Is it a good thing I wonder to be mixing it up between routes and boulders? surely to excel at either you must specialise in it? well yes. You could argue that, but you should also realise that climbing different things (i.e. routes) for part of the year is fun. I'm never gonna be pushing the limits of either bouldering or route climbing, but I don't think thats what its all about to be honest - for me at least, it's about having fun. I love the change of style in the summer to climb routes, as I get scared, but I enjoy it immensely, and I think its good to get out of ones comfort zone once in a while. Plus, I think if you do routes that aren't massively long stamina fests then it can cross over. It gets you better at actual climbing - i.e. route finding, understanding how to move and stuff like resting and recovery.
Anecdotally - Ste Mac does almost nothing but routes, but has done some incredible bouldering because if he cant burl a move, he finds a better way to climb it. Climb should be highlighted there - my point being, it's great to be strong, but its not an end in itself.
Through the ages strong young punks arrive, get stronger, get injured and loose their way. This isn't to say that this is wrong - it doesn't matter if all you do is train, if thats what you want to do and it makes you happy then great - have fun! But a common theme amongst such people is that they recognise that success outside is worth more kudos than strength inside, and so begins the lying?
In the bigger scheme of things there is no 'greatest climber of them all' as the disciplines have become mutually exclusive, so there is no one who does it all and excels at the lot, just lots of good people each of whom do their own thing with brilliance. The ultimate winner is the person having the most fun. Part of this was the discussion in the car on the way home last night, and part of this was just a useless rant in my head.
Something useful thats also in my head is a recipe for granola bars. My years of deeply scientific research into sports nutrition deposited me squarely at the door of flapjack. Oats are a great source of slow release energy which is ideal for long days out at the crag. I find myself in service stations and climbing wall cafes loading up on squares of oaty goodness bound together with hydrogenated vegetable oil, and each for a pound for not much flapjack. Clearly, this is neither healthy nor economically viable! I had an epiphany! I should make my own! its dead simple, you know whats in 'em and it will cost less. Here is my recipe :
175g / 6oz / 12.1% butter
140g / 5oz / 9.8% clear honey
250g / 9oz / 12.4% demerara sugar
350g / 12oz / 24.4% porridge oats
1½ tsp ground cinnamon (can do without this)
520g / 36% of assorted nuts, seeds and so on : currently I use about 30% flaked coconut, 30% seeds, 30% brazil nuts and remainder raisins.
Melt butter and honey, then stir in sugar. Cook over a low heat for 5 mins until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil for 1-2 minutes until thickened into a smooth caramel sauce. Mix remaining ingredients and stir in the sauce. Press into a greased and lined roasting or baking tin and bake for 25 mins at 180°C / 160°C (fan oven) / gas mark 4 until lightly browned. Leave to cool, then cut and turn out and feel the power!
This is version three of the recipe. I.e. I have made this up three times now, and I think its pretty good. I wondered about including Cyclone instead of sugar! I probably should look at reducing either the sugar or the butter, but dont you need those to bind it?
1 comment:
I've been on the home made meusli bus a lot this year too. I use only honey and very little butter (one teaspoon for a whole tray). If you get it right the honey does the binding fine. I think the key is to heat the honey and butter for a while to lower the water content, pack the ingredients down firmly in the tray (I use the bottom of a second tray) and cook on a low heat (150) for the right length of time. Too little time and the bars don't bind, too much time and the fruit and nuts turn dark brown and bitter. It pays to keep a close eye on the oven and remove them when they start to go golden brown.
For the solids I use typically - 40% suger free meusli, 40% nuts (almonds, hazels, walnuts, pecans, brazils, a few red peanuts), 15% sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds and the last 5% various dried fruit, mostly dried cranberries. Obviously the exact list and proportions change every time.
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