Long time no gym

January 24, 2006

I hadn't climbed at all since Sedona over Thanksgiving and there I didn't do anything harder than 5.9. I also hadn't worked out at all in two weeks and just weak and heavy. But you aren't going to get any better unless you start putting in some work. Hence, I met Tom and Judy at the BRC at 6:30 a.m.

I just did whatever route Judy did, as Tom was lightyears ahead of me. I did a 5.8 and then a 5.9 to warm up. Then Judy jumped on a 5.10, not even a 5.10-. I followed suit and with the beta, avoided a bad hold near the top with a big reach and got the flash. Next was a 5.11a/b. Judy hung on it a couple of times. I went next and got up to the penultimate clip before coming off. Then I noticed I was only tied in via my waist loop. That was uncomfortable, so I lowered off to fix it. I got the route clean on my next go, skipping the last clip. I made the top of the route and hung on for quite awhile, but was unable to clip. I went for a pretty good ride when I came off because I had skipped that last clip. I called it good and moved on.

Next was a 5.11- route that was slopey and insecure with some tricky clips. I onsighted the route through all the clips to the very last move, before coming off. I wasn't grabbing the final hold right.

That was the end of the success. Next I tried a 5.11+ (what was I thinking?). I hung three times and got really burnt out. I finished with a 5.11- in a dihedral that should have played to my strengths, but I had no strength left. I hung once, but climbed it horribly and was completely desperate the whole way. I was just gone and called it a morning and came to work.

Bill