Cold Fusion Blog

Saturday 27th October. I had planned on getting to the Anvil this weekend but with a poor forecast I started to look further afield. Yorkshire looked like it has seen some dry weather in recent weeks, thinking Malham would be dry I contacted Owen and was glad to hear he was keen to visit too.

The Malham catwalk, home to some of the most technical routes in the UK.

It had been nearly six years since my last regular visits to Malham. In 2001 I had a good spring season from Jan-April before the foot and mouth outbreak. Prior to that I managed Raindogs and made good progress at the starts of Overnight, Energy Vampire (both F8a+) and Magnetic Fields F8b. Having visited Malham a lot over the late 90’s was initially disgusted at its polish, hideous holds and technical sequences. I’d gotten over this by opting to visit in the cooler winter months where on a clear day the catwalk temperatures were perfect for redpointing.

Magnetic Fields F8b, Malham Cove, North Yorkshire.

Having tried Magnetic Fields over several years I was keen to try it again. Getting back on the route it was a push to warm up on the start. The heinous undercuts moving up to the crux proper had been dubbed F7c. Refreshing my old sequence I struggled to work out a foot sequence (a common problem here) and link it to the crux. I worked the crux of the large undercut my old way. Stretching for the pocket back muscles strained and twisted painfully. After a few goes I managed to rework the sequence and link it through. I was keen to redpoint later but the weather had other plans as condensation rapidly built up on the face (from the weather transition from cold to warm and moist) making climbing impossible. In all managed the route in three links, not quite the redpoint I had imagined but I suppose its motivation to train harder as always.

Previous high point on La Puta Rue F8b+ in March, Margalef, Spain.

I’ll be heading back to Spain in less than four weeks to try and complete the unfinished projects from my last visit. Top of my agenda is to complete an F8b+ at Margalef I tried called A La Puta Rue which crosses a cool roof. In March I spent 4 days on it and got as far as doing overlapping halves and getting to the crux a few times on redpoint. This time the brutal crux span to and from a two finger pocket might give me problems because of my finger injury. Still I’m hopeful. I might also have a go on the F8c next to it that Dave managed as it looks just my style, but I’m not sure about the mono crux. At Siurana I’d like to try Mr Checki F8b+ again, having only had a brief play on it last year. Finally I need to finish of the F8a+ on the Can Marges boulder that I fell from the final moves on the last day of the trip in March. To make all this happen I’m going to have to get trained up fast to the specifics of these routes. Lots of pocket strength and power endurance are the way forward.

Short Term Objectives

• Finger injury – Icing and massage.
• Shoulder problems – lots push ups to build up antagonistics.
• Fingers board – hang an edge for 5 sec, currently 12 kilos to go.
• Power endurance - create specific problems in the 30 move range similar to target F8b+ routes.
• Endurance – laps in the 30-60 move range to fight the chain fever.
• Target weight 63 kilo – 4 kilos to lose, ditch the cakes and puds.
• More sleep – 6hrs isn’t cutting it.
• Train earlier – 9pm-1am is getting taxing on above.

Training plan

• Mon/Wed: 30min runs.
• Tues/Thur: Finger boarding 45-60min: warm up pull ups, 50 push ups and stretching, strength hangs 7 sets 8-10 sec at limit, 4 min rest. Board work 2hrs. Problems: three harder problems on board. PE: 6-9 sets on PE problems Fr 8a/b+, 7 min rest. One armers: 3 sets. Endurance: 3 sets as many laps as possible on board.
• Sat/Sun: Climbing or more finger boarding and stamina.

Sunday 20 May. After another long week and another bleak forecast into the weekend I found myself digging deep motivationally to return to the Anvil. After three weeks of getting very close to finishing the project I was questioning what it would take to complete. Mentally over the last week I was starting to harbor a lot of self doubt that I’d simply keep failing. Physically, I’d went a long way to addressing any remaining physical weaknesses with a double finger board and stamina session. So apprehensively, I returned with Emma and Sam walking out again through the late spring showers.

The crux sequence of Fire Power at the Anvil (pics Emma Sutton).

The previous evening I dreamt about the Anvil, about trying and failing once again on the project. Having spent so long on this route it was getting hard to shake the automated and routine feel to each day on it. I let myself slide back into the rhythm of attempting the route: warming up, making the down climb, rehearsing the crux and linking the top; all of which felt harder than I remembered. Feeling disillusioned, I decided to redpoint rather than attempting to repeat the crux that expended precious energy. My first redpoint felt sluggish and the crux hold desperate to hang. Lowering I had a suspicion the next go would be better. After unloading excess chalk and clothing I began my second redpoint. Leaving the rest jugs I aimed my all my psyche and aggression at the crux and fired. Consciousness seemed shuttered as I pulled through, popped the hold and held the crux swing. Sure that I had weighted the rope I wanted to simply drop off and try again. Discouraged, I continued to simply finish it for practice. I pushed on grunting my way through the upper crux and to the top, lowering off disappointed. Emma and Sam couldn’t understand my problem. In fact I hadn’t weighted the rope at all!

Its fair to say two redpoints never go the same way. Thinking I’d fucked up turned the tables psychologically, removing my previous nerves when above the crux. Strategically the extra training helped. Though, I feel the biggest factor was changing to climbing on a Sunday, giving an extra day to chill out from work and catch up on sleep.

Good grimace after success on Fire Power. Trying the start of Body Blow. (pics Emma Sutton).

I’ve christened the project Fire Power, a true testament to bouldery sport climbs in Scotland. I’ve been so close to this route for the past month its become difficult to grade, more so because of its short intense nature. On the day it felt F8b. I think its much harder than many other F8b’s I’ve tried a lot, but I’ve not succeeded on (Magnetic, Snipe Shadow, Hurleyburly, Solitaire). In comparison to these routes it feels strange to give it F8b when its taken me 10+ visits over three years to link the crux at Font 7c/+. I guess I’ll have to wait for someone to repeat it and to try other F8b+’s myself this summer to confirm the grade. I’m sure this isn’t my career peak just yet and plan to push onwards to F8c before a certain birthday. I even got started on this by making some progress on the start of Bodyblow. I’m not sure this is a great benchmark though as it might be F8c!

Saturday 20th April. The weather was back to the west coast norm today with a forecast of heavy showers. It didn’t turn out to be as bad as I expected when we arrived at the Anvil. The crag wasn’t too wet but closer inspection revealed a lot of surface dampness. Dave’s project was too wet to climb, so instead he tried another one of my projects into the direct start to Body Blow. This he managed to climb to half way so it looks like my project could be F8b and the continuation into Body Blow a potential F9a/+!

The dampness didn’t effect my project too much, it just being dry enough to climb. I managed the crux, then concentrated on the jockey seat link managing to slap the hold once. Slight progress but not the link I had hoped for.

Saturday 14th. A change in spring weather away from the cooler temperatures was welcomed by many across the country. However, training mid week at 11pm in my T-shirt I started to doubt how good conditions at the Anvil would be. On Saturday I returned for another go on my project along a psyched west coast team.

Conditions at the crag we’re as I had feared, positively pleasant! A stark contrast from the shivering belay duty the week before. It was great to see so many ropes and chalked holds at the anvil. Everyone was enjoying the sun and I even seen a bottle of sun block out. Every sport climber know the rule that “If belayers aren’t winging about the cold, its too hot to climb”. I was happy to enjoy a little sun too, but knew this would make life hell on the project. Still, I was interested to see if I could do the crux again and that last weeks effort was no cold weather fluke.

First hit of the crux sloper from the jockey seat, but not enough. (MacLeod Col) .

As a warm up I worked through all the moves on the route, something I was now close to contemplating as a whole. Next session I was surprised to do the crux first go. I kept going afterward but was surprised to fail on the top crux. This might be a redpoint crux yet. On subsequent sessions I concentrated on linking from the floor and from my jockey seat. In a total of 15 goes over the afternoon I only managed to catch the crux sloper (very badly) twice. Even from two moves in my fingers were feeling damp on the hold. I wish I’d tried the higher link a few more times for practice rather than coming away with this pathetic amount of progress. Still, considering the conditions, maybe it wasn’t too bad.

Dave seemed to be having more luck with conditions on his cave project, making it to the final move. It was pretty inspiring to see him climbing the entire Anvil line via a fine fusion of power and technique. I still remember my first look at that roof, thinking it would take us decades to work it out. Now, it seems like all the lines could be complete before the decade is out. Hopefully I’ll be back soon feeling stronger and cooler to complete my contribution.

After a very hectic couple of months working hard and moving house I have been feeling very stressed out and run down. Good form training and on Sabotage has again slipped from my fingers. I was therefore glad to get back to Catalonia for a climbing holiday but understood that my ambitions would not be met. Without much of a plan I headed back to Siurana with Dave Macleod hoping for some inspiration.

Climber Tackling the crack of El Logurin on the middle right of Campigi Pugi.

On the first day back on Campigi Pugi I had play on El Membre F8c (a route with a particularly powerful crux) hoping it would suit me. My fears of not training enough seemed to be confirmed as I struggled to do the moves. Both of us decided we were a bit Siurana’d out so decided to check out the Margalef valleys a 40min drive away at the other side of the Monsant range. Mr Tweedley’s recommendation was a good one and we found plenty of hard routes to try. On are arrival to Margalef we headed straight to the Laboratori Cave. This didn’t disappoint and held several steep well chalked routes. After a scan at a topo we were happy to find out they were all F8b+/c, so jumped right on. I decided to try a F8b+ called A la Puta Rue, the left hand solution to the cave. Dave tried Darwin Dixit F8c. My initial impression was however poor and I binned it. Again I felt weak and got sore skin, a common problem at the start of a foreign trip.

The steepest section of sector Laboratori, Margalef contains loads of steep roadside F7-F8’s.

The next day we explored the southern valley and were quite impressed. The mid crag above the road looked superb and had a range of F7c-8a’s all tackling well pocketed steep (and importantly solid) limestone conglomerate. Knowing my own stamina weaknesses I decided to try a shorter F7c+ (15m). This I managed 3rd RP after another rest day fighting a chain pump on the final moves. Later that day we returned to the Laboratori where Dave managed the F8c first RP (that day) and even chalked up off the crux mono!!! He then went on to OS his first F8a, before casually finishing the day by dispensing the F8b+ first RP.

Dogging A La Puta Rue F8b+, Laboratori, Margalef. (Pic Dave Macleod Col)

After getting Daves beta for the F8b+ I decided to come back for another go. Surprisingly I managed all the moves with out too much fuss which goes to show the difference a bit of beta makes. By the end of the week I could do it in overlapping halves and even had a few RP’s but sadly time ran out and it was time to leave again. I also wasn’t convinced on Daves soft grading recommendation. On the last day at Siurana I tried the F8a+ on the boulder under sector Espero Primevera. This I found suited me very well with a nippy little crux reaching for a 2 finger press. After loads of RP I finally pulled through the crux but the bat wings popped out on the top wall and I couldn’t finish it. After I finished my minor tantrum I gave Dave a quick belay before catching the fight home.
The trip has again opened my eyes to how much my climbing improves with more stimulus. I’m now going to try and train three times a week and get out more at weekends! I now understand just how much work its going to take to complete my own projects. I just hope that my lifestyle is stable enough now that I can maintain these training sessions.

Its been a hard couple of weeks. My exhaustion of late has not been helped by losing the car. Somewhere in the middle of thousands of lines of code at work and clouds of dust a home I’ve been struggling to find time for climbing. After yet another winter cold broke late week I decided it was time to get back on Sabotage at Dumbie.
I tried this boulder problem for nearly four months last spring. The sad thing is I’ve found no log of it my old climbing diary even though I have such a vivid recollection of the experience of trying such a difficult problem. Last year I made steady progress taking a couple of weeks to make all the moves. By April I could slap the crux from sit down 6-7 times before feeling completely knackered. Finally I had to give up in late April as cold conditions deteriorated making the crux move feel impossible.
Having not been outside in nearly six weeks I was hyped to be going back to Dumbie on such a clear perfect day. The early spring high pressure returned as predicted despite the consistently shit weather we have been having over the last 8 months. Warming up on the cold basalt I felt achy but there was some comfort to be had of getting back into the old system. Tea is drank, limbs are weighted, warmed and twisted repeatedly until supple. Jackets, gloves and hat go back on and the ground is slowly pounded to keep limbs warm. Starring out over the Clyde coerces deep reflection. Waves move like life’s abrasion against the tide of time, both moving in unison.
As a further warm up Slap Happy, the Railings, Mestiso SS and Mugsy are dispached in nervous labored pulls, fearful of failure and regression. This is after all what the training is directed at. Before I know it I’m back under Sabotage after an 8 month break. I once again mark out the hand holds with chalk across the angled black an orange rock.

A final go on Sabotage at Dumbarton April 2005.

Trying the final moves I’m surprised to hold the crux first go. I’m quickly deposited back on the mat as the mind struggles unsuccessfully to unearth deep routed engrams of movement. I top out after a few more goes finding the correct foot holds and body position, things feeling different but familiar in the typical contradiction that time delivers. The roof moves lower down feel hard and I fight cramp against the chilly wind to complete the link. As I try the sit down start biceps finally buckle and its time to leave. The day has passed again in a blaze of cold psyche dispersed by warming rests. The total for the day was three links on the problem and finding that my power endurance needs vast improvement to complete the problem. More importantly I discovered where to find my peace and discipline again. I’ll be back for more of that for sure.

Finally liberation! I managed 1-4-7 again three times each side, but whats in a number. For me this one spans 7 years, 6 months and 26 days back to a time when my life was very different. Then there was no university, job, mortgage or partner. Since then these factors have made it more complicated to fit in a days climbing or even an evenings training. This is why the benchmark I set myself 10 weeks ago has been so important for me to reach.

Board metaphors, trainings all snakes and ladders.

Over Christmas I came ridiculously close but then bad weather and an extensive home DIY project started to grind away at the progress I had made. After another tiring day at work the stormy commute home through the wind and rain seemed to signal an end to any outdoor work. After some dinner and a sleep I awoke at 10pm feeling sluggish. Determined I got out the house to the board again and got warmed up. I felt a labored strength after so many days rest but felt mentally rested enough to fight through it. Under a still starry sky I flipped the doors open an got on the campus board. 20 minutes later at 11.25pm I pegged 1-4-7 followed by much ecstatic jumping up and down. The adrenaline kept me going through 3 more repetitions. I’m told the compensation factor explains this turn around in the fortune of ones day. Works for me.

After nearly ten days knocked out by the flu on returning from Siurana, I finally got training again. For the second time this month I’ve validated the link between traveling and catching bugs.

On wednesday night I didn’t feel too bad after nearly a two week lay off. Although I was dragging ass I didn’t feel completely weak. The campus session I had planned had to be delayed untill Friday evening because of rain. It was then I found as feared, I had lost alot of the form I trained so hard to gain. I know well that this is the nature of power, so hopefully a few session should replenish it and I can get back to 1-4-7 form in the next couple of months. I was also aware that my power endurance was low as my arms turned to jelly 5-7 moves into a problem. This was one of the factors that was detrimental in my last trip to Siurana.
I’ve also been seriously thinking about building a finger board for the house. After struggling to do dead hangs on the campus board I think I could make alot of gains in this area. Finger boarding certainly hasn’t done any harm to climbers like Dave Macleod, Roddy Mackenzie and Sam Clarke.

After two weeks my man flu has finally receded enough to do some training. However, lying in bed on Thursday after a long day at work training seemed as unlikely to happen as on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening. Desire to improve on last weekends poor effort on Voodoo finally kicked me into action for a session. I learnt the next day from the cramp in my arms that a poor warm up before my second go was to blame.

Surprisingly after so much rest warming up wasn’t so bad and likewise in dispatching some easier problems from my circuit. I was glad not to have lost ground after a week of bad diet (the flu’s no excuse) and no exercise. On the campus board a small amount of progress was even made, shoulders holding together long enough in the cold to tick a good set of 1-4-6’s and 2-4-7’s. As good as these felt, a couple of poor attempts at 1-4-7 brought me back down again. Dead hangs and one armers were also poor, explaining why I couldn’t tie the full movement together yet. On the plus side endurance seemed good after I managed 2×4 laps on the wall. Arms felt weird, although tight they didn’t feel pumped, just progressively tired. This is something that can only be good for the next Siurana trip week after next.

Standing in the darkness I felt a little sad looking at the seven year gap in my old training log. Something that has been neglected but not forgotten in my intervening academic years. Although the focus of my problem solving interests tend to drift, I feel like its back on hard climbing again.