29.11.07

i'm back in the climbgym finally. After basically two full weeks off, i went in on Tues. and again today. Very interesting sessions. The nagging pain in my finger is largely gone (although i'm still eschewing any locked-down finger nail crimps on my left hand) and the bicep tendonitis is gone insofar as i can tell. But i have about zero endurance. Very odd how it's going. i went in and sat under a v2 that'd thrown me maybe 5 times on tues., and i stared at it for a few seconds today. Sent it as soon as i could tighten my shoes without breathing hard. Then i spent some time and worked a v3 with a couple other guys and finally sent that; but i was outta juice by the third burn. Very odd, that. i sent cuz i wired it in my head and outclimbed the burn, but it was strange how fast the burn came. Then i got a couple of 2s i'd done before, and a new unrated that'll probably clock in at 2+ or 3-. i just haven't felt anywhere near 100% in a long time, and my head hasn't been totally there either. i feel a long way off of sending v5, but who knows?

Also i bought "King Lines" today, and i highly recommend it for some amazing climbing. It's inspired me to drop 20 or 30 lbs.

23.11.07

Little catchup here. Tonight i went in and climbed a bit. Mostly just to keep the joints warmed up. Felt kinda weak. Finger didn't bug me much, but i just didn't feel very great. Last night i went in to the irongym for one of the most uninspired workouts i've done in a long time. At any rate, i did some shrugs, rows, and bench. In fact, i'm kinda sore today, so i'm glad i took it real easy. i need to get back into it. Also got a couple of really good runs in the last week. i think i'll feel better if i can just ever catch up on sleep.

17.11.7 Downward Spiral

Done clumb on on thurs. evening, and it was kinda bad. Did snag a v3 and a "v2" that'd bucked me the previous 7 or 8 tries. That's a fun problem. But my right bicep is no longer resorting to vengeful sorties of tendonitis; she's threatening to secede from the union. i'm crimping in my right hand at about 50%, and the tendon pulley in my left middle finger didn't even like pumping up a blood pressure cuff yesterday. i'm going to take about two weeks off from anything like hard pulling, and see if that's enough time to heal. Presently, there ain't no way i'm gunna tag a 5 'fore January. If i can heal in two weeks back to nearly 100%, i think i can pull it off. As it is, i'm going further in the hole every time i climb. i'm hoping i can use the time productively and lose some weight on the bike and running. i went in and shopped Orbea bikes yesterday. Them's some pretty bicycles. Think i'm gonna go for an Ora. Anyhow, 15 Nov. is the last day i climbed. That means i'm off 'till about the 29th. It's the weight room and the trail for me.

13.11.7

Well. Two days after tearing it down like i've rarely torn it down, James talked me into squeezing a session in tonight. Didn't take much talking me into it; there are a lot o' problems i should'a ticked at the comp that i either screwed up cuz o' nerves, or else was just too fried to do by the time i tried 'em. Climbed through screaming tendonitis in my right bicep, and had to basically tape the tendons in my left middle finger to the bone so that it would sorta clutch things, but i sent a couple o' v3s, several 2s, and a whole bunch of 1s. Most of the climbs that just had points on 'em at the comp were rated tonight, and i had a good laugh. i was falling off of over-rated 1s and 0s 3/4 of the way through. Presently, i'm finishing up a glass of vin to wash down 600 of motrin. i'm not so confident about that v5 before Jan. as i've got about 1.5 mos. to do it in, and i really, really need about a month off to heal my tendons. i absolutely know i've already got the strength to send 5, but i'm gonna have to be close to 100%, and i don't have much time left to heal. If i can find something (non-destructive) to distract my dumb self with for two weeks or so, i might just pull it off.

Also, i did about an hour run earlier today.

11.11.7

Well, i had my comp yesterday. Gotta say that, number-wise for me, it was appalling. Totally fried myself trying to link up a v4, and then didn't have the juice left to score a handful of climbs i definitely should'a walked. Very angry at me was i. Other than that, however, it was a riot. You gotta do this thing next year. Good times. Lots of fun problems; huge number of folks from every ability level; lots of cheerleaders and beta-trading; free beer and barbeque afterward. And i won a chalk pot to boot.

i am sore in every muscle in my body, as i can honestly say that this was my first sustained four-hour v-hard climbing workout. i tore down some lesser constituent of my rotator cuff, my left finger (with the previous damage) is begging me for a month to heal, and i'm seriously having trouble typing just now. i will definitely have to find time to do that more often.

So very, very, very bad game plan notwithstanding, it was a helluva workout, and i see very clearly that i need to start lifting again (specially core and upper arms), doing more endurance work (i.e., dense, sustained moderates) and taking a bit more rest time (read: porter my fat ass out the do', and onto the track).

i will climb v5 before January. Oh yes, i will.

tues. 7.11.7 -taper

Weighed in at 202.6 yesterday, which is a two lb. loss from the week before. Last night James and i went for a last bouldering session 'fore the comp. i took two days off before yesterday, and i'll have three days off before sat. i'm hoping to be largely healed and strong. Took a long time to warm up yesterday, but i felt stronger than ever after i did. warmed up on a 2, then walked a 3 i'd done before. Then we went into the cave and started working a super contrived problem that this group of guys pieced together and was working: huge throw from underneath a roof to a pinch on the lip of it crimp ladder to the ceiling. The throw was the crux as you really need a 7ft. wingspan to hit it comfortably. But i snagged it second try (stretched to the absolute capacity of my li'l glenoids, with half a finger pad left on the start hold) for the f.a. and then sat and cheered them on for rest of the time. Probably goes at hard 2 for 6+footers and hard 3 for sub-sixers.

i'm afraid i'm gonna lose most of my projects to the comp, since they'll be clearing a lotta wall space for new routes, but that's ok. Need some fresh routes. Still, there'll be a couple i'll have bad dreams about. And James'll be leaving me in a few weeks. Bummed am i. But he'll surely be happier in a place that isn't here.

3/11/7

340 lbs.

Today i was jonesing for a workout, and wanted to see what the guns felt like after a whole off day. Definitely not back to 100 por ciento, pero fue quiza a 85ish. It made for a good workout actually. i'm not very disciplined, you see, so if i've got it in me, i climb the hardest things my li'l hands will hold on to and then go home every single time i go in. Today i started with a burn on the Nemesis v3, saw right off the bat that they wuz no way in hizzell i was gonna get that last hold, and i got on with climbing every v0 and v1 i came across. i concentrated on climbing as efficiently and easily as i could, for to stretch it out as long as i could; and when i got sloppy, i dropped off the route. It made for a white hot burn in my forearms that i haven't experienced in a long time. Also i'm sore in some very odd muscles (each of which my viscious chilluns discovered with eerie efficiency whereupon they'd mercilessly jam one of their bony appendages into it as if to exorcise it) including my left iliopsoas, which is presently preventing me from lifting that leg off the ground. Excellent workout.

Also i signed up fer th' Yank 'n' Yard today. Very excited am i.

And to answer your question 'bout the plyo, etc., i've been stretching rather extensively, and have recently added in some calf stretches to the routine, which has seemingly done a lot of good for that achilles tendon. Haven't put any twisting force on it to test it (and don't plan to), but i've noticed that it doesn't hurt me when i land now, even from some pretty big drops.

And if you decide at the last minute that making 700 C in one day maybe isn't the answer to your spiritual quest after all, you're still welcome to haul that up here and climb with me. My mother in law even said she wants to go watch it. Be a good time.

2.11.7

Today, on a whim, i clumb again. Wanted to see how i felt, and i wanted to move. Got one of the best workouts i've had in a while. And i only got the finish hold on one route, which i'd done before. The v3 that has vexed me for some weeks now came into view today. i don't know if this is the most sandbagged route i've yet tried (and i've gotten some concensus that it is fa' shizzle sandbagged) or if it just requires such a specific kind of strength, but it's hard. It's not extremely long-- maybe 7 moves-- but there isn't one positive hold on it; only big pinches and a sloper, and no rests. Plus it starts under a roof, and ends on a second roof. But today i established 4 times on penult pinch/sloper combo, which i hadn't even been able to touch before. It's just that when i'd get there i'm so scrunched that i can't let go for the last hold without sproinging to my doom. i think i can do it, but i'll hafta be able to forget about the fall.

Then i got way into another route that'll definitely be either 4 or 5. Made for a good day. Nice warm failure; no debilitating injuries.