Weekend Bouldering

Okay, I'm sure nobody checks this anymore since I haven't posted anything in more than a few months; however, I've spent the last 5 or so weeks in the climbing gym slowly regaining my fitness and I'm really pleased with how things are coming along.

This past spring when I got injured, I had been climbing for about 8 weeks and I was feeling really good, maybe the best I ever had, at least on granite. The day I injured my shoulder, March 8th, I had engaged in my first battle with a problem called No Troublems. It was to be my first real bouldering project since moving to Vancouver 2 years ago. That day I surprised myself by unlocking the first three moves, but unfortunately I never got another chance to advance my highpoint since about 30 minutes later, I fubar'd my shoulder for the rest of the season.

Well, I got out to Squamish this Saturday in what were likely the best conditions in the forest since March. It was under a bluebird sky, with temperatures hovering at 5 deg. C in the shadow of the chief, and a nuking wind blowing that I found myself at the base of No Troublems again. I skeptically eyed the cruxy (for me) initial moves because I knew how hard the first move had felt for me when I was feeling good, and as this was my first time on rock after spending some time climbing and training indoors again, I was unsure of what to expect.

I pulled on my shoes and had at it. After about 10 minutes of messing about, I had sorted out the old sequences that had gotten me out to the sidepull at the back of the roof. With some further refinement in my right heel placement, I was able to remove one hand movement that was rendered unecessary. I rested for short time to recover, enjoying the peace and quiet of December as compared to the zoo into which the boulders seem to morph during the summer months.

One more burn. I pulled on, carefully placed my left toe and right heel, recoiled and fired for the edge. I stuck it perfectly, adjusted my right heel and bumped my right hand to the arete. My left foot found the next hold, my right heel came up with my body and I lurched upwards for the sidepull at the base of the roof. It stuck too. I just reached my highpoint of this previous spring on my first day out since my shoulder healed! I adjusted my feet and made the tenuous reach way back to the crimp in the roof and grabbed it, right before my core said "no thanks" and gravity pulled me back to planet earth.

So, I'm super psyched since that short session went miles towards confirming that I'm quickly regaining the form that I lost over the months following my shoulder injury. Next stop, the annual sunny, dry spell in Febraury...see you then No Troublems and bring your A-game 'cause you'll need it!