it's on when it's on - great start into the highlander season

back on it again and after 10+ years (call me crazy i don't mind) i still like to climb these moves - and i got very close on the full line (once again).

15C, holds were partly wet/humid - but WIND made it feel pretty sticky - and i felt fit and fresh. so i just wanted to test my fitness and went for it - and fell off the last hard move of the "highlander"....

thats the last hard move - which i failed to link (once again)

well i may have fallen off that move 60+ times over the last 5years... so no big deal, can happen up to three times a day. BUT - WOW: that has never happened on a "first day back" - what a (re)start into my highlander-project. it looks like it was a good decision to get fit by (re)climbing more hard classics in avers and sustenpass then i used to and mix it up with some gym-training. six weeks ago after my "extended" summer-break i was barely able to climb a 7A+. Now i am back climbing 8B+ again and (despite a shoulder, a finger, a knee and some hamstrings not at 100%) feeling strong and fresh - what a difference to july where i felt just tired and worn out in the heat after a long season - what a great feeling to climb in crisp pre fall conditions again :)

on my second try of the day i was super close to make it through that heinous "traumland-undercling-move" again. i fell off at the last bit of the move... waited for one minute, chalked up, did one move into the start of reve de faire and climbed it up to the last move again... so fitness IS back AND the weather forecast finally looks like the LONG awaited stable high-pressure weather could settle in next week.

no more rain???!!! that would help for sure!!!!

i could not ask for more. well ok, there is one thing... i may would like to climb just one move further this season.... just ONE MOVE... you know... its not that that many moves after having done 17hard ones in a row.

so if weather plays along i have now 4-6weeks for ONE MORE MOVE... JUST THAT ONE MORE MOVE...  (ok, this 7A/B ending will still be hard... but believe me, i will be bit motivated for that part if i finally will make it there)

and yes, to just not forget it: there is still no free lunch for me up there... because if my foot would not have had slipped off in the middle of the crux.. *a09q7'q08w!£à£YXCéàV$!?"*ç%V* - but well that would have had been too easy after all this years (10+ years)... wouldn't it... ;)

on my way back... different tactics to be applied

my summer-break got extended from the planed 3weeks to close to 6weeks due to a nasty and scary foot-infection i got on my last days in indo (don't go surfing with scratches on your foot!!!). thanks good the antibiotics worked well and the infection got punched back.

nasty foot-infection...

due to that longer rest it took me way longer to get some climbing fitness and skin back. it's every year the same, but its still amazing how much fitness i can loose and then how suddenly it comes back. nevertheless i am a bit concerned about the schedule to get ready for the "highlander-project" again. it looks pretty tight now as it will take me another three weeks to get to full power and in october winter can already hit and i will be very likely to freeze off the final moves as so many times before.

but this time i decided to apply different tactics then the last years. i will not put all my climbing days in that one project anymore. even if it this is hard when you go down repeatedly on the very last move and you really think you will send it the next day. i rather will try some other things, get really strong and just send when the conditions are good/perfect then battling with wet holds all the time. it's just not worth it (anymore). this clearly helps to keep the motivation high and to not train your mind to fail every time...

sustenpass never fails to deliver. i reclimbed the perfect "my axis" with a new and beautiful beta and also "kill your idols".
here you can see my friend ronny going for the hard first move (really hard move if you start with your left hand low (and dangerous for your knee - watch out!!!), easier with the left hand on a undercling higher up (and way less dangerous for the knee))

the last two years i also experienced and learned that despite up to three rest days my body was not able to fully recover from the specific moves anymore. i felt WAY stronger after a week or two off the project. this was also what helped me this spring for the "gepresster base". despite feeling fit and strong in fall i just got weaker and weaker and was not able to send. in spring i arrived fresh and strong from the ticino-season, went back on the project and quickly sent (and felt stronger then ever...)

managed to cruise "reve de faire" (original start) on my first go back on it... felt fresh and strong... despite having climbed "my axis" and "kill your idols" just some 30min before... way to go ;) pic by angelawagner.ch

so after close to four weeks back on rock and training in the gym it finally looks like skin and power are getting better by the day. i still feel far from really fit and on some training-boulders i used to climb with added weight in spring i barely am able to do the single moves. but in the last two weeks i managed to push my level from 7B to 8B again. progress always feels nice :)

keeping my fingers crossed for a good (dry) fall....