2019 Aiming High

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 J Whittaker 26 Dec 2019

Someone started a thread around this time last year asking what people wanted to do in 2019. How many of the things you wanted to do did you actually get done?

This was my reply, and what i actually managed.

In no particular order:

1) Get stuck in on Scottish V, maybe even VI for mixed, hopefully including some classics like Orion Direct. - Climbed Scottish V but never got to do anything like Orion Direct since nothing like that came in during the dire winter we had

2) Winter climb in the NW Highlands, Beinn Eighe, Liathach. - Due to the rubbish winter it was never worth going.

3) Get completely solid on E1, comfortable-ish on E2, maybe crack a soft E3. (not purely for grade chasing but because there are lots of incredible looking lines at this relatively amenable grade) -Climbed quite a few more E1's but never progressed. It didnt help not climbing all of June, July and August due to a busted ankle.

4) Get some classic alpine routes done. - Ankle again...i had arrived in Europe and busted my ankle running a few days before i was due to start climbing

5) Get my motorcycle license. - Did this.

 MNA123 26 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

This year I want to simply try and climb quite regularly like I used to as for the past 3 years I've hardly climbed at all due to a mix of injuries, family stuff, lack of partners and work.

Back in 2016 I managed to red point a couple of 7a+s and a 7b. It would be nice to try and get up to that standard again, however after my recent performance at a visit to the wall this may take some considerable effort.

Trad wise I dont have the same drive since becoming a dad 4 years ago, however some well protected classics such as left wall and comes the dervish (as long as I dont fluff the start) would be good.

 Derek Furze 26 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

1  Better work-life balance.  Last year I didn't climb for eleven and a half months because of work, so I am determined to ensure I get out on the rocks every week.  Climbed yesterday in the rain and have been out several times in December, so the omens are good  

Did pretty well with this until a bad spell of weather coinciding with loads of work slowed it up a bit.  However, pretty pleased at regular climbing.

2  Lose six kilos over the next three months

Did lose the weight until a long spell of staying in hotels, work and driving meant I put some back on over the winter.

3  Work at some sport climbing as a way of improving general levels of fitness.  Never taken it seriously, so onsighting 7a would be reasonable and perhaps work something, though the idea is a bit counter to the way I play at climbing

Didn't 'work' anything, but did mix in sport climbing through the year with decent results.

4  Build some power.  That's the bit that has really fallen off as I have aged.

Felt stronger, but I haven't tested this really.

5  Get about a bit with my midweek buddies.  Plenty of stuff to do all over the country.  Complete some E2s and E3s that I haven't got on before. 

Done a few things to keep inspiration going.  Still didn't get out of the Peak enough because of work, but happy to get a solid year in with some good and unfamiliar stuff done.

On the original thread I added some training goals.  Did achieve 100 pull ups (and push ups and sit ups) a day mid-year, but work interfered as I was beginning to step the set length up.  Just started back and am noticing the additional kg is making them tough, but looking forwards to working hard through January.

 finc00 26 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

- Get dialled in leading 7a / E1

- Start winter climbing / leading

- Climbing road-trip

- Tick off some classics in the Highlands and maybe further south (Integrity anyone?)

- Start taking training seriously

- 3000km on my bike

Probably not get much near some of those but thats the general goals for the year!

Andy Gamisou 26 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

Survive until 2021.

 plyometrics 26 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

Good thread. 👍

I completed the pull-up challenge I’d set my sights on. Now have a revised challenge for 2020, which I’m much less confident about. 

My running goal was to get injured less; which hasn’t quite transpired...

 Dave Garnett 26 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

I (for the 37th year running) idly fantasised about doing the Cassin on the Badile.  Somehow this year it actually happened!

 HeMa 26 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

I seem to recall my answer was about the same I gave for next year. 
 

So If I managed to go out and climb something I’d be pretty Happy.

Indeed I managed to do (prolly) FA a overgrown mixed boulder and visit a few other winter crags. So ticked that one. 

Managed a few boulders and a line or two of trad. So two ticks there as well. 
 

All in all, I managed to get something done and not just get some lard on my arse or belly. So good. 
 

Did even cruch in a Lattice remote assesment, which pretty much told What I already knew, I’m weak as in really weak. 
 

 Derek Furze 27 Dec 2019
In reply to plyometrics:

Revised pull up challenge?  Tell all then 😀

 plyometrics 27 Dec 2019
In reply to Derek Furze:

Ha! 600 in an hour. Doesn’t sound much really but suspect it will be quite hard! Just need to work out how I’m going to carve it up. 

How are you getting on with your pull ups?

1
 colinakmc 27 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

Small Mountaineering dreams for 2020- Dent Blanche S ridge; Aiguille de Chardonnay; SSE ridge of the Weissmeiss. 
Unguided - but I’ll need a team that can put up with my pace (slow!)

 Giles Davis 27 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

These were my goals from the previous thread;

a.) alcohol free all year (previous best was getting to the middle July in 2016) - still alcohol free so will make 1 year easily and go on from there (maybe  )

b.) Redpoint 7b - didn’t get anywhere near but then did hardly any climbing once again due to being an outdoor instructor. 

c.) simply climb loads more Trad than I usually do - I did actually feel like I got out more on trad, certainly enjoyed it a lot more this year.

d.) trek/hike 500km in the year - 750km

e.) run 500km in the year (previous best 885km, so should be fine as long as I don’t injure myself once again) - 410km, niggled my groin again and spent too long living in my van to be able to run as much as I’d have liked.

f.) live my life much more environmentally and ethically aware. Reduce my impact as much as I can. - we’ve slowly progressed throughout the year as a family reducing our impact and we should do a lot better in 2020

All the above whilst trying to strengthen my 53 yr old groin and rehabilitate/strengthen my perpetual rotator cuff injury. - Strengthening my rotator cuff was my biggest achievement this year. I joined a gym, had PT sessions and now feel a lot stronger and fitter, maybe 7b this year?  

 Derek Furze 27 Dec 2019
In reply to plyometrics:

Not bad during the times when I have been able to keep a routine going.  Nothing like your sort of volumes, but I was doing a hundred a day pretty consistently for a while, with the aim of increasing the set lengths up towards my eventual target of twenty.  However, I've had a long break because of work, so now starting the build up again (with additional weight!).  Good fun and easy to do at home.  Good luck with your ambition of ten per minute for the hour!

 plyometrics 27 Dec 2019
In reply to Derek Furze:

Thanks! Good to hear you’re back on it and with weight too. Hope you’re able to keep progressing in 2020. 😃

 Misha 27 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

The rubbish Scottish winter put paid to many people’s ambitions... I don’t bother setting goals for the year ahead any more as so much is conditions and weather dependent - Scottish winter, Alpine, even a lot of trad. Instead, it’s the same rolling list of routes I’d like to do, which gets longer with time as more gets added than done. The longer the wait, the sweeter the tick? Having said that, next year I’d like to push the rock climbing a bit more, may be tickle an E6...

 Pero 27 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

Well, I guess one out of five ain't bad!

 chadogrady 27 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

1) Lead E1:

Only managed one, but felt like my trad improved

2) Boulder 7a+

Did this and then some also did a 7B

3) Climb in Albarracin: Yes

4) Enjoy work: Better than previous years, but still room for improvement. 

5) Climb in the Dolomites: Yes

6) Bike packing trip: I didn't even get close to planning this

7) Splitboarding trip: another year of my split board collecting dust 

8) Do more trail running: I did loads more, Moving to Sheffield really helped. 

I got distracted with sport climbing half way through the year which wasn't on my radar at the start of the year so trad took a bit of a back foot. 

 Derek Furze 28 Dec 2019
In reply to plyometrics:

In an idle moment I looked at the records.  You do realise that 600 in an hour would put you 16th on the all time list?!  Noted also that the record is now 1198 (21/9/19) by Jan Kares and that nine of the top 16 are Stephen Hoyland progressing from 730 to 1009 - the first person to break into 1000 plus.  It is clearly quite addictive - you may end up needing help!

 Derek Furze 28 Dec 2019
In reply to plyometrics:

That's very generous.  I should point out that the 'with weight' isn't a voluntary thing

 struds 28 Dec 2019
In reply to J Whittaker:

Last year my goals were:

- Redpoint at least 7c, Done, ticked a 7c+ Matusalem (7c+)

- Boulder 7a+, Done, nabbed 2 in a week at Ogmore Bouldering and Dinas Rock

- get back to some Trad - Done, ticked some E3's and an E4

- climb over a 100 routes or boulders - Done ! 103 ish 

- tick all the bouldering sandbags that have stopped me previous years, Done with Banana Hammock (f6C) and Dogtown (f6C)being the ones I was most pleased with

I've also had eye surgery twice (for cataracts) and had to work around eyesight problems which are looking to be behind me for 2020

So for 2020 it's more of the same, I didn't really chase grades last year but climbed things opportunistically, this year I'm going to be much more tactical to breakthrough into new ground.

- Redpoint 8a (because it's 8a and has to be done before i'm too old and then regret missing the opportunity)

- Onsight E5 (if I get out tradding a bit more regularly this should be the low hanging fruit)

- Boulder 7b+ (because I've got 3 or 4 on the go that all seem possible but it will take some serious effort!)

 oh and also get Mad at the Sun (7c) finished off

 plyometrics 28 Dec 2019
In reply to Derek Furze:

Interesting. Just checked that out. Suspect very strongly there are quite a few who’ve knocked out 600 in an hour that have never been officially recorded. 

Indeed, pretty sure there’s someone who posts on here. 

You're right about needing help though! 
 


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