v3

Ok. Was back to same old 5.11a, it was easy. Also did like 2.5 v3 problems, it was fun too. But I guess bouldering really abused my fingers. Couldn't do much after that 5.11.

new shoes

I think I am back to my healthy self. I was able to mock-lead a 5.10d on which I only tried the first couple of moves a week before. Probably will start taking lead test(-s) in June. Now I need some time to study..

Anyway, I got Katanas because I need to resole my Mythos and I like them a lot. They are a half size bigger though. So, this is how yesterday has ended. 

trad

So, I went today to another trad clinic. In the end Dave said that I wouldn't die. Do I feel confident?  Yeah, I can't see why I wouldn't be able to lead. Some of my placements totally sucked, but in general I was ok.

Today I also saw that I need to resole my mythos... and that just after 6 month of climbing? Well, I just hope my footwork will get better than that.

ok. I'm getting back in shape

It feels like my muscles are still not recovered since Sunday. Yesterday I couldn't do my regular 5.11a (maybe I had to actually warm up :). And realized that I forgot most of the sequences for a favorite 5.10d. So I had relearning experience. Spend a night climbing in the lower 10s and found another interesting 10d. But all of this is ridicules TRing, I got to go into leading.

v3?

I think I was in the gym once in the last 3 weeks. In addition to that, just starting to recover from the nasty cold/virus I lost my belay partner :( 6 stitches on the index finger puts her out for another couple of weeks. But this is nothing comparing to what people in Burma and China are experiencing right now, so I don't complain.

However, miserably failing to finish a v2 I actually was able to do all the moves on a v3, I don't think I've properly sequenced them, but I think in my last attempt I only cheated on the first move. So, there you go. 

New Shoes and more

Before I started to climb my shoes/boots of choice were Dr. Martins. Long story from my past life. Anyway. After I started to climb I have noticed that my view is shifting. First thing after the Mythos I got were 5.10 approach shoes (Clogs), that I got on sale. I can't say I like them much, but I probably wear them 90% of the time now. Still thinking about new approach shoes I saw at Red Rock Rendezvous, but today I finally went "just" to see Vibram FiveFingers 

and... well, I have them now and already tried to walk, drive, run and traverse. They are so cool, I want another pair!

But what I really wanted to say in this post,  is that in the gym I tried to spend as much time on straight-arm climbing as I could handle. After that I tried to climb same old 5.11a and I don't think I felt the difference, but I definitely felt something. Also blind-climbed 5.10a, that was fun. I think I should start to systematically work on my technique. Let it be so.

Oh, yeah. Since this week, on toprope I can finally climb that route without falling (usually after I fail to start for a couple of tries). 

climbing vocabulary: free climbing

I am sure you have heard it before. I constantly do. This story  (http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6088297) is just a recent repetition. I also constantly hear it in the gym. People do not understand what a free climbing is. The term free is very confusing to those who do not pay attention but just hear it from somewhere.

Climbing can be free from aid, free from falls, a rope-free and whatelse. You just can't take such a general term and hope it will stick only to a specific context.