Aaaaaaaand the results finally go up...

They took their time about it (apparently the person in charge was moving house............)

but the first round of SIBL results are up now,

I accrued a mighty 160 points to tie with such masters of the sport as Henry Forrester in 28th position (Joint 21st) out of 81 competitors.

I shoulda, coulda, woulda done better on at least 2 of the problems which I failed to even complete in the comp. Both of which I could have onsighted if fresher and slightly stronger.

As such I have been training for the past week with a combination of power and endurance on the hard circuits at TCA.

Unfortunately I tweaked something in my left arm a couple of days ago, so nowt been doing for the last few days. Instead I have been doing a few short core sessions a day to try and make something happen with my upside down climbing.

I am about to scoot out to TCA again (becoming a bit of a fixture there tbh, was in there monday and Tuesday after SIBL and about three times the week before) the woody got me inspired last time, I want finger strength like Omar (dont tell him, his ego is big enough already) and he seemed to go from little to lots quite quickly climbing on that board, even now he can move off stuff I have troubles getting off the ground on.

I'll probably come back and tweak this when I return home.

Skin feels really good so if my arm holds up this could be a good session.

Yawn

Back in Bath,

Tired.

I'll update about SIBL once I know the results and perhaps receive some pictures from Jack.

"Project" = Sent

So I went back to Cheddar with Geoff today like I said I would,

I put the clips in with a clip stick, climbed the start and checked out a couple of the moves.

My first attempt was similar to my previous attempts, wherein I reached the 4th bolt and the hold afterwards, but I couldn't hold it and completely bailed on the final move.

I then took a few minutes break while Geoff cruised his way up a 6b and stripped it.

My second attempt was much, much better than the first, I reached the fourth bolt feeling I had plenty in the bank. Unfortunately I missed the final sloper by about an inch and fell off with one easy move to go.

On the way down I gave the crux holds a brush and checked the sequence at the top.

Third attempt went like a dream, held static on every practically every move but the top throw and cruised to the belay.

Very, very happy overall. 3 trips attempting the project and success this time feels like a nice reward for the effort.

I'm well up for attempting a 7c now, but only after the first SIBL round this weekend. Sometime this week I might find time for a last session on plastic, some more core and maybe some repeaters. Might even do them now...who knows what might happen?!

I just found this (rather poor) video of someone on Insatiable.

Assume my attempt was a lot cleaner, less pissing about at the top.

"Know the moves - Do the moves" is my mindset, don't be wasting energy on the wall.

Well Well Well, Many news items for you today

1st - The TCA Comp

On Saturday we had the opening competition of the TCA Winter Series.

I did respectably well, I flashed 16 of the 20 problems and put in mediocre efforts on the remaining 4, but it was good enough to come joint 10th.

One of my targets for the year is to get a top ten finish in a TCA comp, unfortunately I find it hard to accept joint 10th as it seems far too much like 10.5th for it to count.

I am however feeling a lot lot stronger on the mothership angle, I need to do more pullups and lockoffs to really be where I want to be in terms of static moves, but I am moving fairly well compared to my previous thrutching attempts.

2nd - Cheddar!

On Sunday Tombi and I made the trip down to Cheddar for the day. I wanted to have a look at a couple of 7c's but after a poor start, where I was spanked by a 7a+ followed by a schooling on a 6b problem (which I sent out of sheer bloody mindedness - hardest 6b in the gorge?), I decided that today was not a day for pulling hard. So instead I fooled myself into believing I could make a decent effort on 'Insatiable' (7b+) on the Wave. As it was I made all the moves many times, but just kept running out of gas on the top moves. The bottom of the problem is a semi pumpy flat jug fest, then a long reach out to a vertical finger pocket and a battle against a combination of polish, barn dooring and stamina to the top. Unfortunately I lost the latter fight about 4 times before I called it a day.

Hanging just below the crux on Insatiable - Beautiful weather

Just after I stopped a couple of strong locals came and flashed it. One with my clips (then stripped it for me) and the other went up putting the clips in...Kinda inspiring and a little deflating in equal measure.

I am hoping to go back tomorrow to finish it off...but...

3rd - TCA today (trying some of the comp problems again)

So I got bored today and decided that instead of sitting around doing nothing I should go and do some sort of training. I headed off to TCA, stripped a trio of problems as a light warmup, then got on a couple of circuits, day flashing the two two 6b+ circuits. I then attempted the supposed 7a+/(7c) circuit and pumped out hard.

I thought my session was going to be over quickly after that but I tried some of the problems I had decided to project and, after many attempts, achieved both. The first was a crimpy, dynamic problem up the front of the mothership (really happy to have managed this problem - it was later sent first attempt by some strong locals - b@stards, I spoke to one later and it turns out he almost did a V13 up in Parisella's cave, so I don't feel too bad about it :-P)

I then managed to send the 18th comp problem which I was really happy about, it involves a tough dynamic span between the two highest volumes you can see in the picture below then a bit of grovelling afterwards. Unfortunately I fell off this move in the comp leading to the annoying position in the rankings

Great volumes, with any luck Will (who makes them for his company Climbing Wall Solutions) will have uploaded the video of my repeat attempt to facebook or the like sometime in the near future and I can link it to here)

The cool new volumes that I climbed on :-) That is Will in the photo though. And a different problem.

TCA Comp Tomorrow

Really psyched for the comp tomorrow,

I was having a chat with Mr. Emmett about the problems today and watched him attempt them, they look really good so I can't wait to give them a shot.

I think I mayt also get there a bit early so I can go grab a new pair of shoes from Dick's Climbing before I start competing.

Both my other pair of miuras have a nice hole on the toe of the right foot, which is a bit shit really...Apparently hasnt stopped me climbing hardish, but what could I do with a new pair?

Trying to find some people to partner me outdoors in cheddar on sunday too, not being very lucky finding some commitment, but you never know, someone might take a punt.

Adieu

A couple of climbs

So after my last post on Monday I went to TCA and had a proper go at the Mothership, I hate that angle and I cant climb for shit on it. As such I was chewed up and spat off the holds. Inspiring me to get stronger fingers though.

I think I have an imbalance between my first two fingers and the ring fingers on both hands, which leads to injuries to those fingers and overloading on the first two. Hopefully if I keep training on three finger open handed holds then they will toughen up and I'll be a pro...

Today I took an hour or so and went to Bathford to try out this climb.

And it is certainly as hard as he makes it sound.

I made the first few moves (which he makes look easy-they really arent) but didn't manage to get the crux move (the move through with the right hand followed by throw to the jug.

The last left hand hold is alright but very hard to get your hand into with the crossthrough, coupled with that is the way it is held puts a lot of pressure down the ring finger...which didn't fill me with chuckles. I'm sure I can do it at some point but it is hard and not often in condition (surprised it was alright today actually, maybe it could be a wet weather keeper)

Anyways, I gave up after a wasp flew out of the crux left hand pocket. We went up there last year and they swarmed when Jonny accidentally bothered them, so I wasn't too interested in exploring their potential nest...

I'm going to go to TCA tomorrow it seems, hopefully I'll manage to put in a decent performance and maybe tick a couple more reds.

Next aim is to get on The Slick Red Road to G'dansk in Cheddar when I can and finish up on the year's target.

thuper thyched!

First lecture of the Uni season today, next one is on thursday...my timetable rocks.

Worked on Sat/Sun, had a great day on sunday listening to Led Zep all day which made a change.

Climbed last friday, went ok, didnt set the world on fire or anything like that.

I set up my fingerboard now, two holds screwed on to a plank, starting to do repeaters and many more pullups.

to be honest I'm not really feeling this blog update, I'm going climbing later and there isnt really much to put in here...

Going to SIBL.