Guilt free

There is something satisfying about watching the Cycling on TV on a Sunday afternoon after you have done your Long run. Milan San Remo on Eurosport the weather looks cack for them cant say I'm jealous.
I was slightly jealous of the wwu and trail runners yesterday until it started hammering it down.

The week started well did a fast 5 miles down the pier on Monday really tried to push it still only came in at 7:30 min/Mile. Felt good after it I'm sure the pace will return its only been 4 weeks.

Had a savage session at Gravity on Tuesday, a  few heads around Sean,Andrej and Paul but was climbing with Mark, James,Joe and Shane. The session really snuck up on me I was stiff as a board on Wednesday worse on Thursday. James had a few good goes at the blues for a change and did sterling work. May try cycling down in future for a bit of Aerobic work. The weather was good but held off going for a run want the foot to recover.

Wednesday headed out on my lunch around Kiliney had to take a few phone calls but the weather was mint so it was all good.

Thursday into Awesome, Micheal, Ricky and co where busy resetting so I had a potter. It took ages to warm up and work out the kinks from Tuesday. Then had a blast on the new problems with the boys still stood around,  eager to impress but bollloxed I didn't ooze style and technique. Ah well it was still a good session and was well beaten up afterwards. The problems are pretty interesting and I got a good burn of them.

Piers on Friday, went for my Jantastic timed effort. 1:05 for 8.1 I hit 1:06:36 so not to far out would like to get it under an hour when I'm Going well. Another beauty of a morning. Then cycled into town felt a little heavy legged but it was grand. On the cycle home the weather had completely crapped out, I was lucky that it didn't bin it down on me but it was still Baltic. Stopped to give my tube to a guy who had punctured on the way home so that's my good deed done for this year. It wasn't a day to be pushing your bike home!

Hit Awesome again with Dec and the kiddlies never really warmed up,arms still beasted from the other 2 days so just did some stretches and a bit of climbing. Still better than nothing and it worked the kinks out. Eve wore herself out in the kids area and demanded chalk off me to try some pull ups on the bridge bit. She is getting quite close.

Couldn't sleep on Saturday night might have to start doing a short run/cycle on Saturdays before Ann heads to work, not sure I'm burning enough energy to sleep properly..

Up early ish Sunday, got out the door for 8 hoped the watch would make it, it didn't and shut off at 11 miles. annoyingly when I charged it later it said it still had 17% battery left! Good run in great weather out to Poolbeg just shy of 16 miles so added a little kink at the end. Pushed a bit harder at the end as a girl was running just up the way making it look effortless. I caught her eventually but it wasn't easy., felt good and when out of the wind it was roasting. Days/mornings like that and you realize Dublin is just as stunning as any where. Sea on one side mountains on the other.Set off with hat and gloves took a while to warm up but was golden after 5 miles.

Now while Eve is sleeping I'm chilling watching the cycling, not all bad..
38 miles this week will introduce a Thursday short run next week to get up to 45. Hoping for the Wicklow way in May.

Evening plod

Met Mr C last night for a stretch along the piers lovely still evening the harbour was like a mill pond. 2nd run of the week and feeling good, hopefully be up to 37-40 miles this week then start dropping in an extra session.
Foot feels okay but every run causes a degree of worry as I wonder if I'll wake up with another stress fracture.

Trying to keep the bouldering up as it's savage and it must keep the core strong. Hit Awesome over lunch on Tuesday had a good session did all the yellow black and pinks on the back wall. Was trying to pinpoint the difference between them and gravity... I think it's that with Awesome I can either do it first/second go or I'm just stonewalled, with gravity I feel a degree of progression and that with a few sessions I might pull it off. Still intresting problems and felt nicely tired afterwards.

Some strong lads the guys met in font


http://vimeo.com/m/88008875

Was inclined to do a fingerboard session this eve but ended up having a beer instead..

Ode to Pierre

Just picked up on the crazy Frenchman's blog and I thought I'd try and chill him out! The weather over the weekend wouldn't have stopped the ever hopeful Pierre!

Mr Tormey traveled out on Saturday, said it was damp and then it rained. I sulked in work all day as it looked mint.

Sunday I was going out whatever. I text everyone I knew but as I left I still had no replies (God damn people with interesting Saturday nights). I drove to Glendalough and got a call from Dec to say he and Jules would be down, sweet!

I had a great session - got all the usual warm ups first go, the nu rails and the weird mantel on the back of the egg boulder. My confidence was quite high as Dec and Jules arrived, this worried me as it normally means shit's about to bite me in the ass. We mooched over to Big Jim and warmed up some more then it was time for the old foe. I had decided at the beginning of the winter that I wasn't gonna bother with this piece of crap problem as I have wasted too much time on it. However, Kev did it the other day and Trish is projecting it. Well I'd already let a girl get it before me, I wasn't letting Trish! Felt strong on the first go but came off then Dec did the same. A few repeated goes later Dec finished it and I was close to being pissed off again. I had a good rest while Dec and Jules ate their tomato soup, then went back. I felt a little cold and stiff but I tried anyway. I caught the crimp, hopped my foot up and straight for the jug. In the bag - saweet! I know it's always the way but I cant believe how easy it felt as I did it, I feel I have wasted far too long.

Then after an interesting river crossing we headed to pascals. I thought I was about to find out that I had practiced the problem into submission. I got the start pretty quickly then after a few mistakes I latched the top then almost fell off but in a very unstylish motion topped out.

Cool benchmark at the beginning of the season and it proved it wasn't a fluke. It's true I couldn't remember the start but technology to the rescue - I had recorded Chris doing the start so I watched that:)

We finished off up at the fin. I was touching the hold but my day was over and I was content. Pretty pissed with the car park closing at 4 but can't be arsed to start a thread on climbing.ie.

So there was outside climbing at the weekend and no reason to go indoors. Where do I stand on blogging about it, I mentioned to some that I thought indoor bouldering was a strange thing to blog about but who am I to judge. If you don't want it in your blog list take it out. At the moment there is some real keenness running through the coop and it's good fun. It has motivated me a bit more to pick up my game.

Trashed and Burned

I traveled out to Lough Bray after work on Thursday, it was a lovely evening a little bit of wind and quiet warm. It took exactly an hour from gaff to boulders although I half ran half walked in. I tried going up the military rd via Fosterbrook and Rathfarnham rd, then came back via Enniskerry and the n11. It took the same amount of time but the traffic wasn't as heavy, so not really a fair test. I thought I'd burst a tyre when I cracked a pot whole in the road,I slowed down a bit after that!



Warmed up on the grand hotel boulder, did Aerosmith cleanly for a change and prob 14 without the sketchy top out. Did Diarmuid's little arete as well but it was the start of a skin losing pattern.

Then I mooched over to Rainbow but had forgotten my sequence,so I just tried to sort the top section first. In the end I used Dec's method with the quick intermediate and low heel hook. Then it turned out I had forgotten the start, I finally got it wired but had nothing left in the tank! It was nice to get out I'm glad I went maybe a little disappointed I didn't get Rainbow but Ill go again on the next nice evening.



On Wednesday I spent the morning getting the car through it's NCT, well pleased it passed first time and with very little expense! A god send after last time. So with a clean and legal car I took off to Glendalough and met Kev. It was quiet warm but there was an OK breeze at the boulders.

As it was dry I warmed up on The Plum and original route both sides was pleased to get them all first go I normally fall of the right arete the first few times. Then headed into the track side area did the usual warm up circuit which I also added slugger to. Then it was time for the show,



Headed over to Pascals, I was worried after I'd had such a good session on it a fortnight ago that it might have just been a fluke. I tried to dial down the top moves but kept doing it slightly different each time, in the end I opted for a heal hook on the intermediate hold under the triangle.

Then I pulled on from the start and surprised myself by catching the crimp first go. My foot popped of going for the break so I had to fight to get it back on, I fell going for the final hold. Gutted, I really didn't want to have to try the start again. I pulled on a few more times but kept pinging off at various points at the start. I went back to trying the top to build my confidence back up. Then I had a good break for about 10 Min's, I was trying not to put pressure on myself but I found I really wanted to get it and had come so close twice. This attempt I pulled on hit the triangle brought my heel up caught the crimp then the break, I had one move left but was wreaked. I caught the top hold and was made up almost blow it when I didn't have much strength left to get over the top. I was well pleased for the time it took me to get down off the boulder.

Its funny its been a while since I have sent something I have really worked towards as I get side tracked very easily. I always expect more jubilation but one of my first thoughts was how can I do that and not Andy's arete. I'm pleased I got it though as I wasn't having the most productive season. I have got stronger but not really progressed. I can now look at it and say "there I improved!"




Still have the thing on the rasher, the egg ss and rainbow but I don't feel as pressured. I have dropped Andy's as it just upsets me.



I don't care If you have all been bored by this as I F%£king climbed Pascals graded 7b in Super Dave's guide and my first 7B.



On Tuesday I gave Yoga a try, I actually enjoyed it. I was definitely more flexible afterwards and was quiet stiff on Wednesday. I'm not sure how much the yoga contributed to the stiffness as I have been running /climbing everyday for 11 days now. I'm going again to see how I get on. The most pleasing point was I didn't fart like I was told I probably would.

Was at UCD in the morning, it was a nice change but I find its more dynamic than the coop and the holds offer a lot less friction. This is possibly due to the heat in the place. In an odd twist I was as close to getting the 7a as 7b. Not sure I agree with the grades but a grade debate for a climbing wall seems a little pointless. I found the change good fun, it got busy as I was leaving at 1 as the students were on lunch.

On Monday I ran up Djouce with Bray, it was a fantastic evening. I wish I had worn gloves as my hands got really cold. I have never been up there before and I really enjoyed the sustained climb up. It's been a while since I have done any fell running and I really enjoyed the deep breathing and pain in my legs. It felt like a stolen trip out, the views were stunning. Bray keeps a good pace for me but if he hadn't been their I would have definitely walked a little to the top!

So a great week all in all I feel pretty broken now but nice broken.

Ann had no part in the spell checking on this post so cant be blamed for any errors!

Lough Dan

A great day out in Lough Dan today, I have never been so I was unsure of what to expect. Mark also said he had never been but this turned out to be a lie and he had indeed been before - lucky really as it turned out the rest of the group are in capable of reading the guide! Its an amazing area, the scenery was great and the fact that there is a longish walk in made it more worthwhile. There was even a wade across a river! The recent snow and rain made this an interesting prospect but it wasn't too bad. Warmed up on what we think was a 6a ripper traverse. Dec and I then did the sit start which was supposed to be 7a. If we were on the right bloc I think it is a lot less than the given grade but good none the less. Then to the recommended Shadow - Dec did it first go, I had a few more attempts but got it in the end. I found the top out rather tasty, thought there should be a thank god hold but there wasn't. I really enjoyed the doc bloc problem - we were unsure if it was the right or left side of the arete so we did both. Looked at a possible line to the left of Shadow, pretty burly - a bit like hugging a fridge!
Finished up on Karma, a lovely problem but I was spent and it took me ages. Again a possible sit start but my fingers hurt when ever I touched anything, ah well there is always next time.

Ann made stew for dinner which was great and she made enough for 2 meals which sucks as it means I didn't get to keep eating it. Back to work tomorrow that was my Easter!

Glendalough

After a couple of sick days I decided to have a gentle stroll to the boulders. The weather was lovely, a light breeze and some sun, it did try and rain but we soldiered on and were rewarded with fine climbing. I was going for more mileage than pushing myself so I tried not to give any individual problem more than 2 goes. We started in the ruins, was well chuffed with doing the plum, one of my favourite problems and has a nasty habit of spitting me off. Then we sauntered up to the path side boulders and I managed to get the problem on the back off the egg boulder that Dermo did last time as well as the same warm up circuit. Did Chillax on the way up to the fin, I also tried the left hand version, I came pretty close but after 3 goes I didn't want to burn myself out so moved on. Got to the fin and had a play around there before settling on the fin ss. I tried it using the foot hold on the left that was pointed out to me at the end of last winter, it felt a lot more natural and I came very close on a number of occasions, I just have to hold the swing. This has me really looking forward to the winter I think it's the fittest I have come out of a summer ever, and with a drop in temperature who knows what might happen! Stopped off on big Jim on the way back and managed the dyno?!?! static which was nice .

No pain, no gain

Tried posting from the Iphone but it wouldn't let me put any words in the box, damn technology. This means this a brief post so your not just staring at a title. Last night me and my mate Dermo set off to Glendo on what literally turned out to be a fly or die mission! After solving the puzzle of 2 bikes and a pad in an Eco friendly (small) car, then rally driving and an excellent transition to bikes we arrived at the boulders at about 10 to 7. There was a slight breeze and we set to it. It went well to start nice warm up the traverse on the path side of the egg boulder was flashed, the ss to the rails was flashed. Now I'm not saying it was all pretty or a mighty dazzling display but for the first time back since march I didn't take my usual kicking. Then we tried the ss on the back off the egg, Dermo tried came down, I then had a go didn't get my heel right and couldn't swap to a press came off. Then from out of no ware and I'm sure playing dam busters They appeared. Dermo was just starting his second go so I bravely stayed to spot so he didn't damage his back but as soon as he was up that thing I dived for cover. Midges were every were, I tried to have another go but they were in my beard, ears every were. We packed up and for some reason thought maybe big Jim would be better. A quick recce showed it was marginally better, so I donned boots and no sooner had I done so they returned, da da da da daaa. da da da ,daa da, needless to say we split. Fun times but still worth the trip cant wait until it gets cooler roll on oct....