Not trying hard enough?

I can't take a full weekend of cranking anymore. Perhaps I am trying harder, or perhaps I am trying to do too much with insufficient recovery, but two consecutive days is hard work (actually, thinking about it - its that I usually never climb for more than 2 or at most 3 hours). Stopped in on Friday night and went to bed early. Picked up Ned at 0745 and met Helen (old friend, new to climbing) back at our house at 0800. Headed to Rubicon. Warmed up. Felt ok, not amazing, but ok. Drank too much coffee. The mood in the group was subdued - quiet, people were only just waking after all. Not me, I was doing my best to be as hyped as I could be - with a view to getting the send. Pulled on, climbed confidently, took the sidepull but there was something wrong with the flag and I was off. Felt like I was climbing well, executing the moves with grace, but on each attempt there was something wrong. The others could see I was climbing to my high point with ease and encouraged me to push on with redpoint attempts - I started to become convinced that I needed to do the problem to the top from the sloper. Did this. Easily. So, its reduced to massively overlapping sections both of which can be climbed comfortably - whats the problem?

Its much easier to rest with other people at the crag - much easier. I am comfortably taking 8 minutes, and it helps. As soon as I feel my efforts start to go backwards we sack it to grindleford station for breakfast. Mmm. Lard. My caffeine levels are way high - I feel jittery, the quietness of the other two magnifies. We drive back to sheffield (its about 11am) and swap cars. By 1230 we are arriving at Caley and it looks pretty dry from the car at least... The ferns and grass are all wet underfoot, and there is absolutely no wind. Find Chris and Burney and exchange pleasantries. They are stood beneath Blockbuster, and they tell us its rubbish. I continue showing Ned and Helen around and we wind up back down at Otley wall to warm up. Helen climbs straight up from the start of Otley wall and passes all the difficulty with ease, but gets sewing machine leg trying to finish the problem - its quite high and the first climb of the day for her. She has a moment to herself and sorts it out. Ned flashes otley wall - what an ace problem. I do it every time I come. Seem to find it much easier today than on previous visits. There are two problems on a block just right of Otley wall that I have never done - pulling on chicken heads and one that starts in the middle of the wall. They are both fun. Ned and I leave Helen padding up the slab and crack behind otley wall and head off to do finger knacker crack - its lovely. I climb the rabbits paw walll which is throughly enjoyable. All head down to New Jerusalem. Theres a couple already there so I ask if they mind if we join them - they seem very nice, but I do the problem on my first try, which makes me feel a bit of a twat. Not only have I pushed in front of you, now I'm gonna burn you off. Ned makes it worse by locking all the moves so we skulk off round the corner to pocket wall (is it called that?). Its all in rubbish nic, rumble off up it anyway. After this, we look at the crystal method but it feels about 9a, even after I have remembered what to do. Finish our caley session on Blockbuster, but again - its really bad conditions. Sack it to Almscliff.

From a dank, slightly oppressive day at caley, our spirits are lifted when we arrive at Almscliff. Theres no sign of a Harris/Coughlan mobile in the layby but it is late (1630) and they might have already gone. Walk up and the crag is bathed in autumnal afternoon sunlight. Its beautiful. Theres still not too much wind, but its a more cheery place to finish the day. I am delighted we have come. Do some more soloing and Helen pushes it out on a scary old route. She has a mini moment, but pushes through (showing remarkable tenacity) and relishes the experience - always so much richer when you were genuinely scared. I am beaten - cant be bothered trying anything hard, so I do some fun bimbling and harangue Ned. Tom Peckitt turns up, he's been to a dubstep night at the West Indian centre and has only surfaced at 1630! We exchange notes on bogling. A thought crosses my mind that whenever I see tom Its the end of the day for me and I walloped - he must think I am a complete punter! I will have to sleep at the crag in an oxygen tent before emerging just as he arrives. Or not be such an ego driven tart. Wonder if Shiv did Jess' roof? I dont even go and look, but someone tells us theres been a chalk explosion up there. Ned does demon wall roof. Far more impressive - I do the crucifix in bare feet. Perhaps this is 8c? I like to think of myself as visionary.

Huffy sends me a text - he has just closed a number 3 Captains of crush! We think this means he can get a certificate. Nige later tells me he thought his wrist was going to snap when he did it. Earth shattering news...

Drive home, have a curry and a couple of beers and fall into bed. I am destroyed. Its 2300.

Sunday I can feel saturday in my bones. Helen is going guidebook testing with Simon Jacques. I would love to have gone and done some new problems at Froggatt, but I have housework to do. The Honey Monster has been away all weekend and I have hardly been in. The house is filthy. Get cracking about 0930 but arrange to meet Ned at the board for ring training(!) as a compromise. The house gets scrubbed to within an inch of its life - am pleased, it looks great. Head to the board and Lee and Nige are already beasting it, I am incapable of climbing, but when warmed up I feel ok on the rings. Have a shortish session but remember why I like them so much. I always neglect the rings, thinking they arent doing anything for me, but then when I train in them again I get psyched out of my mind. Having just read the john gill book, I think I might try to build a rings session in to my training again. Or do I? I'm not sure its my weak link. My shoulders ache today.

The monster arrives home just before three and its great to see her and to catch up. Roast lamb for tea. Try to persuade her to go to the pub but she is tired and will not be moved. Having not seen her all weekend I am not going out again now. Go to bed early.
Mildly disappointed about saturday. It wasnt the best ever conditions. I feel like I have been going ten to the dozen lately and am perhaps overdoing it? I dont think quantity of training is the answer to anything other than a question of how to hurt yourself. Quality is worth far more than quantity. I rest a day between intense training these days, and intense training means 3 hours max. I am never out all day. Is it the case that you can climb all day, everyday if you are fitter - but not trying anything at your limit, or that you aren't giving your best because there is residual tiredness?