Thursday 17 May 2012

A nice send off before the exams

Having never really got anywhere with sport climbing before, the recent month of hyperactivity in this aspect of climbing has seen me launch from failing to lead 7a at Malham, to four 7b redpoints in three days. After climbing the bouldery 'The White Zone' at Troller's Gill, i returned to Malham and despatched my 'long term' project of 'Wasted Youth' on what was either the 3rd or 4th redpoint. I also led, putting the clips in, Consenting (7a) and Free and Even Easier (7a+) on the day too which was nice.
We returned to Troller's and i got back on Hoodoo Guru and sent that first go of the day, 2nd redpoint, putting in the clips. After a short rest i dogged up 'Cold Turkey' and then redpointed that first go. Finishing the day with a couple of laps on Barguest Direct/Jim Grin.

Im delighted with my progress (even though every man and his dog climbs 8a on bolts), however, i think the thing that pleases me the most is that over the last couple of days i've become psyched to 'get stuff done' and not settle for the minimum requirement, i.e just doing Hoodoo Guru and then chilling out, which ultimately earned me a second 7b in an evening. Likewise, i'm delighted that i recover so effectively after climbing; it wasn't long ago that if i climbed a route of 7a or such, i'd be too tired to achieve anything else on the day. I'm not sure what's changes really, even when i was climbing this regularly in the past i would struggle to do several routes that i found 'hard' in a day.

Really psyched to actually project something now (7c/7c+), with some onsight burns on 7a/7a+/7b to get warmed up at crags and keep me thinking for trad. I suppose there has to be a spanner in the works though and there is, exams for the next 2 weeks. Oh well, rest up and store the psyche. I'd like to climb a proper 7c before i leave Leeds in early July and with my gains in the last month, this is certainly achievable.

Not sure what i want to try, a friend is just starting on 'New Dawn' (7c) at Malham, so i may go along with that as it's a classic, apparently! I feel like doing something hard at Trollers too, as it has never let me down that place, even though i struggle to get my regular climbing partner interested in going there. Perhaps Angel Heart (7c/+) or Tinderbox (7c+) would be good to play on? Who knows, should put a rope down and see!  

1 comment:

Adam Hughes said...

Get on Angel Heart, it's not that hard once you know how. I can give you the knowledge!