I need to start taking action!
a brief introspective analysis of my training needs...
The bad summer we are suffering this year has been terrible for my physical workout so far, as I hate to go mountain biking or running when it rains. Even my rock climbing has been far less than usual this summer due to the doubtful wheather, and the actual fuel prices.
Let me explain that last one: since we have to drive at least an hour single way to the crags, it's just not worth it anymore to drive there and check whether the rock is dry enough to climb. So we have stayed home more sundays than we actualy went climbing. Adding to that I have enough work to do around my house, and my sports climbing partner even more at his house.
Excuses, excuses...
Lucky for me there is the Rebolting Team, which I take part in. About once a month we go cleaning and (re)bolting rock climbing routes, which involves plenty of climbing and hauling with heavy bags and stuff. As the crag we are mainly working on at the moment is pretty hard, all team members had to improve their technical climbing level.
The result of all this is that I believe the condition between my ears, and my technical climbing level, are pretty sufficient at the moment, but I definitely need to work on endurance.
As I felt last winter, my drytooling sessions in Buggenhout were usefull enough to give me technical luggage, faith and confidence in the tool points hooking on tiny edges, I surely want to pick up these workouts again!
Another point of action is checking my material.
I found out last winter in Scotland, where approaches are slightly longer than a fifteen minute walk from the car to the climb, my feet tend to start hurting in my boots. It certainly slowed me down, and even after I got home, the pain didn't finish immediately.
Do I need bigger boots? Or would custom made soles help me out?
What else needs consideration?
- Are my ropes not to old? The dry cover has certainly worn of..
- which axes will I take? My leashless Fusions or my antique leashed Quasars? For long multipitch climbs leashed climbing is still commonly considered a wise choice.
- gloves, mittens,... : as my ice climbing gloves "disappeared" from the drying room last winter -they were worn off anyway- I definitely need to new ones. But which? It might be interesting to have different pairs: thin ones for the climbing, warmer ones for the belay, and even a separated pair for the approach. And they must be "compatible" to leashed tools...
I don't feel like wanting to spend a lot of money on new material, since I still need to get done important works on the house. But on the other side decent material is quite important for safety and health.
All right!
Taking the day of thursday, to go rock climbing.
And next weekend I might go for a good walk, to test both my condition and my boots.
The bad summer we are suffering this year has been terrible for my physical workout so far, as I hate to go mountain biking or running when it rains. Even my rock climbing has been far less than usual this summer due to the doubtful wheather, and the actual fuel prices.
Let me explain that last one: since we have to drive at least an hour single way to the crags, it's just not worth it anymore to drive there and check whether the rock is dry enough to climb. So we have stayed home more sundays than we actualy went climbing. Adding to that I have enough work to do around my house, and my sports climbing partner even more at his house.
Excuses, excuses...
Lucky for me there is the Rebolting Team, which I take part in. About once a month we go cleaning and (re)bolting rock climbing routes, which involves plenty of climbing and hauling with heavy bags and stuff. As the crag we are mainly working on at the moment is pretty hard, all team members had to improve their technical climbing level.
The result of all this is that I believe the condition between my ears, and my technical climbing level, are pretty sufficient at the moment, but I definitely need to work on endurance.
As I felt last winter, my drytooling sessions in Buggenhout were usefull enough to give me technical luggage, faith and confidence in the tool points hooking on tiny edges, I surely want to pick up these workouts again!
Another point of action is checking my material.
I found out last winter in Scotland, where approaches are slightly longer than a fifteen minute walk from the car to the climb, my feet tend to start hurting in my boots. It certainly slowed me down, and even after I got home, the pain didn't finish immediately.
Do I need bigger boots? Or would custom made soles help me out?
What else needs consideration?
- Are my ropes not to old? The dry cover has certainly worn of..
- which axes will I take? My leashless Fusions or my antique leashed Quasars? For long multipitch climbs leashed climbing is still commonly considered a wise choice.
- gloves, mittens,... : as my ice climbing gloves "disappeared" from the drying room last winter -they were worn off anyway- I definitely need to new ones. But which? It might be interesting to have different pairs: thin ones for the climbing, warmer ones for the belay, and even a separated pair for the approach. And they must be "compatible" to leashed tools...
I don't feel like wanting to spend a lot of money on new material, since I still need to get done important works on the house. But on the other side decent material is quite important for safety and health.
All right!
Taking the day of thursday, to go rock climbing.
And next weekend I might go for a good walk, to test both my condition and my boots.
Labels: material, preparation