Fridays are Empty days...

So for my birthday I got a free climbing session courtesy of the wall, so I decided it would be great to use before I ran out of time. I spent the session just messing around. Trying routes down stairs. Making my own. It was more of a session (because of it's emptiness) where I could see my progress, my technique and just generally how I move across the wall. It was good practice I guess! I took a few videos and watched them back. It's easier to see where you go wrong when you can physically see it. Its one thing falling but if you don't know why and you try again its a pointless exercise. So my phone filled in for a partner.

Project Yellow: The Struggle

It has become my task to climb at least once or twice a week. So far I'm staying true.

Gina and Charlie come with me more now. It's lovely to have company and someone who can push you near by.  I got myself a harness this month. I'd taken quite a liking to the Petzl Corax.  So I found myself on Ebay for a good price. Now, after talking with Anna about getting my hands on one she had suggested I purchase a Size 1. But I of course didn't listen, blame it on self esteem or lack of knowledge, but the size 2 came and it was too big and wouldn't sit right.  So a week later I dropped into Decathlon, after reselling the 2, got a size 1 and it was fine. Corax has 4 gear loops, as well self locking buckles and adjustable leg loops. The buckles make it heavier than others and the walls DMM ones, but the padded legs make for comfortable hanging when falling off a route.

So the routes are being reset in about a month. I have one month to get this route down, sent and destroyed. I've tried smearing, I've tried reaching, jumping, dyno, crimping, moving slowly and distributing my balance with care and nothing has been successful. I even face-timed Anna when there was no one at the wall to give me beta. This route is frustrating, confidence knocking and tough. But isn't that what I signed up for? It's the foundations of why I climb and recently I'd let it slip away in the push to better myself. My issue with the yellow holds that sit on that lovely blue pentagon are how slippy they are. Even when I crimp and move I pull away from the wall on slip off. I can't quite reach over either. Maybe it's psychological because of my height. Maybe I'm making excuses. I'll keep trying and I'll get there eventually. So the new plan of action is to combine with the pastel blue route I know I can send. Then slowly miss holds from the blue until I get the yellow sent. And if I don't send it? Then it's still fine. I still will get that reward with each hold I drop when I send.

Since joining So'ton Climbing Club, I've signed up for an outdoor climb every month. There is a day meet in Portland/Swanage towards the end of March where I can experience my first proper outdoor climbing. The trips is set to include and teach outdoor beginners sport and trad (weather permitted, and if not we're heading to a rad indoor climbing centre nearby). Then the same is planned for April in Portland. May bank holiday will see Gina and I camping out at the Gower Peninsula for Sport, Trad and maybe some Deep Water Soloing. We get to Belay from the beach! By then I'm hoping to get Gina trained and signed off, but we'll see. I literally can't wait.

When I look back and realise that this has been part of my life now for 5 months but only more consistently in the last 2 and a half. I guess I shouldn't fault progress. I'm doing things I would never have imagined. Gaining confidence I didn't know I could have, and taking opportunities when I can. Maybe one day I'll get routes done I never would have imagined doing. But for now I can be happy in the knowledge that I love what I do. I've said numerous times before the main drive is always the reward that comes when I do something I didn't think I could do. And recently I hit the wall. I got frustrated because I lost sight.Because my focus became progress I wasn't seeing. I'm finding my bearings and I'm making my way back home. It's driving me more.

Note to self: Do what You can do. Be what you want to be. Set expectations high, but not too high and enjoy it. And that's what I'm going to do regardless of grade, those who are better, or what I'm failing at. That reward of completion is going to feel so much better for it.

One Day...

The Unexpected Top Rope

Gina and I decided to take advantage of my new 'Sup' status and came to the wall to top rope and boulder. I taught her how to tie in the first time I top roped with her (when apparently I should have been allowed...staff at the centres fault) so I bouldered when she was doing that for the routes she wanted. About half and hour of us being there Adam came in and bouldered. He gave Gina beta sometimes which was nice. He also encouraged her to try a grey route that was originally graded at a 6A but was marked down to a 5+. She tried and couldn't so I belayed him up while he sent it, showing us how it's done. Then he asked if I wanted to and of course I took up the offer. I climbed my first over hang and it was so easy. I thought I would stuggle but I guess my bouldering is paying off. Turns out the holds were from my grey route upstairs.



We then turned our attention to a 6a, that turned out to be the holds of my first 5 I sent. I tied in after he's done it and did my thing. He was a lot taller and he planned his routes differently, so when I smeared and crimped in different places he was surprised but I got it easy and it felt so good. Being able to top rope is such a great feeling, and to see that I'm progressing feels even better.I traded with Adam after and he attempted a 6B he'd been working on, then we bouldered a little more. Climbing isnt about what grade I'm at. Its about proving myself wrong. I've always doubted myself and to those people who have give me shit because I've taken it on, whatever. It really is something that is good mentally and physically for me. Its not a hobby or a way to keep fit. Its a lifestyle that's helped me change how i see myself, how i think other people see me. It's a slow road to self acceptance, and having climbing is that catalyst that helps the process.

Sup!

So the new routes have been up for a few weeks and my new project is the yellow route. I have a couple that I like. There's a pink/coral route that's pretty cool. It's an intro route but it's great for technique, pace and practicing crimps. I like to miss a hold too each time so I can practice balance and weight distribution when moving across the wall. We also played games where we used the pool noodles and had to climb through. It was good fun. Also great for making sure you stay close to the wall and that movement too.

Gina came with me today and we were chilling, I was giving her beta on the coral route after completing a beige on the opposite side, when Tim came in to fix the holds. Long story short I managed to get signed of (after trying to get in contact with Tim for about a month) as a Supervising Climber, meaning I can now take members of the public, 'non climbers' and friends into the wall. My membership card's got a little classier now. There's a sticker over 'IND' that now says 'SUP'.

Project Grey: Completed

Short Post. Only climbed a couple times since the last post. New aim is to climb once a week, every week. On the 3rd I managed to traverse across the grey further, slipping at the last moment before leaving the roof. The grey has a couple of moments that could be considered cruxes. I used to hang and transition from hold to hold using my arms but after getting beta from Matt heel hooks were easier. I do favour the old way sometimes though.

 Charlie and Gina have been giving the grey a try too, using other holds, trying heel hooks. Its been great. I think Gina favours hanging upside down more though. Butttt Today I managed it. It may have been only just and I'll ache like a bitch. But I did it. There's route setting in a couple days so I've just managed it. If It had been there longer I would have carried on until I found it super easy, but again that comes with increased strength. Super stoked I completed it. Good day to  be a climber?

FF HH...Lets be Creative

Today I took Charlie and Gina bouldering. They seemed to have an awesome time. I yet again was glued to the grey route. When I say it's a project, I mean it. If I could climb more frequently maybe the progression would be faster but for now its all good. I did decide to try a few others though. I could do a couple. Some I couldn't before. Some I could. There was a blue route opposite the grey and I'd looked at trying before. So while Charlie and Gina were trying to hang upside down and make their own routes and tried and completed it. It felt good because it had been difficult the first time I'd tried. Progression. It's all about that progression. I think in a way that's why I love that I don't know what grades the routes I'm sending are. Because I'm not reaching for a level or a grade. I'm reaching for that reward of completion and joy.

After a while we made our way downstairs. You can boulder up to the red line downstairs so I was trying the start of some routes. Mainly 5's and 5+s. I also decided to mix it up a little and use the features on the wall and holds, or both on holds/features. It was fun and testing. I also was getting use to the difference in the gradient of the wall on this side. The back wall mimics natural rock more which is great and the routes tend to be more challenging or more technical. I love it either way and it was a great way to spend a morning with friends. Charlie and Gina were doing some too as well as looking at the different routes top rope has to offer. Need to bring them both to top rope. Better get signed off as Supervising Climber.

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.