Ten to One

Well, I have some satisfying aches from trying hard at CWIF. The qualifiers were fun but sustained with no blocs really being 'given'. I didn't have a clue how I was climbing and dropped some things I thought I should be able to get. It was good to climb with the other GB Girlies (and Nick) as we all climb quite differently and worked off each other. I felt like my endurance was seeing me through, but I was clearly starting to flag by 14:30 having started at 09.30.

I qualified in 12th place to join the 16 semi-finalists, hurrah; four Brits, the rest from mainland Europe. I went home for a refuel and a rest on the sofa for an hour before going into isolation, which made me feel much better.

The semis were frustrating for me. I felt like I was being a muppet on bloc 1 and flailed around not catching a jump on bloc 2 (maybe as I was stretching out before trying to jump). I was determined to rise above my nil points on bloc 3 and to my joy I was faced with a steep crimpy bloc. I powered through to the bonus, lost my feet, thought that's ok I can campus this move and slipped off - and that was about that. I think I went pop at that point, not managing to get back to the bonus. I'm pretty sure I could do the last bloc, jump and all, but sadly the 5mins rest was not enough to get me through a roof section without getting leaden arms.

I came 10th overall, which I'm pleased with. If I continue to work my power endurance and a couple of other weaker points, maybe I can get to number one!!

CWIF commeth

I'm feeling stronger and fitter than any time before. I just need to manage to avoid the lurgy, something I've not managed for the CWIF the last 2 years. Then I just need to have a good fun day.

I won the Climbing Works league and have been enjoying the new red circuit - all good practice working out the blocs. I also had a really good team training comp simulation recently. It's almost time to start my taper for the comp - a useful comp prep test prior to the World Cup season starting in May.

In between CWIF and May I'll be doing another mini periodised training cycle. That's the plan...

Power Endurance

I've been working hard through the winter. Getting strong, converting strength to power and now working on power endurance. The winter league competitions help with this, but nothing can do more than lots of comp style 5min on/off work. The difference this makes is astounding. I feel like I've broken through to another grade by being able to crank and crank again.

The Foundry has been supplying plenty of cranking, with a really burly set with lots of powerful undercuts this time round. The league was really enjoyable too. I won the elite level, holding off the male competition as well as the female.

It's a shame all the leagues are on Friday's and often on the same dates as making them less attended than usual. I wanted to attend more, but with the weather and overlaps I've mostly just done the local ones in Sheffield (Foundry and Climbing Works) and one in Leeds (City Bloc).

I had a good trip to the Castle in London in December for a SIBL round. They had an amusing 'final' (sorts out any ties) which involved a reachy traverse with a rope swing in the middle. I won the female open, but didn't fair so well on the traverse at the end - not quite making the rope swing. This comp was written up in the latest issue of Psyched the BMC competition climbing newsletter. They've also put in an article about me :-)

Time to get stronger

We're working on getting strong at the moment. This article gives an idea of what we've been up to.

The pulling hard fits in well with the winter bouldering leagues. Good fun and good for getting strong. So far I've been to the Climbing Works, City Bloc and the Foundry. All very different styles of climbing. I won some Scarpa shoes for winning the City Bloc event which is good :-)

Font Weekend

Hacked down the motorway and just caught the ferry. Lots more motorway then.... ahhh Font. An instant feeling of well-being and relaxation. I love Fontainebleau. It is beautiful and inspiring.

It was raining when we got there so we just checked out a few areas. Then it was two days of excellent weather. We went to Roche aux Sabots and Gorge aux Chats.

Time to get fitter

T'is the season to huff and puff and raise my general fitness levels.

We started off with a team fitness tests to get a bench mark of where we are starting from. Later in the year we will revisit the tests to see how we are getting on.

Since then, training consists typically of high volume, mixed intensity training with relation to climbing, not trying to necessarily pull hard. Even some routes!! Also general fitness with more cross training. Mostly running and skipping for me, along with weights and exercise circuits for general conditioning.

Why? Because it prepares my body for strength and high intensity training, reducing the risk of injury hopefully.

How does this make me feel? Good, but hungry for the challenging blocs (and things like cheese and big piles of risotto and toast and snacks ....)

Hello Peak District

I'm enjoying my rest period now my arm is starting to mend. Not only that but I've been outside to play two weekends in a row. No one will believe it!

The Peak has been sunny and midge free during the day. Ahh, fresh air without rain.

The grit has been feeling pretty grippy despite the warmth. We had good sessions at Stanage Plantation and Curbar. I didn't really do anything at Stanage, just pottered and took it easy.

A week later and my arm was starting to feel like it belonged to me. I did Gorilla Warfare - my kinda problem, but couldn't repeat Strawberries. Random weaknesses to fix when I start training again (memory could also be useful as I've forgotten how I did it).