Monday

Spin Bike, 2 hours

Tuesday

Bouldering @ Movement 2 hours

A frustrating day, not very focused. Decided to try to top all the V5’s in the gym – got maybe all of theme except two. Not in the best mood.

Wednesday

Sick.

Severe bowel problems. Either laid up in bed or on the pot. Got maybe a protein drink down and a packet of Ramen. Food poisoning I waged.

Thursday

Off. Really bummed about this day, as Peter and I had plans to get out on the flatties, and that’s always a thrill.

Felt pretty much fine by 10:00pm – the change was incredibly swift. Hopefully I have been cleansed!

Friday

Bouldering @ Movement, 2 hours

And like the phoenix, I have risen! Kinda.

Felt particularly petty today, so tried to re-do my challenge of, Every V5 in the Gym (I counted 15 of ’em), which today felt like a warmup. All went down in one, or just a few tries and that was that. Still feeling a bit gingerly, albeit aimless, I reclimbed 4 V6’s and called it a good day.

It’s still recent enough that doing every V3 in the gym seemed to be a note-worthy thing to try and complete, so I’m stoked that this has been bumped to V5. I can climb harder, sure – but the consistency of doing every single problem of a grade is really something I focus on (more than pure power/strength), since I’m not like: going to qualify for the Bouldering World Cup anytime soon.

Knowing that I can be up on a climb, 5.12 or lower and have a toolbox of technical moves to call upon is nice piece of mind. And I can crimp pretty alright for someone pushing 180lbs is you know: okay as well.

Core Work

Balance Board Work

I’m mainly focusing on one-legged flexion/dorsiflexion, in an attempt to harden my left ankle which seems to enjoy giving me unrelenting chronic pain. I’m up to three sets of 50 at a very slow, and controlled pace, barefoot on a concrete surface. It seems to be helping whatever tendon is loosey-goosey down there.

I meant to bring shoes to do the spin bike machine, but I forgot them, having ridden in boots to work with the sloppy conditions outside. D’oh!

Saturday

Spin Bike, 2 hours

Balance Board Work

Sunday

Boulder @Movement, 2 hours (+3 routes)

Unlike Friday’s, “see how many routes  you can do”, today I just focused on one. Today’s challenge was to try to start working, and send a V6 on the 45 degree wall, something I’ve never come close to doing. The problem I had in mind looked mostly like a crimp ladder, made up of wide, shallow pockets. So, some of the holds can’t easily be crimped, and precision is very important. Footholds are there, but not the best.

Start was a bit tricky for me/my height, and it took a while to suss it out in a way I liked. The final 2/3rds, while pumpy, seemed to go pretty smoothly, as long as you hit the holds well. In the end, I got too tired to put everything together, but I was happy to give the challenge a try, and I’m fairly positive I’ll get it sent next around. Feeling in general, really strong.

Afterwards, I worked on the V3 slab problem. In past attempts, I couldn’t get past the first move, but today it took just a few attempts.

I was out of things I really wanted to work on, so I wandered to the cave, just to do laps on a V4 I’ve wired. After finishing the problem, I’d try to climb any other route (with limited success) in an attempt to build some endurance. I started talking to someone else that asked if I had my harness with me (I did), so we went out and did a few routes to end the day. Ended the day particularly pumped. Good stuff.

Balance Board Work

This is the third day in the row of doing the one-legged dorsiflexion work, and today I did 4 sets of 50. I honestly don’t know how stronger I can realistically make an ankle or how much time daily I want to indulge in this one PT exercise, but I guess, if it continues to make (tiny) positive differences, I’ll keep doing it. I may switch/add some twisting exercises utilizing a bosu ball and tossing things to myself – maybe even juggle a few sacks or something.

 

A somewhat lame week – getting sick is hard to come back from, when all the real-world things you miss back up. I’m glad that it was simply 2 days off, but I missed a lot of riding/running that I would have liked to get done. But, what can you do sometimes.