Quick placeholder post

Apologies for the lack of postings on this 'ere blog of late! the week before this I climbed like un sac de merde and codfinger was bad, so there wasnt really anything to report, and I am always reticient to keep harping on about all that is bad in the world, so I didnt write anything at all!

I have gotten back from Cornwall this lunchtime and have had a lovely time. I took loads of pics and am going to write our little adventure up and post it over the weekend. So, this is just a placeholder post to say hi and that I am back!

Before I forget, the week before I climbed Tuesday at the board and was rubbish, then I climbed thursday with James at the foundry and again, was rubbish. Man, codfinger felt well sore after finishing at the foundry! James showed me a really fun wood problem on the barrel and I got all psyched and was trying to hard for someone with codfingers. Entered into discussion on campus boards and all agreed 1-4-7 at the school is the only place it counts. Managed it starting on 1-4 at the foundry. James thinks this is harder than the school - its not! Saturday I went back to the board and put on a new rung at 7.6. This means I can now train 2-5-7.6 to get so I can do 2-5-8 all the time.

Anyway, then on Sunday we went to cornwall and it was great. More on that later. I am going to the works to get rid of some of this bloat!

Zaff Audi

Wierd weekend in weather stakes! Friday stopped in as the monster was ill, then Saturday AM went and picked up the shiny new car! dead dead dead excited! absolutely love it to bits! its quiet, comfy yet fast and fun to drive - fantastic. Here it is - better pic to come...

Got clear of the garage at about 1200 and found excuses to go out in it! She was really full of cold I packed her off to bed and zipped out to Burbage. Did some warming up and legged it down to Zaff Skowclayz (!!!!sp????) which is a really nice feature just at the end of what can be called BBG north. Starting lying down with both hands in a big pocket, you lurch right wards to take this big ramp thing with your right hand. then the heel goes to the left hand and you come in to the arete with your left, I bumped my left again to a seam and shuffled the right hand up the big ramp. Now I dont really know what I was supposed to do here and kept dropping it at this point. Pulled on to this position and stuck right heel round on the bottom of the ramp and sort of rocked into it whilst pasting the left on the bottom of the arete, then I lunged up and right to a sharp and good sloper on the lip - from here its pretty steady. Did it from sitting pretty fast but didnt make the link on this visit. Headed back home and started to feel snotty myself.

Should really have been out for Aaron's birthday on the evening, but with a poorly piglet and my feeling pretty bunged I bailed out. Felt guilty but rang Aaron to tell him. Tsk. Poor show morton! Figured he didnt want a cold as a birthday pressie! Watched Nicolas Cage in Ghostrider - 5 out of 10. Probably better if you are a fan of the comic books or something, some very poor acting!

Sunday and I felt much better for having had a long sleep although still a bit headachey and wierd. Found more excuses to drive the car in circles and did some shopping. Ran into James in the evening at the petrol station - apparently Kudos is mint! he did the Press! huzzah! sendage all round (the other Sendage being Jon doing James Pearsons roof thing at eastwood)! Flurries of snow and hail persisted through the day and I cleaned the house and braised lamb shanks. Got fully drunk on red wine, have spent much of today feeling rather hazy. Am not training tonight, will be Tuesday and thursday instead. Next week, she and I going to cornwall from Sunday to Wednesday - am well psyched...

Trainer or a Climber?

Went to the board tonight - there were loads of people in. Jon Fulwood, JLS, James, Garry from the Works, Nige - all good, felt busy but psyched and keen. Seb and Joe Picalli arrive, followed soon after by James Pearson and Keith - amazing! a proper school renaissance. Codfinger feels bad and I'm tired after popping out for an hour at lunch time (to flail on the storm). Do some fun problems and feel like am ok considering have climbed once today, manage pego goes to albuquerque again and try too fluffy - think that one needs a bit more oompf! James makes a throwaway comment about my being a trainer not a climber. Unfortunately, my life does not revolve around climbing. I would love to be more of a climber but my circumstances don't permit me to do as much as I would like. I have a non climbing girlfriend, whom I love very much. I also have a demanding job an hours commute away - but these are my choices, they make me happy. But, because of them I can't invest as much time as others actually going climbing.

At the weekend I may get a three or four hour window in which I get to fit my weekends climbing. This means I have a decision to make. Do I drive for 30 minutes, check out a crag and take my chances? climb for 1.5 hrs and then drive back home or do I cut my losses, drive for 15 and get a workout? I would love to commit more to climbing, but without a change in personal circumstances thats not going to happen. And do you know what? I am happy with the way things are! I have my own goals and aspirations, they may not make me world class but I dont give a shit! I dont go climbing to be world class! I go climbing for me. It makes me happy and I love the social side of it.

I am a climber not a trainer. I train out of necessity. Given the choice I would rather be out climbing and when I get the chance and it wont eat into the time I have with my girlfriend, thats what I will do.

Too fluffy to be ticked!

What a suprise! started at the board yesterday feeling rubbish - codfinger was hurty and I figured I wouldnt really climb, rather I would do some campusing. After a bit of that I pulled on and finger felt ok, so I think I must have taped it too tight or something. Anyway, did a few steady problems and didnt feel great - a bit tired (more on that in a minute) so got on pego, did that and felt quite ok on the jump move, which is unusual, as I find it hard. Then I thought I would just try the top of too fluffy, and put in a good link from the jump to the green pinch to the top. Have done that before, so pleased and a bit suprised but not amazed - yet! Roy comes in, not seen him for a while, so catch up for a bit and have a couple more ranging goes. Pull on the start and nail through to the wooden right hand slat, left foot smears on undercut resin and I jump for the pinch - comfortably make the distance but the motion in the ocean is all wrong and I drop it. Have a rest, put hands in front of the fan and pull on again, this time when I step through to the green undercut I feel right, just in the right position I suppose, leap and nail the pinch! awesome! feet go to the green sidepull and I come in for the wooden triangle, adjust the feet and take a second to eyeball c45 - I'm there, caught it good and bump right hand to the top holds - get in!!!!! My first board 8a! huzzah! my first 8a anywhere! Cant quite believe it! send out a text to a few friends in shock!

Went back on it to film an ascent but foot popped off on the last jump to c45... Here is what I have : http://www.youtube.com/v/52R2UwZ9VJc

back on top?

Jon is having a lull. He's probably been overdoing it or something. He isnt feeling sparky climbing and doesnt think is realising his potential. Personally, I think its that when he is climbing with me I am so good he feels that he's rubbish - well, who wouldnt? I am amazing. Sometimes I fall off to make the others feel good. Honest, thats why I fall off.

Jon is a Peak hero remember, and for me a very inspiring climber. When I am sat beneath something wondering what more I can give I think of the jonboy patent pending yelp and extra effort. I have got to harness this and use it to my advantage.

Sometimes you dont feel great and you dont climb as well as you know you could - going back to the 9-5'vers lot discussion of a couple of weeks ago (and more or less Jon's last post - keep up boy!) so many things come into the equation - tiredness, diet, stress, sleep patterns - sometimes it might be that you are just under the weather. Theres no point stressing about it, you just have to accept that you arent always going to be at your best and drop your grade and remember why we go climbing.

Anyway, been a few days since I have been on here whining about how rubbish I am. Wednesday - went to the Leeds wall. Met Ed Brown and Pip. Helen Davies from work wanted to come down to the wall but I think was disappointed that she was left to her own devices. Sorry love, but I have only a 2hr session and I am going climbing. You are welcome to come for a lift but you can chuffing well pay if you want instruction! Lovely to see Ed Brown and Pip - such a nice couple. Ben Meeks tells me I am in a climbing magazine. God knows which one - its not gravity, Climb or Friction. Rather characteristically I am not climbing but stood gormlessly looking at a wall - can only imagine I must be in background.

Thursday - the board wrecking session. Ed Robinson feeling rubbish too so no human pinching machine to contend with. Arrange with Dr F to meet at normal time at the board. James - I want to go to the foundry. You will be putting a harness on. Back to the board, Keith and JLS are there and JLS is actually climbing for a change! keith looks fiercely strong and is bearing down. Tom Briggs and Rachel turn up - the key is in the box you lazy twat! Sure there is something going on there. Anyway, I dont do anything hard but have a pretty good session, feel that I climb well and manage basic Ben (2nd go), pego goes to albuquerque, schoolboy (2nd go), woodlogy elim and nearly that thing of jons that jumps for the resin rail. On finishing, nearly do 1-5-8 on big rungs, very pleased. James and I spend much of evening giggling - what better way is there to spend a night?

Friday - work like a dog, run 8.5km - slowly. To rubbish pub (porter brook) where Si and Diane announce they are pregnant! delighted for them.

Saturday - at work from 0730 - 1800. Ring Sam to ask if ok to go to works (its been shut for student comp) and head down there for an hour. Problems on comp wall v.tricky! drop them left right and centre - never mind. Now watching 24 and drinking beer (which may be obvious).

Rambling idiot / Film star

Totally unexpected, had a good session at the board last night! Usually, Monday is for rings and for training, but last night Rich wanted to come and film some problems for something he is working on called hard excess. I presume its actually called hard XS or something like that. Tentatively I warmed up fully expecting to have to sack it to the rings as the finger felt bad, but after a change to the cheating hook shoes everything felt ok - ish, can very much still feel that its injured and to really bunch fingers up on a small hold is tres hurty, but was going ok. We got some good footage, I did Pego goes to albuquerque, the Schoolboy, Driller Killer, Basic Ben and Woodology without the broken hold. None of which are notable in their own right, but I think they are all a good level of difficulty and had to do each a couple of times. We also did some chatty bits in between where I got on a massive rambling speech about the board and about training and stuff. Hopefully, its less Zangerl, more Moffatt! Watch this space!

Four wheel drive

Been meaning to write up the last few days for er, the last few days! Wednesday - went to Leeds on my own. It was TC's last day at work and he went to the Pub to celebrate. Felt sad, but went to the wall anyway. Climbed ok, codfinger fine. Thursday went to the board to get filmed by Ben and Rich - descovered I was camera shite and only managed a couple of worthwhile ascents - fell off the school boy, which hasnt happened in ages. Codfinger bad. Friday day - cod finger way sore. Resigned self to having at least a week off. Afternoon came and the end of the working week loomed near, excitement about going to wales tempered by the cod finger and no hope of good weather but keen to get out nonetheless. James at work asked if I would drive him to CHester to collect his racing car for him to drive back, agreed on the basis that we drive in his company car and that I would get to keep it for the weekend.... agreed! a brand new Mk5 golf GT TDi 4Motion all weekend! fab. Caned it back to sheffield to find a dead bird on our bed. Cheers cat. Went to the pub on own, for a quiet pint and quick blog write up and run into friends - get drunk. Bugger. Drink not enough water and go to bed (have removed bird and changed all sheets).

Up early for assault on Wales. Weather filthy. Cane it across the snake - 19 mins from pub in sheff to first buildings in Glossop (no, not the house on the corner). Pick Ed up and by Chester its sunny - hooray! text Doyle and weather reports sound good. Make it to the cave for about 1040 - fully wet. The rail on Lou Ferrino is pooling and there's no hope of getting it done. Last hold on Rock Attrocity is fully soaked, even Left Wall Trav has streaks of wetness. Text Doyle and announce we are going to go to the Pass. Arrive and warm up on Roadside, marvel at the boulder the rescue dudes had to prise apart to rescue a fat student. Codfinger feels ok. Both not feeling amazing but press on to Jerrys Roof. Ed puts in a good link from the pinchy jump thing and a couple of goes later so do I. We brush the holds and wait. Ed decides to work out the start. Pulls on, moves into the match, up through the crimps, to the pinch, he's held the swing! feet swing in and he takes the lip, I'm shouting instructions and he's pulling round - its in the bag!
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