Immersion therapy

Yesterday i got to go to Los Conchas with a couple o' friends. (That's the place we camped). That was a good time. Tried that 10d/11a beside the easy 6, but i melted down--maybe 5 feet from the chains. Took a 10 foot fall, but swung into this scooped out bit in the rock and whacked it with my knee. That opened me up pretty good. Nasty lookin' scar that'll leave. Anyhow, i got back on and finished it; but it was a li'l bit frustrating that i didn't get the send. i just wasted too much energy figuring out the bottom sequence. Got me a flash pump, and couldn't shake it out. There was chalk caked on literally every possible bump and nubbin below the second bolt, and by the time i tried out ten different sequences, i was fried. i did get back on a few minutes later, and got it in a go on toprope, but i should have had it on lead. Blah...i'm whining about being in one of the prettiest places in the state, and getting to climb on a perfect day. Still though, i've got a grudge against that route.

Today i got us a year-long family membership at the pool. Did kinda' the same swim--5 x 100s on a 2:00 interval--but this time i added in an extra 500m of straight swimming for 1,600 total. i wasn't sure i could pull off 500 without drowning, but i kept making turns and feeling good 'til i was done (even if i may have been a li'l pokey). That's encouraging. Gives me high hopes i could swim 1K soon.

Tomorrow i'm hoping to take a break from the straight-legs, and do a ME on regular deads. i'm gonna be a tad mo' conservative and see if i can break 405 proper. Turned out 450 was a li'l too big a jump.

You guys need to come up here this summer for another man-weekend. Conchas rocks. we started on that 5.6 and just worked our way down the rock. Ended up doing six or eight routes between 5.6 and 5.9. Lots of chilled-out, easy climbing with nice views. That was a breath of oxygen.

Sunday add-on:

Got me a PR on regular deads yesterday. Got a double with 405, then (finally) got a single with 410. And i got it listening to soul music. i'm developing a new superstition. Missed 425, but i think it'd go. Got 'er to my knees, but i couldn't lock it out. i needed some ammonia and someone screaming obscenities at me. Also worked up to 3 with 90 on weighted pull-ups: a clean single and 2 negatives. Reasonable workout. Low back is sore today. m' decrepit fingers are also starting to thaw a li'l bit.Might be some hard climbing again in the foreseeable future.