Friday, 8 February 2008

Goals 2008

Well it's been a while in the shaping - the years in the title are irrelevant as it's not a purely annual thing - it's just time. I began 2007 with some fairly hefty challenges, namely:

climb 7c at Dinbren - Try an E8 this year- Run a sub 2min 800m this summer- Run a 16min splash 5km this summer- Try an 8a - Take more pictures- Phone a friend

Now it's time to review things...

  • I managed to redpoint 2 8a's (one at Dinbren)
  • I lead routes of 7c both here and in France (2 of which 2nd go, narrowly missing the OS)
  • I played on a total of 6 different routes up to 8a+ in both Spain and France and could lead them in sections fairly quickly, although I never redpointed them.
  • I onsighted up to 7b+
  • I flashed a V8 and a V7 boulder problem
  • I've onsighted E6 and toproped an E8
  • I have maintained a weekly running mileage above 55 mpw since August

What does all this translate to? Well firstly I can see I have progressed a bit but I really have to work on my redpointing tactics if I am going to get the most out of myself. Spain was a prize example - I was trashed from the sheer volume of climbing 7's that I’d no skin or energy left to redpoint an 8! Although I could lead it in two sections within a days work. I need some projects, and I need the time and stability to afford me the chance to work them - hard! Regarding running I’m taking a different approach - volume of miles and focusing on middle distance road races - I just want to get fitter and faster - simple.

So now, what do I want to try and achieve this time around?

  • Redpoint 3 more 8a's
  • work an 8b
  • boulder V10
  • build up to 15 finger tip pull-ups on my board
  • Increase the weekly mileage to at least 70 mpw and maintain it there

This may not sound too concise or well thought-out but it's all I’ve got. I just need to get my teeth into something and then plough away at it till I send it... I’ll update as and when I feel the need but for now I’ve made my mark in the sand as it were :)

6 comments:

Stephen Mc Gowan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Stephen Mc Gowan said...

No new trad goals?

Eamon's going use this as a weapon against me in our (many) ethics debates.

Neal said...

nice one dude :)
I've been meaning to expand on the one I put up on ICC recently, however just haven't gotten around to it!
Steve, have you not seen, Dave has been turned to the sport side - shows in his running also. that's why I've always loved sport climbing, comes from my background of soccer and basketball growing up - much more physical fitness required for hard sports, than trad!
Anyway, screw ethics. Do what you love.

Unknown said...

Haa! Turned to the sport side indeed... I love em all but like Neal typed, it's the physical fitness required to climb even modest sports that attracts me right now... it's just unforgiving and brutal - you're head's not gonna save you if you've not done the training!

Anonymous said...

as dave says "it's just unforgiving and brutal - you're head's not gonna save you " it's the Footing bolt, anyway lets get it clear I respect anybody who push it on bolts and even more so any NUT who'll do it on trad.

Unknown said...

Haa! Ture but the bolt only saves you from the deck - only the training can save you from the weakness and failure - which is what i'm more afraid of to be honnest - Falling is great :)