London coaching
28 Jan 2008
Just returned from a weekend coaching at the Castle climbing wall in London. I hopefully put a few of my clients through their paces getting to grips with slopers, steep rock and how to work out stopper moves. I'm still aching though from my 5 minute foray last week on the Yorkshireman (a 7b+/7c crack feature) at Kyloe where I managed to heave my body off the ground just twice only to fondle the second hold and drop off. My back feels like its been wrenched apart. How I wish I could climb that thing - a whole different world to Cubby's Lip.
It was a beautiful, sunny weekend but the pictures below lie - I just wanted to put them in. Last time I was coaching at the Castle before Christmas, I went on the London Eye which I wanted to do for ages. Actually this time my sister Gemma and I hit the Kings Road and all the beautiful interiors shops. Really it was Gemma who's got intentions of actually buying something but I do like to dream.
I now have a booking form and terms and conditions - they should be on the site in the next week or so.
Solitary mission success
24 Jan 2008
Last Sunday I fell 3 times on the last moves of Cubby's Lip (7c) at Kyloe in Northumberland. I've just returned from a solitary mission, to go back up there and make up for my mistakes. I think the sun shone everywhere today, but it was positively glorious up there and I really enjoyed my little journey up there on my own. I just wanted to finish it off and have something to show for this unproductive rainy period. Unsurprisingly I was alone at the crag apart from a red squirrel.
This time the conditions were a million times better than the damp, drizzly gloom of Sunday and after a quick warm up, success came first go. I feel its borderline 7b+/7c, that might be because of such good conditions today, but nevertheless it has really good moves, making up for how small and low it is! My training for pocket pulling at Buoux (in 2 weeks) is going well. I made a rather crap video of my journey which I'll endeavour to put together and onto the site in due course...
Ste Mac interview
14 Jan 2008
Steve McClure will be coaching with me in Turkey later this year in September. Information about that is already on the site. I've just added an interview>> with him including his inspiration, insights into his ambitions and how he manages to fit it all into his very busy life.
I'm just having a catch up day after my mini-tour of Scotland at the weekend. I coached about 25 young people who are all taking part in the BRYCS competitions this year in Aviemore and Glasgow. All credit to Scott Muir who organised it and puts so much time and energy into coaching kids all over Scotland. As well as the sheer effot put in by all the kids my highlight was the train ride up seeing the spectacular dump of snow on the sunny hills - unfortunately I think the rain my have had its wicked way by now...
Turkey and London
10 Jan 2008
Just to let you know that the dates are now up for the September Turkey coaching holiday with me and Steve McClure. Click here>> to find out more. This trip is going to be brilliant. We will be nestled in a beautiful valley in our own little, wooden chalets and bungalows and all the crags are within walking distance.
I'm going to be running some one to one coaching sessions in London the weekend of 26th and 27th at the Castle climbing wall. Get in touch if you are interested.
Its a long journey for me tomorrow as I travel up to Aviemore to do some coaching (indoors - snow and ice are not my thing - believe me I tried). Saying that I'm quite excited about seeing some snow. Yesterday afternoon I sneaked in a spectacular one and a half hours at Stanage - so I got my fix (of climbing and sun) for another week.
Navigation v finger strength
07 Jan 2008
My life never seems simple and I do like to complicate it. Last Friday I went out on Kinder in the thickest mist possible looking for remains of plane crashes; all for the greater good of this MIA and keeping my navigation up to standard. Rennie and I however got too carried away looking at the crazy ice formations on the bizarre shaped boulders and I totally lost my bearings for a moment. It was a strange feeling when I didn't want to trust my compass
Yesterday I was scratching my way along Cubby's Lip at Kyloe (7c) and fell near the end as my fingers shot at high speed out of a pocket.
Its going to be an interesting start to 2008 as I try to keep this balance between maintaining my finger strength and not getting lost in whiteouts.
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