Climbing Challenge

In order to re-kindle my enthusiasm for climbing, which for whatever reason had taken a back seat to fell-running and the Bob Graham Round in particular for much of 2004 and basically all of 2005, I decided to set myself a climbing goal for a change.

The goal had to be something that had definite steps whereby I could measure my progress, and of course climbing is ideal for this - “Week 15 - redpointed my first F7a.” “Week 19 - on-sighting F7a, almost getting my first F7a+.” and so on.

A thread on Rocktalk about the number of UK climbers who had climbed F8a got me thinking: If I put my mind to it, how hard could I climb within one year? There was an end point - one year from the present (Bonfire Night - 5th Nov 2005 as I write this) - definite steps by which I could measure my progress and an open ended goal. Perhaps not ideal but it would have to do. Since I had never really aimed at bolted routes as an end in themselves, always using them as training for naturally protected routes, why not see how far up that particular scale I could go?

So what are the starting conditions? Well, as of now (November 2005), I am:

Am mid forties in age.
Weigh 85Kg
Have not climbed for four months!!
probably capable of onsighting F6b
lacking in stamina
Used to be able to onsight E5 or F7a+

I still have other ambitions outside climbing for the coming year, notably the Paddy Buckley Round in North Wales, but as far as climbing goes, I now intend to commit to this challenge. So this page will become a blog (in the current jargon) of my training and efforts to see how far I can get. I don’t for a moment think that I will get to F8a but it will be interesting to see just how close...

Rather than rushing headlong through the grades, some consolidation is required at each step. So I intend to complete at least five routes at each grade before moving on to attempt any harder routes.

The diary will be in reverse order with the newest items at the top. There are embedded links to both running and climbing diaries in the log.

April 2006

Saturday 15: A trip to Clwyd Limestone with Mike and Steve. Did seven routes from HVS to E4 including some bolted stuff. Didn't lead anything as I haven't got my head in gear yet, I should have lead the E1 that we did before I got too tired.
Thursday 13: A six mile run to the top of the local fell and back. The ground was much drier than on Saturday and was slightly faster.
Wednesday 12: An evening in the gloom and showers at Malham. Made a well dogged ascent of Rose Coronary (7a). Not ideal conditions as the wind was blowing the rain onto the rock and everything was a bit damp. Fingers still sore from Sunday.
Tuesday 11: A seven mile run round Ilkley on the club night. Mostly off-road in heavy ground so quite good for fitness.
Sunday 9: We were going to go to Ingleton Wall but as we were on the way there, the weather improved dramatically so we ended up at Malham. After doing the warm-up route a couple of times we went onto Frankenstein (7a+) which is really crimpy. Didn’t make a good showing of it. Also played around on Rose Coronary (7a) which I think will do as a first target.
Saturday 8: A six mile run to the top of the local fell and back. The ground was very boggy and hard work
Wednesday 5: A six mile run to the top of the local fell and back. Pretty dry underfoot, plus I am feeling a lot better on this now.
Tuesday 4: Did a nine mile run round Ilkley on the club run. Mostly on-road with about a mile on paths. Went with a faster group which seems to have done good for my tired legs!

March 2006

Friday 31: The usual nine miler on the roads round home. Again felt tired.
Wednesday 29: A trip down to the Peak District. Cold and windy, only did four routes at Stanage before moving to the more sheltered Lawrencefield Quarry where we did three more before the rain started. All the routes were VS - you could hardly feel the huge holds.
Tuesday 28: Weather is still really bad so not getting out. Did some weights at home.
Sunday 26: The six miles up the fell and back. Again the new fell shoes giving me a bit of grief.
Saturday 25: Back to the usual nine mile run on roads. Despite it being a pleasant day I felt weary and was surprised to do a reasonable time.
Wednesday 22: Another steady five mile run on the roads around home.
Sunday 19: A day at Eastby Crag in the wind. Did the usual suspects - nothing above HVS. A bit odd to be out on rock.
Saturday 18: To the top of the fell and back. This time it was about six miles as I took in the whole of the local fell race. Wore new fell shoes which are giving a bit of friction on one heel.
Tuesday 14: A good run down to the station and back.
Monday 13: Back to the usual five mile run on the roads around home. Just steady recovery.
Saturday 11: Half Tour of Pendle - again very boggy and felt like hard work. Just outside the target time of 90mins.
Tuesday 7: Club run, this time hill reps over about 8 miles total distance.
Saturday 4: A ten mile run over Barden Moor in very wet conditions. Found it hard work.
Thursday 2: Another cold run over nine miles. Didn’t cut the run short this time.

February 2006

Tuesday 28: An 8 mile run on the roads in very cold conditions.
Sunday 26: Ilkley Fell Race. Didn't do too badly but tweeked my ankle again on one of the last descents.
Saturday 25: The usual 9 miler on the roads around home.
Tuesday 21: Tuesday night so a club run of 8 miles round Ilkley.
Sunday 19: A 5.5 mile run out to the top of the local fell and back.
Saturday 18: The 9 mile run again. This time in a new best time.
Wednesday 15: Did my now standard 9 mile run in a pretty good time.
Sunday 12: A run into town to get the car back after a night out! Running on roads is fine - it’s just off-road that I have problems with the ankle.
Also went to Ingleton wall for a couple of hours. Again not surprisingly I wasn't too good but things will improve. I certainly need to improve the length of time between getting warm and becoming pumped!
Saturday 11: Intended to do the Wadsworth Trog - a twenty miler but tweeked my ankle again after a couple of miles so decided to retire. Not much pain - I could jog back to the start - but I wasn’t prepared to run another 15 miles or so on the rough ground ahead.
Thursday 9: A good run to the station and back, especially the return.
Tuesday 7: A steady run with the club as a recovery run from the weekend.
Monday 6: Over to the next village and back for a meeting.
Saturday 4: Rombalds Stride - a twenty five mile LDWA event. Did pretty well but was fading towards the end.
Thursday 2: To the station and back - feeling fresher.
Wednesday 1: A jog around the nine mile run on the roads around home in a new best time.

January 2006

Tuesday 24: The usual short run at a steady pace as we are off skiing for a few days in the morning.
Monday 23: Ran down to the station and back.
Saturday 21: Finally some climbing! Not that I was very good :-( Went to Giggleswick South and did around half a dozen routes in the F5 to F6b range.
Friday 20: Ran back from the station in very windy conditions. Feeling a bit of a tweek in my ITB, hmm.
Thursday 19: Ran down to the station
Tuesday 17: Eight mile run round Ilkley with the club.
Sunday 15: Did a longer (and hillier) run on the roads around home.
Friday 13: Ran back from the station - just took it steady.
Thursday 12: After a day on site (which I really didn't want) I needed a run to unwind so did the usual short run in virtually the same time as yesterday.
Wednesday 11: The standard five miler again. In a good time for once. I will have to start on the weights again otherwise this is beginning to look like a training diary for running!
Monday 9: A very windy seven miles on the roads round home. Didn't feel in the best of shape.
Sunday 8: Garstang 10K - didn’t do too badly considering. Just four seconds slower than last year.
Friday 6: The four and a half miles back from the station to home. Quite surprised at the time as it is mainly uphill and I was wearing a sack.
Thursday 5: Did four and a half miles down to the station to pick the car up.
Tuesday 3: The nine miler round home in a new best time. Starting to feel a bit better. Will get back on the weights tomorrow after the Christmas layoff.
Sunday 1: The usual five miler again. A bit slow as I am still feeling a bit under the weather.

December 2005

Saturday 31: The Auld Lang Syne race. Tweeked my ankle yet again and generally felt below par.
A bit of a mixed month - I was doing well in the first half then sprained my ankle out on the fells so with taking it easy along with the festive season has meant that much of the early work has been undone.
Friday 30: The usual five miler but in rather icy conditions. Not been able to get out in the evening due to the weather and not wanting to take another flyer.
Monday 26: Kildwick Biathalon: Had a puncture on the bike part and tweeked my ankle near the end of the run so not a good day out all in all.
Saturday 24: The standard five miler in daylight for once. First run out since twisting my ankle - no real problems with it but then there shouldn’t be since the run was on roads.
Saturday 17: Did leg 2 (Honister - Wasdale) of the Bob Graham as pacer on a winter attempt. Twisted my ankle at about halfway into the run and then went over on it again a couple of times. Not good!
Wednesday 14: The standard five miler in full moonlight. It was almost like daylight!
Tuesday 13: Did a five mile run of hill efforts. Quite hard work as I was in a tougher group of runners than normal.
Sunday 11: Leg 4 of the Calderdale Relay which was just over 9 miles. Not a quick time but didn't lose too many places.
Friday 9: The standard five miler but this time a bit quicker. The scarring from yesterday isn't too much of a problem.
Thursday 8: A seven mile hill run round home. There were a few frost pockets around so I took it steady but even so I took a flyer on a bend and have a nice lack of skin to show for it! The ITB was a bit sore this evening - will have to cut back on leg exercises in the gym.
Wednesday 7: Gym session. Still keeping the weights down until I get used to them again. Did one or two leg exercises as well as the shoulder stuff but felt a twinge in my ITB that I had strained last year so a bit of a worry. Lots of stretching should keep it at bay but will need to keep an eye on it.
Tuesday 6: A seven mile run round Ilkley with the club. Just steady going.
Sunday 4: Bolton by Bowland fell race. An eight miler over very boggy ground. I am still suffering from this cold so was quite pleased to come 86th which was about halfway down the field.
Saturday 3: First session in the gym. Cut down on the weights that I had been using the last time that I visited (a year ago) to avoid injury. Concentrated on shoulders.
Friday 2: The usual five miler again. Still suffering from the last week’s cold as I was coughing and spluttering all the way round!

November 2005

Tuesday 29: Did the usual five miler in cool conditions. Just took it very steady as this is the first exercise for nearly a week due to having a cold. Thought that I was slow, in fact I was deliberately so, but it turned out that I had run slower the other week!
Tuesday 22nd: Should have gone running but have started with one of the colds that is doing the rounds at the moment. With luck, once this is over, I won’t have lost too much fitness.
Monday 21st: A good light weights session at home. Should begin to go to the gym this week to start ramping the training up a bit.
Sunday 20th: A three hour Trailquest (Orienteering on a Mountain Bike) on the Furness peninsular. Cold and very muddy. Came fourth in our class.
Saturday 19th: The Tour of Pendle - a really hard race, 17 miles with six big climbs. Just got inside my target time of 3 1/2 hours. Didn’t eat properly so bonked after around two hours.
Thursday 17th: The standard five miler in sub-zero temperatures. Just jogged round gently as I have a race on Saturday.
Wednesday 16th: A few weights and circuits. The weights are definitely feeling lighter already.
Tuesday 15th: A nine mile club run on the roads.
Sunday 13th: Did a recce for a fell race next week. A good 9.5 miles on rough, wet ground.
Saturday 12th: Some light weights and circuits.
Friday 11th: The standard five miler in very windy conditions.
Wednesday 9th: A few lightish weights in the morning. Did the standard 5 miler this evening at a quicker pace than earlier in the week. One area that I can improve on immediately is my flexibility which I have let slip for some time now. I think that I am going to need all the help I can get!
Monday 7th: Another slow steady run. This time just five miles on the roads in very windy conditions. Also did a set of twenty press-ups.
Sunday 6th: Have decided that the best way to improve my fitness and strength is to carry on running but for the first couple of weeks at least, do bodyweight exercises (press-ups, crunches and the like) at home before heading for the gym and starting full workouts. This way, I hope will not lead to injuries from the usual “overdoing it at the start”. So today I did a nine mile run at a steady pace on the roads, ensuring that my HR was nice and low.