Climbers Blogs: The Grit Season Is Over…Jen Wilby

Stunning sunset at Brimham Rocks

The Grit Season is over is what someone said to me only a week ago. My face must have been a mix of confusion and amusement…that’s a look you don’t want to see often!

The past few weeks have been amazing conditions, not too cold, not warm and perfectly dry. It means we've been able to get out and about to a few different places and complete some blocs which I've had my eye on whilst they have been sopping wet. This also means that I've not been training as I've been totally wasted for 3 days following the weekend’s antics and I've not wanted to push myself before the weekend. This is the great thing about not having a training plan! My plan is listening to my body and letting it tell me whether I should be training or not. Those of you who follow the blogs will know I had a bit of a melt down with training last summer and it led me to ditch the plan and just do what I felt like doing. This has paid off! No longer am I bound by the guilt of not training when my book tells me to, no longer do I push when my body is in pain rather than aching. It’s amazing!

So the question is, with spring almost here (it’s still been snowing up North!) what do I want to do now? We have a long haul trip in the pipeline for early next year and I want to be 100% fit for this, to be the fittest and strongest, and lightest I can! Thinking about it, the only way this can be achieved is by following a plan. So how do I go about that without totally burning out? When do I start it? Not training is starting to take its toll – with feelings of less energy and lethargy creeping on. However, the weather is still here, the Grit season could have another good month or two or more! Decisions! Either way I’m flipping excited!!!

The only thing….

Pushed it a bit too far for a bit too long

A few weeks ago, when it started to heat up, I panicked! I started to go out whenever I could and would literally thrash myself at my projects. This was 99.9% successful with success on most of them! I've been working problems which are my weakness and its been amazing to see successful attempts! Proving that my weaknesses are getting so much better – and my strengths are still improving!

Except Crystal Method at Caley, which has to be one of the hardest blocs I've ever been on, and I mean ever. It’s nails from start to finish…and one which I am focused on trying to finish before the season is actually over.

https://vimeo.com/121818586 Secret Seventh Caley

The issue with the panic, is I nailed my skin! Whenever I touch rock at the moment, it just bleeds. This always puts me in two minds when I check the weather forecast. Last week I could see it was going to rain for some time over the weekend – so I took a chance, even though my skin was poor and went out to try the sit start to Titfield Thunderbolt at Brimham Rocks.

Within a few attempts the skin split and I thought it was game over, but the forecast just kept playing on my mind, so I carried on – with success!

https://vimeo.com/123462025 Titfield Thunderbolt Brimham

This month I've also gone out climbing on my own a lot, due to my climbing partner having worse skin than I and different projects. Climbing on my own was a new experience for me. I normally like going out with a few close friends (nothing too manic with loads of people) and I enjoy climbing with them and talking to folk. Climbing on your own brings a whole new experience and focus. All of a sudden, you are there, on your own, with only one goal – to climb that bit of rock. No banter, no one to spot what other beta you can try, no one to fill in the rest times…just you.

The first time I did this I was super nervous! Why? No idea. Now, I love it and it suits my personality, the calmness and the focus is amazing. Everyone should try it, at a quiet time at the crag, it makes you listen to yourself and makes you see clearly, why you do climb. Some of you might hate it – but it will show you what you love about climbing. A valuable lesson. I now have no fear of going it alone (unless it’s a high ball and want a spot – even then I’d give a whirl!). The freedom is amazing!

Another new experience this month was my first ever boot demo at the Depot in Pudsey.

I've never really been a geek about my climbing shoes, I stick with what I love and believe that being strong in the mind will make any shoe you wear obsolete and the fact we all have totally different feet makes the choice up to you. Some shoes you love and some you hate ! Listening to others talk about shoes was interesting. The new Luchador made its appearance and both were good! If you get chance to head to one of the demo’s give it a go.