Spain 3 and The Next Step

The rain kept coming, we climbed when we could so it was not a total disaster. I hurt my hand on a pocket on a 8a+. Have climbed on it since though, doesn't seem too bad. All in all it was a good trip. Good banter and fun and a some quality sport climbing:

Mark trying Pota Da Elephant 7c+

Lu and Kodo

Lu on Kalea Borokka 8b+, 40 metres. Hopefully she'll do it soon:

Cattell cousin Bob on Cara:



In Spain i gave my climbing some serious thought. Things have been going ok since i finished working in Lancaster in September. My level has stayed at a reasonable standard. They're have been hardly any fluctuations that have often dogged my climbing over the years. I think finally my body has adjusted to the increases in weight that it has had to endure as a result of puberty and my sweet tooth. If you keep telling your body to climb and pull hard sooner or later it will start to listen. So feeling pretty good after only minimal training and being over 12 stone is quite a good position to be in. My plan over the next few months is to up the ante. It is my desire to get to the next level and i believe this can be achieved by climbing and training more and adopting a more healthy lifestyle. So barring any major injuries (touch wood) i will aim to climb twice a day 4/5 times a week. The areas i am interested in improving are finger strength, power, and power endurance. I feel as though gains in these areas will benefit me the most. Training wise i will attempt to get to the mill and Matts board at least 3 times a week. Here i will work on the srength stuff obviously but i also plan on starting some resistance circuits which should improve my power endurance no end. I plan to attempt to complete 5 problems on the steep mill board dropping off at the top and pulling straight back on at the bottom. I should be failing on problem 3/4 to begin with and then 5. I'll keep going until i've completed it and then make it harder. Hopefully in den grades the problems should be 7a+/b, 7a+, 7a, 6c+, 6c. Also i may set a circuit in which i stay on the board with a relatively easy downclimb. To link two tricky problems on the Mill would be good training. Now my shoulders better i can also start deadhaning my small bit of wood again. Ten sets of ten seconds four times a week should suffice. I'm gonna keep going out to the crags. I have resistance projects to try in the cave and Pill Box. As well as getting me in shape these will provide hard ticks when they go down. I'm also well keen for some sport routes so i'll get on my projects as often as i can. I have several climbs that i have bolted and it would be cool to complete some first ascents. Maybe the most improtant plan i have is to stop eating copious amounts of cheescake, chocolate, pizzas and sweets. I need to become more healthy and hopefully if i get back on my old diet of fresh fish, veg, rice etc.. i may even lose a few pounds and this will be extremely beneficial. It certainly would be nice to say bye bye to the 'podge'. So there you have it the masterplan. Whether i can stick to it or not and avoid injury remains to be seen. All i know right now is that the psyche raging through my body is as strong as it has ever been.