Saturday 28 January 2012

Hitting The Wall

     Within a few months of starting climbing I was sketching my way up the odd VS and bouldering at about 5a/b.  Several years later I am leading the odd VS and bouldering at about 5c/6a!  I've plateaued massively, preferring to stay at my comfortable limit (I'm steady on VS now) rather than risk failure on anything that requires a modicum of effort.  I don't think my problem is technique or even strength, although I am pretty weak, it's a mental issue.  I've hit a wall and need to try something a little different.  To this end I am hoping this blog will help inspire me to push myself a little more, to try a little harder.  After several months of very little climbing it's time to get active.  I'm writing this at the start of my push to improve my grade, have a more adventurous attitude and hopefully achieve some of the goals I set myself when I first got into this game.  I hope there'll eventually be some exciting exploits here for you to read about.

     Bit of a double meaning to the post-name here anywho, here's a bit I wrote beginning of the year about some indoor antics :

     I rarely go to climbing walls but hearing about the new bouldering centre in Middlesbrough I thought Id go check it out on the day it opened and I have to say, I was pretty impressed.  Although it isn't particularly large there's a decent variety there with a few slabs and vertical sections and lots of overhangs.  I have heard the number of routes has increased dramatically since my visit (one of my main criticisms) and I aren't too sure about the system they are using for the circuits and grading but the holds are rough as ya like and its a good height.  If anything it felt a little too high but that's just me being a wuss.
     In the weeks after visiting Middlesbrough I had the opportunity to go to a similar centre in Durham.  This place is amazing.  Loads of wall space, really high but with good mats, a coffee shop, music, I can't praise the place enough really, and it was very reasonably priced (cheaper than a first visit to boro!).  The problems here are graded with V grades which I like, but with no technical grade.  I was chuffed to flash some v3's and 4's but I would guess they're a little on the soft side.
     Although I doubt I will become a regular wall user this was a bit of an eye opener for me, if I wasn't so skint all the time these would be excellent facilities for wet weather and evening training.
     I'll have to get myself a fingerboard!