It’s quickly becoming one of the best parts of my week, and I look forward to it as soon as my forearms, and hands stop hurting from the strain. In other news the climbing is helping my weight loss. I’m now into the 195lb range, down from 213lbs, so that’s cool. I think that more climbing, and further weight loss will both be positive things at this point in my life. I definitely don’t forsee myself getting down to 175lbs by years end, but in another two pounds I’ll have dropped a full twenty this year, and that’s cool. I can be happy with that, sort of.
I have stuck with the auto belay climbing these last three sessions, but I want to give bouldering a go sometime soon. I think that when I go back on tuesday or wednesday I will try it then. I managed to climb more routes last week than ever before, so let us hold to that upward trajectory. Or try harder routes for a change. Or be willing to struggle on the really hard stuff a bit more before giving up for easier climbs. I could probably rest a bit more in between climbs, but I know how tired I’ll get, and I can always rest, or call it a day earlier and just wait for my kids to finish. It’s a toss up. I can go hard and rest towards the end, or rest inbetween and still be tired but get fewer climbs in. Either way the lactic acid is building up in my forearms/hands and will stop me from climbing. I say, go hard for as long as I can take it, then rest & stretch it out.
I think that Santa Clause might bring us some chalk bags, chalk and an auto locking carabiner for the holidays this year. I for one hope that we continue to climb into the new year. It’s a lot of fun. Does make playing the guitar more difficult for 48/72 hours afterwards, but if I use or rely on my legs more, I can try to curb that pain a fair bit.
I don’t think I’m going to go whole hog on climbing, by making it my new identity or anything, but I am enjoying it for the moment. I have been looking at climbing tips on YouTube since I don’t currently have any climbing friends, just my kids whom are also novices, like myself. Though, they are receiving instruction, whereas I am not. I had the intro orientation, but no climbing talk, just safety stuff. Better than nothing.
I did buy us a twelve dollar bottle of liquid chalk because as my hands get progressively weaker, sweatier and more slick, I was hoping to regain some stick to it-ness via the chalk use. Works a bit, but when I have to stop climbing it’s because I can nolonger close my hand/thumb with any reliability. At least not if I want to hang any weight from that grip. So, I should have exhausted legs as well, but I rarely do, so that tells me I’m not using my legs enough. Improved form should help with that.
I went climbing for the first time at some place in Comox, with my oldest brother, and his kid. I think we all went as a family, prior to my having any children that is, so it was atleast ten years ago or longer. And I hated the auto belay system because you have to put full weight on it for it to kick in, and the whole time it felt like I could just fall off the wall and plummet forty feet to the ground. So this time around I was ready for that sensation, and believed in it, and didn’t have the same panic when climbing. Good to know. It’s one thing to hear about it, and another to experience it, and be comfortable with it. The slight delay in the autobelay rope descent that is.
Still sorting out the shoes though. The size 13’s were more comfortable, but the squashed big toe is really unpleasant. In the new year I might invest in my own harness at least. They are sixty bucks. I can handle that. But the shoes are crazy. Well over that price, starting around $225.00 for men’s moderate, firm toes. Not there yet. Not by a long shot.
I wonder if the parking situation is any better when they open during the week? It’s absolutely full when we get there on saturdays. Have to park at one of the surrounding buildings, or across the road at the Tim’s. Weather is getting mighty cold for parking that far away if you ask me.
Happy saturday morning, the last day of November 2024. Ciao Bella!
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