That Caldwell guy is absolutely fierce!
His exploits up on the Dawn Wall with Jorgeson are the stuff of legend, and I can only dream of climbing up at those unfathomable heights. I wonder if David Lama will make the second ascent with someone like Honnold...
Back in the slightly less spectacular peak district, it is time to start thinking about how to continue.
With last years surprising events, it is hard to decide if I should continue as I was or take a new direction.
I need the mileage of loads of easy climbing to help me excel through harder stuff later on, or do I? Do I follow the path that others have taken, and forge ahead with the harder projects? Even some of the people I know who have found success from forging ahead through harder obstacles, are starting to show signs of fatigue and subtle injury.
Yesterday there was a comp at the local bouldering wall. I scored a respectable 218 (out of 300, including the impossible problems that no one completed). For a weak sport climber that isn't too bad. It isn't far off what the junior Team GB competitors were scoring, and considering they have have all been climbing far longer and with more support...
I have been thinking once more about development, as I continue through the crucial stage of my body's adaptation to climbing. I figure there must be about another year and a half (at least) before this adaptation really slows (assuming the process is as exponential decay). As such, it will be good to make this time count, by developing the correct muscle structure. Do I focus on bouldering i.e. fast twitch? Or sport climbing i.e. slow-twitch (for all intents and purposes). I suppose it is all about the ratio. Peak sport climbing is often like bouldering on a rope, so I guess in that respect we are lucky. It is just the fine line between pushing hard and pushing too hard.
I am figuring I want to aim for a ratio of 65/35 fast/slow fibres. This means routes like 'that was the river' (7b+). A few hard moves, followed by consistent pumpy ground. The more I think about it, the more cheedale cornice becomes a favoured concept for a training venue. A wide variety of thuggy and technical test pieces at the harder end of the spectrum. Plus bouldering that never got developed. Maybe that will be an opportunity to put my name into the peak climbing scene. The tor is great, but I am not fussed for the scene down there at the moment. Plus across the river from the cornice is dogs dinner, with the infamous traverse to work on.
I also want to achieve an 8a, and ideally by my birthday. I am currently trying to decide between Powerplant, Big Apple, Little Plum, The Sissy and Raindogs. My bail-out option for a quick tick will be the right hand finish of O-zone. If I don't manage this by June, then it wont be the end of the world, but it would be nice to tick into the 8s before I go away after finishing Uni. Where I will go, I have not decided yet, but I am heavily leaning towards Flatanger in Norway.
So there is the first post of the year waffle.
- I still have no idea what I am capable of, the journey has only just begun
- I want to climb 8a before june
- I want to focus on projects and training that will get me a 65/35 ratio of fast twitch slow twitch muscle fibres (so a similar ration of long to hard will be aimed at)
- I need to fine a vector between pushing my limits and easy mileage to stick to
- I need to spend plenty of time training on the woody and local comp problems
- I need to sort out my diet (again), and run a little more (for fitness)
- I need to use my time effectively, as this may well be the hardest time in my life to train for these goals (final year of uni)
- I need to find a suitable graduate job
- I need to figure out how to get my fellow IOA membership together
- I need to finish my project
- I need to get my FPGA development stuff together
- I need to fingerboard when I can't climb due to time
- I need to stay motivated
