly strong thought i would try Bust Lip and about 4th go when i got the heel-toe to work i managed to dispatch it so another 7a+ for the year which brings the total tally up to 6 for the year! So psyched.

Day 3 - Wavelength and Beyond

Lordy Lordy had caught my eye in the guide book and with a couple of recommendations off other people i thought it might be worth a visit. What a trek to get to it though felt like i was out on an ML day. Turns out it was totally worth the walk in, such a technical style problem so all down to balance and body positioning.

Then we headed down so Sean, Mike and Rich could try the Lotus, which is an amazing looking problem, with a quality V4 next to it.

Down then to Wavelength where after a couple of goes i managed to get King of Drunks (7a) done, what a tick for me as i tried it earlier in the year and was so close to it. Really good to see the training and just generally climbing more is paying off.

Also my first 7a in the mountains!

Back to work for 6 days then and time to squeeze in a route session before i head away.

Really productive session as well, managed to get the 7a i was trying on the back wall done and plenty of 6's feeling a lot more mentally prepared now for the trip.

So will keep you posted on how it goes when i get back.

Learning to Climb

After a 2 week trip to Font the fingers are feeling amazing! just think the milage that was done was just what Dr Donnelly ordered. haha.

Climbing in Font certainly is of a different standard to anywhere else within the world, you can go from one day getting totally shut down on a 6a classic problem to crushing a 7a third go the next.

the title of this post is certainly what was needed, second trip this year and managed to up my game even though i have been injured and not trained for 8 weeks prior to the trip.

Overall i managed to get 2 7a's done and a 7a+ now in my eyes to climb at your personal best in the place where bouldering was born and after not training was a real achievement.

I actually feel like i have come back from the trip feeling fresher, having a better outlook on climbing and being re-psyched once again to train an improve my general conditioning again.

So onto the next trip to Kalymnos in October.

best dust off the harness, rope an draws an get doing some routes.

One goal for the next trip gonna keep is simple an realistic to do 2 7a's while there!

Lets see what happens with 3 weeks training, haha!

Still a Niggle

Well its been nearly 6 weeks now since i injured my finger and i did exactly what Matt told me not to do "don't get lulled into the false sense that its better after 3 weeks, it wont be an it will go back to stage one".

So yeah i climbed on it an injured it again, anyways as things go it starting to feel slightly better and i even managed a session in Stoke wall the other day with no side effects.

To get to the point of writing this it inspired me today watching The Real Thing and then L'Etranger i decided to check out Keiths blog and reading his posts made me think along with Dave Macloeds book "What do i really want to get out of climbing?"

Ive always thought it was doing the hardest problem or doing the hardest route, but after spending a day in Frodsham on Monday i managed 25 new problems of V3 or under and had one of the best days out.

Looking forward to this weekend when i can pass on the knowledge and give people the experience of climbing outdoors, should be a good laugh and hopefully ill manage to get some trad routes in as well.

Rain, Rain, Rain!!

I supposed all this rain has got to be a good thing really...

Well maybe only for the likes of me, as my finger is still feeling pretty weak :/

Went over to Anglesey Sunday, Monday hoping to get some milage in in the way of long mountain trad routes.. But obviously the weather had other plans.

So ended up in the dive that is the Beacon, was good as it made me realise how lucky we are at Liverpool getting most of the routes changed every 3 months and the bouldering changed every 2 months oh and not to mention the clean holds.

Some of the routes in the Beacon were there from September 09!

Anyways ended up climbing and my finger felt ok, just a few little tweaks but then woke up Monday and it was sore again :(

So hard being disciplined in the training, gonna have a session tonight at the wall but just some milage on easy routes.

On the other hand i have booked the ferry for our trip to Switzerland in September!!!

PSYCHED!!!

Bouldering World Cup/ good week/ injury :/

What a weekend!

Went to Sheffield at the weekend to watch the boulder world cup, what an amazing time.

Some of the strength from the guys and girls was amazing.

Adam Ondra is on another level compared to everybody else, he is an absolute mutant! this guy has made me want to quit climbing haha.

Thursday & Friday last week were pretty strong days for me.

Headed to Pantymwyn on Thurs for the first time with the psyche to get Firestarter (7a) done.

Not only did i make short work an do it forth time but also managed Panty's Down which is 7a+

Then Friday headed up to the South Lakes back to Woodwell and Trowbarrow. Another good session as we headed to O'ert Road at Woodwell and i managed to flash Angel Deelite (7a) my first ever flash at 7a :D

However... with all the good news something bad always happens

Just come home from the wall and somehow managed to strain my A2 pulley on my ring finger on my right hand.

ARGHH!!! i'm so frustrated because i felt like all the training was paying off then it just goes one step too far :(

just going to rest now for the rest of the week and hopefully i might be able to climb at the weekend.

Just going to keep fit by running and doing core sessions.

Llandulas Cave

Good easy day out yesterday with my old mate Joe

headed to Llandulas cave just to get some milage in and do some more outdoor routes.

turned out Doylo was there working his project in the cave.

I must say that it isn't the most attractive line to look at but it definately looks like it climbs well and is pretty tough, seemed pretty conditions dependant although.

Eyed up a nice 6c+ that i seen Little Hoppo crush last time we were there.

I jumped on it not very warm and managed to get to the crux placing the clips but then my fitness just ended up letting me down again.

Had a quick rest and jumped back on doing all the moves no problem.

came down and watched Joe crush it on the flash... BEAST!!

Then went for the redpoint and managed it second go :)

All in all a pretty good day so second hardest route this year.

Going to start pushing the grade of onsights and redpoints might try and get a 7b this year

South Lakes Crushing

Today we arranged a trip out to the south lakes, weather wasn't looking too great as we left, even got a splatter of rain on the way there.

Started off by going to Warton Crags only ever been here to look in the rain and couldn't remember much to be honest.

As we walked in we managed to take the wrong turning straight away so went miles away, when we finally found the crags we wern't the best impressed.

Did some easy stuff on the Pinnacle section, with all of us managing to flash the pretty fierce 6C - Beastmaster.

Headed down to the Plum Buttress and realised we needed some beta to do anything of a reasonable standard.

We sacked it to Woodwell where the true crushing began!!

After warming up on some nice asy stuff at Tom's Buttress started to work the harder problems.

Sun was out and it was 2 o'clock so was pretty warm so conditions wern't ideal.

But never the less we carried on, over the whole day i managed to rack up a nice tick list:

Warton

Muscles Crack - V0

The Monkeys Paw - V0

Beastmaster - V4 (6C)

The Graunch - V1 (5+)

Un-named - V3 (6a+)

Woodwell

Nothing To Say - V2 (6a)

Subliminal - V1 (5+)

Nothing To Say Dyno - V7 (7a+) Third go

Whats This For... - V5 (6c+)

Sanctified - V4 (6b+)

Closer - V5 (6c+)

Sanctified Stronger - V7 (7a+)

All in all a great day leaving with 2 6c+'s and 2 7a+'s in a session!!

WELL PSYCHED!!!

Me on Sanctified Strong - 7a+

Start of the Blog

Now that i have finished uni for good.

And i'm not planning on getting a proper full-time job anytime soon i thought it would be a good time filler to start a blog and also is a good record of things ive done and to see if i actually do improve over the next couple of months.

Still getting used to all the settings and things to do with the whole blog thing so things will no doubt change as i start to get used to the settings.

Anyways time for some training:

Still feeling pretty done in after yesterdays session at The Depot, such a great centre with amazing angles and amazing problems.

So an easy day today, 2.5 mile run followed by some core.