Now did I mention I have a training plan?? Maybe! Well it’s going well.

About 2 weeks ago I finally started the ‘preparation specifique’ phase. So that was almost 2 months of ‘preparation generale’. I needed it, lots of body conditioning, pull ups, push ups (all the traditional exercises that you know you should do but can’t really be bothered to) combined with volume on easier stuff climbing with a lower level pump...

Well we’ve moved on to much more focussed training for my goals and the pump levels have gone up!! Last week I wondered whether I needed a week off but being a mum and juggling things had possibly just got on top of me a bit. Vanessa started nursery one day a week last week and it’s just given me the space to get on with things much more easily.

Last night I went to the Foundry and it was my first chance in a long time to actually see where I was. Last Monday I went to the Works to boulder and I knew I was the strongest by a mile that I’ve been in at least 2 years. And I think I can say the same for last night on the routes. The Foundry grades are certainly a law unto themselves and adding half a grade seems more realistic. My foot slipped off the very last foothold as I was about to reach for the belay on a 7b. And I managed a ridiculously hard 7a, which had nothing to do with 7a much more in the 7a+ world. Things went steadily downhill after that, but what can you do if you only climb twice a week, I’m hardly planning to climb El Cap.

Maybe these grades don’t sound great but even when I’m climbing 8as outside I never seem to get past about 7b+ indoors. So I’ve got another 6 weeks in my ‘preparation specifique’ before heading to the south of France for 2 weeks. Flights are finally booked. I have a good feeling about this year’s climbing. I am hoping I’ll be back to full form on the routes by the Summer. I do hope so. We’ll see!

If you would like a training plan like mine visit Team Kyou's link on facebook or contact Corinne direct therouxgermond@wanadoo.fr

PS I've been working on these courses this week for young people: Rock Action, a residential climbing camp now in it's fourth year and two Rock Action sport climbing weekends. Please pass on the link to anyone you know who maybe interested.

http://www.lovetoclimb.co.uk/rock_climbing_blog/1/2012/Training+going+well

Colorado!

In a very short space of time we’ll be flying off to the States.  First stop will be Boulder, Colorado to see my old friend Airlie.  Then Rifle and Nic’s old friend Dave and finally Jeff’s house which is somewhere in between.  There’s no doubting the amount of fun we’re going to have.  And Vanessa has no idea!  She’s pootling along with her everyday concerns of stuffing flat fish in her mouth, emptying the kitchen cupboards and sucking on the velcro of her new shoes.  Meanwhile there’s a whole world of packing going on.

For the first time ever on such a trip we’re just taking our climbing shoes, harnesses and chalk bags and hoping the rest will be provided.  All our bags will be filled with Vanessa’s stuff!

Nic and I have been building up our climbing and the one day a week at the crag arrangement is suiting us both very well.  Nic has done three 8bs this year (his first 8b in over 10 years) and last Tuesday I climbed Cry of Despair 7c at the Cornice in the Peak.  Following my recent ascent of Cordless Madness, a hard 7b+ and Bored of the Lies 7b/+ I’m going well.  I never thought it would be this well at this stage.  But the big question is whether my rapid improvements are going to be enough to keep up with Lynn Hill.  Or rather simply be able to climb on the same boulder as her.

Yes my big opportunity to climbing with the hero herself may soon be coming up.  How naff, I’m such a groupie.  But since Airlie is actually friends with her wouldn’t it be a bit of a shame to miss out.  Who knows what actual climbing we’re going to do out there, but there seems to be no shortage of every kind.  I will report back soon...

Meanwhile, if you're a female climber you may be interested in this event I'm attending in Liverpool at the beginning of November organised by top climber Shauna Coxsey: https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=154008164683587

Also I'm running a brilliant course at the Climbing Works in Sheffield at the end of Oct.  There's one running at the Castle in London too.  It's a one day course to kick start your training for the winter focussing on general preparation including weights, core, circuit training and technique: http://www.lovetoclimb.co.uk/climbing_coaching/22/Team+K+you

Today is Vanessa’s first birthday!!  A whole year has passed by since she said hello to the world.  We’ve just spent a week in Lundy and we all faced a number of challenges. Vanessa took her first few steps and we managed to balance being parents with adventurous climbing and a very full household.

We hired Millcombe House and I think probably Nic and I took the room where the Queen stayed.  I’m only assuming this as we had the best room, lucky us.  There were 13 adults and 4 children.  Wow!  Chaos was one way to describe things.

Nic and I took the climbing every other day approach and the first day was my turn.  It came as quite a shock to be scoping out blind loose tops in order to find our way down to the pristine granite.  Sport climbing and bouldering are decidedly low key in comparison.  For the first time the concepts of being a mother, climber and self preservation hit me.  On the crux of the first route, despite it being well protected I thought about Vanessa and my mind wasn’t entirely on the job.  As the week wore on I got used to things – I chatted to the other Dads, I’m not sure they feel it in the same way as a mother.

Despite a chronic lack of sleep I managed to climb really quite well.  I led three E3s and even an E5.  It was a soft touch more like E4, no doubt, but I give myself E5 for simply getting on it.  It was the end of my second day’s climbing and I’d already led two E3s, the second in the baking sun.  I hadn’t been sure if leading the second would use up all my mental energy, but I took the risk.  Heather and I laid out recovering in the ‘Battery’ a ruined outbuilding surrounded by old cannons.  We re-fuelled with water and food.

Supercharged... you can see how the water was coming in fast!

For some reason I’d forgotten that the route was tidal.  Woops.  We’d lost track of time.  As we headed down someone else’s abseil rope and hopped along the boulders I was shocked to see the water lapping up the base of the route.  Quickly we climbed up onto a ledge and I could gather my thoughts again.

I’d chosen to do Supercharged, a short slim groove, a recommendation from the rest of the team.  Despite talk of it’s soft touchness I was battling against my mind.  Giving birth to E5 in a year.  Was that possible for me?  I didn’t know anyone else who had done this.  Sometimes the external knowledge that something is possible makes it easier.

But above all my instinct was telling me to get on it.  It was well protected and if I fell off I knew I’d be able to aid it.  The whole time up the route I doubted myself but yet I found my body placing gear and climbing upwards.  It was really satisfactory to reach the top.

Read more about Katherine and her adventures at www.lovetoclimb.com