Old lessons

Yesterdays session at Steall inevitably brought me down to earth a bit with the cold conditions gone it was quite warm and still enough to have a chasing pack of midges on redpoints. So long sleeves and hats were essential even though I was overheating.

However, it was still a session of progress. On my project I got through the Ring of Steall again despite it being a little greasy, only to fall again at the crossthrough move. I looked again at it on the rope and with fresh eyes found a completely new way to do the move. I had actually tried the method ages ago but discounted it. I can’t believe I didn’t persevere more with it, because when I found exactly the right position, it took much less power than my old method. Being open about thoroughly exploring different methods on really hard crux moves is a lesson I thought I’d learned a decade ago at Dumbarton. Obviously not. 

So, feeling like a bit of an idiot, I moved on to getting a workout on the link-up of Fat Groove (8a) into Maxwell’s Demon (8b+). Although it was getting really greasy I got pretty high on the route; to the crux right under the last bolt. Not bad.

So my project has thrown me a lifeline to get a little higher. It’s obviously still paying off to train on the route itself since I’m still improving my movement on it. Looks like the forecast after the weekend will dictate some board sessions at last. It will be the right time I think. Time away to work on pure endurance and a change of scenery to refresh the body. 

This morning it’s time for a rest day jog. The Ben, Carn Mor Dearg and the Aonachs I think.