Liability anyone?

Went to MurMur with Muriel. It is on the opposite side of town when compared to Antrebloc. We were trying to figure out where we were when we cam outside of the Metro, when someone said: "are you going to MurMur?" Thank God, he saved us as this is another place we would never have found.

Very nice gym, with some uber long overhanging routes. At the entrance they asked us if we were autonomous. Autonomous? Sure we said, so they make us pay and in we go. You can lead anywhere in the gym. There are ropes on the ground everywhere for you to grab. There are orange ones (for the shorter walls) and blue ones (for the higher walls). So there we are, and Muriel doesn't know how to lead. No problem, I just taught her. She did great. She climbed a 3, a 4, and a 4c/5a; as well as some 5s on top rope. I climbed some 5s and 6s on lead, and I finished with a great 6c super long slab on TR.

BTW as if its not dangerous enough already, the ground is like in a school gymnasium, not mats, hard as rock... Its a miracle there's not one death a week at that place.

One last time

Last trip to PG tonight, Jess, Muriel, Erica, and Greg came along. I lost track of what was done, except the highlights for Jess and I. Jess did a 10d onsight and an 11a with 1 take. I onsighted a great 10c on lead that was moving diagonally through an arch and a prow like feature, lots of fun. I also did a long 11a clean on lead. I will definitely miss this gym.

OCD

I went climbing the last 3 days but was too busy (lazy) to post. Today at PG with Jess, yesterday at Mission Cliffs with Jess, Muriel, and Greg, and the day before at PG with that same group. I lost track of everything that has been done.

Jess seems to think I suffer from OCD because I keep doing the same climbs over and over when I fail on them, but today was payback. I finally finished the 11c on lead that I had kept trying 3 to 4 times every session.

I did need to take once. I also onsighted an 10a on lead, and did an 10d clean on lead. I finished the session with a great 11b on lead. I took about 3 times. It was scary and thin off the ground and then became overhanging with big pieces higher up, a great climb.

A for effort, F for results

Jess, Muriel, Greg and I headed to PG tonight. I lost track of Muriel and Greg, but I do know that Greg finished this hard 10b he had tried a few times before and Muriel onsighted her first 10b (way to go Mu).

As for Jess and I we did the following:

JS: 5.9, 5.10c (takes), 5.10b (F), 5.10d (takes), 5.10c.
GF: 5.10b (lead), 5.10c (lead), 5.11c (lead F), 5.11b (lead F), 5.11c (lead 2xF).

The last 10c Jess did was an onsight, so obviously the title of the post only applies to me. The 11c I tried were the same climb, so I tried and failed 3 times on it. The last time however I figured out all the moves and I fell 2 or 3 moves from the end, none of which seemed hard, so I think that climb is within reach. I took a few impressive falls today, luckily none of which resulted in injuries.

Time to give thanks

Last climb before thanksgiving, Muriel, Erica, Jess, Greg, and I went to PG: great session. Here's what we did:

MN: 5.8, 5.9, 5.9, 5.10a, 5.10a
EF: 5.8, 5.8, 5.9, 5.10a, 5.10a
GL: 5.8, 5.9, 5.10a, 5.10a
JS: 5.8, 5.9 (lead), 5.10a (lead), 5.10b, 5.11a
GF: 5.10a (lead), 5.10c (lead), 5.11d (lead - F), 5.11b (TR - 1 take), 5.11a (lead)

Erica onsighted all climbs!

Jess' leading is getting much better, and she onsighted the 10b TR.

Muriel did well despite thinking she wouldn't be able to climb.

Greg did well, as usual.

I am ecstatic, having done my first 11a onsight lead (a long overhanging route). I also didn't do so bad on the 11d, falling at the crux (a humongous roof).

Happy thanksgiving everyone.

Ouch, everything hurts

Yesterday I went with Clayton to the Stanford gym. We did the following.

5 x 5 back squats: 135, 155 x 4.

15 box jumps.

50 passing the medicine ball (we were back to back standing up).

20 throwing the medicine ball (on the ground, one in front of the other, once we catch it we did a sit-up with the ball above our head).

30 plank walk-ups.

3 x 15 on the support to bend forward and sideways (once on each side). GF +25, CF +10.

20 minutes rowing (2400 meters).

Today Jess, Greg and I went to Castle rock and climbed at Goat rock. We climbed the Great Roof (5.10b - 80 feet). We each took two tries on it. I sent it clean on the second try. It was a great route with hooks, knee locks, and twice you had to cut your feet. The toughest part was going into the cave (the black part on the picture) and then coming out which was quite tricky and unintuitive.

The climb was really great, and although we could unfortunately not do more, we had a great sunny day.

Greg, Muriel and I finished the evening at Tamarine around a nice dinner.

Between the gym yesterday and the longish approach today with all the gear on my back, my legs are killing me.

Short session

First at Stanford with Muriel, some pathetic attempts at bouldering: two V3s and some fumbling around. Then climbed up and down a 5.8 three times.

Then went to PG with Jess. Four leads on the long overhanging part: 5.9+, 5.10b, 5.11a (2 takes), and 5.11a (1 take).

Seems like I am not improving much. Can't seem to do 11a clean...

Back on lead

Good session at PG yesterday with Jess, Greg and Muriel. Jess worked on two leads 9 and 10a, and 4 TR: 10b, 10b, 11a. One of the 10bs looked very interesting involving a lot of high feet and smearing.

I did a 9, 10c, 11a on lead. I had to take once on the 11a, a long slightly overhanging route. Then I did a great 12a on TR twice, once with 2 takes, and the second time clean. That route is great, very unusual movements involving friction and open hands and requiring good weight transfers. I finished the night with a 10c lead on a overhanging wall. Felt good to finish with a clean lead.

Solution

This afternoon I was back to climbing after over a week of not exercising much. I went to PG with Greg and Muriel. Tired of climbing with shoes that have holes, I bought myself a pair of Solutions. Greg and Muriel worked some 8, 9 and 10s. I did 10a, 11a, 11b/c (1 take), 11c (1 take), 12a (multiple takes).

The shoes fit well, they are great for overhanging stuff (with a big heel and downward toe) but not as good as the Muiras for edging and slab climbing.

Four in row

Four days of climbing in a row, but I was always too lazy to post about them. They were all short sessions, 1 to 1.5 hours. Today and yesterday Erica, Muriel and I went to PG. The girls are improving rapidly. Today they both did their first 10a, a nice long slab. I have worked on a great 11d stem-fest which is long, overhanging, and really challenging. Today I took only twice, I hope to do better next time. I also worked a 12c that's out of my league, but I can now get about half way.

V7?

Went to the Stanford wall with Clayton and Muriel. They both have graduated to working on the V1s, which they did for most of the 45 min we were there.

I did two mantel problems (1 move each), two dyno problems (both short - can almost static), 1 V3+, and I finished a V7 I had tried a few times. I can't understand how it received that rating, one guys I talked with gave it a V5 rating, I would give it a generous V4, but hey: I'll take it.

Time for a rest

Tomorrow night I am taking the red-eye to NYC and I will have 4 days without climbing, which I think should do me good as I really had no energy tonight.

First I went to the Stanford gym with Muriel for about 1 hour. Muriel worked on V0s and a traverse, followed by a 5.8. I first did a V1, V1+, and a V3+ (all including down climbing). Then I worked on a V6 (I can now do all the moves, but haven't managed to link them). I followed that with a V7 which is probably out of my league, but I can do parts of it.

After that I had a quick dinner and then left for PG to meet Jess. We wanted to take the lead test but unfortunately nobody could give it tonight. I lost track of exactly what we did but Jess climbed strong working on a few 10b, 10c, 10d, and 11a after her warm-up of 9 and 10a. I warmed up on a 10a, and then worked on a 11b, 11a, and gave three tries to my new 12a (pink) obsession. A 60 feet monster which I have tried about 7 or 8 times now. Tonight I added one move to my best performance, taking me from within 2 moves of a clean finish. Unfortunately, I did worst on both subsequent attempts.

Something for everyone

Jess, Muriel and I went to PG today. It was Muriel's first time so she had to pass the belay test, which she did. Here's what we did:

JS: 5.9, 5.10b (2 takes), 5.10a, 5.10b (2 takes), 5.10a, 5.10b, 5.10d (2 takes).
MN: 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.8 (1 take), 5.9 (F), 5.8.
GF: 5.10a, 5.11c, 5.12a (2 takes), 5.12c (F), 5.12a, 5.12a (1 take), 5.12a (multiple takes).

We all did something good today. Jess onsighted a 10b and came very close on the 10d (I think it will go next time). Muriel did her first long (60 feet) 5.8. I did my first 12 clean at PG, it was one I had tried once previously.

The 12c I tried I got to about 1/2 of the way, it looks very interesting, I'll try it again next time.

Quick bouldering

Tonight Muriel and I went for 1 hour at the Stanford wall. She flashed a V0 and worked a traverse. I did a V3 and then worked on a nice V5 which I managed to finish after many tries. The last two moves are the crux moves, you need to grab a huge sloper on which you can barely get enough friction because it is so open before you shoot for a door knob before the final throw. It was a great problem to work on. Its rated V5 but it feels more like a stiff V4.

My tendons started to hurt, probably because I posted about the fact that they didn't... which also made me realize that they are probably fine because I don't work as much overhanging stuff as I do at TRC.

On the edge

I can't tell if I am climbing soft because you guys aren't around and I am getting worse or if all this climbing is translating into improvements, but today at some points I felt like I was on the edge of getting better. Its hard to tell because the changes are so small. Irrespective of whether I am getting better or worse, today had a lot of nice climbing with newbies.

First, Muriel, Erica, Clayton, and I headed to the Stanford gym. The three of them were doing very well for one of their first time climbing in years. Clayton had the upper hand sending one V0+, one V0, and working on the start of a third V0+ (that one imposes the hand sequence, which makes it trickier). Erica and Muriel both sent a V0(+) and reached close to the end on the other. They followed this by a 5.7, Erica doing all but the last move, Muriel managed about half way. I did a V2, V3, and two V4s. There's a third V4 that eluded me (I couldn't stick the last move). All the problems were new, which was quite nice. Erica went to run and the rest of us headed back to the department.

I then grabbed a quick dinner and headed to Planet Granite to meet Jess and her sister Nicole (on the way there I barely avoided rear ending someone who was stopped in an exit). Nicole did 5.6 (F), 5.4, 5.5., 5.6. She was very flexible which made all the routes look easy and with a bit more confidence she would do well. Jess did a 5.9, 5.10a, 5.10b, and 5.10c (multiple takes). The 10a was a great sent for her because it was overhanging and long, two things that give her a hard time. BTW Jess started a leading class yesterday and thus I will soon have a leading partner her in CA. I did 5.11a, 5.11b (1 take), 5.12a (1 take), 5.11d (1 take), and 5.11d. It felt like I could have done all of them clean, but obviously I didn't manage. The 12 was great, involving a huge throw to a big brain over an arch, which meant you feet were hanging. The first 11d involve many difficult move with pinches. The second 11d was a crimpfest, it felt more like TRC then most routes at PG. Next time I hope to send a 12 clean.

Stanford wall take III

Today I went with Muriel for about one hour at the Stanford wall. I did a few problems (V3, V5, and V2) followed by 2.5 lengths of the traverse while Muriel worked on a V0. After that we got on a rope. She did a 5.6 followed by a 5.4. I did a 5.11 (which was very nice with many open hands friction holds on a vertical wall) followed by a 5.11 which gave me a real hard time. At first I kept on falling on the third move, and then once I past that, I fell in the middle, and it took me many tries to get it right. I definitely want to get back to this one to do it clean.

Back

I went to the Stanford climbing gym for a quick 30 min session today with Muriel. It was her first time back after years of not climbing. She worked two V0s while I did: V2, V2+, V3, V2, V4.

The V4 was fun, with a scary finish. Actually going for the last piece isn't scary, but once your done, you don't want to let go because it feels like you'll fall face first on the ground.

Puke bag

Muriel, Clayton and I went to the Stanford gym to start what we hope will be a bi-weekly routine. We did the following.

20 burpees.

4x5 benchpress:
MN: 65, 65, 65, 55
GF: 135, 145, 155, 145[f5]
CF: 135, 135, 135[f5], 95[f5]

20 burpees.

4x5 pull-ups (weighted or Assisted)
MN: -100, -100, -100, -100
GF: +35, +35, +35, +35
CF: 0, -10, -40, -70

20 burpees.

4x5 (I don't know how this is called but you put one hand and one knee on a bench then lift a weight until your elbow forms a 90 degrees angle and then either come back down or extend fully).
MN: 10, 10, 10, 25 (halfway), 35 (halfway)
GF: 15, 15, 60 (halfway), 60 (halfway)
CF: 10, 10, 35 (halfway), 35 (halfway)

It felt quite hard. Especially the burpees. Let's hope the next visit feels better, but just in case, I think we will bring bags.