Moving On Up

With some really good competition results under my belt in the UK, it was once more time for the international season.

The calendar did not look the most inviting with events in America, Canada, two in China and only one in Europe. I was pretty sure that I didn't want to do all the events but was tempted, due to indecision about which ones I fancied (if I was selected). I wanted to do a couple of events, but did not want to travel a long way. This was not possible.

I was selected to enter the long distance competitions and once again set off for North America. I was excited about competing, but felt exhausted from the travel. I'd experienced this before a little, but it was worse this time.

I felt ok in isolation for both competitions, but performed atrociously when it counted. It was not my overall results that really mattered to me the most (although being close to last was deflating). What mattered is that I did not climb anywhere near as well as I knew I could. I didn't manage to pull off moves that I knew that I was more than capable of. It's like I didn't turn up. Was my head letting me down, had the travelling taken it out of me, or a bit of both? The trip, on the whole, wasn't fun.

I returned to the UK and made the long overdue decision to stop competing internationally. The season was not over, but I did not want to do the last event in Munich. So this is an end of an era for me. Time to hang up my Senior GB Bouldering Team hat and head outside!!

I have spent a lot of time playing outside on the limestone this summer and autumn. I aim to see what I can achieve outside, but mainly just enjoy the wonderful thing that countryside is. The playground it provides.

I'm still going to compete, but at home were it's just a day out. I almost didn't enter the British Championships. I'm glad I did. I had a blast and managed to pull off a 4th place (3rd Brit) :-)

Since hanging up my competition hat I've also competed in the Red Goat Rampage (York, 1st), Big Flash (Highball Norwich, 2nd), Battle of Britain (Depot Leeds, 4th) and Blocbuster (Depot Nottingham, 2nd). The route setters keep on providing plenty of entertainment.

I've also tried my hand at setting at Boulder Brighton in the battle of the shoe brands with fellow Boreal team member Andy Turner, and helped out coaching and supporting events with Boreal and the GB Youth team. Exciting times with new talent coming through the ranks.

The in-between season

I’ve been working on movement, learning how to stand on two feet again. Trying not to pull myself off the footholds and applying technique on the vertical walls and slabs. Learning how to balance, how to trust my feet, how to use the right muscles for each movement, playing with movement. It was a battle to start with, but so satisfying when things started to come together. It’s also helped my steep wall climbing. There’s always so much more to learn.

During the winter, local competition season, I’ve also been playing with nutrition. That is eating snacks/drinking chocolate milkshake more during climbing. Then eating as much as possible between competition rounds, whilst trying to avoid feeling stuffed, rather than just the normal meals. I have to work hard to remember to snack when I’m active as I find I don’t feel hungry until it’s too late. I’m the opposite at work, where I struggle not to dip into the biscuit/cake pile. My job is a sedentary.

The extra eating in competitions seems to have helped give me an extra edge. It’s easier to have something left in the tank at the end of the day when you’ve put more in to start with! This may seem obvious, but I didn’t think I was running out of fuel previously on the usual 3 meals and occasional snacks. I thought I was just getting generally tired from the exertion. Experimentation proved fruitful.

I tried to apply this at the Superbloc competition at London Excel. However, I couldn’t seem to stay hydrated. The atmosphere was oppressive and I felt weary. I climbed OK and battled hard. I came close to some tops, but didn’t manage to finish anything, even though I felt I could. I came close to making the final 6 (one attempt on bonus), but ended up joint 8th in good company. I took quite a while to recover, after coming down with a cold.

The time for CWIF came round so quickly that it took me by surprise. I chose to do the morning session as it is good practice for me to try and pull hard early in the morning. I didn’t get up really early as I valued my sleep more than having my body ready to get going (studies suggest that the optimum time to exercise is around 6hrs after getting up). I had a shaky start, but got going before dropping too many problems (aided by chocolate milk and fruity snack bars). I qualified for the semi-final in 11th (breakfast and lunch before, chocolate milk during, full chicken and rice meal after), just scraped the final in 6th and pulled out a podium 3rd. I tried really hard and felt pretty good (understatement). I celebrated by going out for dinner.

We trained with the Swiss team two days later. Everything caught up with me and I had a ‘higher gravity day’. However, it was short lived. The good CWIF result has made me feel stronger mentally. It’s given me a ‘can do’ attitude and I can’t get enough of this climbing thing. Long may it continue!

Fontainebleau holiday bliss at Isatis

Spring evenings at Curbar – Dan’s Wall

Rock

After the 2014 World Cups, I got into the Peak Limestone. I discovered the delight of Rubicon first thing in the morning; the peaceful, cool next to the water before the heat of the day. The hook of moves at Blackwell Dale and other roadside caves; cool, dank holes next to roads! Here’s one I topped - Paint it Black (7c).

Paint it Black - Sean's Roof from Peter Jeffery on Vimeo.

Then, suddenly, my projects were wet and it was time to start training for the 2015 season.

I entered some local competitions as they are always fun. At Leeds Depot, Battle of Britain, I was ahead in the final and got a bit too focused on the last hold of the last problem. I didn’t set up properly, my elbows winged as I hesitated and I missed the hold and with it first place. At the Nottingham Depot I was beginning to let negative thoughts creep into my head during the final. I was tired and not able to give the big moves the strength required. I wondered if I’d developed a mind-set that stopped me performing to the best of my ability when it mattered to me the most. Ultimately I was starting to overthink situations. I came 2nd in both competitions which I’m pleased with, but for me it’s more about how I competed with the problems, so not so happy!

The next competition was the legendary Plywood Masters at Boulder UK. I love this place, with the funky moves normally set in the low room upstairs for the final. However, they changed it up and set the finals downstairs. The air was thick with chalk and I was struggling to breath, but enjoying the problems. The distractions of change and conditions helped. I just climbed. I made a couple of mistakes, but I was pleased with how I climbed. I managed to win – chuffed.