For the past few weeks I have been really focused on training - World Cup style training in CATS. Lots of hard boulders, weight vest training, power training, circuits, etc. My friend Seth has also been really motivated so together we have been preparing to take our climbing to new levels. So far things have paid off, I feel like Im getting a lot stronger and working on my weaknesses that I have kind of neglected in the past. One good way to measure progress is to try problems that you have tried before, and see how you feel on them in comparison. Last week I headed back to Clear Creek to get back on my project, Dark Waters V13. I warmed up at the Animal boulder, an amazing crimpy 7C+ overhang right off the road. I had tried this problem last year in May but had a lot of problems with the hard tension moves near the end. This time, after having trained a lot of body tensoin in CATS, the moves felt super easy and I climbed it within a few tries. Progression! Then I headed over to Dark Waters to see how things would go on that. I laid down the pads and first decided to try the bottom moves to see how I felt. I surprised myself by easily getting through the bottom first go, so I rested a bit and gave it a go from the start. First go I got all the way to the finish move but my feet cut right at the end! No! I had fallen here before and decided to end it once and for all. I rested for about 45 min and then it was on. I chalked up, brushed holds, and exectuted perfectly. When I got to the finish move I felt good so I switched feet, got my foot on the higher, better left foothold (move is easier but adds a hard foot move), and BAM, hit the finish jug perfect. It was complete! I was so happy to finally finish up this amazing river boulder. my first big send since I've been in Colorado. This marks my first 8B perhaps, a big breakthrough for me since this has always been a big goal of mine. Regarding the grade, although some people may find it easy for 8B, it definately felt hard for me, harder then any 8A+ I've ever done. As a point of reference, Dark Waters felt a lot harder to me then Right Martini, the standard 8A+ power endurance problem of the US that I climbed a couple years ago. Either way I don't really care, just happy to have done such a classic hard boulder finally. In a week I'll be heading to Bishop for spring break, very syked to be back in the Buttermilks again! My goals are to get back on The Mandala, the Buttermilker, and Direction and see how things go on those!
