Building it all up

Chimes of Freedom 8a+

Although not going on any trips for this first part of the year I've been super busy, with basically training. I'm conscience of the standard rising all around me in competitions and I feel like I'm at the age that I really start pushing myself for example, I've started fingerboarding regularly, which paid off this week were I sent Tuppence Ha'penny 8b+ and managed to do the uber-crimpy start of Fisherman's Tail another instance was sending Chimes Of Freedom 8a+ at Raven Tor which was my first hard route on Peak limestone and I hope there will be many more to come!

Zaff Skoczylas 7C

Also when I'm up in Sheffield I get out on the gritsone. It truly is a great rock and I've found it really hard to adjust my typical powerful limestone style to the intricate nature of grit. It was hard and some days I'd just go away feeling really demoralised especially when I ended up making my finger bleed and freezing cold after failing on Electrical Storm 7B, although that is one I'm going to have to get back to. However I had done some really memorable problems for example doing this high arête when Dad wasn't looking!

Training at the Works

Life in a Radioactive Dustbin

I got four days in the couple months and finally in the fourth day at Stanage it all clicked. It was with the GB bouldering team and we where given a Hueco rock rodeo format to try to send as many problems as possible, warming up on pebble arête one of the most beautiful climbs on grit. The business boulder was next and I tried Jerry's Traverse 7C which was a power-endurance traverse done by the famous Jerry Moffat. Sam Whittaker was there to give me beta so that really helped and I soon figured out the easiest sequence, not long later I sent it but had to dig really hard to get it and it felt right at my limit. I then got Green Slap 7A which I couldn't touch last time I tried it. Their was one problem that I wanted to do that day and it was Brad Pitt 7C, I'd tried it last year and got close falling on the final move. This year though one of the holds was damp and everyone was saying it would be impossible! I was psyched though and the main holds where dry so I gave it a shot, first go I got to the last move, that was when I realise it would go. With some great encouragement from the rest of the team I managed to stick it on my fifth go!

Boulder Training at the Works

Brad Pitt

I've also had lots of training days with the various teams. Everyone I've come back refreshed with new motivation and new ideas on how to train. I've met some great people during these and its been really fun training with some of the best climbers in the world. Another reason for going up to Sheffield was the CWIF which was a great competition and team psych( James, Ed, Alexia and myself) where in high spirits!

So its the Easter holidays are here what I've been working towards. I think I've trained well, first with lots of volume now recently getting in lots of hard redpoints and bouldering however I'm still nervous to see if it pays off. Lets hope it does!

Also thanks to Dewerstone Lifestyle for supplying me and Luke with some great clothes.

Over the Moon!