Shunting... Again

Looking up the rope on Phall Direct (E2, 5b).

I've not been up to much of late. Life has slipped into a monotony at the moment, which seems to mean I have less time for the outdoors and have to devote a lot of time to being in front of the laptop, with a text book on my lap, trying to find relevant prose for numerous assignments for my BA (Hons) in Outdoor Leadership. It got to a point this week where I really was struggling to see what the benefit of all the work was, but on reflection I think it is good that at times you have these thoughts. Finally accomplishing the task that you have battled with for so long is a good feeling I can imagine, and if you've succeeding in that task it's nice too know you've really had to work to get that success. So I suppose it's onwards and upwards in my aim for getting a First and getting a doctorate in the Outdoors.

Pulling on the small crimp at the start of Phall Direct (E2, 5b).

In some instances this philosophy and thinking can be carried across into my climbing. I've still got my eye, even though I haven't been up to the crag and seen the route, on leading Gillette Direct (E2, 5b) high up in the Langdales at some point this summer and the preparation for the route is still going ahead, but not as strong as it was before Christmas. Hopefully I will top-out after the 40m of E2, 5b climbing and, like with the University work, have had to fight for that success. This does not mean that, when on the route, I will be foolish in my decision making in order to feel like I've fought to get the success, but the fighting will have come before hand, during the months of physical and mental preparation so on the actual day it goes with as little stress as possible.

Another climber, on a shunt, on either Liang Shan Po (HVS) or Slipway (HS).

I've just started out on a new training regime, which sees me doing some training related activity six days a week and this ranges from an hour on a fingerboard or a day out at a crag practicing movement and getting used to what climbing in the 'extreme' grades is like and that is what I was doing this afternoon at Kings Meaburn. I ticked six different route, which ranged from E1, 5a to E3, 5b, and to be honest I felt really good on the routes. In some instances they felt very similar to some of the stuff I've been climbing on inside at the climbing wall. Perhaps that's what climbing in the 'extreme' grades is like: indoor climbing?

Good lines, stay safe and see you on the wet stuff...
Iain