I haven’t blogged at all this year…
hopefully this blog will make up for it. I haven't gone into much detail, just a brief summary.
Part1: Injury &
Comps…
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| Me looking like I'm enjoying the final route in Imst (Tanya Rose) |
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| JBBC Bristol final bloc 2 (Sandy Carr) |
It’s been a busy year, not exactly in the
way I had hoped as we moved into 2015. I was feeling really motivated for 2015
and loving training until my finger started to hurt. After countless visits to
physiotherapists, doctors, team trainings spent watching everyone else climb
and an MRI, the start of the season was getting closer and closer and I wasn’t
even able to climb harder than a jug ladder. I missed the first EYC… it
coincided with exams so that softened the blow, but it was my first ever EYC
I’d missed. It wasn’t long before I lost
almost all motivation to keep on going, I couldn’t really do anything without
this pain. After having some Shockwave treatment at Optimum Performance Sports
Injury Clinic and seeing a physio at Appi Health group my finger started to
feel like it was on the mend – I just want to say a huge thanks to these guys
for all their support! Eventually, I started to push my finger and entered a
number of comps including two Europeans where I placed 7th and 16th,
and I entered 2 Junior British Bouldering comps which to everyone (and my own)
surprise I managed to win. The injury taught me a lot… I was putting far too
much pressure on myself to be perfect 100% of the time, I finally started to
enjoy the actual climbing rather than be a robot and do competition after
competition only thinking of those steps on the podium. This was quite a big
turn around in my climbing. Competitions are no longer the be all and end all,
just another part of climbing! I’m way more excited for rock climbing too!
Part 2: Kilnsey…
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| Comedy, Kilnsey (Jim Pope) |
Last week I was lucky enough to get the
chance to spend 3 days at Kilnsey with Ian Dunn and Jim Pope. It was great to
watch these guys climb; they looked so experienced and comfortable on the rock,
something I am yet to acquire! ;) Kilnsey was perfect for me – steep, a
practically non-existent walk in, smooth holds! It took me a route or two to
get into it but I really did love it. Ian gave me routes to try, saying I must
get on a few of the classics! I managed to do Comedy, Dead Calm and Truth Drug
to name a few but also was able to try a few others such as The Bulge (which Jim effortlessly topped
2nd go) and Dominatrix. I thought I'd leave the harder routes for the big boys to try! But I definitely want to go back soon!
To end, I thought I’d list a few things
I’ve learnt from my little taste of outdoors:
1. Routes take (me) absolutely ages to
climb (in the eyes of a 6mins max comp climber). I still don't see 'holds' as such when I look at a rock face.
2.
Exact beta helps… a lot.
3.
The toilet situation is never
going to be comfortable!
4.
You (well I!) will be pumped
pretty much most of the way up a route.
5.
Everyone is mega friendly and
helpful at the crag!
Now I'm back at The Westway training hard for the next EYC in Mitterdorf this weekend and the World Youth Championships in Arco at the end of August.
A huge thank you to all my sponsors for their support this year!
Lyon Outdoor
Berghaus
Natoora
NuLine
Westway Development Trust
Michael and Lauren Clancy
Sports Aid
Sport England
Thanks for reading :)
I
