Bouldering Competition

Sometime in the middle of January I got a Facebook invite to a Bouldering Competition at The Edge Climbing Gym in Halfmoon, NY. If you haven't been there, I highly suggest you dedicate a day during the weekend and check it out.

This gym is insane and I love going there. There are classes and climbs available to all levels of climbers. They have hundreds of feet of vertical walls for some aid climbing and even for those who want to practice there sport climbing. But the greatest feature this gym has to offer, is a giant boulder. It has amazing overhangs, a few spots of straight vertical walls, but the coolest part is that no matter where you are on the boulder, you can top out. There's no completing your climb and having to down climb. It's has an amazing "real-life" situation.

I have been sore the past few days from the gym and shoveling all of this white stuff that's outside on the ground. Also, I haven't been climbing since my buddy Jut and I were in 9 Corner back in September. But I was eager and psyched to climb again and be in that atmosphere.

There was a great turn out, I can't even begin to tell you how many climbers where there. Male, female. Younger, older. Beginners and more advanced. I felt good on my first route when I flashed it. So I increased the difficulty of the climbs I was trying. I was feeling really good and pulling of holds and moves that I feel "more experienced climbers" can achieve.

The event went from 3 till 6. I started to get real tired and the calluses on my hands started to tear. I realized it was 5:30 and there was only a short time left to get more climbs in. Unfortunately I searched all over the gym and could not find my scorecard.
I wasn't too upset that I couldn't actually turn in my score. I had a lot of things going against me, even though I had some pretty good climbs.

In the end, climbing is a type of sport where there is no real winner. It's all about getting there, trying your best, improving upon yourself and most of all enjoying it and having fun. It's a great sport that anyone can partake in and I cannot wait to get out more once the weather warms up!!!

The Return

As many of you can see, it's been quite a long time since I last wrote anything on this blog. I have recently made changes to it and am going to make a valiant attempt in keeping it up to date. I plan on climbing much more this year. More bouldering and possibly a few multi-pitch climbs.

I first want to congratulate Tommy and Kevin on their ascent of The Dawn Wall. Most everyone knows what they have done due to the media coverage, but many common people do not understand hat they had really done. As a fellow climber, their feat was nothing short of amazing in my eyes. They are a true inspiration, not just to climbers, but those chasing their dreams. Again, congratulations guys!

As of now I have been working hard in the gym in gaining strength, mainly pulling and grip in hopes to really increase the difficulty in climbs I can accomplish, as well as the length of time I can climb. I am really anxious to the new season and taking my climbing to another level.

Not only is it a physically demanding sport that I'm prepping for. But the stability, motion, flexibility and overall clear mentality aspect that climbing has to offer, is sometimes difficult to accomplish. Therefore, I have turned to different training methods.

I can't wait to get back out on the rock and into nature.