So, what’s been going on with my climbing and running in 2015?

Back Problems
I’ve had a back problem bothering me for much of this year so far. After period of being hunched over a laptop for a good while working on photos back in August/September last year, my back had been bothering me, and it all kind of came to a head in Feburary this year. After a consultation with an osteopath, I was advised to lay off the running a bit to let it heal. Going from 25km / 4 runs a week to nothing is a bit of a shock to the system!

Sadly it ruined my chance to run in the 2015 Sheffield half marathon which I’d been looking forward to, but also totalled my running holiday plans (which I should have been flying out to tomorrow!). However, some good news: I went for a gentle run / walk on Sunday, and another on Tuesday and I seem to be doing ok. It’s not 100% better, but I’m starting to get optimistic… *crosses fingers*

More Bouldering
Luckily, despite the back issues, I’ve been able to keep on bouldering (although a little rebellious part of me keeps suggesting that perhaps this isn’t helping with the back issues.  Shut up!) and my form is slowly starting to return.  I feel like I’m back at about 6b (indoor!) right now, getting the odd more difficult climb in, style dependent.  Liz and I have got a little book we share for ticking them off as we go, which is a marvellous motivator sometimes, if a little train spotter-like!

We’ve also started to get a little bit of strength training in, starting with just simple sets of pull-ups.  I’m managing 5 reps of 3 now, and should probably start to increase that soon.  We really should add some more exercises to that, but by the time we’re doing it, we really want to be heading home and getting food!   Lazy… 😉

Fontainebleau Again
At the end of the year I’m going to Fontainebleau again :D.  Not with the Bristol lot as usual (who are actually there right as a I type) but with my Sheffield friends instead.  None of them have been there before, so I’ll be the one with the knowledge, so to speak.  That might be interesting…

Either way, I’m really looking forward to it, and the bread and cheese!

We are staying in a gite at Maisonbleau where I stayed with Lorraine, Jim and Rowan last time I went.  It was pretty good before and not too far from the Buthier rocks, and a short car ride to the Les Trois Pignons  which has a lifetime of climbing available.   Last time I was in Font, I managed to complete a number of 6a’s.  I’m hopefully that a good year of training might see me up that grade a little bit.

New Shoes

I’ve been climbing for the past 2 years with a part of Evolve bandits, which although they serve me well, do really bad things to one of my toenails on my right foot (i.e. continually break the toe nail in half! Eep).  It’s probably about time I replaced them to be honest (plus they really really stink…) so it was time to go find some more.

I really, really, really dislike buying new climbing shoes.  I’ve never managed to leave the store feeling like I’ve made the right purchase, and usually the next time I put them on I decide that I was wrong, they hurt too much and I’ve wasted my money….

This actually came true the last time I went to Font, where I bought a part of 5.10 Anasazi VCLs after climbing all day.  My feet were so sore an swollen up that when I tried to put them on the next day I realised they were probably a size too big!   After returning from Font they languished in a box for about a year before I managed to happily ebay them 🙂

So, anyway.. after about an hour and a half of trying on all the shoes in Crag X, I manage to settle on a pair of Boreal Lynx’s, which are causing me some significant toe pain right now!  I think I need to wear them more around the house tor try and get used to them! :/   Still, it’s nice to have an actual edge on my shoes 😀

Rope climbing

I’m still not properly back doing any leading.  There have been a couple of sessions, with some of my friends starting to get their head around wall climbing rather than bouldering.  Once of the sessions I got onto the main wall at the Foundry and lead a 6b straight up the big overhang so I’m not totally stagnating, but something needs to change really if I’m going to ever get back to my aim of breaking past 7a.   I’m not too worried though, it’s hard to fit bouldering, leading, running plus having a working life….  We’ll just go with the flow I guess.

Outdoors!

Last little thing!  The weather has started to get nice again, so we’ve been going out.  (I’m definitely a fair weather bouldering!)  We’ve been out to The Roaches and Curbar so far this year, and I’m hoping to get a good few more excursions in soon.  Definitely nothing spectacular done, except perhaps just how hard my ass got kicked by Joe’s Arête at The Roaches.