Accountability

My coach in college taught me early to not only write goals and place them where I can see them daily, but also tell others of my goals. If I’m sincere and realistic these won’t sound cocky or arrogant and hopefully these people will help hold me accountable.

My short-term goal for climbing is my first V7 by the end of September (half way through the month now…). I have 3 routes that I think are doable by then and I’m pushing hard for it. I went 3 days in a row projecting at my max. This is the kind of sore and broken that makes me sleep for a day, be anti-social and enjoy every grinding second of it.

I’m getting closer too. The progress seems almost unnoticeable. But as tired as I am, I feel my moves get smoother. My breathing has become less rapid and more controlled keeping me from getting too taxed. And although more and more pieces of my skin are gone and the pain grows, I feel calmer with each attempt.

So what about accountability? I feel like I have a place in this community. Most of the employees know my name. Several climbers are comfortable enough with me to talk beta and project with me. It’s this group that holds me accountable.

In the last 3 days of climbing, I noticed these friends asking me the same question, “Have you gotten that 7 yet?” I heard this probably 6 or 7 times, and Steve (the guy who introduced me to the routes I’m attempting.) asked me specifically if I was making progress.

It serves as a little reminder that people care, and want to see me succeed (or they’re actually jerks and are hoping I fail… I choose the more positive option.). And it pushes me when my own reservoir of motivation is running low. The sound of someone encouraging me may not perform miracles, but I tend to reach for at least one more hold when someone is egging me on.

A lot of that motivation came from my dear friend, Kyle. My fellow teammate in Track, roommate during my senior year of college and fellow Ninja, he’s the one introduced me to climbing. He came to town to hang out and “crush” I guess is the climber’s term he used (and I’m supposed to know by now… haha).

He’s a powerful climber. Part of the reason I’ve worked so hard is to just catch up to him and be able to climb with him. He has taught me a lot and I’m finally closing the gap.

He often receives my post-session texts describing my night. It usually includes: what I accomplished, how I performed mentally, or if any cute girls said hi to me (not a common notification, mind you…). He holds me accountable by pushing me constantly.

Motivation lacking? Talk to Kyle.

Technique not up to snuff? Talk to Kyle.

Diet not where it should be? Hangout with Kyle. He’ll make you feel guilty.

You get the idea. He, along with so many climbers that I’ve gotten to know over the last few months have really kept me on track to this V7. Now for two days rest and then back to grinding it out.

P.S. Because of the heat, I was going through chalk like mad (sweaty palms :p ). So I upgraded to a chalk bucket… now there’s 20oz of a white substance I can’t take on a plane.

And one more thing… the second set of shoelaces on my La Sportiva Muira’s broke. Making them the second pair in a month. This is Kyle’s subtle hint that I need a new pair. And if you’re wondering why… these one’s go to 11.

Weight: 173 (13 lbs off goal...) Have no fear! It’s only pizza and beer!

Finding my V7

I found my first v7. The one that will be my first. My goal tonight was to warm up and begin moving through as many as I could to see which ones got my attention.

Typically I end up with the hardest but coolest looking route I can find. And I climb until I’m frustrated. Climb some more… and struggle all the way through. I wanted to try to find a 7 that focused on my strengths. Which is pretty much overhand and power.

What I also really wanted was something that got me excited. That the line the setters presented really got me jonesing to come in and tackle. Some of the employees helped point a couple out and after playing around on a few I knew which it had to be. Which one will keep me up tonight thinking about. I already have new ideas for how to tackle a part of the problem I’m not even at yet.

I do really have a hard time gauging difficulty. Maybe I’ve had it easy until now, but I kept saying “which is an easy v7?” not that I want to cheat myself out of a strong victory but that I wanted to slowly notch up my difficulty. Steve (one of the employees at the Circuit Bouldering Gym) probably said it five times last night, “They’re V7’s. They’re all hard.”

It’s something I really need drilled into my head. The burly/thuggy routes are going to hurt. The crimpy/techy ones are going to test me mentally. Willi step up to the plate or back down?

Lets just say I’m in pain. I’m no stranger to it. I just have to inform my brain that this is expected. I knew this was coming. And just in attempting, I see how far I’ve come. There’s a few 7’s I can project and probably take down with some concentrated effort. I can do this. And I feel good.

As I was sitting, icing my right hand… I had an idea. The biggest complaint about my V6 video was people couldn’t tell how difficult the holds were. I’ve seen enough climbing videos to understand how to fis this… multiangle/multicamera shoot. I’ve got the equipment. There’s no reason why I couldn’t shoot my first send of a 7 in some interesting way. Maybe I can get Steve’s help with getting into the gym and shooting it?

Wait: 168 lbs (8 lbs from goal).

with the rare exception of working too much... i've cut out caffeine again. and fast food is out as well.

AcroYoga

I’ve been saying I was going to try this for about 6 months. It’s offered to me free as a part of my annual membership at the climbing gym. And tonight was the night.

It wasn’t too hot in the gym. And being my third day in a row, I took a nice long 30-45 minute, very relaxed warm up trying to loosen up my forearms. I would stop to get water, to watch climbers crush a problem, and just do anything to make sure I was going slow. I asked at the front desk when yoga started and a girl who was signing in looks at me and says “now! Follow me!” she and her partner led me upstairs and they began doing exercises you’d expect to see in Cirque De Soleil. AcroYoga, in a very simplified explanation is one person laying on the floor (the base) holds the other person in the air (flyer) with their feet. They were doing some moves that were a lot more advanced than what I was doing.

Finally more people arrived. I was introduced to several and was instructed on how to do the beginning base work. It’s… interesting. The girls kept asking me if I needed breaks. But I didn’t feel like my muscles were wearing out. I was just getting a deep constant stretch in my hamstrings.

Next, I was introduced to the flyer position by the instructor. She taught me the bent leaf, which is the start of therapeutic stretching. This would be extremely awkward if had a personal bubble. Because at one point I was upside down hanging in the air, sitting somewhat like a frog with my head between a strangers legs. Her thighs also seemed to be putting just enough pressure across the arteries in my neck to prevent a blood rush/blackout. Cool thing, I probably could have passed out and she would have still kept me balanced.

So the first minute or so of this video demonstrates pretty close to what I was doing with the instructor. Except I was the upside down girl and the instructor was on the ground.

I can’t tell you how this felt. After an injury in my back several years ago, I’ve had chronic pain. Chiropractic care helps, but doesn’t fix it. Massage does almost nothing and physical therapy… well, doctors can’t get me sitting still long enough to get through PT. but the way this stretched and lengthened my spine was amazing. I immediately noticed an improvement in posture and a reduction in pain. I’ll probably continue AcroYoga for this reason alone.

Next was being a flying bird? Which, everytime they said this, all I could think about was Portlandia’s “Put a bird on it” sketch (This made things more difficult... it's hard to balance when you're fighting the urge to laugh.). Basically, it stopped being a stretch and became some work. It was similar to doing supermans on the stability ball. Biggest difference, the ball was a crazily coordinate woman with toes that moved me to wherever she wanted me to go.

As the place became more full, I moved to a bench, in awe. After a few minutes of this, I headed downstairs. I put in about 4 hours tonight. The AcroYoga really loosened me up and got me ready to tackle more routes on the wall. I plan to do it again next week if I’m free. It definitely wasn’t the yoga I was expecting though. But I’m always down for something new.

P.S. I was trying to do some press to handstands on the Olympic rings. That might make my list of to-do’s.

168 lbs before I ate Subway. :)

September has started; 30 days to pull a V7.