For those who don’t know, my new year runs from when the clocks go forward, giving a much better point of the year for resolutions and goal setting. There is also a Solstice when the clocks go back. For more information, click here.
The complete dearth of blog posts this season is entirely linked to the complete absence of anything worth writing about.
There are indeed extenuating circumstances. I’ve lived here for nineteen years and I’m not sure I can recall a winter this incessently wet. Indeed, it seems as though it began raining in October and has only recently stopped.
That being said, there have been opportunities in the past six months; I just happened to have missed them. While some of that has been from my child-rearing duties, the fact is that the majority of my time has simply been spent working.
For the past four years, I’ve poured my heart and soul into Prowess Climbing Coaching. Not that I’m complaining too much, it’s been amazing seeing myself progress and develop a business like this. However this season has highlighted some important points for me.
I’m immensely proud of what I’ve achieved; especially over the past season. There’ll be a post coming out soon (I need to crunch the numbers first) reviewing exactly what I’ve managed to do this year, it is incredible. I’ve shared some of the stats with friends in similar positions and they’ve all been surprised/impressed/raised eyebrows.
But that doesn’t mean it’s not taken, and continues to take, it’s toll. Twice this season I’ve faced burnout. Both mental and physical health have taken a hit. I found myself, off the back of yet another incredibly busy spell at the Indy for the Indy Open competition with a stinking cold that meant every time I jumped off a boulder problem, my head felt like it was being squeezed in a vice.
I walked through the door and saw an old friend, Ricky, who asked how I was. I told him I felt rough, overworked, stressed and strained. He smiled. “Do you remember when you first started? You were worried that you’d be able to make it work, worried you wouldn’t be able to find enough work? Now look at you: complaining about being worked too hard…”
And yet, there needs to be a balance. I’m reaching the point where going all out constantly will no longer work. Something is going to need to change. The good news is that I think it will.
Season Review
This ought not to take long.
In the last post, I commented “it seems silly to let go of the momentum and forget about outdoor bouldering just because the season has changed” but little did I know about the relentlessness of the weather.
Since my last post about that glorious day at the Cost of Living Boulders, I have recorded a solitary problem outside; and even that was a first (recorded) ascent while working. Indeed, it was someone booking a session for outdoor bouldering that finally dragged me outside.
It was a fantastic session, marred only by the initial stress of finding dry rock. Two days previously, we’d been on the phone trying to work out if it was worth the risk driving up from London. Then, after days of checking both forecasts and Altantic weather charts to figure out the pressure systems, we opted for Sheep Pen.
It worked and we had a truly brilliant day. We ticked off Toe Dragon 6c+ and Dog Shooter 6c (once again, I mixed them up) before working the traverse link up. While the day was definitely not about me, it was nice to briefly jump on and repeat the 7a+ although without the top out. Not that I was bothered, I’ve done it plenty before but given it is my pick for the best link-up traverse in North Wales, I’m more than happy. Moreover, I was really chuffed we made it work.
In fact, so pleased was the client, he booked another session a mere two weeks later!
However it was that first session that really inspired. I’d been in Sheffield a few weeks previous (more on the later), discussing with friend and Performance Coach colleague Claire Youdale about prioritising the wrong things. On the Wednesday, I’d skewered my day with a single hour of coaching in the middle of what turned out to be a gorgeous day, ruining my opportunity to play for little gain. Come the Thursday, I wasn’t about to make the same mistake.
I haven’t actually had chance to blog about the session to be honest but on the drive out, I’d already made my peace that this was not about completing any problems; my only focus was to get out and climb on rock again.
I actually played it pretty well, to be honest. I was playing on Bustach Gut 7b and worked the moves through. By the time I finished, there was one move stumping me. Hopefully I can get back again soon to figure it out. Nevertheless, an outstanding session.
And that’s about it for outdoor action… but that’s not to say it’s been entirely quiet! It’s just that I’ve been more indoors this winter.
And not even indoors at home all the time either. That trip to Sheffield may have been spurred by a session observation but it also involved a day at the Climbing Works. A different stinking cold again restricted me but I did complete almost the entire yellow circuit, including some devilishly tricky climbs, to show that I can still indeed climb.
In fact, that’s been a refreshingly pleasing pattern. No matter which wall I’ve found myself – and I’ve lost count how many since the start of the season, with it certainly being well into double figures – I’ve been able to adapt, turn on the style, climb hard.
This weekend gone, no less, I found myself in Boulder Central in West Brom only to get the second ascent (if indoor routes have such a thing) of a tough and techincal V9 that left the locals very impressed. Not bad on day five from six, having run four FUNdamentals workshops in Worcester immediately before! My only complaint from West Brom was that I forgot to film it until afterwards, when there was no way I was trying to drag my aching body back up it again.
There’ve been two competitions this winter too: the aforementioned Indy Open and the Beacon Best in the West on the previous weekend. While I didn’t exactly place high on either (14th and 9th respectively) I did make a strong point of saying that I was not taking it particularly seriously. Some may have seen that as a tactic, it was not. I was there for the social and had a great time at both.
But by far my best achievement was The Triple.
John Kettle had offered me some feedback on a piece of work I’d created as a Coaching Self Audit, asking (justifiably) how I felt qualified to coach people to climb sport and, more specifically, trad. Meanwhile, while working with a client on his head game, some of the routes at the Indy piqued my interest.
Somehow (please see the link above if you’re more interested) I found myself with an unlikely challenge: the M7 mixed route; an 8a sport route; and a V9 boulder problem. In the same evening.
The middle section was by far the biggest. Neither of the other two taxed me that much, merely adding gloss to an achievement that was clearly so close to my limit that success induced applause from the crowd.
Looking back now, I realise quite how much of an accomplishment this was. Yes, the wall was short, steep and suited me but only a fool picks a project that doesn’t. The fact is that not many climb 8a ever, indoors or out. And having only done one 7c several years previously. I actually skipped 7c+ along the way.
Yes, measured in outdoor bouldering terms, this season couldn’t have been much worse. But the more I think about it, the more I realise quite how much I’ve done inside. Work or play, it’s been quite exceptional and I don’t know many people who could’ve completed like this over the past six months. Perhaps there is something to be said for this reflecting after all.
Previous Season Goals
- Continue to boulder outdoors and up Top Ten Average grade to at least 7b
- 88% aggregate completion with emphasis on Indy climbs
- Train. Like actually train, especially conditioning antagonists
- Swim
- Finish writing The Goal Map and publish
- Finish Performance Coach?
How Did It Go?
Oo, so this is going to be more interesting than I first thought!
We’ve discussed bouldering outdoors at length above. It simply didn’t happen. My Top Ten Yearly Average ended up at a vaguely respectable 7a+ primarily thanks to my ascent of Rock Atrocity Wobbly Bloc 7c+ way back in January. Without that it would’ve been substantially lower.
Still, there was a good revelation that came out of it. My circumstances are changing and I need to adapt. The fact is that historically, I’ve dismissed indoor climbs as unimportant but perhaps I need to pay them more attention.
The climbing world is also changing, with dedicated indoor climbers becoming much more prominent. Having the ability to rock up at any climbing wall and still turn it on, climbing V8s and V9s quickly and irrespective of hold type or climbing style is certainly laudible. Perhaps next winter, and even through the summer, this is something I should be celebrating in my own abilities, rather than putting excessive pressure on myself to try and do something that is unlikely to happen. After all, I still love climbing indoors too.
As for the aggregate, I played it just the way I wanted. The results reflected the effort and, certainly at the Indy, I could’ve picked up somewhere between 10-20 extra points if I’d gone all out. The fact is I used it for exactly what I wanted, didn’t get injured and am still feeling pretty strong (I mean, V9 in a couple of hours this weekend is kinda proof).
I learnt a lot about motivation along the way too; useful both personally and professionally. There were some reflections on a blog post early in the season.
I don’t know the stats but I was there or thereabouts.
As for training, I’m still not doing this. It’s ridiculous really, I simply can’t find a way that makes me want to do it! I have been running a bit more, which has been cool, and have a bit of a goal for that. But actual antagonist training and the like still isn’t happening.
What I am finding is that I’m feeling my age more than ever before. I’m still fit, strong and healthy but I am creaking and aching more than ever before. Again, it comes down to motivation but also time and this is a point that is only going to become MORE important.
Swimming has helped but in typical fashion, I’ve become distracted…
It is perhaps symptomatic of my situation that instead of spending time being in the pool, I’ve opted for time on poolside instead. Part of this was getting annoyed (long story, now isn’t the time) and deciding to add swimming coaching into my repertoire. Perhaps that was foolish but I have been enjoying it; and getting brilliant results too.
The summer sees me typically work less in the evenings and should free up some time for some time in the water.
Then on to the professional stuff. No complaints at all here, it’s been OUTSTANDING. Every season I am SUBSTANTIALLY better off by the end than at the start and this has been no different.
As above, managing the burnout is a constant challenge but the time constraints have meant I have not finished writing the book. Frustrating, as my original deadline was actually early January but this may have been unrealistic. Again, as the summer kicks in and my time becomes more flexible, it’ll be a good opportunity to finish the Goal Map book.
And then come back to finish the Process book I was writing before that! While the plan is to self-publish the Goal Map, the Process book will likely require more help and I’ll be seeking a publisher for this one. Hence the order, to build some momentum.
However the book is linked with Performance Coach, and the business. Part of the delay has been trialling and refining and in some ways, the delay has worked in my favour.
Hopefully, I can soon do some reflections with people, further refining that section of the book and get Action Plans as a thing on the website. Then I’ll have a much stronger book. Again, order is key here and my jobs list currently has “SCHEDULE YOUR PROJECTS” written across the top.
That includes Performance Coach. I’d LOVE to get it finished quickly, if only for the added kudos, but as I’m learning, it’s important not to rush it too much. Play the long game is becoming a mantra. It’ll come, if I keep doing what I’m doing. I know I’m good enough, I need to make sure I’m not going to fast and clearly demonstrating what I can do.
Next Season Goals
This is tricky. Do I aim for outdoor sends? Do I try and be more realistic and have (shudders slightly) indoor goals for the summer? What’s the work-life balance going to be?
I’m getting married in May, how much will that affect everything?
This is one of the toughest season’s to set for that I can remember. Hopefully, come the end of it, I’ll remember that and cut myself some slack. If you look at what we’re currently doing, as a family and not just me, it’s insane.
Still, setting some Goals will be important if I want to actually achieve something and not go clinically insane.
Oh and there’s still that lingering Goal: 8a kicking about in the background. But in the spirit of everything being an opportunity
- Apply your own model of the Goal Map to Goal:8a
- Ten outdoor boulder problems >7a+
- Maintain indoor performance around V8-9
- Climb outdoors somewhere not in North Wales
- Finish writing, and publish, at least one book and begin work on the second
- Build fitness, through swimming and running
- FIND A WORK-LIFE BALANCE!
Let’s try that. I think that’s fairly realistic, achieveable and to be honest, if I can stick to it, will not only help to maintain my physical health but also my mental health as well.
This is a difficult period in our lives, for both Em and myself. It feels like a maintaining phase, building for the future rather than focusing on the present. Nevertheless, the future is all well and good but you still have to get there.
chezdelabloc 