Anticipation

So what's been going on lately ? I went to the bouldering championships to watch the final, it was deadly craic and I am now interested in entering a few comps myself, I reckon it will be a good laugh plus it will help me to improve as a climber. I started training with kettlebells, holy shit they are a serious workout, feeling rather fit at the moment. I haven't been blogging much due to the fact that I haven't been outdoor climbing at all, mabye only twice all winter. Indoor training is not very blog worthy material, I've had a busy year with college, doing two work placements and many assignments, stressful and cortisol releasing bullshit !! However I have had a brilliant few months doing lots and lots of indoor bouldering, it has been an education falling, failing, trying hard and desperately reaching for the final jug on so many problems in the Gravity Center. I have met some great new and motivated people to train with, learn from and feed off. A great environment to train in, having fun whilst working hard.

I managed to make it through the whole winter without sustaining an injury. I did however have a niggle which hung around for a long time. I thought I was gtting tendonitis in my elbow and I tried loads of exercises to get rid of the pain, but eventually I realised the problem had nothing to do with my elbow at all, my elbows were sore because I wasn't taking the time to stretch my back and shoulders properly after hard bouldering sessions. One evening I spent nearly an hour stretching my back and shoulders and forearms and all sorts of things started to click back into place and my elbow pain vanished instantaneously. I'm deffo starting yoga this summer been saying it for a long time, no more procrastination on the yoga front.

What's all this training for ? I'm sure once I have college out of the way in May I will have more time to climb outdoors, I am really excited about climbing in the cave in Howth and Doolin this summer, plus checking out some new areas from the guide, however more immeadiatley  I have nice long trip to Albarracin coming up, 2 and a half weeks on the good red sandstone, I can't bleedin' wait. My little brothling Jamie and Daragh are coming over for their first taste of a climbing trip abroad and it is gonna be Epic !! I am hoping to do my first 7a so hopefully I have put in the work in the last few months and hopefully it will pay off with me topping out a few nice hard problems. Anticipation and psyche are very high right now and attatched to these are pressure, pressure from myself to do well and achieve my goal. Mostly I am just looking foward to running around the Spanish bouldering playground meeting fun climbers from around the world, eating Bbq's and drinking vino :) Less than 4 weeks to go, Wo Hooo !!