Munich 2012

Back in the stunning 40 year old Olympic Park venue for the last round of the Boulder World Cup this year I had high hopes.  I had been mentally building myself up for this comp, as I know that I am strong again now.

My warm up was ok, but I maybe did a couple of problems too many.  I was climbing late as I had lost my world ranking due to not getting in the top 30 so far this year.  It was the first time I had been unranked since gaining a ranking, but I was determined not to let it get me down.

I missed an obvious foot placement on the easier flash problem and dropped the flash (again) on the last move. I didn't think to put foot to hand until after trying lots of other things, falling off and going up again. My knees where bleeding.  I’m not sure how I managed to get them so grazed again.

I’d topped the problem and I moved on, excited to find out what was next.  It was a nice press to a bonus volume.  I couldn't find the right grip to progress to what looked an ok top, so top for me. I tried lots of positions.  I need to play on nasty volumes more.

The third problem was interesting.  It was clearly set as a dyno, but I could see that I could rock up to the penultimate hold from the start hold rather than dyno left.  I should have flashed the bloc having decided on this solution, but was convinced I should get the bonus on the way and proceeded to drop the top.  Second go I went direct to the top.  I was pleased with my no hands wave the first time to go the wrong way to the bonus – it was a fun move.

The fourth problem had a burly start, I missed a foothold and wasted lots of energy trying to smear (school boy error).  I got to the top second go, but failed to match the sloper at the top after an unexpected slip that surprised me (it felt like I could hold it).  I was too tired to go round again and saved my energy for the awkward high step start on the fifth problem that took a few goes.  I’m normally good at high steps, but the correct body position evaded me for some time.  I got bonus ok once I’d got going, but my arms wouldn't work to progress.  The result - 2t4 t 5b10 27th place out of 51 competitors.  A match at the top of the 3rd problem would have put me in 20th and the semi-final :-(  What ifs once again won’t change anything.

I didn’t notice the torrential rain until I’d finished and taken off my Kintaros.  I’d been too focused to realise how muggy and unpleasant it had got.  If I hadn’t noticed then it can’t have factored too much.

I felt like I had made too many errors of judgement, eating into my small reserve of power endurance more than if I had made the right choices.  I know I could have got a better result.  This is the reality of competition climbing, you’ve got to get it right.  I watched back the live feed of the top girls on the problems.  The same thought processes could be seen, the same trying and adjusting and going again.  However, they topped between 1 and 3 boulders more than me.  They had that little bit more savvy and/or strength to finish.

The team did well. All eight of us competing got points (top 30) to put us 6th in the team rankings for both the event and overall in the 2012 World Cup.  Five made it to the semi-final.  One, Stew Watson, made it to the final and came 6th.  Go team GB.

Shauna bravely joined us in Munich on her crutches.  It must have been hard watching all the climbing and not being able to take part and defend her World Cup position.  However, she did a small amount of climbing at the end – onto the podium in third place for the 2012 World Cup Series.  An awesome effort, especially as it was her first full season.

Gill, Katy and Shauna supporting Dave

Stew on his way to the final

Ned and Dave

Return of adidas ROCKSTARS

My Boreal boots, vest and chalk-bag worked hard at ROCKSTARS.  I made it into the second round!

I was invited back to the Adidas Rockstars comp, this time in Stuttgart.  I was feeling strong and well looked after.  They really know how to look after the athletes.  The format is slightly different to the World Cups.  We get to look at the problems from a distance and chat about them with the other competitors.  Despite this, I still made some interesting decisions whilst climbing!  For example, avoiding a volume that would have been much better than the tiny hold I went for and didn’t latch.  I kinda warmed up as I went through the problems, building up to flashing the last.  I climbed the best (in comp) that I have so far this season and did enough to qualify in 12th.

The semi-final didn’t go so well.  I got up to within reach of between the penultimate hold and last holds of 3 out of 4 problems, but didn’t top any of them.  Quite a few competitors only got 3 bonuses, but I had a couple more goes and dropped down to 19th.  It’s very frustrating to get so close so many times, and not get any tops.  There’s some photos below of the climbing and general event (rock band and all).  More can be seen here along with some videos.

After the comp I had a general massage for the climbing muscles, then had my post pleurisy achy ab area checked out by the doctor to see if he could suggest any exercises/treatment to assist recovery.  He reported that the muscles are fused together and needed physio treatment, and also that I should have a course of cranial-sacral therapy; something I have never come across.  Nothing could be done immediately and so he just put me on the electro-magnetic bed for a bit as it is meant to aid recovery.  I’d been on the beds before and could not tell if they had helped.  After 20mins this time I got up and couldn’t stop crying for the rest of the day.  This was unpleasant, unexpected and unexplainable to me.  I was emotional and didn’t know why.  Thankfully the effect wore off by the following morning, just leaving me puffy eyed and weary.

Our very own Rockstar, Mina, climbed very well and crushed each round to make her first international final.  The final was amazing.  Mina climbed well, but an unlucky slip left her one attempt behind the others.  The format meant that she was therefore out of the running after 2 problems, in a very very respectable 6th place.  Alex Puccio went on to win on the super-boulder.

The final continued, with Sean McColl stealing the show.  The use of the word ‘awesome’ to describe his climbing could not be more appropriate.  The video of the final is here and is well worth a watch.

British Bouldering Championships 2012

First of all, congratulations to Shauna and Dave the champs.  Well deserved wins!

The rain mostly held off and didn’t dampen our spirits for comp day.  There were a few more female entrants this year, which is good. I hope everyone had fun and will come back next year. The more the merrier.

The qualifiers were a good set of problems, but I kept just missing the last holds of the 2 vert problems.  I got one eventually, but will never know if I would have got the other due to just failing to get my last go.  Never mind, I’d done enough to make the finals having topped all but one problem.

The finals were a bit frustrating for me.  I struggled to work out what I was meant to be doing.  Yes, I know, climbing; but how?  The first problem was ok, then I rushed the last move of the second and dropped it.  I should have taken my time to work out the best way.  I totally misread the groove, but could bridge and potter around trying to find a solution.  I finally figured it out, only to loose the tension after gaining the bonus. I swung off and could not get going again. 

For some reason I decided not to bounce start the last problem, even though I was allowed to as there were no feet marked to start on.  I failed to even start the problem that I’d liked the look of the most.  Oops.  I started and finished the final in 5th.  I’m quite pleased with this, but always want to do better as I’m so competitive and know I could have done better.

Photos courtesy of Paul Bennett

I watched the Junior final on Sunday.  It’s great to see the depth of talent increasing, and the rising stars doing so well.  Molly looked to be on very good form, with our local lass Hannah hot on her heels. The ‘face’ that the route setters constructed was amusing.  I hope Sidonie keeps on crushing despite the disappointment of missing out on the final due to a scoring error.  Throughout the winter comp season Sidonie and Hannah have been close contenders.  Next year…

The full results are here.

Rock Atrocity

I had my first attempt on Rock Atrocity (Parisella’s Cave, V9) last autumn.  I quickly progressed to getting all but the last move.  I could do it, but not after the rest of the problem.  I found the whole problem quite tiring and clearly needed more endurance.  The central cut loose and adjusting afterwards was sapping my strength.  In hindsight I should have also explored possible alternative ways of doing the last move, as the way I was doing it probably wasn’t the most energy efficient.  I was using a right toe and knee lean/bar.  This resulted in a sore bruised and grazed knee after a few attempts which was quite literally a pain.  It was one of those problems that I knew would gnaw away at me as I was so close.

I eventually returned for a second session last Wednesday evening as I happened to be in the area.  I was a bit concerned about climbing on my own, mainly as I’m such a wuss when climbing outside (and inside at times).  I was armed with 2 mats and there were only two points that needed protection; the mid swing and dropping round to the last holds.  The rest of the moves are unlikely to result in awkward flights towards the ground.

I did a few pull-ups and the mid section of left wall traverse to warm up, then jumped straight on and got to the last move with a pumpy right arm.  Stupid right arm hadn’t even done many moves.  The moves felt easier than last autumn and it wasn’t scary doing the moves without a spot (otherwise I wouldn’t have done them).  I felt secure and there were people around off and on.  Maybe I was stronger.  I’m clearly not carrying any more endurance.  I tried the last move a few times and worked out a better method with a left toe and roll in.  I jumped back on to the beginning way too soon and got to the last move again and repeated this a couple more times.  It was turning into a bit of a nemesis move.  I was impatient and in need of someone else to have a go in between to distract me!

I put my coat on, laid on the mat and chilled out for a while, listening to the dripping onto the mat next to me and the sounds of the coast bouncing into the cave.

I stood up, took a few deep breaths, then did all the moves one after the other.  Yay.


Rock Atrocity - Parisella's Cave from Peter Jeffery on Vimeo.

What next.  I had a look at Lou Ferrino.  I think it may need quite a lot of sessions and some dry weather.  It really doesn’t suit me and will be a big challenge and likely some other problems in between.  Maybe an extension to RA or something somewhere else.

It would have been good to sit on the wall around the west side of the Orme and soak up the atmosphere as the sun set, but it was back to Sheffield for tea for me.

Bloc Party 2012

Training last weekend entailed 3 days climbing based training.  Friday was at the Foundry working steep hard sustained problems.  Saturday was at City Bloc for the Bloc Party competition.  Forty qualifier problems put me in second place behind Leah.  I topped 2 out of 3 of the final blocs to stay in second.  I was close to the other final problem, but couldn’t get past a volume to the last hold.  Leah showed me how it was meant to be done afterwards – so much easier when you know how!  I also found that I wasted attempts on one of the blocs choosing to do an easier move that left my feet in the wrong position to progress.  When I committed to the harder move (that went just fine, despite me thinking it may not) I proceeded to top the problem.  It was a valuable training session with endurance, technical, and mental elements worked on.
Sunday afternoon was spent at the Climbing Works attempting the new pink circuit.  It’s good to keep throwing yourself at lots of different problems sometimes, going for the flash each time, rather than working a bloc.  It can help to physically and mentally get moves correct first time.

I spent the beginning of the week preserving what little skin I had left.  I did some pull-up work on the bar and had a rest day.  By Wednesday I had enough skin back to do a power endurance session at the Foundry (although I was almost side-tracked by the new campus board).  I did 5 sets of 5min on/5min off, having little to no rest between attempts during the on time.  I was typically completing 3.5 problems per set on the elites/level 3, but had to slip in a level 2 at the end of the 3rd and 4th set as I was so pumped.  I tried to pick sustained problems, preferably requiring dynamic moves at times, and mixed up the terrain a little but mostly kept it steep.  I feel so much stronger than I did a fortnight ago.

Inspiration turned up on Thursday in the form of a delivery from Boreal.  Thank you so much.  Another pair of Kintaro climbing shoes as they are so good, along with some approach shoes and a pad.  I was bouncing of the walls with excitement to be honest.

Now go away rain.

Back on track

The discomfort around my ribs is slowly subsiding and I’m juggling recovery with competing.  Building back up, but trying not to do too much too soon.  I went back to Raven Tor last Friday to see how I was on familiar problems.  Pinches wall was ok, some moves required for Ben’s Roof need a little more time/work to get back to.  I tried the start of Rattle and Hump (7a+) for the first time in several years and topped it.  It’s good for the head to be making quite quick progress back towards where I left off.

The Rocfest competition at Rockover, Manchester was busy and hotter than hot.  Thirty qualifier problems put me in 3rd place behind Shauna and Leah and ahead of Naomi, Charlotte and Ellie in the final.  I had a ‘cheaty’ (quote Naomi) global therapies massage between the qualifiers and the final, as my left shoulder and right bicep were complaining.  After a slow start in the final, just managing a double dyno and some other leaps, I got into my stride to top the last 2 boulders and retain 3rd place.  I’m pretty happy with this.

A big thank you to Boreal for sponsoring me with super boots.

Innsbruck 2012

Great Britain did well in Innsbruck with Ned, Shauna and Stewart making the finals. Dave and Mina also gained points to place the team 4^th behind Austria, Russia and France. Shauna came nail-bitingly close to winning, but had to settle for 2^nd.

I felt that I climbed quite well, but I got a disappointing result. I slipped off the easy problem once again (sigh). I got lots of bonuses and was apparently one of the closest to topping the only problem that wasn’t topped. The last problem was just my thing, but I took a few goes to get going, then missed the last hold by a fraction with nothing left in the tank. Pete (partner and main critic!) said my left side looked a bit weak throughout, but I just felt a bit short of the mark. I came 38^th. I felt that I didn’t have enough endurance to finish when it mattered on the last problem to put me in the top 30 and contribute to the team result. The usual ‘what ifs’ featured, but they have to be put aside as nothing can be changed now. I’ve reviewed my performance and am trying to learn from my mistakes. I watched the videos of my attempts and I looked tired and weak!

I need to continue working towards full fitness. I console myself by knowing that I was close to doing ok despite everything. I’m good at battling on the hard problems. I’m bad at getting it right first time and finishing problems. Strength is not always physical. I need to work on my mental weaknesses as well. I need to practice decision making whilst too hot and working hard. As I tire, I waste more energy and just blindly pull towards the next hold. I believe I can do it, but sometimes doubt creeps in. Is it possible that I’m scared of top holds?

Thanks to Sander ter Steege of Bouldercentrum Delfts Bleau for the photo.