Though it might seem like every year is like this for me when it comes to climbing, 2008 was a difficult year for me physically. The first six months of the year were wiped out by hand surgeries and related recovery, which left me extremely motivated to make the most of what remained of the year.
I slowly got back into things over the summer before really focusing my efforts in October and November of that year into working my way through some of the more difficult lines at the local bouldering spot. This was one of the few times in my climbing career that I’ve focused on climbing a specific route or boulder problem for more than one day, and my efforts were rewarded when I sent my most difficult problem up to that point. After months of not being able to climb and wondering if I would ever reclaim my previous form, it was extremely gratifying to come back and be climbing even better shortly after all seemed hopeless.
Unfortunately, 2012 has been somewhat similar to the struggles of 2008. The year started well enough with a few successful trips to the Red River Gorge, but it went downhill in April when I tore a tendon in my ankle literally just pressing down on a foothold. My motivation for climbing disappeared in the intervening months as I recovered from surgery, and I would not walk or climb like a normal person until September.
My souvenir from the spring 2012 season. Fun times…
Once I was able to start climbing again without a boot I realized that I did, in fact, still like climbing quite a lot, and I once again set about regaining my previous form. With winter looming, I didn’t really have any specific goals in mind but I did manage to make a trip to Colorado for some rehab bouldering before dedicating the past five weekends to sport climbing in the Red River Gorge.
Rehabbing in Boulder Canyon
My main motivation for the trips to Kentucky was to enjoy climbing, hang out with friends, work on onsighting some stuff and see if I couldn’t get some fitness back. This went well enough as long as you ignore the frustratingly high number of “Second go” comments on my scorecard, but as I entered last weekend having 1-hung a handful of “hard for me” routes I realized that I wanted to feel that sense of accomplishment I felt back in 2008 when I climbed something hard for me not long after getting back into climbing. I was looking for some sort of crowning achievement on my comeback tour if you will. I went into the weekend squarely focused on climbing at least one of the short term projects I had been working on.
Did it work out?
In a word: no. To help keep this from derailing into a full on bad beat story about how if X or Y would have been different I would have totally sent, I’ll instead just keep it brief by saying that I did not succeed on any of the hard routes I was hoping to do despite trying one of them four times over the course of the weekend1.
So, despite having to suck on the bitter pill of defeat my efforts were not for naught as I found that I learned several things along the way:
- I should have spent the three months I couldn’t walk actually doing something and not just sitting in the basement having Lord of the Rings extended edition marathons.
- I need to get a lot better at sport climbing. I need to get stronger to be sure, but I think much of my issue is one of tactics and strategy as opposed to a glaring physical weakness. It wasn’t a coincidence that I kept consistently falling on the last boulder problem guarding the chains on my main project2, a sequence I had not spent much time figuring out or rehearsing on previous burns. I also tried the route in question two times a day over three separate days and on each day my first go was noticeably worse. Using that go as a warm-up/beta burn would have been much more productive than trying to go for the redpoint right away.
- Driving 500+ miles each way for a weekend of climbing is not conducive to having a productive trip, at least for me. Driving all afternoon/night on Friday and then climbing all day Saturday works well enough, but the abbreviated Sunday session with a 7-8 hour drive and work on Monday looming does not give one much time to rest between goes.
- I don’t subscribe to the en vogue idea that all grades in the RRG are soft3, but after climbing a handful of routes in the .11c-.12b range that all felt similar I’m more confused than ever about what feels like what grade.
- Five consecutive weekends of climbing at the Red is not the cure for my inability to recover while resting on a jug.
- It’s possible to spend ~$100 on food at Miguel’s in a month and not get tired of it.
- I am capable of climbing much harder routes in the RRG than I previously gave myself credit for. Endurance climbing will never be my strong suit, but I think I can pull hard enough between the rests to climb well into the 5.13 grade.
With these thoughts in mind, I’m pretty psyched to get stronger this winter and to think about different methods for dealing with the mental and logistical hurdles that left me ultimately feeling disappointed with how this fall climbing season went down.
On to the next…
Dude, that ankle tendon injury looks pretty scary. Any idea/explanation of what,may caused this (other than the proximate cause of applying pressure to the foothold)?
j
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Not really. Nothing that happened leading up that moment suggested that my ankle was weak or anything like that so it sure was a surprise. I have a history of joints flexing more than they should so it’s probably related to that, or it could have something to do with climbing shoes putting pressure on joints and causing weird things to happen.
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Bummer. If it helps you’re not alone though on bizarre injuries. Two years ago, on the first route of a trip to the Red, 3 bolts up a warm up at 7am, my foot slipped on a wet foothold. When it hit the larger foothold under it (about 6 inches), it broke the phalange behind my big toe. Took six weeks off, the very next time I go climbing, while warming up I tried to do a harder move than I was ready for and popped a tendon on my middle finger. 6 months after I eased back in to climbing, spending my weakened state putting up easier FA’s while I built up strength.
Anyway, not to bore you with my story but it happens, and better yet makes you really appreciate it when you’re healthy and have the ability to really try hard.
Best of luck in getting more fit in the off season good sir.
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Great post Narc! Injuries are very humbling. They definitely bring out your strengths and weaknesses. A lot like routes at the Red. Cheers!
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nice post, narc. here’s to a better year in 2013!
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What did you tear in the ankle? I have had two ankle surgeries in the past five years related to a bad bouldering fall I took in my 20’s. The last one was ATFL and peroneal tendon repair. For what it is worth, I tried to workout while in the cast and boot, but even just doing upper body strength made the ankle swell so badly that I would be back on the narcs by the evening, which sucked. I am six months out from surgery and it still swells a bit when I hike/climb.
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Mine was the peroneal tendon. I’ll be 6 months out in a few days. Earlier this month it was bothering me quite a bit once I started climbing a lot more, but it’s settled down since then. And you’re right, I did try to work out a little in the cast and it pretty much sucked, especially with it being near 100 all summer here.
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Avoid sandals like none other then Narc! Sandals wreck the peroneous (sp) muscle group by having them activated the entire time to keep said sandal on foot! Food for thought in the future!
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Yes. This is a good point. I hiked everywhere, even talus fields, in flip flops prior to this. No more.
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Sandals do more damage to your muscles then heels do for women’s muscles so that should say something haha!
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Somehow reading your suck story is heart warming, it’s nice to hear that other people struggle too sometimes. 30 minute tread wall sessions going slow builds great endurance for the Red and so does having all the beta wired, especially for the easy bits at the end. Stay healthy and get it done next year
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Damn for second I thought Jens’ took over climbingnarc.com. Then i realized this is your blog.
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I can sympathise. I also feel like I’ve been stumbling from injury to injury and motivation is waning. Good luck for 2013, I hope it’s injury free for you!
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Summing up the season already? The weather looks perfect for some last ditch efforts.
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I would if I could, but I finally have other obligations outside of climbing that preclude driving to KY every weekend.
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Nice post narc. I can relate to the frustration and healing time of injuries. But I think you have the right attitude about it, which is half of it! Here’s to a good 2013 🙂
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Considering how short your season was and your lack of time to prepare, you actually did remarkably well. To be honest, you seemed as strong in November as you did in March.
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if you have a history of loose joints, consider researching ehlers danlose syndrome. i’ve been treating mine nutritionally (vitamin c, calcium, sulfurous proteins such as eggs), warming up/cooling down more slowly and conscientiously, lots of stability and antagonist exercises, and also had to ditch the flip flops. good luck on your continuing recovery; it does seem like you’re doing quite well considering everything.
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Injuries suck but I’m glad to hear you’re back psyched. Best of luck in 2013.
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Dude I feel you. I’ve been climbing for a longish time but every year when I approach 5.13 I injure a finge or elbow or break a few ribs (most recent). It feels like every 6 months I’m climbing back up 5.12 just to get sent back down for a few months. It’s a bummer
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Really interesting post. I can feel it when you say you are psyched and more driven to get stronger! Just hang in… and I just can’t agree more with the Lord of the rings point..
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