From the beginning of February there was nothing more I could think about than the trip to Font at the end of March though I new there were some comps I had to get through without injury first. These were of course, the CWIF and City Blocs final round of their winter bouldering league. Unfortunately these fell on consecutive days though this was the least of my worries...
Towards the middle of February I was feeling about as strong as I have ever felt, though my training had taken a backseat role, mainly doing short sessions whenever I could fit them in. However, having short sessions normally means that they are very intense. This was bad for me. Doing deep locks for a long time because I could hold on longer had caused my elbows to become inflamed and feel very sore. Whenever I had to pull hard or slow I would feel a deep ache erupt from the bottom of my bicep meaning that I had to have a rest from climbing. Fortunately, the following week I had a snowboarding trip booked. ACE! A perfect time for me to rest and recover, then I could have 2 hard weeks training before the CWIF to get stronger again with my elbows healed. This unfortunately, was not the case, for the first two sessions back I felt nothing, cured!! But, we all know it doesn't always work like that. By the third session, it was back, worse than ever, leaving me unable to climb even the easiest of climbs pain free.
Reading round on the Googley Interweb I managed to find many people with the same problem, most of them weight lifters, all saying that they needed to have 1-3months off. Nightmare! Having symptoms that felt not as deep as those described (not being able to lift a cup of tea) I figured with ice, rest and ibuprofen I would be back up and running by the City Bloc comp and CWIF. Maybe not firing on all cylinders but I'd be able to climb. After a few days rest and ice there was no improvement and a session I had planned with Nathan Phillips, I had to cancel. After describing my symptoms to him he gave me an instant response of, "It's not tendinitis" - "just get a deep tissue massage". Being a bit apprehensive, not thinking that this could just be an instant cure, I took his advice and visited a masseur. My god, the pain I went through was unbearable, but it worked a charm. After another 5days rest I was able to climb lightly. Cheers Nathan!!!
City Bloc is notorious for having some of the best set problems across the country! Always having a prime mix of technical, beta related and powerful problems to throw at you. Approaching the start of this comp I had resigned myself to the fact that seeing as it was my first session back from injury (aside from testing problems I had set the day before) that I would not be upset if I did not do well. Warming up I didn't feel strong, unwilling to pull hard and see how my elbows were doing I progressed through the grades and realised I was pain free. Epic. The finals were done in world cup format with the climbers going out one at a time. Having placed in 7th but with Nathan and some others having dropped out, in reverse order I was out 3rd.
The first problem was relatively easy to read with crimps and heel hooks on guiding the way to the top. Matching a volume with 2 micro crimps on it, I found myself 2 holds from the top but with few feet, greasy hand holds and a long way to go, I found myself stuck. In a moment of desperation I put a heel on a lower down volume and decided I would go with the wrong hand to the second to last hold and match it. However, upon rocking over on my heel I discovered the top not too far away. With a swift pop, I was there, top hold, flash. A good start. This put me in joint 1st with Tom Peckitt and Josh Farrel.
The next problem was slightly harder to read with a run a stand into a corner to start. This was awkward, every time I jumped in and put my hands on the starting patch I seemed to fall out. After what seemed like hundreds of attempts with a slower jump I jammed my foot on the second starting hold and stuck it. The next move was a weird crossover and dyno to a jug. I missed it. I missed the jug. With a few more goes to get into the corner I committed to the dyno knowing now what the move felt like and stuck it. Pulling through some easier moves I found myself at the top. Dropping places though, Will Buck, Will Atkinson, Tom and Josh all topped this in fewer goes than myself meaning I dropped to third. With 2 tops in loads of attempts rather than 2 tops in few.
The final climb had a press into a volume then a move to a small crimp, from here you put a foot by your hand on the volume and cranked for a positive arête. With an awkward flick into a sidepull pinch the next section was hard to read. I ended up matching the pinch and pressing into a volume rather than crossing over to a volume like it had been set, from here I flipped my left had to a guppy and flicked to a crimp. Having messed around so much in the middle finding different methods I fell off. With two more goes down falling off the start, I pulled on with one second to go (tighter than wanted it to be) using my matching beta I raced through the start to maintain energy for the end. Hitting the crimp I dropped before,here I got a knee bar and reached for glory! Score. Three tops. This put me in third place but watching the others to see how they got on. No one else secured a top. 1st place, no elbow pains, a good start to the weekend.
Full set of results here.
The next day I travelled to Sheffield to take part in the CWIF. In previous years I have entered CWIF but been unable to attend due to injuries and family affairs. I had no idea what to expect. I had no expectations before I started. I had seen the start list and had seen the sheer WADdage that was attending this year. So many internationals were coming, just for this. Looking down the morning qualifier list I could see 20 names that were fighting for a place in semis, never mind in the afternoon session too. To be competing alongside the like of; Rustam Gelmanov, Tito, Gabriel Maroni, and Mina Markovic (to name but a few) was incredible! The problems looked super techy with two or three that looked powerful. It was possible to drop even the easiest of climbs. Crushing effort from Megos and Stew Watson for flashing them all!!
I approached the problems in usual fashion, do some easy ones, get on the hard ones, then come back to the rest. This worked for the most part but silly errors came into play, like leaning out on a slabby problem and a foot slips on a smears meant that I dropped crucial points. 10 more points were dropped on a last hold where a super deep lock was required to secure the last hold, with my hand in the jug I slipped off - 3times!! Feeling slightly hard done by I finished on a respectable score of 245 having not topped 4 climbs. This put me in 36th place, going away without a place in the semi finals but lots of things to work on.
Full Qualifying results for cwif here:
Sorry for the lack of photos, I was climbing and unable to take any.. :(
Over the next three weeks I will be in Font, tearing it up with Nathan Phillips, John Thornton and Will Buck! (Hopefully we'll bring you back a nice video too)
Thanks to Red Goat, Evolv and Metolius for all their help!
BRING ON FONT! :D
