Project Grey

I think Gina likes to hang...

There was quite a substantial gap between climbing, mainly funds and being busy with work. But I'd managed to see if Gina wanted to start coming. Which she did. It's great to go on your own, It's peaceful most of the time when I go during the day on my days off. The wall is small compared to most too which means when it gets busy, it's crowded. The bouldering room is small so you may end up waiting around a lot so I tend to go in the day when i can.

Heel Hook it out...then fall...

The session today mainly was composed of me attacking the grey route, falling, attacking it again, falling and getting a little further. As I do it though I can often feel things getting easier. Maybe its increased strength, maybe its improved technique, maybe its both. Whatever the case the reward and enjoyment is still there. With Gina there it was pretty awesome. It pushes you when you have company. Because you want to show them what you can do. Help them do their thing too. Gina was tackling the intro routes and making her own up. It was great fun. We also did a little top rope.

Let's Climb

 Today was the first run of my La Sportivas. So after work I was on the train then walking the familiar 15 minute walk to St Marys Gym. 

I met Pareecha and we climbed. It was deserted. Just the two of us at the wall. I belayed and top roped. We traded for a while. I sent my first 5+ (French Numerical Grades) and we ventured up into the Bouldering room. Everything was bliss in my La Sportivas. It was so much easier to do anything and everything with them. 

I found I could stand on the smallest features, climb with so much more ease. Up into the bouldering room I tried a couple routes. A lot were way above my level so i decided to pick one and make it my project. It would be a grey route that had a traverse along the roof of the cave. I fell. A lot. But It was going to be my challenge. The holds were big with easy grip, they were spaced quite far apart in places, but I liked it.

LA SPORTIVAS

I got my hands on my first pair of Climbing shoes; La Sportiva Cliff, 2008 model.

Now to me these were like Cinderella and her Glass Slipper. Cliffs are quite rigid and lace up all the way down to the toe for extra grip and concentration at the top. They have a rubber rand running along the side of the shoe and around the front, encapsulating the heel. Their shape also means that they mold quite nicely to someone with wider feet like myself.