Winter Training & Grit List

For the past couple of weeks I have been mainly training indoors, due to bad weather and consistent bad skin. As a result I think I'm getting better at indoor climbing, which might be helpful. Tomorrow is my last day as a 16year old, and I'm going out on the Grit, so, there is a little bit of pressure to climb something hard before I'm 17. Me and Brandon will be meeting Scott at Burbage North, I going t try The Terrace and Western Eyes, and Boyager, and other things. Below is my boulder wish list for either 2009 or before I have been climbing two years (Oct/Nov 09).

• The Terrace - Font7c+ - Burbage North
• Western Eyes - Font7c+ - Burbage North
• Brad Pit - Font7c/7c+ - Stanage
• Danny's Problem - Font7c/7c+ - Stanage
• The Storm - Font7b+ - Stanage
• Bens Roof - Font7c+ - Raven Tor
• Pump Up The Power - Font7c+ - Raven Tor

And Possibly more :)

Another session at the Works, a good one.

I had another good session at the climbing works, I flashed some more problems at about Font7a, I also did a Font7b on my third go! which is like, pretty good for me, I got even closer on the Font7c on the circuit board the crux move is big and is the only real hard move and after that move you just get a hold a tiny bit higher to the left, because it's a big move, last time me and Brandon was kind of jumping for it, but now were doing it slower which makes it easier to stick the hold, but we couldn't quite get it, but its very close indeed!. But next time I reckon it will go! Also I flashed a F7a+ circuit, which is good because I thought that just bouldering all the time would leave me with no stamina/power endurance, but each move is like V1/2 so its just not tiring and you can keep going. I also worked some of a F8a circuit, I can pretty much do it in two halfs but there is like a crux link-up part, but if I get through that move I can rest and then blast the second half, so if I get the F8a circuit on a second session it'd be cool. I tried a Font8a+ which was nails, It has 3 moves in total, I could do the first one with pushing of the ground with one of my legs, and was kind-of-almost doing the first move properly as well...I also tried a Font8a, I could do the first move (5 in total) but the second move is the hardest, still fun to try.

Session at the Works

My mum took me and Brandon to the works tonight, was a pretty good session. I flashed 3 Font7a's and got close to a Font7c on the circuit board, it must be a pretty soft 7c, or maybe even a hard 7b+, mind you, I havn't actually done it so it could be 7c. I made some pretty good eliminates on the campus boards and pinches ect. as well...skins pretty bad now. I'm resting tomorrow then back on it :D

Snow!, So, we Escaped to the Edge

The snow has started melting on the top of the boulders so it left the rock dripping wet. So we retreated to The Edge, I hadn't been there in a while, and me and Brandon both thought the problems were ace. The handholds are all new, skin friendly and positive. Which makes a change to some of the very pollished holds at the works. I flashed some Font7a's there and nearly flashed a Font7a+, I was going good but after finishing one of the last moves I didn't move my foot higher quick enough, so because my body was full stretched out it popped. But I moved it up higher as soon as I did that move next time and got it second go, which is defiantly a measure of progression for me to do a 7a+ on my second go. Rest tomorrow, train Saturday.

Despite D Day, I Guess Its Looking Good

After our bad day out out, we have decided to stay at home more often now and just train on my wall. This is because recently I have not been able to climb much because of the skin and also I have unfortunately been 'wasting' climbing days like I did on Monday. So I trained the day after in my garage, it was a good session and I made some pretty good boulder problems. My dad has decided that he will take me to the peak tomorrow, which is a rare occurrence. So this should be good because we now have two mats and we should hopefully get a full days worth of bouldering. So, I now have my own bike, my own bouldering mat, and I will soon be moving to Sheffield, and if i get a job, then I will just be even more psyched because when I move my mum has agreed to get me a years pass for the climbing works! so far, 2009 is looking good.

D (For Disaster) Day

Got up at 6am, left the house, crossed the road and then fell off my bike rather violently (ICE).

Then next it was the train fair has gone up, not by too much but enough to buy a pie and maybe some munchies with!

I met Scott and bought THE bouldering mat, I was late for 'the' train. Brandon was running late, I got on what i thought was my normal train, well it was but it went straight to the end destination without stopping anywhere, hence Hathersage. So I ended up in Manchester!

I had to get back, but i was not going to pay!, I blagged my way back to Hathersage and was about 2hours delayed in time.

Eventually i got to Burbage North to find it was completely covered in snow!, I managed to do a few warm up moves, but everything i wanted to do was in snow. Except for West side story, But i was completely De-psyched for that. I then fell in a swamp, so i swapped my socks for a hat and some plastic bags. I headed to Higgar Tor for no reason, And managed to do some shitty polished eliminates for about 15mins then the sunset, More deep snow, shoe filled madness followed until i was back at Hathersage. Then the trains followed and here i am. I have been up since 6am for nothing really, no improvement of finger strength no advance in arm power, just the Experience. Oh well, Training tomorrow!

First post of the Year

Me and Brandon kicked the year of with a 6hour training session yesterday, although I must admit it couldn't have been that intense because I am not aching. Tomorrow I am going for a healthy dose of getting shut down on the Comp Wall at The Climbing Works...Only joking, there not that hard!

My Birthday is on 29th January, so, not long now. I'd like to climb West Side Story, or something hard before then. After my Birthday Me and Brandon are planning on heading to the Lake District to camp and climb at The Bowderstone. That boulder looks amazing! If you are up for coming then just email me. Also I just thought I'd remind people of the climbing film my friend is making so if your feeling rather adventurous on the Grit, then email me. And also, here is a little clip from Youtube of me climbing The Green Traverse (Font7a) at Stanage. Sorry about the Strip across the screen. Filmed by Dan Lane

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uwIa78zJNuQ