SHERPA

Worked after 8a+ onsight

So big thanks to my newest sponsor SHERPA Adventure Gear, with their amazing clothes I'm going to keep nice and toasty at the crag this winter!!!
All sport climbers know that there is nothing more important than a big warm down jacket at the crag, whether for belaying or chilling with your mates between redpoints it is crucial in being able to keep warm and keep your energy levels up instead of just shivering to death. You might be thinking i'm crazy because I live in Spain and people don't think it gets cold here but they are WRONG!!! It gets feckin freezin but it normally coincides with the good conditions so being able to deal with the cold is essential for making the most of the good friction. The Sherpa khumbuche jacket the perfect crag downy, I had it on today at the cave and it was awesome.

Soo...... getting back some fitness! Two weeks ago I started climbing again on rock and made a trip to Tres Ponts with Lynne and met up with Gaz Parry. To be honest I felt absoloutely turd, I was climbing like a robot locking off every move, trembling at the knees scared about falling off and just generally crap, fumbling clips etc 7b felt like 8b and 7c like 8c. So after three routes I was destroyed both mentally and physically, I was chatting to Gaz about the importance of getting on rock and how plastic just doesn't prepare you for it, I ended up having to have a week off as my finger started to hurt a bit again:( Anyway after a week off I felt fresh again, my finger felt fine and I was psyched to get fit and feel fluid on rock again. We headed back out to tres ponts, I did a 7b to warm up and felt good! I was nicely suprised, feeling much more relaxed and actually enjoying the climb not gripped out of my mind. Next I had a look in the guide and picked out a 7c+ to try and onsight, so I grapped 16 draws thinking that would be more than enough and set off with my new beany on to shield me from the icey wind blowing across the crag. Well I got up into the crux puffing and panting and was thinking to myself the whole time this feels totally desperate for 7c+, shit I have got a lot of work to do to get back into shape!!! Anyway I fought my way up the route, not taking enough draws for the monster, I had to seperate the biners creating a heanous rope drag, I squeezed the rope into the anchor and sat back!! UUUFFFF I let out and muttered to myself something about fucking 7c+ desperate!

Got down and was psyched to get up the thing and thought it was an amazing route, truly 5 star but kept thinking it was desperate for 7c+ after checking the guide again I realised oops it was an 8a+!!! yayy confidence boost!

So that was three days ago, yesterday we went to the cave and I did a couple of 7cs and felt ok today I gave myself a huge kick up the arse and set off up Fabelita 8c just to go bolt to bolt for training and I did it!! I mean I have done this route before and know the moves well but I'm just so psyched to have got some fitness back in such a short time!! I finished off the day by doing the 7c 5 times. So psyched for this season going to have a couple of rest days and then maybe hit Oliana!!

Gaz and I getting ready for some 7b chimneying

tornado in cubells

Jack on 7c at tres ponts

In the cave with Harry, home sweet home!