T minus 2 mounths

I know I should be consolidating, I know this is where I can make a real difference,  but truth be told I am bored.  I got good and steaming drunk Friday night, Saturday I feel a hundred years old, my elbows and back are sore.  I feel sick, I have consumed vast amounts of empty calories in booze and sugary shit, I have fallen into the resting habit.  Then I watched the World cup being streamed, all I can now think is that Dmitry wouldn't eat that, he wouldn't drink this or smoke that, and that's why he climbs like a machine.  And he did, it was really fucking impressive.


So its T minus 2 months now, technically only 6 weeks to the original finish point but to make up for the 4th month when my tweaks and aches sent me outside I have added on the 2 weeks.  So what have I got left to give?  Well that's obvious really isn't it , fags and booze!  An average night will see me sink several hundred calories in alcohol, and an average day will see me through 12.5 grams of Virginia's finest.  Neither of which will help me in any way, plus they are very expensive habits these days.  Now the drink I like, but think with a bit of effort I can knock that on the head,  the smoking well I have no doubt that will prove to be a little more tricky.  Still one thing at a time so for now I am aiming for T Total.  


I have a few things that I want to check out outside over the next 4 days off if the weather plays ball.  If it rains then its back to the boards with a vengeance.  The cold water treatment has been really helpful for my fingers, seems to have almost been magic!  I had a mill session before a quick visit to the cave to meet Katz for a session, I would guess I am 5% down on my best at that point, I had trained a lot of days on though, so hopefully this few days off will have got it all back into shape, although I am under no illusions 4 days rest where you re pissed/eating lots will not help.


Today I session in the Indy, I can now confirm that I have lost a fair bit, according to Mr Bompa
"for the inactive athlete, the rate of strength loss per day can be roughly 3-4 % for the first week"
Fuck that seems pretty quick isn't it?  Adding 2% for being a pig and drinking loads I make that between 14%  and 18% strength loss...  So you need rest days to recover and supercompansate but every rest day costs so much!  Now I am just so confused I guess this really is a game of two steps forward one and three quarters back.  And another case of a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. 

This last bit should be taken tongue in cheek, I realise there are far more variables involved.  The main point of this post is that I have to believe in what I have done.  It was easy 2 months ago, now we are reaching towards the end, panic and fear that it will not work creep into my psyche.  In the conversion phase before the main competitive season is where most people get injured, probably through pushing on too hard trying to make up the short comings of their training.  When in reality you must stick to the plan, whatever will be will be.

Variety is the spice of life...

So last night I decided to clean out the little 45 degree woody at the Indy.  After my morning core session CJD turned up so I could kill him in the weights session, then he returned the favour on the wood.  This little board is where most of our training was a few years ago before the MOD kindley funded our boulder, so I have fond memories of it.  I am pleased though, he wasn't too far ahead and he had 4 rest days while today was my 13th day on.  My body is having a mini rebellion at present, think I am just getting paranoid as my neck shoulders and fingers are all switching round with various degrees of pain from day to day.



The Indy 45 a lovely little thing sadly normally buried behind a pile of holds.

 I had my first mill session for a while a few days back, I had lost a fair amount of finger strength and raw power with all the pesky outdoor plodding, but all in all it was not as bad as I thought it would be.  Its been quite a while since all this summer of the Mill started, its been fun and I have certainly learnt a lot of stuff that I will do differently next time.  Hopefully I will make it through these last 2 months without a catastrophe, and the winter sun will play ball.  I remember reading a Rich Simpson thing somewhere where he reckoned it didn't matter if he failed as he knew he had put all the effort in he could.  At the time it seemed ridiculous to me, failure was... well it was failure and it could only be my fault.  Now I think I am starting to get the point. 

"failure is not fatal, success is not final, it is the courage to continue that counts"

Fuck me, I have gone too far I think Winston Churchill was talking about the mill.

If knowledge is power

Then I am getting stronger. Thanks to one of the Indy regulars I know know lots more words about training and diffrent ways to stick all the shit together to end up stronger fitter and just generally better. Now to put it into practice.



Other than reading loads of training books, I have continued in the rehabiltation of the finger.  This has involved going outside as I know I will lose all pretence of self control if I go to the mill.  After a good start this week has brought home to me all that is shit about climbing outside in the summer in the UK.  Grease midges and rain.  As he says in Good morning Vietnam its hot and wet, this is not a good combo.  As I had made plans ages ago with Chris to go the to South Lakes for a couple of days, we did our best  to ignore reason and went anyway.  We arrived and went to trowbarrow as it had the best chance of being dry, the shelter stone was wet on top and so red wall saved us, fortunatly I had forgotten the guide in the car otherwise I suspect I may have chucked my toys out of the pram within 2 problems, as it was I got to give them my own grade for the time being, generally +2.  All was not lost though as we both did Shallow Grave which was awesome, by this time the shelter stone had dried out and so we tried Vitruvian man, never have I adjusted so many times on the holds of a problem, no amount of chalk, megajiz or brushing would improve the buttery texture of the holds.    And then it was raining again, the spot pad was used as an umbrella to keep the top holds dry, 10 minutes later I linked it all first try, trying hard to keep the faith we went to Woodwell which had condensed, fairy steps which was foul, and then to the pub.  At this point home was my preferred option but Chris doesn't get that many away days so he was far keener, off to spend the night at Raven Tor. 

In the morning it all seemed pretty good so off we went to Stoney for a warm up, I was shit Chris was terrible.  After an hour on Pinch 2 I was getting better and given grease and sunshine and the fact I was bouldering before midday had given me enough excuses to feel OK.  Next stop was to go to try Andronicus up the road.  I went to check we were in the right place, pronounced it a bit seepy but OK.  An hour latter I fell of the 7c arete thing going for the last move with piss wet feet and hands  from the start which was soaking wet not a bit seepy.  At this point home was the place to be and off we went.  What a fucking shit trip, £40 to drive 400 miles look at wet rock do a couple of problems taking 20 times as long as on a cold day and sleep rough.  Honestly with a combined age of 71 you would think we might know better.    I guess there is no fool like an old fool.

The following day I decided to go to the cave to continue the fun, I was shit in there as well.  All in all I will be glad to go back inside.