Since sunday's hardcore ring training action I ached. Sacked monday-night-board off as felt too sore to make it count. Went to watch Atonement instead (good, but bleak). Tuesday - had to be up early to go to London. Did what I had to do (smash and grab) and high tailed it back north - horrible day in the capital. Got back to sheffield, got in the car and shot to Rubicon. The warm up wall was in the shade and was quite good. Not much breeze, but not bad temps. Kudos was in the direct sun and unclimbable. Went to Cressbrook - fully sacked. Anything useful (the holds) were wet, with irritating streaks of dry blankness between. Perhaps we need to stop looking to climb on the lines of weakness and start using the blankness? (that's a fully johnny dawes comment). Didn't even pull on - why would I? it was rubbish. Went to the tor - absolutely mint. Cold, windy, out of the sun - brilliant. Discovered that Tor Fitness depletes quickly if left unmaintained. My last few weeks of trying Tsunami have negatively affected my power endurance. Had a good 'calm' attempt on the Staminahumps where I took everything in my stride and really it should have come off - matched the double crimpers but bailed there. Felt good to be back again - its been a few weeks. Now dark at 1830! was home just after 1900.
Re Keif's comments about never climbing 8b - I don't have the ability and talent to do one quickly, and I dont have the time to dedicate to doing one through hard work. I would love to do an 8b, of course I would, but I reasonably expect that unless I find something that really suits me and is close enough to home to make the necessary amount of visits feasible then it likely wont happen. But do you know what? I'm not that bothered! I love going climbing - I am sometimes happiest when I am bimbling up VS routes - its the moves that make me happy. I realised this last night when I soloed SHIBB at the end of the evening - I thought - I just like climbing, I like solving new moves etc. Rupert and I were once discussing climbing 8c route on the way to (or from Cheedale), he proposes that although he could climb more 8c routes, to do so requires such a lot of effort expenditure that it detracts from the enjoyment of climbing. I.e. unless you can get these things done quickly, sieging them stops you getting as much from your climbing as you might. I suppose if you were full time then you can put in the time on something hard and still climb fun stuff too. I am a 7c climber who has climbed 8a+. Most 7c's I will be able to do fairly comfortably, anything else requires effort. Maybe I wont ever climb 8b - oh well!
2 comments:
Tend to agree. I just love ticking stuff. Getting on things I can do quickly and banging them out. Spent four days doing an 8b (route) recently and although it was good to do, it was nowhere near as much fun as cranking out one day ascents. Really ought to put in the time and effort on an 8b+ while I have the oportunity and fitness, but it just uses up so much time I could spend having fun on 8as and 8a+s.
hmmm, i don't know really.
i think for me it's impossible to decide what i'd prefer: i mean, sometimes i've been sucked so deep into projects, that weeks, or months, of efforts were nothing compared to the satisfaction of doing them.
i never know, until i try, whether it will be something worth the dedication or not. i think it deals with thinking in terms of grades instead of pleasure of the moves and line. sometimes just doing one move is worth, regardless of the grade.
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